Bavaria Clinic Costa Rica

"Warning to any foreigners considering giving birth here. My partner and I chose Hospital Clínica Bíblica because we believed a private hospital in Costa Rica would provide a better, more supportive experience than delivering in the U.S. Our Dr. Alejandra Barboza specifically recommended this hospital over Hospital CIMA, telling us the nurses were warm, supportive, and focused on helping women achieve natural births. That was not our experience at all. From the moment we arrived, the care felt cold and disorganized. As my contractions intensified, I requested an epidural. I had been told I could receive one anytime before 10 cm dilation, yet I was denied and told to wait until 5 cm. I was left in severe pain trying to manage labor on my own. To cope, I used the shower—but within minutes, the bathroom flooded due to a clogged drain. While in active labor and in extreme pain, I was forced to walk down the hallway to switch rooms. This should never happen in a functioning maternity ward. Throughout labor, the nursing care was inconsistent and, at times, dismissive. When I needed help with my IV, a nurse responded with visible frustration, roughly taped my wrist without properly checking it, and left without saying a word. Meanwhile, my doctor was not present. She was at home waiting for updates and only planned to come once I was further dilated. At one point, I was alone in the shower feeling the urge to push, screaming for help while my partner searched for staff. It took an unacceptable amount of time for anyone to respond. By the time the doctor finally arrived—about 30 minutes after being called—I was already 10 cm dilated. I ended up laboring naturally through the most intense phase, despite clearly requesting pain management earlier and at my last prenatal appt 5 days prior. Only then was the epidural administered. After the epidural, my labor stalled and required Pitocin. When I was moved to the delivery room, one of the stirrups fell off and I nearly fell off the table. No one apologized. Postpartum care was just as disappointing. We were required to stay an additional night without clear medical justification, and later the hospital attempted to overcharge us for that stay. We had to push back just to have the incorrect charge removed. The bedside manner from most of the nurses—especially on Sunday—was rude, loud, and unprofessional. Only two nurses on Monday we encountered showed genuine care. Before discharge, we were pressured and threatened regarding vaccinating our newborn. We are not anti-vaccers —our baby had already received initial vaccines—we simply wanted to delay one. We were told our baby would not be released if we didn’t comply, which felt completely inappropriate and coercive. We left the hospital exhausted, stressed, and emotionally drained. Instead of feeling supported during one of the most important moments of our lives, we felt neglected and disrespected. I strongly do not recommend this hospital for anyone seeking a natural, supportive birth experience. Based on our experience, I would especially caution foreigners, as we genuinely felt we were treated differently. This experience was not just disappointing—it was deeply traumatic"

"Over many years visiting this hospital/clinic I have always come away satisfied amd impressed with the quality and expertise of the medical staff, they are truly exceptional comparef to what I have experienced in the U.S. over the same time period. I can personally attest to the expertise of specialists in opthamology, dermatology, and general medicine. The entire complex is extremely well-managed, immaculate, ordered, easy to navegate, complete with ample and secure parking, a modern and pleasant cafe and restaurant, and a pharmacy."

"On February 1, 2026, I was on a night hike near Monteverde, Costa Rica when my left foot went down a hole and my left ankle was dislocated and suffered four fractures in the left ankle bones. I was transported by ambulance back to San Jose, CR. I was taken to Hospital Clinica Biblica and the next seven days were better than I could ever have expected or hoped for. My attending physician was Dr David Jenkins and after x-rays, plus putting there ankle back in its socket, I was informed that I would need surgery on the ankle within two days. My husband, Duncan and I were put in a private room so that he could stay with me. There was a couch that converted to a bed in the room (#306, the third floor staff is fantastic). Surgery on the ankle was performed two nights later and the physicians, Dr Alvarez and Dr Jenkins did a remarkable getting all the bones reconnected. We stayed in the room an additional three nights before flying back home. Dr Alvarez made daily visits to check on me and to monitor my pain levels. After getting back to Charlotte, NC, I had an appointment with a sports medicine/orthopedic surgeon. Dr Seth Richmond was very complimentary of the work done from the x-rays that he took in his office. In summary, I would describe Hospital Clinica Biblical in San Jose, Costa Rica as a world class facility with great physicians, surgeons, and staff. It is absolutely a five star hospital. BWM"

"Dr. Mario Moreira Villalaz was exactly on time for our appointment. He took an interest in me and my well-being and performed a thorough examination. My appointment lasted almost an hour and Dr. Moreira covered everything I wanted him to and more. I look forward to being his patient for a long time."

"As a tourist, I broke my leg in Costa Rica. At your clinic, I was kindly welcomed. The surgery was successful, and the medical staff were very friendly. The level of comfort at your clinic was very high, significantly higher than what I would have experienced in my home country. I would like to praise all the staff for their attention and care, especially Dr. Castro, who made my foot surgery and is the kind of doctor every patient wishes for. The room where I recovered was spacious and beautiful, and the food was more delicious than in restaurants. Although I had a less pleasant experience at the end of my vacation due to the injury, I must still mention that the staff at this clinic helped me as a tourist, get through the situation with less fear, as everything was handled at a very high level. Finally, I would like to add that I have traveled to many places around the world, and this last trip to Costa Rica was also the best trip of my life so far. Pura Vida"