Is parking available at the property?

Yes, free self-parking is available on-site. However, parking is limited.

What type of breakfast is offered and what are the serving hours?

A complimentary full breakfast is served daily from 7 AM to 9 AM.

Does the property allow pets?

Yes, pets are allowed with a fee of CRC 13,000 per pet, per stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

What are the standard check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and check-out is at 12:00 PM. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available upon request.

Are airport shuttle services available?

Yes, airport shuttle services are available for a fee of CRC 33,600 per person (one-way). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel.

What accessibility features are available for guests with disabilities?

The property offers limited wheelchair accessibility, including step-free entrances and accessible public areas. However, specific details about room accessibility should be confirmed with the property directly.

Where is the property located in relation to key landmarks?

The hotel is located in Bahía Ballena, approximately 800 meters northeast of the Dominical entrance. It is a 3-minute drive from Sunset Surf Dominical and 8 minutes from Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge.

Does the property have a swimming pool?

Yes, there are two outdoor pools available. Pool access is from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and one of the pools is seasonal.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Children aged 4 years old and younger can stay for free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.

Hotel Villas Rio Mar

Average nightly price at Hotel Villas Rio Mar by month, last 12 months (USD)
Month	Average price
January	$136
February	$140
March	$139
April	$138
May	$115
June	$114
July	$111
August	$108
September	$101
October	$96
November	$104
December	$125

What guests think

At Hotel Villas Rio Mar, guests highlight tranquil jungle grounds with abundant wildlife, two pools, and friendly staff, while some report maintenance and service inconsistencies, hard beds, occasional hot water or Wi‑Fi problems, and a rough access road.

Many appreciate the quiet, secluded setting still walkable or a short drive to Dominical and nearby beaches. Facilities span landscaped gardens, an on‑site restaurant and bar, and extras like tennis/mini‑golf and EV charging mentioned by several guests. Food and breakfast earn frequent praise, though some noted cool or delayed breakfasts, reservation quirks, and uneven quality. Expect a nature‑focused, relaxing stay with occasional trade‑offs.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Guests praise the lush grounds and wildlife, two pools, and the on‑site restaurant and bar; several also mention tennis/mini‑golf and EV charging. Some note worn or limited loungers.

Related guest reviews

10

Paul

Dec 1, 2022

·

Stayed 19,327 nights

Great pool very decent dining hall and they know how to cook helpful friendly, and courteous staff. We had a very nice time. Did I say how big the pool was?

10

Juergen

Mar 5, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Schönes Zimmer im Bungalow mit Kühlschrank. Gutes Restaurant mit gutem Preisleistungsverhältnis. Sehr gepflegte Parkanlage und Pool. Kann dieses Hotel nur empfehlen.

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10

Anne

Jan 6, 2026

·

Stayed 6 nights

This hotel is beautifully set out. The rooms are spacious and private. The restaurant and bar areas are roomy. There are two pools. The staff are friendly, courteous and helpful.

8

Richard

May 8, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

It's a very nice location. A bit dated but has everything you need. Nice quiet cabanas that are clean and really decent sized. Pool area needs some upgrades. The 2 !!! sunning lounge chairs need to be junked. The restaurant and bar are very nice, and food is great. Breakfasts are top notch. Biggest complaint is the beds. Rock hard. Had terrible time sleeping. Couldn't wait to get home to my bed. We've stayed her two times this year and because of the beds it will be our last.

10

Nate

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property. Very quiet and secluded. Many iguanas, birds and other animals there. They even have a pickleball court at the entrance of the property.

10

Carol

Mar 18, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very close to Dominical but quiet with beautiful grounds and lovely swimming pools.

10

Marina

Jul 31, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Beautiful hotel and wonderful service. Lots of wildlife, gorgeous gardens, warm swimming pool. Breakfast was plenty and delicious

10

Alcides

Oct 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

One of my favorite hotels. It’s clean, the swimming pool is nice, and the staff is very kind. There are many beautiful beaches nearby. They also have an electric outlet available for charging electric cars, which is very convenient.

