Iguana Surf Boutique Hotel Tamarindo Just Got a Rooftop Bar

For months, we’ve been working behind the scenes to put the finishing touches on our refreshed Boutique Hotel Tamarindo look, and we are finally ready to show you the result. On August 22, we’ll celebrate the opening of Naia, the brand-new rooftop bar at Iguana Surf Camp, and we’d love for you to join us.

The whole hotel received a much-needed facelift this year, adding gorgeous new suites, refreshing communal areas and upgrading our infinity pool. With the addition of Naia, Iguana’s rooftop is set to become the best place in Tamarindo to catch the sunset.

If you’ve stayed with us before, don’t worry, Iguana hasn’t lost its soul and you’ll still recognize the place. But it just looks a little sharper now, a little more grown up.

Same vibes, same crew, same surf soul, taken to a more elevated standard.

Join us for the celebrations!

luxury hotels tamarindo costa rica — Iguana’s rooftop infinity pool feels like an extension of the Pacific and is the most glorious place to retreat to after a wicked surf session.

Tour the newly renovated Iguana Boutique Hotel, Tamarindo

Iguana Surf Camp has been part of Tamarindo’s fabric since 1989 and has grown up alongside the local surf scene. Completely erasing the essence of our place was never on the cards, so we’ve aimed to simply upgrade our signature salt-worn, come-as-you-are vibe to offer more options for those who do want a little more comfort.

The welcoming atmosphere is still the same as always, but with a smarter layout and more considered details to give you more reasons to slow down and enjoy your base in-between paddling stints.

Our accommodation options include:

2 x Surf Loft Suites (1 x King, 1 x Triple)
1 x Oceanview King Suite
1 x Oceanfront King Balcony Suite (sleeps 2)
1 x Oceanfront Double King Balcony Suite (sleeps 4)
1 x Signature Oceanfront Balcony Suite (sleeps 3)
1 x Private Bunkhouse Suite (family favorite, sleeps 10)
1 Shared Surf Dorm (the social hub of our hotel, 8 beds)

Aside from the redesigned interiors, we’ve also done a major upgrade to those little details that make a big difference to your stay, from plusher bedding to well-placed power points around work desks and a gorgeous, neutral color scheme that relaxes you the moment you walk through the door.

Boutique hotel tamarindo — Inside one of the newly renovated oceanfront rooms at our boutique hotel in Tamarindo, with balcony doors open to the breeze.

Why being right across from the beach changes everything

Location is the one thing we could never upgrade because we’ve had the best from day one. Iguana sits directly across from the best breaks in Playa Tamarindo, so the walk from your room to the water is measured in steps. Just wake up at whatever-o-clock, grab a coffee, check the live Surf Cam and paddle out before the crowds descend. That closeness can really shape how your surf vacation feels, because you can be out the door and in the surf in minutes, come back for a shower and a nap, then head straight out again.

Being in the middle of town helps in other ways, too, for those times when you’re out of the water. We have Tamarindo’s cafe strip, shops, taco stands and bars right outside the door. You can stroll out to lunch or dinner and sneak in a quick paddle at a moment’s notice.

Very few places let you live this freely, with the ocean on one side and the whole of Tamarindo on the other.

Iguana sits at the heart of Tamarindo, across the road from the main beach and just minutes from shops and restaurants.

Welcome to Naia!

The rooftop was always a nice spot with amazing potential, and now it’ll become the whole reason people run up the stairs at 6 pm. The infinity pool is the real crowd pleaser, with loungers set out for the afternoon and a 180-degree view straight out to the Pacific. It’s the kind of view people picture when they search for luxury hotels Tamarindo Costa Rica, except we didn’t think you should have to trade away the surf-town character to get it.

At the center is now Naia, our new rooftop bar and cafe. By day it’s all about long lunches and a fresh, healthy menu, and as the light drops it turns into the spot for sunset drinks and cocktails, with live music some nights. Breakfast, though, stays exactly where it belongs. Our campers still fuel up with Breakfast Grinds, our longtime breakfast crew, which leaves Naia free to own the stretch from lunch to last light. And because catching the sunset someplace epic is part of local tradition, we have a feeling Naia will slot right in with local legends.

Iguana has always been more than a place to lay your head, with the surf camp and lessons part of the community for decades. Those experiences haven’t changed one bit, so you can still book surf lessons even if staying elsewhere, join one of our surf camp packages, and actually enjoy the revamped hotel.

We’ve also refreshed the website, so the whole surf camp concept and experience come across much more clearly now, well before you book.

Celebrate with us on opening night, August 22

The Open House and Grand Opening is on Saturday, August 22, and doors are open to everyone from late afternoon into the evening. No need for a reservation, just pop in and say hi! We’ll be there to greet you with a welcome cocktail, tasting bites and a live DJ playing us into the night. We’ll also be holding “champagne suite tours”, so you can walk through the newly renovated rooms and see what we’ve done with the place. Whether you’re a longtime local, a short-term guest or someone who’s wandered up from the beach, know there’s a spot for you on the rooftop that night.

Come thirsty and stay for an epic sunset you won’t forget.