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HOTEL STYLE
Business
Bay View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Yoga classes
Pool
Free breakfast
Hiking
Horseback riding
Children's television networks
Secured parking
Wifi
Yoga room
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Adult pool
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Wine / champagne
Poolside bar
Snorkelling
Fishing
Kids pool
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Airport transportation
Car hire
Taxi service
Couples massage
Foot massage
Full body massage
Massage
Neck massage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Clothes dryer
Laundry service
Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Room service
Minibar
Cable / satellite TV
Flatscreen TV
Hair dryer
Bottled water
Room types
Mountain view
Ocean view
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Jardines del Morete 17 Km. Sur de Playa Dominical, Uvita de Osa 1 Puntarenas, Uvita 60504 Costa Rica
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A beautiful place, the pool area and restaurant very well maintained, with a spectacular view. The staff in the restaurant and bar area is excellent. The delicious food. A very quiet place and nice atmosphere. Points to improve are the bathrooms in the room, as they look neglected and the attention of the young woman from the reception
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes, it’s quite a hill to get there but the view is amazing. They have 2 infinity pools, which was great because my 4 yo was able to play in one of them. Let me tell you about the staff: top notch! All of them were friendly, accommodating, making my little ones feel noticed and cared for. Very comfortable rooms and all with amazing views. The food at the restaurant was delicious. And they had quite the variety of fruit juices. We stayed 4 days and it was just amazing. They are great at helping you book tours, But, If you book any tours with them, inquire on location of tours and how far from the hotel (we had one that was 30 minutes from it. Since it was rainy season and it rained almost every afternoon, the driving back and forth and with the rain, it took our pool time away from us. Not their fault tho). I wish there was a Vista Ballena hotel at every location in Costa Rica that we have gone. Oh and prices were great. Ask for any deals on packages that involve food. We had breakfast and dinner included and they were delicious.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A 5 star service. The hotel has a spectacular view, you don't want to leave there. The attention of each of the employees is 100% quality, they made us feel at home. The rooms are super comfortable and the food we can say that we tried almost the entire menu and the food is delicious. Very pleased to have selected this hotel. Thank you all for making our vacation a spectacular week!
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:La calle para el ingreso al hotel es un poco angosta, pero sube cualquier vehículo.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What a great place! The staff are friendly and provide excellent service. The view, bar area, and pool are sublime. This hotel sits on the side of a steep hill with an incredible view of the ocean and Whales Tail. As a result, the drive up can be intimidating but easily managed by taking it slow in first gear. You need to be prepared to walk up stairs to get back and forth from the room and bar/restaurant/pool area. The food and drinks are excellent. The beach and town are a 15 min drive, at most. The rooms are comfortable with well functioning air conditioning. The outside patio/deck provides another magnificent view from the room. We had a wonderful couples massage in the open air yoga space. The bathroom in the room could use some attention, but hardly enough of a concern to dissuade us from returning. We're very happy we stayed here on our trip to Costa Rica. Thank you, Vista Ballena!
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Be prepared to climb some stairs
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Vista Ballena Hotel, Otros at Vista Ballena Hotel
Responded 22 May 2024
Dear Randal, Thank you very much for visiting us! We hope that you come back soon. Best regards Vista Ballena Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at Hotel Vista Ballena for 4 nights and really enjoyed our time here. The room was clean and comfortable, the staff was friendly and accommodating and very helpful, especially with transportation. It was a little difficult to find taxis in Uvita, so anytime we needed transportation we messaged the hotel on WhatsApp and they called a taxi for us right away! They provided great recommendations. The food was good, drinks were delicious, and the view from the restaurant and pool area is just unbelievable. Every evening when we returned our room had been cleaned and tidied.
The internet worked pretty well for us, we were even able to stream shows and sports in the evening. It was a little inconsistent, so I probably wouldn’t rely on it if I needed to work or Zoom or anything like that, but it worked well for our purposes.
We stayed in a Deluxe room just below the pool area, with a balcony that overlooked the ocean. There are definitely quite a few stairs to get there, which was fine for us as we are young, active and able-bodied, but could be difficult for anyone with mobility issues. It was slightly strenuous bringing our suitcases down the first day and up the last, but other than that it was totally fine and even with suitcases it wasn’t bad. It looked like there were some rooms further down from ours, so that would be more stairs and probably more difficult.
The first morning we were here we slept in and missed breakfast by 20 minutes, and they were kind enough to serve us anyways which was very appreciated.
The hotel is at the top of a hill, which makes the views incredible, but you do need a taxi to get to and from so it’s not the most walkable location.
If you’re used to staying in the Ritz Carlton, the rooms might not be up to your standards, but we had a lovely time and would absolutely come back.
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We recently spent a week at Hotel Vista Ballena in Uvita de Puntarenas (November 8 - November 15), and even though the weather wasn’t ideal, our experience was excellent thanks to the amazing staff. Special thanks to Esteban, Edgar, Jason, Yuri, and Liz for making us feel welcomed and attended. We booked a promotion that included breakfast and dinner, and while the selection was limited, the team went out of their way to provide us with variety, offering new dishes to avoid repeats throughout our stay. The food was delicious, and their flexibility truly made our stay memorable. Highly recommended—this is a place we would happily visit again!