10

stéphane

Aug 19, 2022

·

Stayed 4 nights

Hotel avec un très beau jardin et deux piscines dont une grande ainsi qu'un tennis (ils prêtent le matériel) et un mini gofl. L'hôtel est accessible via une petite route qui longe la rivière et qui peut être inaccessible en cas de très forte pluies. La ville (Domenical) ne presente pas grand intérêt et presque tous les restaurants sont fermés le soir, ce qui oblige quasiment à manger au restaurant de l'hôtel qui est bien mais un peu cher (prix en dollars exclusivement). L'hôtel est situé non loin des differentes activités (Uvita et les baleines et le parc Manuel Antonio). A noter que le personnel est très sympa et efficace.

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6

Arlette

Feb 11, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hôtel agréable mais il y a très peu de bains de soleil au regard du nombre de chambres, même les chaises sur le bord de la piscine sont en nombre insuffisant, d’autant plus que la majorité des gens réserve son emplacement pour la journée en posant sa serviette et en revenant plusieurs heures après… Bref une jolie structure mais des chambres petites et du mobilier et des équipements qui ne sont pas à la hauteur du standing annonce ni du prix.

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Cleanliness

Most reviews describe clean rooms and well‑kept grounds, but a minority report stained or dirty bedding, musty or urine odors, and occasional pests.

Related guest reviews

10

Kattia Isabel

Sep 10, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

El lugar es muy lindo. Excelente la limpieza. Muy confortable

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2

arabelle

Sep 18, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The property and the pool are beautiful but O can’t give them a good review . We had to kill three huge cockroaches and two went back inside the shower drain and another escape inside the room. One I can deal in an exotic place but this is way too much (we stayed one night ) we tried to watch a movie but the electricity went out four times and cable took about 15 minutes to reset in between . For breakfast we waited 40 minutes to get help ordering our food . The staff was ok but not everyone was friendly, the receptionist was nice . Bedding smelled clean but very musty . Anyways will never go back , too bad because the grounds are pretty

10

Juergen

Mar 5, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Schönes Zimmer im Bungalow mit Kühlschrank. Gutes Restaurant mit gutem Preisleistungsverhältnis. Sehr gepflegte Parkanlage und Pool. Kann dieses Hotel nur empfehlen.

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4

Neisha

Feb 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Smelled like pee. No air on so was very hot when we arrived and had trouble getting air on. Lizards in room

10

Michael

Sep 24, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff were friendly and the room was clean.

10

Donald

Sep 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice location. Clean room.

4

Agustin

Aug 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The good: The lush vegatation around the room area is really nice. Lots of birds and small animals. The bad: The poor maintenance. No hot water. A/C didn't work the first night. Stained bed sheets. Rude reception staff.

10

Gretchen

Mar 9, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We really enjoyed our stay. The grounds are beautiful. The pools are nice. We loved our room and patio. Everything was very clean. The restaurant food was very good. The property is located about 1/2 mile down a very rough gravel road. We didn’t mind the location and walked to the beach each morning and evening. The front desk staff was a little less welcoming than some of the places we have been in Costa Rica but it was adequate. The restaurant staff was super friendly and fun. We would definitely stay there again.

2

Randall

Jan 14, 2023

·

Stayed 19,371 nights

The hotel staff is not helpful - the room was not clean, the bed sheets were dirty, the A/C did not work, the wifi did not work, and the staff was not helpful at all to fix the issues in our room.

10

Alcides

Apr 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff was very friendly. The room was clean, the pool and the gardens were spacious. The restaurant was delicious and reasonably priced. Electric vehicle outlets are available for those with electric vehicles; just bring your charger.

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Rooms

Many find rooms spacious, comfortable, quiet, and private, often with patios or hammocks and nature views. Others note small or dark layouts, very firm beds, intermittent Wi‑Fi (especially in farther units), and occasional A/C or hot‑water problems; some felt photos were outdated.

Related guest reviews

10

Tameica

Jul 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Beautiful property. Comfortable rooms

10

Alcides

Feb 2, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

They have a small forest behind the hotel. Staff is friendly. The restaurant is good. The only problem because of the room location was internet, we didn´t have internet neither phone service at the room.

