Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa — Hotel in La Fortuna

I really wanted to love this part of our trip to Costa Rica; it was by far the most anticipated (and expensive) part of our vacation. This resort is advertised and marketed as a high-end, luxury meditation retreat and oasis, but is nothing of the sort. It was a huge expense for only a 2-day visit and left much to be desired.

Upon arrival, reception staff was efficient and relatively helpful. We had arrived early, but were told we could change clothes to go to the hot springs before getting into our room. Problem was, no one explained that you have to take a shuttle to the main locker rooms. We spent about an hour searching for somewhere to change, then finally found a staff member and asked for help. He directed us to the lobby bathroom, which was being cleaned, so we decided to see if our room wrist band would work (there was only 30 minutes left until we could officially go in and we figured it wouldn't unlock the door if the room wasn't ready.) The key worked; everything in the room was in good order and seemingly ready. We were amid changing into our swimwear when a manager showed up with the cleaning lady. He abruptly asked who let us in; I explained the circumstances that led up to this point, and the fact that our key worked and the room was clearly clean/ready. According to the cleaning lady, she wasn't finished with the room (she was very obviously just bent out of shape that we were there before the official check-in time, even though we were told we could check in early and we kept explaining this.) The manager insisted that she wasn't done and we needed to leave. The best part was the fact that both the manager and cleaning lady assumed that I only speak English - both said some very rude things about me and my husband to each other in Spanish. At this point, we literally had only been at the resort for 90 minutes and I was thoroughly disgusted with how we were treated. I decided to ignore it as best I could, as I didn't want it to ruin our overall experience (after all, we literally just got there.) When we returned to the room later, absolutely nothing had changed. Thought maybe there would be something spectacular waiting, considering the ridiculous fuss that was made and all...

So, we decided to try and make the most of the remaining trip. This is a spa resort - there are no playgrounds, waterslides, or anything meant to accommodate kids and yet, they were everywhere. The entire place is sprawling with loud, seemingly unsupervised children (or supervised by negligent, inconsiderate parents that think because they aren't bothered by their obnoxious kids that the rest of us shouldn't be either.) Both mornings, we were serenaded during breakfast to the sound of "Marco, Polo" by a large group of kids in the pool (located right next to the restaurant.) Despite every effort to locate hot springs that weren't overcrowded, they would inevitably become flooded with families with small children who would try to do cannonballs into the pools and/or groups of annoying teenagers. Although there is a designated area for adults that are staying at the resort, it is VERY small and lacks the overall charm, variety, luxury, and general experience of what you expect from such a facility.

Overall, I had expectations of this resort that would reflect that which is advertised and got the exact opposite. Between the way we were treated by staff upon arrival and the overabundance of ignorant parents and ill-mannered kids, this trip was a huge disappointment. Spend your money elsewhere, or if you absolutely must see it, just stick...

Spa 5 stars, Springs 5 stars, food 4.5 stars, Ephemeral experience 5 stars, Room 5 stars, Service 5 stars.

Wow. I've waited a month to write this review in order to let the experience sink in. Tabacon was the highlight of our trip. A truly relaxing experience where We spent the first 7 days of our vacation here in an Orchard room. It was absolutely a amazing experience. Driving up, they take your bags take your keys and send you inside. You are greeted with smiles, steamed aroma-infused towels, and a delicious concoction to sip on while they check you in and tell you about the resort and its amenities. This is followed by a little tour on a gold cart as they take you to your room. You get a silicone wrist-band that is your key to your room and your method to pay for things. No need to carry around a keycard you might lose.

The grounds are absolutely breath-taking. The landscaping and stonework are spectacular and bring order and piece of mind. There are breathtaking views of Arenal, the volcano in the region, as well as the local jungle. The staff are always so courteous and they live and breath hospitality. I still have a smile on my face from all the times we returned to the resort with our rental. We are greeted at the gate, and the guard tells you "Welcome home" in Spanish. And it's such a warm feeling. There's no stresses waiting for you there. An escape from the drag of 9-5 meetings and corporate grapple.

