Peace Garden Bungalows — Hotel in Cahuita

I spent just under a week in January 2019 at the Peace Garden Bungalows with my 14-year old son in the very nurturing care of Marlena, our host. When we arrived my son was suffering from a nasty cough that he had picked up on the ski slopes in Europe and was very much under the weather. Marlena suggested consulting a local from the Bribri indigenous people and he recommended a plant that we could boil together with some other local ingredients to make a medicinal tea. Within 48 hours there was a big change in my son's cough and wellbeing. He was then able to start to enjoy the many and varied activities that Marlena was happy to organise for us. These included a visit to the Jaguar Rescue Centre nearby (within walking distance); a beautiful excursion to the beach within the Gandoca Manzanillo National Park, roughly a 30-minute ride away by car; ziplining just outside of Puerto Viejo; and the most delicious meals at La Pecora Nera, an amazing Italian restaurant right on her doorstep with the freshest of Costa Rican ingredients and mouth-watering delicacies.

Her bungalows are all brand new and feature very comfortable beds, great showers and natural ventilation with fully-screened, large windows which I particularly appreciated as I prefer not to sleep in air-conditioned rooms. The flow-through of air enabled a very peaceful, refreshing sleep, recognising of course that you are in the jungle and the sounds of the Howler monkeys in the trees will often be your early morning wake-up call. The bungalows are located within three minutes' easy walking distance of the beach where it is safe to swim, relax and lounge in the very inviting, warm waters of the Carribean. A grocery store is also nearby if you need to get produce and choose to cook as the bungalows also come equipped with a kitchen that has hotplates, refrigerator, coffee machine and your basic appliances and utensils for making a meal.

Marlena is working with locals to ensure her gardens attract the toucans, hummingbirds and the blue Morpho butterflies. There are Green Macaws that you catch sight of too which freely inhabit a property you can visit by bicycle further down the road. Sloths are also in the neighbourhood and we saw one hanging from the power lines which is not a good thing as the lines are poorly insulated and dangerous to the sloths that climb along them. There is however a concerted effort led by the people at the Jaguar Rescue Centre to remedy this situation by pressuring the municipality to do more as well as fundraising themselves to insulate the power lines.

A further highlight were the toiletries sourced from a local lady called Carla who grows and processes plants and their essences in her backyard and produces the most beautifully-scented shampoos, soaps, lotions and oils that contain no nasties. Marlena was kind enough to introduce us to Carla and we were able to purchase massage oils and body lotions that have the most glorious fragrances from Carla's little shop in her garden.

I have every intention of returning here in the future. I recommend a stay at the Peace Garden Bungalows not only because it leaves you feeling energised yet rested, but more importantly for me in touch with your soul and immensely grateful for the nature, beauty and life that is all...

AVOID Peace Garden Bungalows! Unresolved ant issues, unresponsive owner, and lack of basic amenities.

My stay at Peace Garden Bungalows in Limón Province, Costa Rica, was a nightmare. Booked for August 19-30 for $460, the place was overrun with ants. Despite multiple requests and attempts to resolve the issue, the owner, Marlena, was unresponsive and unhelpful.

Here's what happened:

The bungalow was infested with ants, crawling everywhere including the bed.

Marlena offered no solution beyond spraying ineffective chemicals, worsening my asthma.

The property lacked backup power and water during an outage, hindering my ability to work remotely.

Marlena was dismissive of my concerns and refused a refund unless she rebooked the space.

She even deleted our communication history!

I left after one sleepless night due to the uninhabitable conditions. Marlena is now trying to re-rent the same problematic bungalow to unsuspecting travelers.

DO NOT BOOK HERE! You will regret it. Look elsewhere to avoid financial loss, wasted time, and unnecessary mental and emotional stress.

THIS BUSINESS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE APPROPRIATE...

Peace Garden is what it says... Peace...that is what you will encounter when you stay at Peace Garden. It is tucked beautifully away ...(but not to far) in the Costa Rican rain forest.. Talamanca...once you book your reservation you will feel the Peace The bungalows are very clean..and the garden itself is kept up also. Once you walk into the garden ...you to will feel the peace and tranquility of her garden...you will be immersed with the sounds of the jungle..see and hear howler monkeys..toucans..sloths...and a vast array of beautiful animals. And the owner Marlena... She is super duper sweet and so nice... She will make your stay so pleasant.. you will not want to leave..so book your night...week..or month of your vacation at Peace Garden...Talamanca Costa Rica Once you step into Peace Garden... You too will feel the Awwweee...the Peace and Tranquility...