10

Ashley

May 22, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Service was great. The property is beautiful. The only issue was Wi-Fi kept going in and out. But other than that, we were very happy. The town of Dominical is a minute up the road, it’s adorable. Manuel Antonio and Uvita are also just an easy drive away.

4

Neisha

Feb 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Smelled like pee. No air on so was very hot when we arrived and had trouble getting air on. Lizards in room

8

Holly

Jan 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff, gorgeous grounds. Love that they had a hammock in each room's foyer.

10

Anne

Jan 6, 2026

·

Stayed 6 nights

This hotel is beautifully set out. The rooms are spacious and private. The restaurant and bar areas are roomy. There are two pools. The staff are friendly, courteous and helpful.

8

Walter

Aug 12, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

This aren’t really villas and the pictures they showed online weren’t really updated, they don’t have a kitchen any more! Which was an annoying surprise since we book them exactly for that reason (equipped kitchen). Other than that is pretty ok and the staff was friendly and help us find a solution.

10

Dr Jessica

Jun 2, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

I loved the garden feel of this place, surrounded by the rainforest. We saw toucans and macaws from our room. The villas are spaced throughout the expansive property, so each room has a lot of privacy. The front patio is great to relax in the hammock or enjoy a cup of coffee. The beds are very hard, but other than that, we loved everything about this place. Would definitely stay again!

8

Robert

Sep 11, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

Un hotel dans un grand parc . Les bungalows sont très étroits et sombres . Les photos sont trompeuses car la chambre est vraiment petite et sombre . L hôtel est isolé. La piscine est belle. Le prix est trop élevé pour la prestation

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10

Ruth

Jan 3, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great place. Great pool but no hot water in shower

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Service

Staff are frequently described as friendly, helpful, and accommodating. However, several reviews cite rude or unhelpful interactions, slow or understaffed restaurant service, and reservation policies that inconvenienced hotel guests.

Related guest reviews

10

Eric

Jul 2, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff was absolutely awesome! We did not encounter anything but kindness, friendliness, and respectful service with everyone we crossed from Front desk, maintenance, cleaning service and especially tne restaurant. A staff on this property. Delightful.

10

Teresa

Dec 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent staff!

10

tim

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Wonderful experience. Lovely staff.

10

Alexandra

Jun 23, 2025

·

Stayed 9 nights

Such helpful staff, both at front desk and at the restaurant!

10

Anne

Jan 6, 2026

·

Stayed 6 nights

This hotel is beautifully set out. The rooms are spacious and private. The restaurant and bar areas are roomy. There are two pools. The staff are friendly, courteous and helpful.

10

Gabe

Aug 12, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

This was my third time staying at Villas Rio Mar in Dominical and it's an excellent place to stay when you're in the area. The staff here is very friendly and accommodating - shout out to Noellia from the Crocodile Grill & Bar, especially - and they work hard to make your stay a pleasant one. My wife and I are vegan and the menu had changed since we last visited and they were still so kind and helpful with what dining options are available and all of the food and cocktails were delicious. Clean, well maintained, a comfortable walking distance from Dominical proper and staffed with friendly people, I highly recommend the Villas Rio Mar to anyone. Also, it's a great place to spot some of Costa Ricas beautiful birds, butterflies and big ol' iguanas!

4

Agustin

Aug 19, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The good: The lush vegatation around the room area is really nice. Lots of birds and small animals. The bad: The poor maintenance. No hot water. A/C didn't work the first night. Stained bed sheets. Rude reception staff.

8

Maria

Feb 10, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Todo bien lo único malo q los q atienden el restaurantes no están pendientes de lo que necesitamos y me hicieron bajar el volumen de minpequeño parlante eran las 6 de la tarde y estábamos en la piscina y cuando los q están en la piscina necesitan algo no hay nadie alrededor para ayudar

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10

Randy

Jan 10, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

This is our 3rd visit to Rio Mar. We love this relaxed family oriented little resort which has beautiful grounds & a great large pool We noticed some nice little changes. This year we were greeted upon arrival & our bags were taken to our room Some of the lounge furniture has been upgraded. The breakfast had more variety of choices. Frint desk staff especially 'Juniior' was very engaging and helpful. The toilet in our room was older but some iof the public washroom toilets have been upgraded. It would be even better if the toilet in the room was as well. Other than that the dining room staff are always very friendly and hard working and keep everything very welcoming & clean.

