Hotel Mono Azul

We stayed last minute after an Airbnb experience that left much to be desired. This hotel was FANTASTIC! The first thing we noticed was how clean it was! The pictures are old - they’ve updated everything and it’s clean, attractive, and well kept. The staff have been friendly and helpful. We truly enjoyed staying here! (Forgive the unmade bed photo. Haha we were checking out when it took them)

Teething troubles maybe, but frankly struggling to think of a worse meal experience. Pizzas were off, no white wine, and a 20 minute wait for drinks to arrive. We waited an hour from ordering to then be told that 3 of the 5 dishes we’d ordered were not available. We considered leaving at that point but decided to stay - wrong move. No apology but we grudgingly accepted a free drink. We saw other tables leave, fed up of waiting. Another 40 minutes and repeated requests finally saw our food arrive: two very ordinary chicken burgers, soggy fries, a quesadilla with barely any cheese, fish fillet that managed to be both raw and overcooked in different places, and the saddest plate of tomato spaghetti ever - cold, bland and smothered in unpleasant tasting pre-grated “Parmesan”. The spaghetti and fish were essentially inedible. I get that things can go wrong, especially with a new venture, but the attitude was awful - a meaningful apology could go a long way in a situation like this, but none was received. We complained again and were not charged for the meal - but the damage was done. A wasted evening, and we left hungry.

Just arrived at this hotel. Rooms comfortable and nicely decorated. Two nice small pools. However, half the hotel is a building site. The bigger of the pools with the sun is covered in a film of cement. And clouds of plaster in the air as the builders work. No views of anything, no balcony unless you pay extra. Right on the side of a very busy main road. Only way to the beach is bus or cab. Not happy that the company changed us from the original hotel to bring us here. (G adventures). With no explanation as to why. There must be plenty more hotels to have taken us to.

This is a very nice hotel at this price point. All of the staff were 5 Star! There is a basic breakfast included which was always great! Our room was modern with nice decor. There is a pool area that is nice and private surrounded by lush green landscaping. There are several on-site parking spaces. We always had a place to park. The property is on a busy street and motorcycles are very popular in Costa Rica. Even though the road noise was pretty consistent, we had no problem sleeping. Always embrace your environment. The staff was always very helpful and wonderfully pleasant. Costa Rican people take "Pura Vida" seriously! Such a beautiful country!

Had a lovely stay here, room & property was nice. Mainly all renovated- their pictures are not updated on their website! We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. Super clean, bright & fresh. Ice cold air conditioning. Be careful with having windows open, luckily we only had a small lizard & were able to scoot him out, either that or he slipped through the door crack.. Because the property is backed up to the rainforest lol! Thank goodness no snakes or poison dart frogs! Lol|They were working on the pool cabana bar during our stay. Even when I had a migraine they said they would ask the workers to stop but they weren't noisy so I just retreated to my room but offered to have a pharmacy delivery for migraine medicine. It was a nice offer tho. |The restaurant had burgers, sandwiches, pizza, steak, pasta- mainly American dishes, so we went elsewhere but had breakfast every morning which was a traditional Costa Rican breakfast or pancakes with fresh fruit & coffee, breakfast was great. We got fresh mangos from a tree right outside our room too, which were delicious!!! Tropical bar drinks/smoothies were great or you can enjoy Imperial beers. Pool is nice with loungers, plenty of shade at times. Monkeys can be spotted climbing power lines, rooftops & trees. Nice seating outside, everywhere- restaurant, pool, outside porch, they even have a sitting room with books & some games.. Easy drive into downtown Quespos or to the park & alot of tours will pick up/drop off here too. Staff was very friendly & helpful. Already recommended to a traveling friend.|Downside- the internet!!! Or lack thereof- awlful when you are trying to plan places to visit. My only other complaints were the restaurant menu was basic. (I'm a foodie so a bit disappointed) we really wanted seafood dishes, ceviche, etc (they were so nice that I think if we requested in advance they might have had some for us . There was no closet, shelving or luggage rack in the room- a simple foldable luggage rack would do. No hairdryer, shampoo nor conditioner- so bring your own if its important to you. I personally don't care what my hair looks like when visiting rainforests or beach towns. Pura Vida

The new rooms around a tiny courtyard at the back of the property are very nice, very clean, and very quiet. However, there isn't a chair, closet, shelves, or anywhere to put your luggage or your belongings, so we had to live out of our suitcases down on the floor. ||||And getting luke warm water (at best) was a hit or miss occurance. ||||The pool in the photos is being totally remodeled, so it was closed. Should be nice once it's finished. They have a 2nd small pool on the other side of the dining room & reception area. ||||On the positive side, the staff were friendly and helpful. They make the place inviting. And they work hard to accommodate their guests dining needs, such as an early breakfast in order to do a 7 am tour, etc.||||Overall the food was decent, not great. Breakfast was satisfying and filling. The bar was not a place to meet up for a drink -- limited selections, staffed by someone who mostly waits tables and pours beer or wine.||||Overall, a decent place, but will try other options next trip.

We heard great things about this hotel however it did not live up to our expectations. The rooms look nice but the room did not have anything not even a place to hang your towels. We were there two nights and never had our rooms cleaned. Plus the hot water was hit or miss. You can stay somewhere else for the same price and get better service.

Location is far from ideal if you don't have a car. Walking to beach is a major undertaking. Rooms weren't cleaned unless we asked. And there is zero furniture to put clothes, bits and bops. The bathrooms have a nice shower, but there is nowhere to hang towels. All really strange