I’ve lived in hostels in Latin America for almost 7 months now, so I guess you could say that I’ve seen the good, the bad, the ugly, and probably a little more than I bargained for. It can be the ambiance, fellow guests and travelers, comfort, or cleanliness, but sometimes I love a hostel so much that I just don’t want to leave. Ask me for a list of my favorite hostels in Central America and hands-down, Room2Board in Jaco, Costa Rica would be in my top 5.
I originally planned to stay at Room2Board for two nights while visiting Jaco. I ended up extending my stay not because I loved Jaco, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the hostel.
American-owned, Room2Board is an eco-friendly boutique hostel located one block away from Jaco Beach that feels much more like a hotel than a hostel as soon as you enter. The hostel’s unique look was designed by the owners’ friend, an Italian designer, and is probably one of the most interesting and modern-looking hostels I’ve ever seen.
Beautiful exterior design aside, Room2Board’s rooms are impressive and comfortable, including lockers in dorm rooms and air conditioning in some private rooms. The bathrooms were so clean – which is always something that can make or break my experience at a hostel. A new hostel, everything at Room2Board was so fresh and so clean, seriously.
The ground floor of the hostel is where most of the action is. Here you’ll find the hostel bar and restaurant with a menu of delicious items from all over the world like a delicious falafel sandwich, empanadas, and bagels for breakfast (bagels are enough to make my heart melt). The bar is so social and I spent every night hanging out with new travel friends while surf videos played on a giant screen behind the pool.
Did I forget to mention there’s a pool? I loved the pool! And it has a slide. A slide! Can you feel the excitement emanating from my fingers as I type? When the waves weren’t surf-material, you could find me at the pool, another focal point in the hostel located right next to the bar and restaurant. The slide was so much fun. It’s never too late to embrace your inner child, am I right?
One of my favorite things about this hostel was that it had a lot of little perks that others don’t, such as a yoga room and yoga classes, bicycle rental, a movie room, surf shop with surf board rental and lessons, and a rooftop with hammocks in the shade and lounge chairs to catch some sun with. I was also a big fan of the clean kitchen with plenty of space to cook and store food in the fridge.
Room2Board really felt like a break from travel because I was so comfortable and the staff made me feel at home. It was as if I was staying in a hotel instead of a hostel. Jaco might have a reputation for being slightly seedy, but at Room2Board, all I needed was the hostel, the beach, and the surf!
More Information:
Hotel: Room2Board
Room Types: 4, 5, 6, and 8 Bed Dorms, Private room with shared bathroom, Private room with en-suite bathroom
Rates: Room rates vary depending on the type of room, ranging from $18 for a dorm to $79 for a private room during high season. Rates for all types of dorms and private rooms are listed here.
Reservations: You can make a reservation by contacting the hotel here.
Thanks to Room2Board for hosting me. But no matter who foots the bill, I’ll always keep it real and provide my honest opinion of my experiences.
