Room2Board

This hip hostel at the southern end of Jacó beach can make an old guy feel young again, with happy, drinking 20-somethings filling the pool and bar as if it’s perpetually spring break. Despite the gaudy wave-like outcroppings on the exterior of the four-story building, the hotel has a futuristic feel thanks to its motion-sensing lights and sleek, glass-and-steel design. Room2Board has a big poolside screen showing games, events, and surfing, and an upstairs room doubles as a movie theater and yoga space, plus a communal kitchen. Call ahead if looking to save money, because the $16 shared dorms can fill up and leave you looking at a private room closer to $80. As you might guess from the double-entendre name, Room2Board has a surf school and board rentals and is a block from the ocean. Just a few rules: No pets, no prostitutes, and no children under 14.