Lodges in El Castillo de La Fortuna

We decided to stay at Arenal Observatory Lodge by the photos, reviews and mainly by its location away from the roads and closer to the Arenal volcano and, after staying there, we now realized that we’ve made the perfect choice. Once you arrive there, you just notice that you’re surrounded by magnificent gardens and you have at your disposal several trails through those gardens and across the rain forest. The swimming pool and jacuzzi it’s a very pleasant addition to the property. The team was very professional and friendly; the restaurant was really good and the food was nice with plenty of options in the menu; all the space and surroundings is well kept and clean. We’ve made the guided night tour and we loved it. Besides that, we’ve made some of the trails and enjoyed it a lot. Our room was one of those facing the Arenal volcano with a wide window directly to a balcony from where we can enjoy the peaceful forest and the view of the volcano. The room was large and the bathroom had a lot of space. The rooms doesn’t have TV set and no AC is available, but they have a ceiling fan that is more than enough for you to get refreshed by its breeze. It was the perfect room. The breakfast had plenty of buffet options besides the menu choice and everything was really good. A can say, definitely, that, if I’ll travel again to the Arenal region, I’ll stay in the Arenal Observatory Lodge again!

Lovely place immersed in the nature! Very safe also for female solo travel, even if it’s a bit isolated. The tent is really functional and it’s like a proper room with all comforts. I had a lovely time also with Felix and the cows that live in front of the tent. It was a blessing to wake up in the nature like that! And it’s in front of a volcano!

Great location with beautiful view of Arenal volcano! Owners are super nice and they serve very tasty breakfasts!

The staff was very nice and caring, the traditional breakfast was great, the garden was amazing, the room comfy, friendly animals everywhere and the view was breathtaking.

The property is beautiful, situated in the forest having its own trail and beautiful views of Arenal. Terry and all of the staff were so lovely and welcoming and ready to help with anything.

Location: overviewing the valley with a private viewpoint. I was lucky to be upgraded and had my own elevated observation point and whirlpool with a view. Cooking utensils available, supermarket within 1km

This was my favorite part of my trip in Costa Rica. It is magical here and I hope I have that chance to visit again. My only regret is not staying longer. I had the breakfast one morning, which was lovely. The facilities are minimal. This is easily managed if planned for. There is no fridge in the little pod I stayed in, but there is a microwave. The microwave was enough for me to have a couple small meals. People have mentioned more counter space would be nice. I found it good enough. I had my things organized under the bed. Having the travel packing pods was useful. It is remote, and I suggest bringing in your own drinking water. I didn't get sick or anything, but as a precaution, that is my advice. There are lovely outdoor seating areas. I traveled with a small collapsible chair. It was great for this location, as well as when I visited beaches in other parts of the country. There are great knock off versions of the helinox chairs. If you bring one for your trip you won't regret it. This place is very special, and I offer these little tips so that you can enjoy this accommodation as much as I have. I cannot express enough how beautiful and magical the location is with the surrounding jungle covered mountains. For context. I am a solo female traveler. I felt very safe in this remote location. I had a suv rental from Adobe (very excellent car rental). I didn't need the 4wd, but had it been raining, then I likely would have used it a bit. Definitely need the high clearance on the vehicle. There was only 1 spot that required the clearance when i visited. I used the downhill assist when driving into the valley. That was very useful, and easier on the brakes. Driving back from Santa Elena in the dark was fine for me. Thank you to the hosts for having such beautiful and unique accommodations.

Great service, amazing food with many ingredients grown at the same facilities (eggs, fish, coffee, etc.). Comfortable rooms and a feeling of contact with nature. I loved to fall asleep with the sound of the river at night.

We loved the beautiful forest surroundings around our treehouse! Although we knew there were other treehouses close by, giving us a sense of security, our view from our treehouse itself was total jungle, giving us a private jungle vibe with no other treehouses or buildings within view of us. It was such a cool experience! We were lucky to have 2 sunny mornings so we woke up slowly, lying in bed, enjoying the dappled sunlight peaking through our jungle view from the vast windows. I loved Monteverde and hope to go back and when I do, I'll stay here again!

It was amazing! Javier took care on all details and supported us with tips and tricks! The breakfast was delicious and the little house is in middle of a paradise. We just can highly recommend this beautiful place with a perfect service!