When you first arrive to the room they leave a little trinket representative of local tribes, along with a tray of confections. In the morning while you're out to breakfast they come and change your sheets, sweep, mop and pick up after you. There's no family members there telling you to pick up after yourself. It was so admirable seeing the staff work so efficiently and diligently. Laptop on the bed? No problem they'll place it on your pillow after making the bed with those fresh clean sheets. They also change out your robes and restock the bathroom with fresh towels and hygiene supplies. Oh something important to note is that they restock 2 tall bottles of water. It's super important to stay hydrated. You won't even notice how dehydrated you are till you pass out by the hot springs. A particularly nice feature about the bathroom was the hot water. The hot water comes straight from the hot springs, they do not heat it. Turn down service was splendid.

The food here has spectacular presentation. It was also very good. If I said it was the best food in Costa Rica, it would be a lie. More on food in the food section.

The springs: Splendid hot water, simmering mineral water heated by Arenal. There are so many pools, and it becomes a maze of pretty landscaping, with so much attention to aesthetics. Flowers and plants of many varieties. The pools are all different sizes and temperatures. They also have different features: benches, waterfalls, resting walls. Resort guests also have access to "Shangri-La". It is a private pool all the way at the top, reserved only for resort guests 18+. People with hot springs passes cannot enter. The area has beautiful booths and love seats with call-buttons for ordering drinks and food. . I can't fit everything here. Darn...

My husband and I spent the first 5 days of our honeymoon at Tabacon thermal resort and it was by far the highlight of our 10 day trip to Costa Rica. Starting from the day before we checked in, the concierge, Karolina, spent a considerable amount of time with me over WhatsApp to help me book a couples massage and private dinner. After an almost 4 hour car ride to the resort from the airport, you are greeted by the most welcoming staff to help with your luggage and a delicious and refreshing drink. Our bellhop, Gravien, was so energetic and welcoming as he drove us around the breathtaking grounds of the resort to our room. The food at the resort is also spectacular. The breakfast buffet every morning was wonderful as we were greeted by the sweetest hostesses Maria and Betty. We had a memorable first dinner at Los Tucanes. The restaurant has an intimate and romantic mood and our meal was absolutely delicious. Our waiter David was fantastic and so thoughtful as he brought out a special happy honeymoon dessert for us. We found ourselves in good company with the bartender, Jeimy, for some after dinner cocktails as well!

We can’t say enough about the hot springs at the resort. We had three full days and two partial days to enjoy them and we spent as much time there as we possibly could. The entire property is so incredibly stunning and we had so much fun exploring all of the different hot springs. Everyday we felt like we found somewhere new to hang out. For hotel guests, the adults only shangri-la gardens are a must see. We also spent a lot of time at the pool which was so relaxing and had great food and drinks. The spa is beautiful and we had an incredible couples massage in a private outdoor bungalow. They have a beautiful hot tub that you can spend time in before and after your treatment and you are welcomed with some snacks and delicious post-treatment smoothies as well.

Last but CERTAINLY not least was our private dinner at ephemeral table… A true highlight of the honeymoon. Our waiter Emerson and Chef Daniel curated the most romantic (and delicious) 5 course dinner with wine pairings and dessert + a cocktail to end the evening. We were escorted down a tiki torch lined pathway to an outdoor private bungalow where we found the most beautiful table scape decorated with roses, orchids, and candles. Each course of the meal was better than the next. Emerson took the time to explain each dish to us and why he chose the wine pairing he did. We talked, we laughed and we cried (lots of happy tears) at that dinner and it truly was a highlight of our honeymoon.

We cannot recommend this resort enough. If you are visiting Costa Rica it is a MUST. From the staff to the food to the stunning resort grounds and hot springs, do yourself a favor and book your next...