Arenal Observatory Lodge — Hotel in La Fortuna

We visited during the rainy season because it was extremely affordable, and had an amazing time! It did rain some everyday, and overnight most nights, but it didn't matter to the birds. It was extremely foggy and cloudy so there was only one time we actually got a clear view of the volcano - rainy season might not be the best if that is your goal.

All of the staff was extremely courteous to us, treating us like we were at a luxury resort, despite the amazing price we paid for an off-season visit. They were even willing to make us special vegan dishes when we emailed.

The trails were impeccably maintained, I don't think we saw a single piece of litter the entire time we were there. There are tons of walkways that are all very well kept, and not slippery even when it was raining. They do a great job! A few of the trails were pretty challenging but are labeled as such. The bugs were very bad on the waterfall trail, we brought both picaridin and deet bug spray; deet worked better, but I still had red welts on my arms and legs the entire trip. Again, it's the rainforest! Many trails didn't have noticeable bugs.

We absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend doing the guided bird tour if you are a birder. The free tour that comes with your booking is not specifically about birds, and you will be with a group of people. We went to Costa Rica with the goal of seeing and photographing new birds, and we would have had an entirely different experience had it not been for our bird guide Nestor. We booked the half day paid tour and it was an incredible experience! We saw Nestor recommended on travel sites and asked for him by name. The man is like a human Merlin app! Merlin is not good with birds from Costa Rica, and will confidently tell you that a singing Sparrow is a Three-Wattled Bellbird, and Google lens will tell you that a photo of that bird is a pair of socks. GET THE BIRD GUIDE! Our guide could identify a bird as it was flying by, or as it was calling, and locate it for us. He was able to locate trogons across the forest by their call, which we really wanted to see. It is also super helpful when trying to figure out what hummingbird you saw, since so many of them look so alike and we still have some photos we took without a guide that we don't know what the bird is. No tip was solicited, but we ended up tipping our guide about $70 for a half day tour because we were so overwhelmed by the number of life list birds he found for us. We asked at reception to book a bird tour and then asked if the guide we wanted was available - it was very easy. We have two bridge cameras with 60x and 80x zoom and that was plenty of power to get good photos (we had been worried that without a fancy camera we would not get great shots). Less than a week, in the middle of July, netted us 100+ species with 98 being lifers. Buy camera rain gear so you aren't hindered by surprise downpours!

The drive to get up to the hotel was bumpy and difficult, and we were very grateful that we hired a driver instead of renting a car and driving from the airport. Your driver will need your hotel reservation information in order to be let in to drop you off, so be sure to give them your reservation information if it is different from the name you booked your driver service with.

Due to the humidity, your clothing will stay wet and sweaty long after you take it off (days, even). There is laundry service available for quite a bit of money, several dollars per piece of clothing, which we didn't think was worth it. Keep in mind that your checked luggage will weigh more on the way home if your...

We enjoyed perfect weather and saw the entire volcano which is pretty uncommon. Monkeys, toucans, snakes and coatis all made appearances. We walked to the frog pond at night with flashlights and got to see several kinds of frogs and bats. ||The cafe made awesome smoothies. It was also a great spot for a snack or lunch. The restaurant menu is online so no one should be surprised about the prices. The restaurant wants to be fancy. I changed from hiking clothes into a dress and it made a nice change. My husband ordered a salad that was awesome and huge and I ordered the lemon chicken which was sauce covered and absolutely perfect! They don’t serve the mashed potatoes or broccoli as sides like the states but a few pieces artfully arranged. The staff are polite but not super warm, more stoic and professional, and you have to request the check when finished. Marcella was one server and she surprised us with a sample of a liqueur that was so sweet and delicious! Everything was clean! Breakfast is free and includes the usual cereals and fruits plus you can order hot meals like pancakes or french toast. I had an omelette that was stuffed with peppers and onions. ||We had the junior suite and these are right beside and below the restaurant. Fantastic view! Clean! Huge! Has a mud room with closet. Soothing warm colors, comfortable couch, and a fridge sink and coffee station. The bathroom was light and bright with white tile and beautiful stone work. Don’t flush toilet paper in Costa Rica. The hot water takes a while. The shampoo and soap is on the far wall from the rain shower head and that was weird. I had to walk out from the water to reach it. The towels are thin and scratchy but clean white. Electricity will go on and off which is normal for Costa Rica. Wi-fi is available in room and worked fine. ||The morning free hike was just okay. The guide was actually kind of grumpy. He was late. Then annoyed that one guest went to get a to go coffee. Little bitty kids were on the hike with us and he did nothing to engage them. He kept going ahead and rushing the group. He didn’t put much effort into finding animals. He acted like he’s been doing the same hike for too many years. He did help us get pictures and he set up the scope for a close up of the volcano. I would not pay for the same hike. It’s free so not really a waste of time, but it’s lame. We saw a frog. And plants on the trail. He takes the group to the frog pond but this spot is best at night so I don’t really get it. ||The waterfall is beautiful and we spent time enjoying the area around the falls. Other hikers looked and left. ||We loved the property and the view! Some visitors never see the volcano and we were so thrilled to have clear views. The monkeys were a highlight but they are completely wild so they don’t get close or come to the room. We spotted them on the river trail and in the trees on the edge of the main lodge. Definitely need bug spray especially on the river trails. ||At check out they keep you until housekeeping checks the room. At check in they offer cool damp towels and a fruity drink but the process felt rushed. I enjoyed the drink and thought this was a nice touch. They are strict about the check in time...

I stayed here on 07/23/25 - 07/26/2025 as part of my vacation in Costa Rica and chose this hotel based on its location and raving reviews. I will say, the location is wonderful as it is close to various attractions. We did see lots of wildlife which was great too, however my personal experience detailed below was not greater than the mentioned attributes.

1- Cross contamination with food allergen even after it was clearly specified:

I traveled with my two small children of which one has a severe egg allergy (requiring the need to always carry an epi-pen and Benadryl) . I was very specific as to her allergy when we decided to dine in their on site restaurant. The staff asks - every time you are seated- whether anyone at the table has a food allergy of which I confirmed immediately. Long story short, my daughter ate bacon which was prepared on a surface that eggs were prepared on. She instantly broke out in hives and was complaining of her tongue itching, coughing and a began to drool. I went to speak to the front desk once she was stable and the allergic reaction subsided to which I was then directed to " Walter", the kitchen manager. I waited in to speak with him, however, he never came out of his office even after the girl at the front desk called to advise I was coming over. I understand accidents happen, but there should be a little more consideration as to the prep area when dealing with food allergens. It would have been nice to have been able to address my concern with their management team directly but after an unsuccessful attempt, I feel perhaps they will take it seriously after they read this review.

2- THERE IS NO AC. The room I chose was the one with two queen beds and it faced the volcano. No where on their website does it say there is no AC. There is one ceiling fan, that's it. It was hot and humid throughout our stay. Additionally, in the event of an emergency - if you're not connected to the wifi or have an international phone plan you're in trouble because the rooms don't have a phone to be able to contact the front...