Rifugio e sentieri dell'Osservatorio Arenal

The room was a disaster but the hotel grounds were great. Shortly after arriving we got a bad case of diarrhea which we take some blame for eating their fresh fruit and juices. Upon arrival we saw lots of construction going on near our room. It lasted all evening and up until 1:30am (drilling, grinding, sawing, talking). The WIFI shut off at midnight (we couldn’t sleep) and a loud alarm went off for an hour or so. We had to keep going to the bathroom due to diarrhea and then the water shut off so we had a toilet we could not flush. I went to the office the next morning and they simply acknowledged what I told them without remorse or corrective action (no cancellation, rooms further away were available but cost us 70% more, no reduction in room price). I had breakfast and went to bed sick but could not sleep due to construction again picking up at 7:00am. Two days and two nights were ruined because of this. They put us and 15 other rooms next to the office which is a poor location due to nonstop noise from excursion buses, arriving/departing residents, talking staff, generator running due to power outages, guests milling around the restaurant. The staff are focused on money and not guest comfort. The grounds are nice and have good wildlife/ bird viewing opportunities. Good forest trails to explore. If it were not for the grounds I would give it a one-star. If you stay, use the expensive rooms away from the office. There is no AC or TV so be prepared to be damp most of the time and not have TV to watch when it is pouring rain outside. WIFI is ok, when it works. Electricity is sporadic but the generator kicks in. This experience really was a low part of our trip.

We had a day pass - initially some difficulty with getting onto the property as the staff at the gate had not been provided our names from the booking team, so despite being able to show them our booking confirmation we were not able to immediately be let it - after many phone calls between the front gate and the office this was resolved. On the property itself we did many of the walking trails and were able to see lots of wildlife - monkeys, birds, etc. also great to see so many rainbow trees! There are many inside areas where you can stand and watch the bird feeders and this was great for whilst it was raining. It’s a great opportunity to see a wide range of flora and fauna!

Our visit to the Observatory was on wet, rainy day. Having rain gear (ponchos) made a big difference. Although we only walked one trail to the waterfall it was well worth the walk. The trail was very well maintained although of moderate difficulty as indicated on the handout map. The waterfall was stunning. We also visited the museum, which although small was very well presented with displays in multiple languages with a good overview of the history of the volcano and the area. The adjacent cafe was also nice place to spend a little time with great views and good coffee. A spectacular spot to visit.

The grounds and trails are impeccably maintained. We bought a day pass to hike the trails to the waterfall and do some birding. This place exceeded our expectations.

We visited Arenal Observatory Lodge and Trails on a Day Pass which was $40 and included lunch. The property is stunning!!!! The view of the Arenal Volcano up close you can see every little crack on the mountain and also a great view of Arenal Lake. However, the icing on the cake are the gardens and the many birds that come feed in front of the observatory from the fruit that is put out for them. Such a colorful variety of birds. This place is truly a bird watcher’s paradise. We did walk the trails and the map was easy to follow. Lunch at the restaurant was absolutely delicious.

Arenal observatory Lodge has lovely, very modern rooms and bathrooms. The grounds are beautiful. We took a night tour which was great. Breakfast is included, fruit was very good, service is nice. French toast was soggy and only cooked on one side—it was actually white, never turned over in the grill. My husband’s bacon was literally raw- thick pieces of fat lying flat on a plate. After complaining, the server said “you want it well-done?” No—just cooked. We luckily had a car so weren’t captive eating 3 meals for 4 days in their dining room and went out to lunch everyday. But after 2 very poorly prepared dinners, we got food from other places and brought back to our room. I can’t figure out why they don’t pay for a great chef like they did at Marala Hotel in Puntarenas. It totally detracted from all of the nice things they offer there.

We had one of the premier rooms with views of volcano- although it was hidden in cloud for the majority of our 2 days. But the room was lovely, spacious with two double beds, balcony and large shower room. The Resturant was ok, serving perfectly adequate food considering the relatively high price- but then no option! The “free” morning tour was brilliant with a knowledgable guide who was able to point out various animals we would have missed. The paths around the resort are easy to navigate, the “nest” lookout is worth conquering any height fears and climbing up!

We stayed 2 nights here with our children in a Smithsonian. While there is no AC on this property, you don’t need it. The climate is incredible! The best part of our stay here were the tours we did with the onsite tour guide Eduardo (?). We went out on the morning hike that is provided with your stay and the knowledge we all took away from this experience was awesome! We loved every minute! Not knowing we would get the same guide, we booked the night tour. We saw so many things! Our kids walked away with so much to talk about! We saw frogs, snakes, and spiders! You don’t feel rushed and really get to take it all in. When we ran into Eduardo(?) during our last day, he took time out to help my kids find monkeys off the trail. The property is covered with pollinators everywhere! So many birds! We woke up everyday to a view of the volcano! The view is amazing! We all took a nap one day when it was raining, and I was able to lay in my bed and just watch the clouds roll in front of the volcano. You sleep with the screens open and awaken to the day beginning in the magical place. It’s so peaceful and serene, it embodies every bit of Pura Vida! We used the pool as well, and it was very relaxing. The property is very clean and super maintained. We felt extremely comfortable. Breakfast and lunch were great. I really enjoyed the breakfast and all the fresh fruit! We didn’t care for the heaviness of the meals offered at dinner, and truthfully that menu could use some tweaking, but we asked our server at lunch if we could be accommodated at dinner with some of the lava burgers and they delivered on our request. The service in the restaurant is 5 stars. We booked the Original ATV tour here and Randall was our guide. The hotel handled the reservation and we were picked up from the property. Randall helped me feel safe with my 6 year on the ATV and ensured our safety the entirety of the trip. We even got a mini facial on the tour! Book this experience, you will not be disappointed. I felt so relaxed and comfortable during my stay here with my family! We will be back!

The hotel is located inside the arenal volcano park area. Although it’s privately owned. We well manicured lawns and gardens. It’s rustic and not posh but we were there to see monkeys and birds. The property is spread out. Not sure about other Rooms but for sure 1-3 are great as each day at 5:30 am the monkeys traverse the trees. At 5:30 pm they go back the opposite direction. It’s very cool to see. Those rooms also close to restaurant and bird decks. The pool and covered hot tub are close walk across a hanging bridge. The hotel is cool as there are several trails within its property. Spa on site but we didn’t use. We did morning bird tour $159 which was excellent. Very hard to see birds unless you are experienced or have the scopes/binoculars that the guide has. Includes hot breakfast and fruit and cereal buffet and 3 breads . The only downside is we felt a bit trapped as nearest town ( tiny hidden town with just a few restaurants and butterfly sanctuary) is 15 minutes which is close but really would not drive at night as toads STEEP and winding. It’s dark at 6pm. Fortuna the larger town is 1/2 hr. This is where many activities located. We did ATV and Mistico. 3 nights was perfect. See mtvSuperquad ATV review. EXCELLENT. Mistico good too. Not sure u need a guide. Binoculars are highly recommended

Beautiful walking paths, unable to walk to the waterfall due to weather supposedly. Attempted to go to restaurant and waited, no one greeted us or assisted us so we left. For the fee we paid it wasnt worth it, unable to see Volcano due to cloudy weather