Arenal Waterfall Lodge — Hotel in La Fortuna

My boyfriend and I read the reviews and were initially a bit concerned as to what we signed up for, but at the price and location we couldn’t pass it up. When we arrived we were completely shocked in the best possible way.

The cabins(chalets) are HUGE and far from neighbors. We spent our nights reading on the screened in porch, listening to the sounds of the forest and all the animals. We loved the large kitchen and table where we could eat snacks and prepare simple meals. The cabin was cozy, clean and surprisingly well insulated from the heat and humidity. There was another room at the top of the cabin we didn’t use, but remarked that this would be the perfect spot for a family.

The location was ideal. We walked to the trailhead of Cerro Chato (a hike I really only recommend doing if you’re pretty fit and active! I consider myself so and I was struggling), and were a few minutes drive from excellent food and attractions.

On the first night, we did find a pretty large spider in the room but hey, so what? It’s the rainforest! And it was a fun welcome to what wildlife we might encounter in Costa Rica.

The staff were all so wonderful and easy to communicate with. They set us up for a wonderful massage, had great service at the (included!) breakfast, and just overall seemed happy to help out with any questions.

If you’re looking for a 5 star, all inclusive resort that’s free of bugs and wildlife…I’d recommend maybe going to Florida. Arenal Waterfall Lodge is a perfect (and in our budget traveler opinion even ritzy) spot. Thank you to the staff for creating such a...

This place is quaint, “rustic”, and in need of some love. The staff is super friendly. The view from the deck is amazing. Proximity to the waterfall is awesome if that’s what you’re looking for… but you’re not walking anywhere. If you need food beyond the included breakfast, you’re going to town and need a vehicle. Our room reeked like Fabuloso (all purpose cleaner) and it was so strong, it wasn’t the best place to hang out beyond sleeping. The pool, patio, walkways, deck, etc.. all of it.. is in serious need of a remodel. Needs freshening up like new paint, replace broken and missing tiles, and more. We did have bugs in our room… but we ARE in the jungle so I wasn’t surprised. You get what you pay for and this is indeed the cheap place at the top of the hill… if you’re looking for a the Ritz, or something like Sandals.. this isn’t the place. Your expectations of what this place is would be better off without expectation. It’s shelter and food.. and that’s really it. Some of the pictures here on Google are not even close to an accurate representation of the place. It was a cheap option for what we needed.. shelter and breakfast and a place as home base. We were barely here as we were out exploring all day during our time here. If you’re looking for a place to hang out, relax, do nothing, and expect it to be paradise etc.. keep looking. It’s as...

This is a scam. Be warned. They charge 12$ for walking a few meters on their driveway. They promise you to be able to walk to the crater lake but after a few hundred meters there is a sign from the government, saying that you are not allowed to pass.

If you pass anyway it is a quite dangerous climb (2-2.5h upwards). If you break your leg or worse you won't be able to use your phone, it would be nearly impossible to get you out of the jungle and you would get arrested. If you fall on the last meters down to the lake it can easily be deadly. There are no ropes or similar to hold on because it is illegal to go there. If it starts raining, I guess it would be nearly impossible to get down again.

I saw a news article, saying the police went there to arrest the people who hiked there.

I do not get why hiking there should be more damaging to the nature than all the other activities around the area that can be better marketed for being less dangerous. I am sure it is not.

So if you want to take all the risks, begin the climb by taking the small stairs starting on the other side of the road from the waterfall parking lot. A small bridge will be on the way after a few meters. Follow the yellow arrows in the opposite direction. The path is marked on Open Street Map. Avoid the scam at Arenal...