Hotel Sugar Beach is on a beautiful, semiprivate salt-and-pepper beach about a 10-minute drive north of Playa Potrero along a rough dirt road. It's one of the only hotels in the area, and that's what gives it most of its charm, in my opinion -- lots of seclusion and privacy. The beach is on a small cove surrounded by rocky hills. The hotel itself is perched above the water. Nature lovers will be thrilled to find howler monkeys and iguanas almost on their doorsteps. Snorkelers should be happy here too; this cove has some good snorkeling in the dry season. Although this is a longstanding hotel, the rooms, which come in a variety of sizes and configurations, have received a good amount of remodeling and upgrading in recent years, and several newer suites and deluxe rooms have been added. My favorite rooms are the ocean-front standard rooms, which have great views and easy access to the beach. However, the deluxe rooms and suites are larger and more luxurious, and some have excellent ocean views from their private balconies. If you don't land one of the rooms with a sea view, the main lodge and restaurant have commanding views from a hillside perch.

Facilities: Restaurant; bar; small kidney-shape pool set on the hillside; watersports equipment rental; tour desk; laundry service