Hostel Vista Serena

Not as great as they say
I don't recommend staying in the Barn, fourteen beds sharing one filthy bathroom and a filthy kitchen. No A/C, just a small fan. No hot water anywhere, actually no water, I showered all three days with just a small drip of cold water. No free internet. Free breakfast is just bread. The balcony with the hammocks is pretty cool, you'll meet some cool people. I guess my review would be much better if I had stayed in the smaller rooms with A/C and better bathrooms.

Loved it!
The whole V.S. crew were great. They make sure you are comfortable, having a good time, and they help you out with anything that you need whether it's questions about how to get around, insight on which tours to do, and just overall making sure that you have a great time in Costa Rica, which I did. The hostel is clean and insect free. A traveler that arrived from another hostel commented on how great it was to be there because they ended up staying the night before in a disgusting hostel where they had huge cockroaches. V.S. has quite the reputation for being an awesome hostel and hosting the fun. They have a very chill atmosphere and do not tolerate loud, disrespectful, and crazy drunken behavior. I will definitely recommend anyone that is staying in the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area to stay at Vista Serena. This is my first time staying at a hostel and I've been told that I've been spoiled because they are all not as great as this. Many people have extended their stay since you have such a fun time here, including myself, and I will be coming back!

Noisy, rowdy, no rules
My wife and I have stayed in many hostels and most have some rules for guests. Not SV. Parties til late at night and management does not care. It advertises a beach down a path. It is a trek through private property, down a road. Beds are nice with communal kitchen and facilities. Avoid this hostel.

Big Disappointment
Bedbugs -- These two words sum it up. The dorm had so many bunk beds crowded into it that one could barely move between them. People who stayed in the dorm complained of being bitten by bedbugs, and my legs too were covered with bed bug bites -- and that was in a private room! I even had to pay $50 for the room despite showing my bites the following morning. I became ill the next day due to all the bites. Until the owners debug this hostel, it would be good to avoid it.

Perfect Hostel for Backpacker or Vacationer
Stayed in a private room with my girlfriend on our spring break. We both absolutely loved every aspect of the hostel. You can't beat the view and nothing compares to watching the sunset over the pacific ocean from one of their many hammocks. Conrad and Monica who run the hostel are incredibly nice and helpful in everything. It also offers some great discounted tours such as the mangrove tour at a fraction of the price ($25 instead of $75). Although it is a little far away from the beach it is a very short and easy bus ride for about 25 cents and its location is nice because it is away from the very touristy beach side of Manuel Antonio. It is the perfect hostel for any traveler trying to get a great deal on their stay in Manuel Antonio.

The best hostel I have ever been to in my life. Has the best view in all of Costa Rica. Stay here!

I have traveled throughout Spain, Portugal, Italy, Czech Republic, Holland, England and Costa Rica, and Vista Serena is the best hostel I have stayed at. Conrad is awsome. We had a hostel BBQ one night and it was the best night I had in Costa Rica. Watching the perfect sunset from a hammock on the back porch of the hostel doesnt get any better than that. My friend visited here March 2006 and had an amazing time. He told me to book a couple of nights here. I did, and now I'm telling you to book a couple nights here. You will not be disappointed. Good friends, good times. Pura vida.

I stayed here for about a week this March and I absolutely loved it. I've stayed at a hostel right on the beach in Manuel Antonio, but it does not compare at all to Hostel Vista Serena in terms of atmosphere, cleanliness, and all the friendly people that work there. And yes, the famous Conrad is an awesome host. I definitely recommend this hostel to anyone who is on a budget but doesn't want to stay somewhere crappy.

I love Hostel Vista Serena, I had the time of my life there and Conrad is the best host ever. Conrad I miss you and hope I can come visit again soon!

What great place, not to mention a absolute incredible knockout milllion dollar view that costs only a few colones a night. Conrad was a great host and gave us all the info we needed for the area. I say , SATY HERE if you are on a budget and love a nice atmosphere. We choose the shared room with a bath living room and kitchen that is better than any Star hotel, because you dont have to deal with any snobs, just freindly people. We did unfortunatley leave our pet toy mascot mouse behind on the nightstand, so if anyone sees him, please send him home via Conrad.

I just left this wonderful place today and got back to San Jose. I am in Costa Rica for three weeks and planned to stay 2 nights at the Vista Serena. After enjoying the incredible beautiful view at the green valley and azur blue sea from Vista Serena's terrace and - even more important - the sweetest welcome from Sonia and Conrad as well as from the other guests, I changed my all plans and stayed there for a week. Sonia is one of the most impressive and warm hearted personalities I have ever met and Conrad is a lovely supportive pale -and even a great dancer! Thanks to both of you for the wonderful time! Apart from the hostel, the beach of Manuel Antonio is great. I enjoyed a lot the walks in the national parc, the Canopy and rafting tours, the hanging around the hostel and the excessive nightlife!

I just returned yesterday from a week and a half in Costa Rica, and two and a half of those days were spent at Vista Serena. Looking back, I kind of wish the whole trip had been spent there. When they say that their hostel is designed for young foreigners, they mean it. We arrived on our second day in country with only tentative plans and no ideas on how we were going to execute them. Then the lovely and ever-gracious Sonia sat us down and explained to us exactly what we were up against in trying to do so much in such a short amount of time. She also advised us to stay near Manuel Antonio an extra day, which turned out to be the best advice we could have received because it's amazing. Sonia's son, Conrad, in his own words is "a so-so guy." The truth is that Conrad is a kick-ass dude. He pointed us in the right direction for nightly entertainment and even provided a little of his own. As far as the accommodations go, they just add to the experience. The views are incredible, and the prices are very reasonable. We've already made plans to take a two-week vacation to Costa Rica next year and intend to spend a much longer period of time at Vista Serena.

I just got back to the states after spending six weeks in Costa Rica. I spent a week in Manuel Antonio at Vista Serena and had the most wonderful time. Conrad and Alejandro (the caretakers) were a wealth of information and the "hostests with mostest." Vista Serena has the best sunsets and coolest crowd. I wish I were there...

I stayed at Vista Serena for two weeks in February of 2004. It was terrific. A bus outside the front door takes you to Manuel Antonia beach in five minutes. The owner (Sonia) and her family go out of their way to make you comfortable. COSI Spanish school is on same site. Also, one of the best seafood restaurants in Costa Rica is right next door. I saw beautiful sunsets.