Tambor Tropical Beach Resort- Adults Only

Wife and I just returned from 8 days early-mid November. Other than a couple of 8 hour visits to Costa Rica whilst on a cruise ship on the Caribbean side of the country, this is our first multi-day visit to Costa Rica. It was memorable; mostly good, some not so good. To Tambor Tropical Beach Resort's credit, they are responsible for many of the good memories and none of the lesser. Let's get the "not so good" Costa Rica visit issue out of the way now, so I can gush over the resort a little later. Rain...then it rained...more rain...when the rain stopped, it started raining again. We knew we were in the "shoulder season" between rainy and dry seasons, so we played the odds that say November is usually some rain in the afternoon or evening, then it stops and the sun comes out. So much for averages. Even the general manager at Tambor Tropical was empathetic to our bad timing, noting that this much rain, albeit not impossible, was very unusual for this time of year. This weather inconvenience, of course, cannot have any affect on my review of the actual resort, so here you go. The cabinas are absolutely gorgeous. Mainly made of teak and other locally sourced hardwoods, each cabina is a are piece of artistic craftsmanship, all coated with layers and layers of varnish. The furnishings? Same thing, made on site and locally the same way. The only thing that is not varnished teak is the ceramic tile on the counters and in the shower, and the tiles on the roof. Seriously, every other square inch is meticulously crafted and finished, including the stairs up to the second floor and all the siding and eaves and rafters. If you are a "wood guy", you will be impressed; big time. The beds are boxes and mattresses on a platform. I am a light sleeper, and I slept like a bambino. We stayed in a second floor unit. Admittedly there was nobody in the unit below us, so I cannot speak to the quiet factor of adjoining living spaces. Quite frankly, I think only 2 other units were occupied during our stay, and they were each alone in a separate structure. There is some noise from the bar palapa when somebody is over exuberant or belts out a guffaw, but it seemed to disappear at about 9 or 10 pm. The maintenance guy starts the leaf blower around 7am to clean up; not a 747 taking off, but could make a difference for a light sleeper. Me? I'm an "early to bed and early to rise" guy, so it all worked great for me. The restaurant was prompt and the food was very good. For me, the restaurant was used when my day trip dictated that the best plan was to get back to home base, eat, and crash. Otherwise, I am all about trying out the local mom-and-pops (aka: Sodas). Anyway, the couple of dinners that we did have at the resort restaurant were very good, so if that is your plan, you are on a good track. The service at all levels was super prompt, extremely courteous, and ultra helpful. The staff and management all went above and beyond to help make my sta

We stayed here 26 years ago after it first opened. Amazingly after so many years, it still looks brand new just like we remembered it. The place is idyllic and very romantic. The rooms are very large and have full kitchens, although we didn't use it. The service is fantastic - everyone is friendly and helpful. The manager even made sure we had lobster dinners one night. Since there are only 12 rooms, it is a very private place. At times it felt like our own private resort. The food is fantastic and the prices are very reasonable for everything on the menu - $5 pina coladas were our favorite. Macaws and Howler Monkeys were around the property. They even have a special turtle rescue operation and we were able to help send a few babies into the ocean. The Pura Vida tour company on site arranges tours - we took the national park/snorkel trip and horseback along the beach and into the jungle. I would love to go back again.

We were in Samara for 10 days and were to travel to Tambor for 4 more nights. My husband got every sick the day we were to go and we had to cancel our reservations the morning of our arrival. Staff was so nice and understanding. They are allowing us to use the deposit next year. We can't wait to go back.