Hotel Portal Avicar

This peach-colored blockhouse on the Interamericana conceals a lovely garden with coconut palms, banana trees, hummingbirds feasting on sugar water and 15 attractive rooms with terraces and hammock. There's a pool too. The vine-covered terrace restaurant (open 6am to 9pm) serves traditional country-style dishes (mains US$7 to US$16). You’re likely to share a table with some pretty interesting characters.