REVIEW: Selina Jaco, Costa Ric

So I’m a big fan of the Selina brand. I’ve stayed at them or coworked with them in a couple countries and I’ve never had a bad experience. It’s funny because I often see mixed or negative reviews on TripAdvisor, but I feel like the bad reviews generally come from older people not anticipating it to have a youthful, community feel. They are looking for a more traditional hotel stay, and didn’t do their research about what Selina is or who it caters to.

But I love the way people hang out in the common areas and work with their laptop, or enjoy a drink together. I may have outgrown staying in a hostel dorm, but I still love the social aspect of staying in hostels. Selina gives me the sense of community with vibrant common areas & weekly activities, while still having the style of a boutique (albeit budget) hotel - AND I don’t feel “too old” to be there haha.

The clientele has been a bit different at different locations….in Bocas Del Toro Panama, it had a very strong backpacker vibe (loud parties every night, a lot of kids on vacation wanting to party), while the locations in Costa Rica — I stayed at Jaco and Monteverde—had a wide range of clients….from 20-something backpackers staying in the dorms, to working professionals / digital nomads, couples, and families and older folks too. It was a really interesting mix of people, but no one felt too out of place. It may be because costs in general are more expensive in Costa Rica, so people of all ages/situations gravitate to Selina Jaco as an affordable beachfront hotel.

First off, let’s start with the location. Selina Jaco is in a prime spot right on the beach. The layout of the grassy common area, covered bar/restaurant (that also had seats ON the sand), and pool the looked out on the beach was the perfect place to relax with a book, enjoy a cold beverage with friends, or watch the sunset. The sunset EVERY night was so gorgeous and Selina Jaco was the perfect place to watch. The patio gets packed every night around this time, with many people coming to eat/drink in addition to people staying at the hotel.

On top of being right on the beach, it’s also a 30 second walk from the Main Street in Jaco Town. There you can find tons of great restaurant options, boutiques and tour agencies. Some of my favorite restaurants were Green Room (live music every night, tons of good food options for vegan/vegetarians, great cocktails), Karma (vegan restaurant, inventive yummy dishes), TacoBar (lively little restaurant with swings for seats, also good vegetarian/vegan options), El Chicano (Mexican restaurant, really tasty & great service), Graffiti (wine bar with fantastic food and cocktails), Rebellisimo (gelato shop with delicious flavors, many vegan options).

I stayed in a private room - it had a simple design, but was very clean and perfectly suited my needs. Hanging out front was my own basket chair that I could relax in with a good book— a nice touch. There is a cheaper private room (the cylinder rooms) for those on a tighter budget too. There is only a sheet & very light blanket on the bed, and I’m someone who sleeps better with more weight on me….but it worked fine for the most part.

The staff was kind and sufficient at getting me checked in (early, I might add) and helping me book activities. I forgot her name, but the woman who works in the gift shop and handles activities is very sweet and helpful. The Tortuga Island day trip she booked me on with CostaCat was amazing—so fun & my favorite activity I did while in Costa Rica. Cleaning staff made sure my room was cleaned each day….getting rid of the sand I tracked in was much appreciated!!

I love how the food at Selina hotel restaurants is always different. Each one has their own specialties and unique flair….but vegetarian options are always provided. I actually only ate once at Selina Jaco (somehow haha), but the falafel bowl I had was great! I really enjoyed it. There were so many good restaurants in Jaco Town, I found myself always wanting to try somewhere new.

In terms of the social aspect, I didn’t meet a ton of people there (despite the awesome common areas/bar). In the five days I stayed, I only really met and hung out with one group of friends (who were just there for drinks). They had some weekly activities but it didn’t seem like they were promoted that much (there was 1 person at Salsa night lol). But it may have just been the time of year.

The beach in Jaco is not the prettiest beach. But it has nice vibes and there’s a lot to do in the city….from waterfall hikes, to boat cruises, to zipline and ATV, etc. You can take a taxi or boat trip to prettiest beaches too. I highly recommend doing a day trip down to Manuel Antonio.

The wifi worked well the whole time I was there. There is also a coworking space with high speed internet if you really need it for work though! It wasn’t ever too busy….only 1 or 2 people in there when I used it. I found the common areas great to get work done too, but if you need a quieter spot, it’s definitely a great perk to staying here. I had a free day at the cowork space….but usually it’s $10/day. I kind of wish they would just include it if you are staying at the hotel.

In terms of the value, I paid about $79/night with Hotels.com fees included. It may have been a bit cheaper to book directly thru the website (I like getting the Hotels.com points though). That might be on the high end for a backpacker but for someone working while on the road, it’s isn’t too terrible. And Costa Rica in general is pricey. Any other hotel on the beach was probably going to cost at least that much or more.

All in all, it was a great stay and I would certainly recommend Selina Jaco to anyone passing thru and looking for a good spot to work, relax, and enjoy the beach. It also has easy access to many other parts of Costa Rica, so it makes a great base for exploring Manuel Antonio, Isla Tortuga, Monteverde, etc.