Harbor Reef Lodge

Harbor Reef Lodge Review

It's easy to lose yourself in the junglelike gardens of this comfortable surfer hotel, where rooms and suites cater to surfers of every age, with plenty of space for boards and gear inside. Centered around two small pools, one presided over by a concrete crocodile, the other by a tiny waterfall, the decor is rather rudimentary. "Surf city" rooms have two queen beds in slightly separate alcoves, whereas larger suites are great for families, with two bedrooms, two baths, a loft with twin beds, and a kitchen. The surf break at Playa Guiones is a 300-meter (1,000-foot) walk away. The open-air restaurant ($$) serves an American menu, with fresh fish, steak, chicken, pastas, Tex-Mex dishes, and sushi on select weekends. Owner Randy Bombard has a wealth of information about the area and his wife, Brenda, operates Sibu, a wild-animal refuge specializing in howler monkeys, and heads a campaign to prevent monkeys from being electrocuted by power lines.