Arenal Roca Suites — Hotel in La Fortuna

So this is a late addition review as I should have posted it after our stay but I recently noticed that it popped up again on my Google time-line so I realized that there is a reason for this and I MUST add my review. First, I must say that my boyfriend and I were looking forward to our trip to Costa Rica so much as we had planned it for over a year. I was in charge of finding places to stay, so when Arenal Roca Suites failed us so miserably, I was simply devastated! To start, I booked here because this was SUPPOSED to be a romantic vacation for us, and I saw the beautiful pictures on the website of rooms with two person hot tubs and AMAZING views! I thought this would be perfect. We did rent a 4x4 hearing about how difficult the terrain in the area would be without one, and we're glad we did as we arrived as the sun was setting and could barely see the rocky road. The minute we arrived, it was one thing after another that went wrong. First, the water wasn't on in our room AT ALL! So much for the romantic hot tub!!! We were PROMISED it would be fixed by the morning (we had already booked a non-refundable 2 night stay) I asked the gentleman at the front desk multiple times if he was certain that it would be on as we didn't care about the money and at least in the early morning we could find another place to stay. Of course, I was thoroughly promised that it would. Being that we had no bottled water left, my boyfriend took water from the fountain and boiled it so we could at least have coffee in the morning. We set out on our day and didn't return again until it was almost dark. Upon returning, not only did the water still not work now, but there was ZERO ELECTRICITY at the entire property!!!! This was summer, so our A/C obviously wouldn't be working. I am physically disabled and cannot sleep without A/C or electricity because I have trouble walking (I walk with hand crutches so it's quite obvious) luckily I did my research and we both packed flashlights! You can't leave the doors open obviously, due to the wildlife surrounding the area so having no air, lights, water made this a dangerous place for me to stay. When we looked around, we noticed that there wasn't a soul staying there (had they all been notified about the conditions, and somehow we were not? Even though my boyfriend had a local cellphone number, we asked for them to call. We tried knocking on the manager's door, no answer. We called the number and of course, there was no answer. I left multiple messages, and we spent an hour at least waiting for some response, and finally, the manager on duty showed up. He informed us that there was nothing he could do but offer us a cash refund so we could find another place! Are you kidding me? In the dark? After a very long day? After we were promised, no more issues? Needless to say, the electricity did come back on around midnight, but the aggravation this caused, killing the romance ENTIRELY, couldn't make up for any of the nonsense we endured. I will say on a positive note that the views from our room were incredible and this could have been the best place that we stayed had the manager simply called and let us know the situation in a timely manner in order for us to find other arrangements. It is terribly sad that such a beautiful property can't seem to keep up with proper maintenance. This would and could have been one of the absolute highlights of our vacation we planned for so long. Instead, it caused such stress and strain on me, in particular, that it even took a toll on our relationship. So much for Pura Vida at Arenal Roca Suites! Thankfully, our next hotel stay was AMAZING and had zero issues, and the managers on duty there were so kind, accommodating, and true to the form...

We are absolutely disappointed. We stayed three nights. The view is fantastic. The road is as described quite challenging, so if you want to do daily activities you should keep that in mind as it takes approx 25min to La Fortuna. It was great that we could check in earlier, thank you for that. The first afternoon, when we came back from activities, we had no water. So, no shower and of course the jacuzzi was not usable. They told us the next day, that due to heavy rainfalls the pipe was blocked. Can happen. The second day, when we came home in the evening, we had no electricity. So, no AC. We had to sweat for a couple of hours, till electricity was back. Initially, communication via what’s app was fine, but we never received an info about the issues proactively. The last 30h of our stay no one answered the phone at all, even when we called. On departure day, the reception was empty, even if they say that someone is on duty beginning at 7am. So we left at nine after breakfast just leaving the keys on the counter. The worst thing at all: we received breakfast (fruits) in mouldy containers (see pictures), which is an absolute no go! We complained about that via what’s app and received a response after a couple of days, that they are waiting for management response. Couple of days later no feedback so we contacted them again, without a reply. I had missed voice call, but when I called back no one answered. I tried several times. Till today no responses. It is highly unprofessional. In summary, we would never stay...

An extraordinary place. We spent more time there than we intended. The whole property consists of 7 bungalows placed in such a way that the inhabitants of each cottage can enjoy a beautiful view of the Arenal volcano. The cottage has everything you need - a kitchen equipped with cooker, coffee machine, fridge, dishes. Large bathroom with shower and hot water. A jaccuzie in the room with a view of the volcano and well-functioning air conditioning. Huge comfortable double bad. Safe is availble. Each cottage has its own terrace and car parking space. The whole area is in a place far away from civilisation, which, due to the quality of the road, is quite difficult to reach with a normal car (SUV preferred at least), but this has its advantages. The location away from busy roads ensures peace and quiet at night, with plenty of skylights flashing in the garden and surrounding forest at night. It is certainly a place for anyone who likes to take a quiet break from the toils of the day. At the same time, it is close enough to many tourist attractions in the area so that the journey does not take too long. The property is surrounded by a short walking path, allowing you to take a moment to immerse yourself in the wildlife that surrounds...