Hotel Mar de Luz, Jacó

Mar de Luz sells five room types. Four are standard rooms of 23 to 30 m², and the fifth is a 98 m² apartment for groups. The choice mostly comes down to how many people you are and whether you want a kitchenette.

For couples, the Standard Room or the Room with Kitchen. When we priced a three-night stay from 12 January 2027, the Standard Room was about $88 a night and the Room with Kitchen about $98, both with breakfast and taxes included. For mid-November 2026 the Standard Room was not offered and the Room with Kitchen was the cheapest, at about $117 a night.

For families of four, the Family Room is the better pick: it is the largest standard room, has two queen beds, a kitchenette and a terrace. In January it cost about $128 a night, against about $113 for the Quadruple Room, which has two double beds and no kitchen. Guests mention basic kitchen equipment, so bring anything you need for real cooking.

For groups, the Standard Apartment sleeps six, from about $157 a night in January and $203 in November. It was sold room only in both pulls, and a few guests found breakfast was not included with it. A few also say the apartment is a short walk from the main hotel compound rather than inside it.

Compare rates, not just rooms. The same room type often appears at several prices from different suppliers: in November the Quadruple Room ran from $529 to $947 for three nights, and the two dearest rates also left $119.54 of VAT to pay on top. Our hotel guide found breakfast rates cheaper than room-only ones on every date it sampled, so do not assume room only is the budget choice; check what each rate includes. Most rates in both pulls could be cancelled free until about two weeks before arrival. Our Jacó hotel guide found Mar de Luz the cheapest of its top 12, from $66 a night with breakfast in May and July 2027.

Across all 1,030 reviews, Mar de Luz scores 8.8 out of 10. Its review analysis rates location (9.5), service (9.1) and value for money (9.0) highest, and room quality (8.0) lowest. We read the 69 most recent English-language reviews with comments, from August 2024 to October 2026, and the same themes came up again and again.

Location, staff and pools come first. Most guests say they could walk to the beach, restaurants and shops in a few minutes, yet the hotel felt quieter than the main strip. Reviews describe the staff as friendly and helpful, and the pools, hot tub and garden as clean and well kept. Iguanas in the garden come up often.

Breakfast is good but simple. Most guests liked it, a few wanted more choice, and several say you pick your breakfast or a time slot the day before.

The complaints are consistent too. Dated rooms are the most common one, with worn furniture and bathrooms. A few guests found damp or mould, a few mention a step inside the room that is easy to trip on at night, and a couple found the Wi-Fi weak in their room. Noise splits opinion: many found it quiet, but a few heard motorbikes on the road at night, neighbours through thin walls or rain on the metal roof. There is no restaurant or bar, so plan dinners in town.

Mar de Luz is in the centre of Jacó, 100 m south and 50 m east of the KFC on the main road, about 0.3 km from the centre of town. Most international visitors fly into San José (SJO) and continue by road. The hotel lists an airport shuttle at an extra charge.

You do not need a car once you are here. Guests walk to the beach, the surf schools and the restaurants on the main strip, which makes it an easy base for surf lessons or a food tour. For day trips, the Tortuga Island catamaran checks in at the Los Sueños marina north of town at 07:15, and our guides cover the Tárcoles River crocodile tours and Carara National Park. Travelling with children? See our family guide to Jacó, and compare other options in our Jacó hotel guide.

Not sure Hotel Mar de Luz is the right fit? These are four of the other Jacó hotels we can book, from the cheapest room in our guide to the area's five-star resort. Our full Jacó hotel guide ranks 12, including the best-reviewed hotels that take bookings directly.