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Visited Poor Man’s Paradise (PMP) over first week of January 2022. We drove from San Jose to Sierpe (about 4.5 Hour drive with very little traffic). We caught the public ferry from Sierpe to PMP ( $35pp… last boat of the day at 4:30p). We were unaware that there was no dock at PMP so be prepared to wade in from the boat to the beach (shallow water… knee deep… wear water shoes!). It is then about a 15 minute walk down the beach from the boat drop off to the resort. The resort sent people to help us carry luggage down the beach which was much appreciated since we overpacked. The resort itself is wonderfully basic. Simple buildings nicely integrated into the surrounding jungle. Most buildings have two or more units (one upstairs, one downstairs). Upstairs and closer to the water allows you to hear the breaking waves on the beach as you drift off to sleep at night… Worth every penny! No hot water in our room… There was a gizmo on the showerhead to provide hot water, but it did not work in our unit. But that’s not a complaint because the water was warm enough to shower in comfortably without the heater. The gardens were beautiful but what really set the resort apart was the staff. Every person we encountered was friendly and went out of their way to help make our stay as pleasant as possible. The food was quite good… Not fancy, just good local cooking. Simple food, well prepared and delicious. There is a separate bar building open in the evenings where Ishmael is the bartender extraordinaire. Don’t miss his special margaritas! A walk up the hill behind the resort to the top delivers you to a spectacular view of the surrounding area. Go up at sunset but bring a flashlight for the walk back down.
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Date of stay: January 2022
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Service
Sleep Quality
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 arrived by boat and had a "Robinson Caruso" experience as the hotel staff greeted the boat and we all waded into the water to take our bags to the beach and our rooms. Very cool and quite exciting. The magic stopped there as the whole complex, which is vast, sleeps 120 people, is quite run down and needs some severe renovation. The sidewalks are cracked and broken, rooms clean but badly done, no water pressure and marginal hot water. Restaurant so-so even if family cooking. The service good and staff are helpful, friendly and can provide any number of excursions into the surrounding areas. A lovely idea started by the patriarch and passed on to his family. The family needs to now bring the complex up to higher standards if they wish to continue to attract clients. Overall, even if a great idea and adventure, a disappointment.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Cleanliness
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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 place is paradise! It's quite an adventure to get there but if you are up for it, it's definitely worth it. We took the boat from Sierpe which was $35 per person, when we got there, the staff was waiting to welcome us on the beach. We walked 15 minutes to the hotel and the bartender Mario offered us a free cocktail to welcome us. We spend 4 nights and it was very peaceful. The room was clean but had no ac or hot water. There was a fan though so we slept good. We did two day trips to Corcovado and saw a ton of wildlife. We planned on doing a trip to Caño island but the conditions were not good so we didn't get to. We did go swimming at San Josecito beach which was about a 20 minute walk. The food at the hotel was simple but very good, and while you are eating you can see a lot of wildlife such as monkeys and scarlet mcaws. Someone else staying saw a tapir on the beach right in front of the hotel. It was an incredible time.
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Date of stay: May 2023
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Bring some snacks in case you get hungry between meals. It's cheaper if you pay in cash. Make...
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 were greeted at the Port in Sierpe by the owners who welcomed us onto their boat like they knew us. Pincho and Annia are extremely professional. Our bags were loaded onto the boat and we were off to the man groves, eventually reaching the mouth of the river and the adventure began! Watching these skilled captains navigate the waters and bring you safely up to the beach in front of PMP was incredibly exciting and impressive. Be prepared to get wet on the entry to the beach but the staff handles all of the bags. Mario the bartender and Concierge greeted us at the beach with a delicious cocktail. Our rooms were clean and tidy. Our bags were delivered by the hard working staff. A delicious fresh lunch was ready in the restaurant and we began to relax. Meals are solid. Service is so kind, they make you feel right at home. Tours were arranged by Mario. It was Pura Vida.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Be prepared for getting on and off the boat, there is a chance you may get wet.
The bar is great!...
