We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
All 32 Osa Peninsula hotels

Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort

4.0 of 5
Ballena Beach | 7 km (4 miles) al Sur de Uvita, Costa Rica
Hotel website
Hotel amenities
Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort
Enter dates for best prices
Check-in Check-in Check-out Check-out
Show Prices
Compare best prices from top travel partners
Booking.com BookIt.com Priceline.com
and 1 more sites!
87%
Ranked #18 of 32 hotels in Osa Peninsula
Most recent review
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 May 2013
MrBrinxxx San Jose, Costa Rica
Write a Review

87 reviews from our community

    Trip type
Traveller rating
    48
    28
    6
    4
    1
Date Rating
San Jose, Costa Rica
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
12 hotel reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 May 2013

Fantastic Weekend. The price is right as well as everything else. Arriving here, the hotel looks a little dated and you wonder what you have got yourself into.. However, you will be pleasantly surprised. The rooms are all very modern and updated with King size four poster beds, 30+ inch TV's, mini bars (which are extremely expensive) and great covered... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Hermosa Beach, California
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
17 hotel reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 April 2013

My husband and I stayed at this hotel after staying at a "Lodge" in the southern part of the country. This hotel was like a palace! Wonderful air conditioning, nicely appointed rooms, and a truly incredible chef at the restaurant. Definitely a gem in an area that seems hardly developed at all.

Was this review helpful? Yes
Santa Ana, Costa Rica
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 March 2013

The Steiner familiy has done a great job in setting up this hotel a decade ago. The owners live on the premises, which makes for a personalized service. Beautiful views towards the Pacific Ocean, but tucked away on a hilltop near the jungle. Love the jungle trails, beautiful pool and nice food.

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Denver, Colorado
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 February 2013

My wife and I booked 3 nights in early February and liked it enough to ask at the front desk if we could stay longer. Like most other vistiors to Costa Rica we pack our days with all the activities we can and by late afternoon, early evening we're ready to relax. This is the perfect hotel for that. Huge... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Brockville, Canada
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
5 hotel reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 February 2013

My daughter, son-in-law and I spent 4 days at the hilltop resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean in January. They enjoyed the hike through the rainforest with the owner's dog leading the way! We all walked down the hill to do the fitness trail. On the way back one day, one of the men cut a hole in 3 coconuts and... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
greenwich,ct
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 January 2013

Cristal Ballena is clean, charming and has a responsive staff, which made our 5 days there at the end of December really memorable. The pool is beautifully tiled, well maintained and set on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The owner, Waldemar, made guests feel quite welcome as did his attentive staff. The breakfast buffet is adequate... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Portland, Oregon
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
12 hotel reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 January 2013

I stayed here one weekend with a friend and we shared a suite with two queen beds and a lovely balcony. The weather that weekend was not conducive to going whale watching, which was what we'd hoped to do, but the hotel and the large pool proved to be a nice place to simply relax. Our room was large and... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
7 hotel reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 December 2012

The lovely grounds make a great first impression! Expanses of grass, beautiful trees, classy white Mediterranean style buildings, brilliant turquoise pool. Elegant is a good word to describe it. The staff were extremely friendly, and helped arrange tours and a rental car. Pretty standard breakfast buffet, but everything tastes better gazing out over the ocean. Fantastic pool. We stayed in... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
San Diego, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 December 2012

LOVE this region of Costa Rica and have stayed here a couple of times now..5 stars all the way around . Beautifully maintained grounds, tucked away on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Whale Bay. The Service is impeccable. Friendly attentive, hard working staff with a clear priority of making you feel at home -Bed and Breakfast style, but... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Austin, Texas
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 July 2012

We stayed here in June 2012 for 4 nights. The owner and the entire staff of this resort were super firendly. the location is beautiful, each room is a suite with unbelievable view and the restaurant is simply great! We enjoued ourselves very much (after a very unpleasant experience with another hotel in the area). We can highly recommend this... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
 
 
Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort
Check-in Check-in Check-out Check-out
 
 
Villas Alturas
Great value on a similar hotel
Dominical, Province of Puntarenas
5 of 5 stars 119 Reviews
Show Prices
Still looking for a hotel?
Highly rated hotels in or near Osa Peninsula
Romantic
Crocodile Bay Resort
Crocodile Bay Resort 5.0 of 5 stars 69 reviews
Luxury
Villa Caletas
Villa Caletas 4.5 of 5 stars 495 reviews
Romantic
Tango Mar Beach, Spa & Golf Resort
Tango Mar Beach, Spa & Golf Reso... 4.5 of 5 stars 321 reviews
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d308644?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d299258?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d300969?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Also consider these accommodations in or near Osa Peninsula
Copa de Arbol Beach and Rainfore... 5.0 of 5 stars 46 reviews Aguila de Osa Inn 4.5 of 5 stars 202 reviews Villas Alturas 5.0 of 5 stars 119 reviews Hotel Cuna del Angel 4.0 of 5 stars 142 reviews
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d2546310?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d302971?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d1863759?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d797038?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
View all 32 hotels in Osa Peninsula, ranked by popularity

Been to Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort? Share your experiences!

Write a Review Add Photos Add Videos

Additional Information about Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort

Also Known As:
Hotel Cristal Ballena Osa Peninsula
Hotel Cristal Ballena
Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort Costa Rica/Osa Peninsula
Address: Ballena Beach | 7 km (4 miles) al Sur de Uvita, Costa Rica
Phone Number:
Region: Costa Rica > Province of Puntarenas > Osa Peninsula
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge Business Centre Free Breakfast Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Restaurant Room Service Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
#3 Luxury Hotels in Osa Peninsula
#8 Romantic Hotels in Osa Peninsula
Price Range: $$
Hotel Class:4 star (4*)
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
The Hotel Resort Cristal Ballena is located in the midst of its own 12-hectare grounds, very close to the unique "Marino Ballena" Marine National Park and mountains covered in rainforest. The hotel features 14 Junior Suites, 3 Master Suites, along with 2 Family suites. Due to its excellent location, our guests can enjoy breathtaking ocean views from the big balcony. Our stylish, spacious Suites are equipped with four-poster bed, AC, ceiling fan, WLan, TV, telephone, minibar, safe, coffee maker and hairdryer. ... more   less 
Reservation Options:
TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, BookIt.com, Priceline and Cheap Tickets so you can book your Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

Owners: What's your side of the story?

If you own or manage Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.

  • Manage your listing
Hotel Cristal Ballena Resort
Enter dates & see best prices*
Check-in Check-in Check-out Check-out
Show Prices