Rio Perdido, an SLH Hotel — Hotel in La Fortuna

Wow. My husband and I spent five magical, rejuvenating, unforgettable nights at Rio Perdido, and it has become one of our happy places that we'll be dreaming about whenever we need an escape. It's truly a sanctuary of wellness and comfort deep within the jungle. We plan on returning often.

We went during the dry season (early April) and were a little worried that it wouldn't live up to expectations since the landscape was so dry along the drive from the airport. However, we arrived and were immediately transported to a lush, verdant, tropical paradise. We were told it's even more brilliant in the green season (apparently, November is the best time to visit).

The property itself is impressive. The main building (housing the reception, shop, restaurant, lounge, and spa) is perched on the cliff like an aerie, with its wraparound balcony providing open-air views of the surrounding jungle and hills. Everything is open, windows and doors barely existing, making it feel as though the structure is an extension of the land itself. The architectural design, furnishings, and decoration are striking and stylish. Even the outdoor pools feel integrated into the environment, drawing from the natural geothermal water from the nearby spring and set amid the flora.

We stayed in an East bungalow, which was stylishly yet functionally designed and very comfortable. We loved the long countertop to place our things, ample closet space, bathrobes, and rain shower. Filtered water was supplied daily in reusable bottles, and more was available in the restaurant. Our porch looked onto the canyon's edge, which was filled with trees and vines. We spent plenty of time lounging in the hammock chairs, listening and watching the wildlife.

Speaking of wildlife, that's what drew us to Costa Rica in the first place, and we weren't disappointed. We saw white-faced capuchin monkeys every single day, swinging through the trees and playing throughout the grounds. We woke up to howler monkeys literally howling (they're called that for a reason, and they're not quiet!). Lizards of all colours and sizes, including giant tree-climbing iguanas. We spotted shy agoutis (like large guinea pigs) and butterflies the size of birds. And the cicadas! The nights are filled with their sound (I didn't need to bring my white-noise machine!), and they could be seen buzzing around like drunken helicopters on the canyon bridge.

One thing that makes Rio Perdido special is its namesake: the "lost" thermal river that snakes through the canyon. We went for a dip every day, slathering ourselves in the volcanic mud and lounging in the crystal-clear water. It was a little piece of heaven, surrounded by the cascading sounds and overhanging trees. Our favourite spot was the third pool, which was deeper and usually less crowded than the first two.

While there, we did the canyon adventure, river tubing, and barista class. All were top-notch and fun, and a great way to learn about the region and experience the stunning environment. We also hiked the trails to Las Tumbas and Mesa Norte -- the views were breathtaking, and the trails themselves were fun to explore.

Rio Perdido is a true ecolodge, with a multitude of certifications for environmental sustainability. I'm always skeptical of these claims, but we saw evidence of this everywhere. We also learned that the land was once used for farming. Through assisted reforestation, the founders of Rio Perdido have restored the land to its original splendour, protecting almost 1,500 acres as a private reserve and attracting several wildlife species that have returned here. I do believe they're a model for ecotourism done right.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the service! Almost everyone we met was warm, welcoming, genuine, and friendly. They were professional yet unstuffy, which suited Rio Perdido perfectly -- it's a fairly luxurious place, but also casual and comfortable.

All in all, I can't recommend Rio Perdido enough. I want people to be as inspired by this place as we were. We can't...

We spent a week at Rio Perdido in March 2019, and our trip couldn't have gone any smoother. We reached out to the hotel ahead of the trip and let them know our flight information, so a private SUV was waiting when we landed in Liberia. The drive from the airport to the hotel was about 60 minutes.

Based on other reviews, we stayed in a Center King Bungalow. Thefree-standing room was absolutely stunning, with one full wall of windows overlooking the trees. The room had a comfortable king-sized bed, large balcony, several cushions for seating, built-in closet/drawers/shelves, two-tap bathroom sink, projector with cable TV, full-length mirror, and two outdoor showers. I included a video of a walkthrough of the room in my review, but even that doesn't do it justice. The was wifi enough to upload your pictures to instagram, and maybe some light Netflix streaming (if you know what you're doing with a VPN). There was no ice, but the reception was happy to send up an ice bucket at any time. The room was definitely a highlight.

Throughout our trip, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Don't worry if you don't have strong Spanish skills, as nearly could speak English nearly flawlessly. The staff-to-guest ratio was high enough that we always felt like we had thoughtful, personalized service. Alexander especially went out of his way to make sure we had a fun time during our stay.