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I arrived by boat and walked down the beach to the hotel. The staff took care of the luggage wonderfully. I loved this place and the experience it brought. All I could think of while I was there was: "I wish I owned this as it needs an upgrade". I could tell that this place was built with love and it is still owned by the original builder and family. It has had some time off from Covid and needs some money put back into it. It was loved and my room was fine. My bathroom needs its first upgrade. Toilet didn't work -twice, sink wasn't attached and the toilet paper roll fell off the wall on its own. Really, it needs some attention. BUT the place is old, wooden and fabulous. The view, the beach, the snorkling down the way, all of the rest was fabulous. The family loves this place and their heart is there. They just need the money and dedication to bring it back up to speed. Well worth the price I paid for it. Leave big tips so they can repair it!
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Date of stay: November 2020
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Room Tip:Get one that has an ocean view
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The staff were excellent. Could not have been more helpful. It was sometimes a little difficult to get the right person to ask but nothing was then too much trouble. The gardens are stunning and the monkeys playing in the trees were a great source of amusement
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:It is best to get there by the boat from Sieppe. You arrive on the beach so be prepared to get...
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.
Stayed at Poor Man's Paradise for 3 wonderful nights in early November, it was by far the highlight of our 2 week trip!
The trip getting to the resort is an adventure in itself. We flew from San Jose to Palmar Sur with Sansa Air, and if you're accustomed to travelling with huge commercial carriers as I was, this tiny 12 seater plane is an experience. It flies low enough to get great scenic views.
Upon arriving at the Palmar Sur "Airport" (see photo) we took a taxi that had been pre-arranged for us to the town of Sierpe which sits on the banks of the Sierpe river. Chino our taxi driver was wonderful, very friendly, and gave us lots of info on the local plants etc.
From there, we boarded a tiny riverboat for the roughly 2 hour ride to Poor Man's. The day we arrived was particularly rainy and windy, making the ride especially exciting. The waves were massive, and getting from the river mouth into the ocean was tricky, our skillful captain had to circle several times to catch the right wave which would allow us to cross the bay. If you're at all squeamish about boat travel, I wouldn't suggest this trip!
Poor Man's, as well as most of the other hotels in this area, does not have a dock where the boat can come in, rather the boatsmen have to once again manoever the waves and back up the boat as close to the beach as possible, so that you can hop out and wade through the water to the beach. I almost would have been happy with this adventure alone, but that was just the beginning.
Poor Man's is extremely remote, the polar opposite of places like Tamarindo or even Monteverde which seemed very touristy after Bahia Drake. The beach is beautiful and untouched, as is the jungle around the hotel. We had requested a cabin near the beach, and that's exactly what we got. The cabin was two stories with one room below and one above. We stayed on the lower level, and could see the ocean from our porch. The room is large, clean and comfortable with an ensuite bathroom. There is only cold water, but considering the tropical climate I don't know what use we would have had for hot water. We had 24 hour electricity in the cabin, but usually used candles at night instead. There is tons of wildlife on property, including toucans, monkeys, and lizards. Watch out for other critters like scorpions too (always shake out your shoes and clothes).
All meals were included in our 3 night package, and really, you have to go all inclusive unless you plan on hunting yourself a meal! The meals were excellent, prepared and served with care. My boyfriend who's a vegetarian was easily accomodated, as were all special needs related to food. There is a bar on the property where everyone tends to hang out after dinner or on a rainy afternoon. Area residents sometimes visit here as well. Drinks at the bar were also included with our package.
We did two tours while there, Cano Island and Corcovado National Park. Sam, one of the younger Amaya brothers was our guide for both. On the boat ride over to the island we spotted dolphins and sea turtles. The snorkeling once we got there was great, lots of sea life. Later, on the island Sam led us on a steep hike into the jungle where he showed us all kinds of interesting things including the famous indiginous stones unique to the island.
Our other tour to Corcovado was also woderful. Since we were the only ones doing the tour on that day we had Sam as our personal guide. Having grown up in the area he's very knowledgeable on local plants and wildlife. The highlight was wading through the river to get to a stunning waterfall.
One of the main reasons we chose this hotel over others in the area was the fact that it is Tico owned. The Amaya family and their staff are very warm and welcoming people. It is the people more than anything else that we remember from our stay.
