Uh, well, ummm, y'see, seņor, we're all friends but not that close!  After some scrambling by the hotel staff, we had the proper accommodations.  Praise goes to Kaiser, the hotel manager and his staff who jumped through hoops for us.

El Milagro sits on the left side of the main road just as you enter the "populated" part of Tamarindo.  It's directly across the street (about 100 meters) from the broad sandy beach near the river mouth.  There's a small pool in the very front (with a world-class surf break so close, we never even tested the pool!), an open-air restaurant and about 30 rooms (most air conditioned).

Rooms are very clean, kept so by daily scrubbing by the maids.  Sheets on our very comfortable (even for my tired, aching back) beds were changed daily and the bathrooms had showers, toilets and sink.  The rooms have a small closet with a locking safe for your smaller valuables.  Each room also has its own patio with furniture that made a nice place to kick back during the mid-day heat or have a beer and chat with friends at night.  The tiled patio and room floors were really appropriate for a beach-oriented crowd.

This is a place that's obviously dealt with surfers before.  The tiled floors, space to store at least two longboards in the room or on the patio and outdoor showers to rinse off the salt and sand before entering your room.  There was even a lower spigot to rinse sand off your feet.  The shower also made a nice place to cool off during the hot middle of the day without having to walk to the pool.

This is the tropics and there are some creepy crawlers around.  Since the room doors open directly to the outside courtyards, it's a good idea to shake out your shoes and clothing before getting dressed.  But this was not a major issue.  I've traveled extensively in the middle latitudes and this was one of the best non-"luxury" hotels I've ever stayed in.

Because the rooms are arranged around two courtyards, it's easy to meet and chat with other guests and we met many interesting people like the guy from New York who was sick and tired of the snow and headed to Costa Rica for respite, the three European couples on holiday and the surfing couple from San Clemente, CA, just up the highway from San Diego.

El Milagro is within walking distance of everything you want or need in Tamarindo: restaurants, souvenir shops, cafes, souvenir stands, mini-markets, souvenir stands and surf shops (with souvenirs available).

Breakfast was included with our room.  Beans and rice, scrambled eggs, toast, sweet rolls, ham (packaged) slices, cereal and more.  We chowed down after morning surf sessions for the most part.  Although hearty and tasty, eating the same thing every day got old.  We found a German bakery a short distance away and it was worth the walk.

The El Milagro's restaurant is very good, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  When one of our 4x4s was late into town on the first night, they held the kitchen open so four tired and hungry travelers could get a good meal.  I ate there only the first night, choosing to try other venues throughout the week.  But the Tierra y Mar ("Surf & Turf" aka steak and shrimp) I had was very good.  They also serve a delicious ice cream cake with chocolate sauce.  The bar also serves cold soda, beer and mixed drinks during the day.

Hotel Coco Verde

Located in the village of El Coco, north of Tamarindo, Hotel Coco Verde is an American-style facility.  Don, the owner, took great care of us,  Rooms were exceptionally clean, the grounds were well kept, bar drinks were cold and the swimming pool was a great place to relax after a full day on the boat to Witch's Rock and Ollies.

El Coco is primarily a sport fishing and scuba diving town and the hotel arranged a 44' sport fisher to take us to the distant breaks.  Diving gear is also available.

We stayed two nights at Coco Verde.  Rooms were air conditioned.  We had a small closet, sink, toilet and shower.  Everything was very clean.  The overall feel of the hotel was a Ramada or Holiday Inn.  Staff was extremely helpful and kept us comfortable.

Chef Peter fixed two great dinners for us.  His barbecue chicken makes my top ten list of all time and his barbecue ribs the next night were excellent.  

The hotel is within walking distance of the rest of the town (it's all toward the beach).  El Coco is a great place to pick up souvenirs.  Hand made wood products are excellent.  Mom got a beautiful bowl, daughter got a dolphin-shaped jewelry box and wifey got a carved bird.  Prices are extremely reasonable.

This is a place you'd be comfortable in whether it's El Coco, Cocoa Beach or Cocoa Palms!