8

Inga

Feb 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything was great until the last night. We decide to eat at the Restaurant after having a little ng hike.. At first we were turned away as they said we needed reservations as they were full. We were never told we needed reservations. After complaining they said we could come back in 40 min - 1 hour. When I complained to the front desk, the reseptionist tried and at first they got not further with the restaurant. After we told them "I guess you do not want our business" the Receptionist tried again. As hotel guest we should have had priority. Turns out they accept outside reservations and did not leave tables for hotel guests. This was a first in any of our hotel stays. This is not an exceptable practice . In the future, you should always save tables for hotel guests or at least inform them that reservations are required. They did come through but I should not have had to complain in the first place. The food was delicious but please consider your guest in the future.

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Location

Quiet, jungle setting a short walk or drive from Dominical and within easy reach of area beaches and parks. Several mention the rough, unlit gravel access road and a longer‑than‑expected walk to the beach.

Related guest reviews

8

Marius

Jul 11, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel was great. Short walk to town. Food at dinner was really good. Breakfast was premade and not very hot but otherwise everything was great.

10

Gretchen

Mar 15, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This is a really nice property with a good restaurant on site. We loved our room and the property. The food was good. Our room was clean and quiet. We stayed 3 nights and it was very relaxing and fun. The hotel is located 1/2 mile down a very rough gravel road. This didn't bother us and we were glad to be out of downtown Domincal. We walked in to the beach every day. We would recommend this place for sure and would stay there again.

10

Ashley

May 22, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Service was great. The property is beautiful. The only issue was Wi-Fi kept going in and out. But other than that, we were very happy. The town of Dominical is a minute up the road, it’s adorable. Manuel Antonio and Uvita are also just an easy drive away.

8

Eric

May 2, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I highly recommend this place. It’s got lots of animals and is far enough from town to be totally quiet but close enough to walk.

8

Marie-Josée

Feb 9, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Villas Rio Mar has a convenient location in Dominical ; about 10 min walk to town / 3 min drive and 20 min walk to the beach / 7 min drive. The small cabanas are cute and comfortable. The pools are nice to enjoy after days at the beach. The restaurant is good and has very nice staff and the breakfast is good. The only thing we found when comparing to the multiple other places we stayed at is that its operated too much like a resort and too little like other places in Costa Rica (cozier / pura vida / more homey like).

10

gene

Mar 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

the property grounds are amazing and the rooms are spacious and clean. However, i would not be back - getting to the property there's a long stretch of a dirt-gravel road in such bad condition that we decided not to go in and out of the property just to avoid this bone-jarring driving expereince

10

Donald

Sep 17, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice location. Clean room.

10

Carol

Mar 18, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very close to Dominical but quiet with beautiful grounds and lovely swimming pools.

10

Gretchen

Mar 9, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We really enjoyed our stay. The grounds are beautiful. The pools are nice. We loved our room and patio. Everything was very clean. The restaurant food was very good. The property is located about 1/2 mile down a very rough gravel road. We didn’t mind the location and walked to the beach each morning and evening. The front desk staff was a little less welcoming than some of the places we have been in Costa Rica but it was adequate. The restaurant staff was super friendly and fun. We would definitely stay there again.

8

Hilary

Feb 1, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property was pretty, the room was clean enough, staff were nice. Two pools, one of which seemed to be more for adults which was appreciated. We ate at the hotel restaurant and were disappointed- my husband was served raw fish. The real bummer is it is not the best location to stay in Dominical. It’s a longer walk than expected to the beach on a rocky gravel road that has no light at night- so expect to drive to dinner. We recommend staying in Uvita instead.

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Dining

The on‑site restaurant and breakfast often earn praise for tasty food and generous portions. Some guests reported cool or mediocre breakfasts, long waits or lost orders, outside reservations taking priority, inconsistent quality, and prices that felt high to a few.