Apologies for the long review, but it's hard to summarize such a wonderful experience! We would absolutely return at the first available opportunity, and highly recommend this place to all travelers. While it is pricier than many areas of Costa Rica it is worth every penny, especially when you consider the difficulty in obtaining resources in such a remote location. Pura Vida!
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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.
My daughter,son and I spent 4 days at Poor Man's in March 2001 I don't know about Toucans but there were Scarlet Macaws every where . Up close and personal ,very noisey but wonderful to see. Pincho Amaya is an excelent fisherman and offers the cheapest rates in the Osa . Poppy Amaya offers horse back tours through the rainforrest and scuba diving can be arranged upon request . My son went back the next winter and spent 3 months working for this tico family . It didn't pay much but the experiance was something money can't buy . He also met people from all over the world and spoke great spanish when he returned .
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Date of stay: March 2001
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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.
If you are heading to the Drake Bay / Playa San Josecito area of Osa, do yourself a favor and skip Poor Man's Paradise. We were lured in by their lower rates and website photos, which, as it turned out, greatly distort reality.
In a word, this place is a dump. For $120 per night, my girlfriend and I got a shabby cabin on stilts with peeling linoleum flooring, a view of some tin shack, electrical pipe curtain rods, and a shower that was nothing more than a chunk of PVC tubing with an elbow joint (not even a shower head). This place would be 'rustic' if it was 1/3 the price. But at the rates they charge it is nothing less than a rip off. We were so disappointed we cut our trip two days short.
In addition to the place being a total dump, the folks running it are rather unfriendly. We encountered the oldest brother (and boss) Pincho in the bar one night and found him to be rather egotistical and somewhat confrontational. It was bizarre to say the least.
Besides the brother there is an older sister who organizes the tours. We felt intimidated by her and she seriously would try to pressure people into taking their tours. When we elected to hike alone to Corcovado (only two hours and a beautiful hike), she seemed offended, and when we encountered her on the trail in Corcovado she was downright rude to us. We elected to take the boat back with those people on her tour and she charged us 10 bucks a head. However, despite paying 20 bucks for the 10 minute boat ride she refused to allow her younger brother, the boat captain, to give us a cold soda. She spoke to him in Spanish (we both speak Spanish) and told him that we couldn't have one as we weren't on the tour. I'm paying 120 bucks a night for a room I wouldn't pay 15 bucks for on the mainland and they can't spare a 50 cent soda? Give me a break!
I would strongly urge you to spend a little more money at one of the other places in this area of Osa...this place doesn't deserve your stay.
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Date of stay: March 2006
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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.
I had previously come to Costa Rica and been disappointed by hitting all the hot spots that Lonely Planet recommended - Arenal, Monteverde etc., finding them overun with tourists and aggressive guides and taxi drivers. They were these gringo bubbles created, shuttling everyone from overcrowded destination to the next and back to the hostels serving cheeseburgers and big screen tvs and i felt like i got nothing in terms of experiencing any real aspects of Costa Rica.
Poor Man's Paradise was a different story. The office is located in Sierpe, a 6 hour bus ride from san jose to palmar norte (about $10) and a 10 minute taxi ride from the bus station to sierpe ($2) and you can make reservations and make arrangements for the hour and a half boat ride out to the beaches.
There you will find a virtually private beach, with about 40 cabins set back amongst the trees, along with an excellent restaurant and bar, and a staff whose family has lived there for over 30 years. There are tons of tours available, whale watching, hiking into the national refuge that's right next door, scuba diving, snorkeling, horse back riding, but there's also the option to sit on that beautiful beach or in a hammock and soak in the quiet peaceful atmosphere, interrupted only by the sounds and sights of monkeys and tropical birds.
Its true if you're looking for night hot spots and shopping this might not fit the bill, but if you are looking for rest, relaxation, quality service, great food, and beautiful sites, look no further. It is everything that you wished Costa Rica destinations would be.
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Date of stay: April 2010
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Rincon San Josecito area.
PRICE RANGE
C$246 - C$290 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
poor man`s paradise hotel osa peninsula, poor mans paradise osa, poor mans paradise hotel
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasOsa PeninsulaRincon San Josecito
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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