The cocktails were fantastic, and we had fun working our way through the menu. The definite star of the cocktail list, in my opinion, was the sangria, which was a great fit for reading by the pool. The food menu was a bit less inspired, which is understandable from a restaurant trying to appeal to mostly-American palates. The Costan Rican items (on the "Menu Tipico") were definitely the highlight here, especially the ceviche, which we ordered every day (order this instead of the shrimp cocktail, which was disappointing). Outside this menu, the seafood was generally better than the non-seafood dishes. Unexpectedly, the "Guanacaste Spaghetti" — essentially a scoglio — was very good.

The three pools were relaxing during the day. As they were spring fed, there were no harsh chemicals that linger on your skin. Surrounding the pools was ample deck chairs on several decks, which were thoughtfully designed to all feeling isolating. There were quite a few other people at the hotel during our stay . . . but you'd hardly know it based on how little you see them. The pools are within WiFi range of the main lodge if that's your thing, and one has a swim-up bar surrounded by several deck tables for food as well. I wasn't expecting to, but we spent most of our week just relaxing by the pool reading and drinking.

Besides the man-made pools, Rio Perdido has a series of several natural spring pools. These are a short walk from the lodge (I suggest wearing sneakers or at least sandals with a heel strap, flip flops make the walk a bit of a tripping hazard). These pools are arranged along a short trail, and I suggest walking past the closest one to the lodge and continuing to the second pool. The water is warm, crystal clear, and clean. The steep slopes on either side give a very private feeling to the area.

Like many places in Costa Rica, Rio Perdido has a few other daytime activities: whitewater tubing, ziplining, mountain biking, and hiking. The zipline adventure was fun, though not for anyone afraid of heights (obviously). The hiking trails are well-worn and well-marked, so an afternoon of walking them was really satisfying, so long as you remember to bring water.

I highly recommend a trip of about five days at Rio Perdido. It's an incredible value for anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing week. It's not a culinary destination, but more than makes up for this with its overall ambiance, privacy, luxury rooms, friendly staff, and...

What a wonderful place to spend a few days in the middle of a dry tropical forest! Everything about the place, from the stand-alone cabins situated with privacy in mind to the treehouse main clubhouse, is just truly amazing. Everyone on service was pretty great too, always happy and willing to help with whatever needs or preferences you may have.

The location, first and foremost is remote but fabulous! The road to the resort is very pockmarked and some really large potholes, but once you reach the resort, all is well. You're in the middle of a dry tropical forest, and there's really very little else around except farms and an occasional home (none of which you can see on the expansive resort grounds). The resort encompasses dozens of acres, trails, multiple bridges and outlook areas, and even a small river that's heated by a natural spring. You are right in the middle of it all, and it is just awesome!

We did a nature hike and a spa massage, as well as eating in the clubhouse restaurant and pool bar throughout our stay. The nature guide was very knowledgeable and super-friendly. He pointed out numerous wildlife, interesting plants and what-not, as we made our way to the natural spring. (We drank from the spring without later issue or sickness.) The spa people are just amazing, both my wife and I enjoyed excellent massages. The masseuse checked to make sure the pressure I asked for was the right amount being provided. It was a very good massage.

But there are a few sour notes. The spa is located just above the two swimming pools (one heated by a hot spring, while the other is air temperature). Since this is not an adults-only resort, kids and families happily play (sometimes loudly screaming) just below the spa. It's supposed to be a relaxing, wellness-oriented experience. And that just really hurts the spa experience if your timing happens to be during the time a child is screaming in the pool.

Surprisingly, the food was also generally a letdown. All-around it was just plain and bland, with a lack of seasoning on anything. I was really disappointed in the blandness and the serving of a very mild red sauce (pretty sure it was the same red sauce no matter the dish, breakfast, lunch or dinner). Bacon was reliably undercooked. The steak was delicious, however. (I didn't really appreciate how bland the food was until we continued our travel to a seaside beach town and partook of the local restaurants.)

The service was generally and overall, really good. But sometimes it was hit or miss. One morning a server came by and took our order. Normally breakfast is served fairly quickly. 15 minutes later, another server comes by and asks if we've ordered or not? We had, but the server failed to put it into the computer, so we had just been waiting there for nothing. Disappointing. Another time I asked for a cart to get something out of my car, and the driver tried taking me to my cabana instead (because he really wasn't paying attention when another staffer told him what I needed). I found this to be true from time to time with various folks -- they seem to care about whatever it is you're asking about, but sometimes they seem to be only half-listening.

All in all, we would recommend and will likely be back because the remote tropical location was delightful and very peaceful. But we really wish it were an adults-only place, because while I'm sure most families are well-behaved, kids will be kids. And that kind of doesn't really fit in with the wellness-focused intentions...