The Swell Show

Edition 9 · Friday, October 23, 2026

The weekend fills up last minute.

Tomorrow, Friday, more than half of the area's rentals have guests, about 2,000 people. In the last six days, about 100 more places were booked for that day. Have a full floor and full stock from tomorrow.

Morning, line-up.

Today’s story

Hotels fill up overnight

Today, Thursday the 22nd: guests in 53% of rentals, about 2,000 people, and almost 1 in 3 hotels has no room tonight. 1.5 m waves at 14 seconds.

Tomorrow, Friday the 23rd: almost 4 in 10 hotels have no room left. Yesterday it was 2 in 10: about 30 more full hotels in a single day. On Tuesday we said the weekend was filling slowly; today it sped up.

For your business: Friday and Saturday are the peak of the week. Sunday eases off, and Monday to Wednesday the area has guests in 4 or 5 of every 10 rentals.

What to do today

Lodging
If you still have space for Friday or Saturday, don't slash it: people keep booking until the day before. If you want to move something, make it Monday the 26th or Tuesday the 27th.
Restaurants
Stock up and add floor staff for Friday and Saturday, the peak of the week. Sunday is the rainiest day: have something warm for the afternoon.
Shops and services
Friday and Saturday bring the most people of the week, with 1.4 to 1.5 m waves: boards, lessons and tours on display from early on.

The numbers

38%of hotels are full for Friday. Yesterday, for the same Friday, it was 20%. Hotels fill at the last minute: late bookers no longer find a room.
51%of the area is already booked for the weekend. On Monday it was 47%: about 60 more places in three days. What's still open can fill.
US$79is the typical nightly price of what's still open for Friday. Same for Saturday. Nobody is slashing prices: if yours costs that or less, you're competitive.

By price

Pricier homes, the most booked

For Friday, more than 6 in 10 places over US$350 already have guests. Among those up to US$60, 4 in 10. Guests in big homes also arrive for the weekend: have a menu and services designed for them.

Budgetup to US$60
39%
Mid-rangeUS$61 to 150
56%
UpscaleUS$151 to 350
56%
Luxuryover US$350
65%

Share of places booked for tomorrow at each nightly rate. Every place in the area, classified one by one.

What the tide brings in

  1. In Costa Rica

    Tourism asks for an electricity law

    Costa Rica's National Chamber of Tourism asked lawmakers to pass the electricity system harmonization bill (file 23,414). It wants stable power at competitive prices, including for small businesses outside the cities; passing it doesn't by itself guarantee lower rates.

    Source: Infobae

  2. Around the world

    Three airlines add flights this month

    Breeze started flying from Tampa and Frontier is back from Orlando. British Airways flies to San José from London Heathrow starting October 25, five times a week.

    Source: La Nación

See you in the water.

How we measure · Occupancy = 1 − places free for 3 nights ÷ total inventory. It’s a ceiling: some places block dates without being booked. Sources: the main booking platforms, Open-Meteo and the Central Bank of Costa Rica. Measured October 22 at 6:00.