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**Spanish:**
Recientemente pasamos una semana en el Hotel Vista Ballena en Uvita de Puntarenas (del 8 al 15 de noviembre), y aunque el clima no fue ideal, nuestra experiencia fue excelente gracias al maravilloso personal. Un agradecimiento especial a Esteban, Edgar, Jason, Yuri y Liz por hacernos sentir bienvenidos y atendidos. Reservamos una promoción que incluía desayuno y cena; aunque la selección era limitada, el equipo hizo un gran esfuerzo en brindarnos variedad, ofreciéndonos nuevos platos para evitar repetir comidas durante nuestra estadía. La comida fue deliciosa, y su flexibilidad realmente hizo que nuestra estancia fuera memorable. Altamente recomendado—¡sin duda nos encantaría volver!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The fantastic pool compensates for the tedious steep approach. Thank God we had dry weather!! The accommodation rather unspectacular, located below the main house on the slope. We were in house 2, which was about 100 stairs to the restaurant/pool. A little sport doesn't hurt:) The room had a small balcony, the sliding doors are a bit old and sluggish, the bathroom from the year of construction but ok. Otherwise very neat and Clean, great mega wide beds and stylish blankets. Refrigerator, air conditioning, TV everything with you, as well as a kl. Coffee maker which we always find very nice. Upstairs at the bar, chilling lounge music plays, just for a cocktail or sunset comes the flair that the infinity pool promises. For an overnight stay it was just right for us.
The staff very accommodating and attentive, we have not always experienced so!
Breakfast was included but only one option from the menu, rather loveless and somewhat disappointing. The little that was offered was then partly out of stock. Dinner on the other hand (a la card) was high quality and harmonious at a yet upscale price. We liked that cool water was served to guests all day and evening and also brought to the sun loungers. Always welcome on hot days and completely free! Our mojito cocktail and fruit smoothie were also really recommended. We would come back for a detour. Gladly in a room with modernized bathroom;)
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed 2 times 1 night during our tour in Costa Rica. So we used the hotel as a stopover and resting point.
That was very nice. A very friendly receptionist who recognized us the 2nd time and knew the room number. Good at her job, then. Helpful also when we report that wasps were building a nest above our balcony. Just text the picture and it was arranged.
The pool is a relief during hot days and the pool bar is fully equipped.
Special Recommendation is the food in the hotel. Especially the specials are very tasty and affordable!
It is striking that our first room had a better mattress than the 2nd time we stayed. Everything functions, nice air conditioning, sufficiently spacious.
Ample parking space. Mind you, a beautiful view always comes together with a remote location, but as a stopover / resting point actually ideal.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had the most amazing cocktails with all natural ingredients. The bartender infuses his most common used liqueur’s with local fruits to create the best tasting cocktails we have had in Costa Rica. He created his own “Chamoy” with hibiscus flower and local ingredients that provides the most natural tasting flavored chamoy I have ever tasted. We had his Moscow Mule that contained soda infused with natural ginger which tasted phenomenal. Also, he invests time into ensuring the drinks are all garnished perfected. He is a true master of his craft and is fully committed to ensuring your drinking exceeds all expectations.
In addition, the food was phenomenal with amazing bold flavors. We had the fish ceviche which is served in natural orange juice and provides a semi sweet flavor which is the perfect contrast to the fish. Amazing. Secondly, we had the Cordon Bleu Chicken and Chicken Ballena which both were extremely flavorful and would definitely try again. Lastly, we loved these dishes so much we asked for a Shrimp Fettuccine with Pesto that was amazing. The pesto was full of flavor with the perfect amount of Parmesan.
After traveling through southwest Costa Rica and constantly being disappointed with the dinner and drink options at the hotels, Vista Ballena far exceeded our expectations. They created the perfect ending to our trip to Uvita and helped us establish trust in hotel dining and drink services.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We decided to go to the beach for a few days with our dogs (three small dogs), so we started searching for a place that would accept us with them. At Vista Ballena they told us yes, for which they indicated a series of conditions that we scrupulously complied with. The staff was very friendly and understanding with our dogs and us. When necessary we were even able to reserve spaces that we had identified as ideal near the pool and restaurant for them and the good coexistence with the guests. The hotel experience was much better than we expected and we will definitely go again. As for other aspects of the hotel, I must say that the view is unbeatable, particularly for the sunsets that are a dream from the pool. The wine and spirits offering is very good and the restaurant certainly met our expectations.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:El hotel queda arriba de una colina, por lo que deben considerar llegar en carro y planificar las...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dear Customer, Yes we will provide tranportations a a Cost from the international airport or one of our domestic airports in the country.
Thank you
Franco Bolivar
Hotel Manager
Vista Ballena Hotel
There are more places to choose from in the Uvita area.
PRICE RANGE
$247 - $338 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
whales & dolphins ecolodge hotel uvita, whales and dolphins ecolodge
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hotel Whales and Dolphins
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasUvita
NUMBER OF ROOMS
19
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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