Esquinas Rainforest Lodge — Hotel in Golfito

I arrived for lunch at the lodge and it was my 4th trip in Costa Rica and i have been all over the country without any problem or disappointment all these years. But i never see such lodge in Costa Rica at this level of price per night, being so rustic, so inconfortable and with such bad and cheap food. So i just told to the waitress politely that the food wasn't good and i was supposed to expect much better quality and fresh food, i said i won't even give such bad quality food to a dog and believe me it was true and the end of the story is significant and the proof i was right. So F..., the manager, came to my table and ask me to leave the lodge : he was agressive, threatening me and coming very closed to me like 50 centimers and i had to put my hand in front to avoid any contact. He was screaming in the restaurant and i said what i said was true and i will have done the same comment in any restaurant in the world and it wasn't personal. But i was impossible to have a normal discussion with him and i can't speak as he was alway screaming and cutting my sentences. His wife was also agressive but she was speaking normally and was calm. I had booked this lodge for 4 nights and i had paid it - but he said i have to leave now or he called the police. I refused as i booked and paid the room and i don't have any other hotel in mind and i was looking only for a lodge with opportunities to see wildlife, not a city hotel. He also offer more money to me but i said i had enough money and he can't buy my departure. So after the police came, the discussion was difficult as they don't speak a good English, but i tried with my poor spanish to explain that there was reason for the manager to kick me away of the hotel just to have said the thruth : their food was cheap, with unfresh products and unacceptable. But the manager always invade the area to disturb the discussion with the police as the police don't have any reason to support the request of the manager : i was calm and polite and he was crazy and agressive. I never see such bad education for a person in contact with tourists. He was angry because he don't support any critical about its food but i don't have any regreat as i was more right than i supposed. So the situation was impossible to support as the manager was like a barking man and it was impossible to say one word as he was barking all the time. So i decide to leave and i booked online another hotel in the city in order to have time to find another wilderness lodge with civilized people. and he called a taxi and on the way, i start to feel the food was really inappropriate for health, and arriving at the other hotel i had to rush to the toilets without waiting the checkin process and my room. I have a witness and also i took a picture in case the manager will say i am lying. I didn't lie and i was sick in the other hotel from the food i had at Esquinas. I always eat very heathy food and i am sensitive to abnormal bacterias contained in unfresh and bad quality food. So i was right to say their food was disgusting as taste was completely abnormal for such products, but also biologically and it's why i was sick few hours later. I forget to describe my room : rough small beds and rustic decoration very far from what you can expect at this level of rate. I left this horrible lodge for a perfect hotel in town - very confortable - good bathroom for one third of...

We stayed for 4 nights at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge and it was the highlight of our 14 night stay in and around the Osa Peninsular. From the moment we checked in the wildlife was walking around our feet and flying around our heads. The room was lovely, very comfortable and with a view over the shallow valley. Despite only having a fan rather than air con, the room was remarkable cool in the evenings and at night and the screens (rather than glazed windows) kept all the bugs out. Meals were set but were excellent and the fresh fruit fabulous.The pool has not chlorine and is fairly cool and shaded for about half of the day and was a fantastic way to retreat from the heat. We loved the way the wildlife walked past us as if we weren't there... even the basilisks ran across the pool as we swam! We went on the morning bird walk, the night walk and the mangrove tour. In all of those we had Kevin as our fabulous guide, whose English was excellent and technical English re the animals amazing. All the tours were good, we saw loads and were very manageable, even for unfit 60 somethings. The highlight though was the mangrove tour; new species just kept on coming! The boat was comfortable even after half a day and the awning kept us cool (worth the trip just to get away from the stifling heat and humidty around the lodge). Special mention to the skipper, Melvin, who slowed the boat to a halt every time he saw me lift my telephot lens. The staff at Esquinas were fantastic and it was really quite emotional leaving them after only 4 nights; Kevin was a star and when not guiding people on tours helped in the bar but special mention to Joanne, who was just lovely about everything and incredibly attentive. I can't praise Esquinas enough; the placed oozed wildlife and comfort and will stay in our minds for years to come. Highlights... the Charming hummingbird that perched outside our lodge all day; the Tayra that stole bananas from the tree 40 feet from us as we ate our luch; the mangrove tour; the basilisks and the absolutely stunning Cherrie's Tanager; the welcome. There were several "birding tours" that arrived here during our stay; each staying just 2 nights and we probably spoke to 20 odd members of the tours. All, without exception envied our 4 night stay and wanted to stay longer. This place is an absolute gem... you need to visit. I took 1800 photos in a 4 night stay...the attached are all at Esquinas or on the mangrove tour. If you're in any doubt,...

We had 2 nights here as part of a group tour and loved it. It was amazing to be in the middle of the rainforest, with just mesh on the windows so you can hear all the wildlife throughout the night.|The swimming pool was stunning, and we loved being able to swim surrounded by the jungle. The grounds are extensive and beautiful to walk around all the flowers and see the wildlife on the various trails.|We had a few heavy rain storms while we were there which was lovely to watch and still very warm.|The trails can get muddy so the hotel provide wellies which also protect against snakes etc. (bring appropriate socks!)|The rooms were large with verandas to sit on and enjoy the surroundings, but they only have very slow fans so we did find it hard to sleep in the heat and humidity.|The only downside (apart from the heat!) was a big issue with flies at breakfast, resulting in everyone evacuating the breakfast table and finding other places to sit to get away from the influx of flies on the food. It seemed fine at lunch and dinner, so they could really do with nets for the food, or fans to keep the flies away.|But otherwise we loved staying there and its a...