Related guest reviews

8

Emily

Dec 13, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great location, walkable from downtown. It has really quiet surroundings, only birds making a ruckus! The food was really very good, and there were large portions. One day they lost my order and so I waited 45 minutes for breakfast, but they made up for it with some home made avocado toast. 2 pools that were both absolutely amazing. One is a lap pool, and the other a nice large pool with a deep end, great amount of space for swimming. Nice patio with a sink, fridge, and table/chairs. Would recommend a table and chair inside the room as well. Would also ask for eco shampoo and body wash available.

8

Rebecca

Jan 27, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Enjoyed our time here, even extended our stay. The food at the Crocodile bar and grill was mediocre and the effort put into the free breakfast during the week was very MEH. However on the weekend - you could tell they were putting much more effort into it. We frequently had to ask for more coffee cups or fruit around 9am. Beware if you have colored hair- you will be charged $20USD for any washable staining on the towels. The pool was fantastic and our villa was nice and quiet. Able to see lots of different birds and wildlife right at your door.

8

Marius

Jul 11, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel was great. Short walk to town. Food at dinner was really good. Breakfast was premade and not very hot but otherwise everything was great.

10

Luis

Sep 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent facilities and the staff’s customer service is awesome. Great breakfast

10

Glenda

Jun 13, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel has a lovely artistic Costa Rican flavor; the grounds are interesting to walk through with statues and many varieties of birds and butterflies. A lovely outdoor patio adjoined my room, and I enjoyed both the large pools. The Crocodile Grill & Bar served great food and drinks. What really sets the resort apart is the staff - they are absolutely wonderful and SO very helpful; they made me feel so special!!

10

Scott

Jan 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Beautiful spot, excellent grounds, good restaurant. Not our first stay and not our last.

10

Alejandro

Jan 3, 2025

·

Excelente lugar y atención en ambiente selvático, la comida en el restaurante del hotel Crocodile Grill & Bar es excelente, comí las 4 noches ahí de lo bueno que es.

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10

Benjamin

Jun 17, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A nice stay at this hotel. Was better than expected and the food at the Crocodile restaurant was awesome.

8

Hilary

Feb 1, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property was pretty, the room was clean enough, staff were nice. Two pools, one of which seemed to be more for adults which was appreciated. We ate at the hotel restaurant and were disappointed- my husband was served raw fish. The real bummer is it is not the best location to stay in Dominical. It’s a longer walk than expected to the beach on a rocky gravel road that has no light at night- so expect to drive to dinner. We recommend staying in Uvita instead.

8

Inga

Feb 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything was great until the last night. We decide to eat at the Restaurant after having a little ng hike.. At first we were turned away as they said we needed reservations as they were full. We were never told we needed reservations. After complaining they said we could come back in 40 min - 1 hour. When I complained to the front desk, the reseptionist tried and at first they got not further with the restaurant. After we told them "I guess you do not want our business" the Receptionist tried again. As hotel guest we should have had priority. Turns out they accept outside reservations and did not leave tables for hotel guests. This was a first in any of our hotel stays. This is not an exceptable practice . In the future, you should always save tables for hotel guests or at least inform them that reservations are required. They did come through but I should not have had to complain in the first place. The food was delicious but please consider your guest in the future.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14 $98	15 $98	16 $108	17 $110
18 $98	19 $110	20 $97	21 $98	22 $110	23 $107	24 $106
25 $106	26 $113	27 $107	28 $110	29 $110	30 $106	31 $113

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
1 $107	2 $106	3 $115	4 $116	5 $107	6 $110	7 $115
8 $107	9 $104	10 $105	11 $106	12 $110	13 $111	14 $105
15 $115	16	17 $104	18 $114	19 $104	20 $105	21 $120
22 $103	23 $105	24	25 $114	26 $104	27 $114	28 $104
29 $105	30

Hotel Villas Rio Mar

Prices for Hotel Villas Rio Mar

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Superior Room

Double King Deluxe

Villa

Standard Studio, Patio, Garden View

Guest reviews of Hotel Villas Rio Mar

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Hotel Villas Rio Mar

Prices for upcoming dates

Business details