After two luxurious nights at the Gilded Iguana, we continued our journey to the real heart of our first Costa Rica trip: The Sunset Shack in Nosara. For eight nights, this eco-boutique hotel in the middle of the jungle was our home – and it felt like home from day one.

The Sunset Shack at a glance

• Location: Nosara, Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste Province, in the middle of the jungle
• Property: Eco Boutique Hotel with saltwater pool and on-site restaurant Al Chile
• Rooms: Minimally but stylishly furnished Deluxe Double Rooms – everything you need for a relaxing temporary home
• Amenities: Saltwater pool instead of chlorinated water, refillable toiletries, restaurant with exclusively locally sourced ingredients
• Highlight: Daily visits from meter-long iguanas at the pool, morning wake-up call from howler monkeys in the jungle
• Distances: A few minutes' walk to Playa Guiones, located directly next to the Gilded Iguana

Family-friendly: relaxed & uncomplicated

The Sunset Shack is not a hotel with entertainment or a children's program, but rather the exact opposite: a place where nature sets the pace. And that goes down surprisingly well with children. We were woken up every morning by howler monkeys in the trees, and practically every day one or two meter-long iguanas came by to drink from the pool. For our child, this was a small event every time, better than any children's program. The atmosphere is uncomplicated, familiar, and anything but stiff, which makes everyday life with a child very relaxed here.

The rooms: simple, yet stylish

We would describe the Sunset Shack as an eco-boutique hotel: The furnishings are deliberately minimalist, but by no means loveless. In our Deluxe Double Room, we had exactly what we needed for a relaxing temporary home, no more and no less. Everything in the hotel is consistently designed in harmony with nature: refillable toiletries instead of disposable plastic, a saltwater pool instead of heavily chlorinated water.

Al Chile Restaurant: South American cuisine and fantastic margaritas

The hotel's own Al Chile restaurant was often the simplest and nicest choice for dinner during our eight nights. Meals are eaten in the garden, and the menu is deliberately kept lean as only local ingredients are sourced – breakfast and dinner options are therefore manageable, but we still enjoyed eating there very often. Anyone traveling with children knows: A relaxed restaurant directly in the hotel, which you don't have to drive to, is worth its weight in gold in the evening.

Price-performance ratio

At about half the price of the Gilded Iguana, the Sunset Shack is significantly cheaper – and by no means a compromise. On the contrary: for a longer stay, it was even the more suitable choice for us. Just right for anyone looking for an authentic Nosara experience without sacrificing style.

Things to do around Nosara with kids

Since the Sunset Shack is also located in Nosara, the same excursion destinations apply here as at the Gilded Iguana – reason enough for us to combine both hotels during our stay:

Surfing for the whole family

Nosara is rightly known as one of the best surf spots in the world. At Playa Guiones, the tidal conditions ensure that beginners and advanced surfers hardly get in each other's way. Our surf lessons at the Selva Surf School were some of the best experiences of the entire trip, absolutely suitable even for surf beginners.

Beaches in the area

• Playa Pelada – a few minutes' walk away, connected by a small path. A must for sunset.
• Playa Garza – small fishing village with Pilos Bar right on the water. Unassuming at first glance, but the food was one of the best of the trip.
• Playa Barrigona – a bit further out, best reached by car or taxi. At the end of the beach, there are shady spots under palm trees – ideal if children want to play in the sand for longer.

Restaurants & Cafes in Nosara

In addition to Al Chile at the hotel, the following are particularly worthwhile:

• La Luna at Playa Pelada – sunset dinner right by the sea, but be sure to make a reservation in advance.
• Go Juice – a food truck for smoothies and fruit bowls, ideal as a quick, healthy snack by the pool. We were there EVERY DAY!
• La Oliva for really good pizza (and a really cute boutique right next door).
• Rosi's Soda Tica for an authentic, inexpensive lunch with the Costa Rican Casado.

Day trip: Rio Celeste & Tenorio National Park

From Nosara, we took a long day trip to Rio Celeste in Tenorio National Park – about 3 to 4 hours drive, directly into the rainforest. The 250 steps down to the turquoise waterfall are no walk in the park with a child in a carrier, but the view makes up for everything. Swimming is not allowed at the waterfall itself, but further down there is a spot in the brightly blue water where you can swim.

Our conclusion on the Sunset Shack

For our first Costa Rica trip with a child, the Sunset Shack was the perfect base: close to nature, uncomplicated, with a lot of character – and guaranteed iguana visits by the pool. If you want to spend two special nights beforehand, we recommend a stop at the Gilded Iguana before heading to the actual main quarters.

More about our entire Costa Rica trip with a child – including arrival, budget and all restaurant tips for Nosara – can be found in our detailed travelogue.

To The Sunset Shack