In Tamarindo, Costa Rica, has anyone stayed in the condos part of the El Diria hotel but across the street?

Question

We are going to Tamarindo in May with 6 adults and 2 kids. We want to stay in town, likely at the El Diria. We are deciding between 3 hotel rooms beachside versus the attached condos (Villa Mar Azul) across the street next to the big pool of the Diria? Has anyone stayed at the condos? How are they relative to the hotel rooms? Is it a pain to walk across the street to use the hotel? (I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 1 year old kid.)

Thanks for the response. We've decided on staying at the hotel (Diria). We got an amazing price ($111/nt) for the best rooms through vacation city. Any other info about food, surfing, fishing, tours, etc... would be appreciated.

Answer 1

If this is the same place, stayed there last summer x1wk in June and it was GREAT!!!! We stayed in 580/C "Villa Malga",(condo # 204) at Horizon Villas Tamarindo on the 2nd floor; it was on the corner just above a condo w/ an outdoor jacuzzi.This condo was wonderful w/ a great balcony and view--had a huge tree just in front of our balcony where a troop of howler monkeys gathered almost every morning and night---some people we met said they had gone on all sorts of tours and never saw monkeys like we did..the bar at this pool,(which is a beautiful pool that you can walk right into--no steps--it's made with a gradually sloping like the lake or ocean would have), is rather expensive but you have a kitchen so take a collaspeable(sp) ice-chest of some sort so you can take your drinks to pool. No big deal to get to beach--just a short walk down past the pool, across the street, through hotel, which also has a smaller pool, and there's the beach...you can use their lounge chairs and everything. We ate b'fast here a couple of times-it was good but pricey,( my kids say I'm too thrifty!!). Lots of other places around to go to eat--the only problem we had w/ the b'fast at the hotel was that once it was over, IT WAS OVER!!! meaning don't be late for b'fast. Spent almost a month in Costa Rica last summer - a week in Tamarindo then we rented a 4 WD and traveled centrally and down south--we plan to go back this summer and try to stay 3 mos. There were 2 adults, 3 older teens and a 10y/o. Have lots of info and names if you'd like ---will be watching for your response... who are you renting through?? we used cupotico...