The Swell Show

Edition 12 · Monday, October 26, 2026

Monday doesn't empty out

Tomorrow, Monday, half of the places in the area have guests, about 1,800 people. In the last week, about 120 more places were booked for that day. The dip expected to start the week isn't coming.

Morning, line-up.

Tide alerts

  • Heads up

    Drought red alert still on in Cóbano. The National Emergency Commission keeps Cóbano and Paquera on red alert for El Niño. Check for leaks and go easy on water and power: the dry season may start with lower reserves. Source

Today’s story

An even week ahead

Today, Sunday the 25th: 53% of places have guests, about 2,000 people, and almost 3 in 10 hotels have no room tonight. 1.5 m waves at 10 seconds.

Tomorrow, Monday the 26th: half of the places have guests and almost 3 in 10 hotels have no room left. On Friday, Monday looked like the slow day, with 46% booked and 1 in 7 hotels full.

For your business: the whole week comes in even, between 42% and 50% of the area booked. Plan stock and staff like a normal week, without cutting back on Monday.

What to do today

Lodging
Don't slash Monday's rate: it kept filling all week. If you have one- or two-night gaps midweek, open them: about 90 places are free on Monday but already have guests later on.
Restaurants
Run Monday like a normal day, with your usual floor staff. Don't cut your order.
Shops and services
Monday looks dry with 1.5 m waves: a good day for lessons and board rentals from early on.

The numbers

29%of hotels are full for Monday. On Friday, for the same Monday, it was 14%: about 25 more hotels with no room in two days.
US$70is the typical nightly price of what's still open for Monday. Yesterday it was US$80: what's left is being offered a bit cheaper.
90places are open on Monday but already have guests later in the week. Yesterday, for Sunday, it was about 60: people keep arriving midweek.

By price

Budget places have the most room

For Monday, more than 6 in 10 places over US$350 already have guests. Among those up to US$60, 3 in 10. If you rent in that range, a two-night deal can fill the gap.

Budgetup to US$60
30%
Mid-rangeUS$61 to 150
52%
UpscaleUS$151 to 350
54%
Luxuryover US$350
63%

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. Around here

    Cóbano and Paquera on drought red alert

    The National Emergency Commission raised the El Niño alert to red in Cóbano, Paquera, Lepanto and ten cantons of Guanacaste, and for the first time it includes the Pacific sea. It asks people to fix leaks and cut water and power use.

    Source: The Tico Times

  2. Around the world

    Canada keeps pushing

    From January to September, 227,497 Canadians arrived by air, 24.6% more than in 2025. More than two in three came in through Guanacaste airport.

    Source: Monumental

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 25 at 6:00.