Heliconias Nature Inn and Hot Springs — Hotel in Peñas Blancas

Hands down one of the best spots during our trip to Costa Rica. Diego and Alejandro were amazing and truly made us feel like home during our stay. The land is absolutely stunning and kept in pristine condition. We had an enjoyable time just walking the area and taking in all the flowers and plants. Hot springs were nice and secluded. There were about 5(ish) hot springs and 2 were always kept cold in case it was too hot out. Pool was refreshing after a long day exploring. There was also a big soccer field with soccer balls for kids to play at which I thought was cute! Rooms were clean, great, and had everything needed to have a comfortable stay here. There were Refrigerators in the room, however no microwave if you wanted to heat up anything (although I did not ask if they had one to use). Be prepared that rooms will not have the air conditioning on when you arrive, but once turned on rooms stay a comfortable temperature and take about 15 mins to cool. Also if there is one thing you bring, I HIGHLY recommend a noise machine. Animals in Costa Rica are active very early in the morning but being truly out in nature, you really experience natures wake up call. I love the birds singing early in the morning, but with a full day of activities ahead it was nice to have a noise machine to allow us to sleep past 4:55! Although if you are a heavy sleeper this might not bother you!

The night tour was absolutely one of our favorite activities of the ENTIRE trip and the best part was it was included with our stay. Jimmy(I believe that was his name) was incredible and truly made this experience with his knowledge and expertise. If you want to learn and see wildlife it is a must do. It is a fair amount of walking and is about 2 hours so take that into consideration if you have children and if they would be interested for that long. We were able to see sloths, bullet ants, blue jean frogs, other species of frogs and many other animals/critters during this tour. We almost skipped this and so glad we did not! Seriously, a must do! We did do another night tour (paid for) and it was horrible compared to this.

This hotel is further out of town (about 30 mins from La fortuna) on some windy roads that we were not comfortable venturing out of for dinner at night when it was dark. The restaurant on the property was okay, but we felt over priced for what it was. Open air seating, so could be especially hot during warm and humid days.

Overall, we had an incredible stay here! You are not here for the rooms, but the experience!!!! To be in nature and serenity is what this place is all about. We would 100% stay here again on another visit! Although a little far out from food and activities, I would still highly recommend this place to anyone. Just understand that you are a little far out and embrace the nature, serentity, and relaxation that this place...

I arrived early and Victor made me feel right at home. He showed me around the property with a couple from France via golf cart and then delivered me to my accommodations.

Great private bungalow with an outdoor terrace. Great lighting in the bungalow. A/c worked great. Nice mini fridge with separate freezer section and two cold bottles of spring water provided. Coffee maker provided but room was missing coffee. I inquired and room service brought some. The coffee is made here on the property and what I made in the room was 100 percent better than what was served in the onsite restaurant at breakfast. Great bathroom with nice shower with plenty of hot water. Quiet nights. Lots of storage area in the room. No complaints about the lodging.

Excellent room service. The accommodations were spotless.

The first night I went on the night tour with Victor as the guide. It poured rain. Victor’s enthusiasm is contagious and he did his best to led the tour despite the rain. We found frogs, a couple of different species of toad, insects, spiders and an armadillo! Victor speaks excellent English and was great at spotting the frogs. The night tour was just in the developed area of the hotel and then down to a frog pond (we didn’t go on the actual trails).

Nice pool area.

I really liked this place though my first experience at the restaurant was not good. I returned the next morning and had a much better experience. I ordered the same thing both days. The first time it was ill prepared. The second time it was good. Although the breakfast definitely could be better and I expect better from a hotel property of this caliber. I have reviewed the restaurant separately.

I find the response from the property on my reviews a bit offensive. I like Costa Rican cuisine and am very familiar with it. The problem was with the quality of preparation and ingredients not the type of cuisine.

Nice that you can walk down to the river. The trail continued but I only made it to the river because it was muddy (lots of rain). Also the developed area is easy to walk around and paved with pretty plants. This area is handicapped accessible too. And you can spot some cool birds...

First I’d like to say, everyone should come to this Nature Lodge at least once in your life, and stay in a Deluxe Treehouse. If you come from a busy city like I do, there is so much intrinsic value in a stay like this. you reevaluate what matters in life. You get to be present with the simple pleasures of life, natural ecosystems, and coexisting with them. The botanical aspect was beautiful. The pool was gorgeous. There were truly Heliconias everywhere and many other flower varieties! Alejandro was helpful and sweet the entire time I stayed. Oscar communicated great and truly accommodated me even when it became dark and I wanted to go to dinner. Brandon was also amazing. I had a late flight and he stayed up to check me in at 3am. His wife is an AMAZING chef, offering the best Costa Rican and English breakfasts every single morning. Flavorful and not overbearing. The owner is such a unique and charming individual. He cares about the comfort of his guests. It took me DAYS to realize he owned this beautiful property because he just spoke to me as a normal individual. The owner asked where I’m from and what I do for a living, and I witness him connect with other guests during dinner as well at his restaurant on many different occasions during my stay. Everyone’s customer service was magnificent and they all made me feel comfortable, especially as a solo traveler❤️. Lastly but absolutely not least. Tavo. Gustavo has a special place in my heart. One day I spent a couple of hours just speaking to him at the reception (felt good to not have anything to rush and do). He is such a genuine, kind-hearted and honest person with goals and aspirations that I know he will make. He recommended the best excursions, was not money hungry, and set very clear expectations. Honest business and straight forward expectations are the qualities that attract reoccurring guests, and word-of-mouth marketing amongst their peers. Everyone was truly friendly and professional and this was the much-needed, post-graduate school retreat. I can’t wait to visit again with friends and family. Thank you, thank...