N A T U R E H O T E L
G u e s t r e v i e w s
The view at this location is absolutely jaw dropping. Opening my eyes up in the morning to that view was insane! I stayed here with my boyfriend and we had… read more a lovely experience. The owners are so considerate and kind. Their communication was great and they were even able to get us into our room a bit early considering we arrived before check in.
The wildlife is great in this spot. I saw a ton of colorful birds, cows, a horse, and a toucan flew directly in front of my face!
Now the only thing I would consider a drawback is that the location can be challenging to get to. But at the same time, that is also what makes this a perk. It is not located in the main part of town (La Fortuna) where tourist life is bustling with restaurants and stores. The town it is in is called Nuevo Arenal. At the bottom of the hill it sits on there are only a couple of restaurants, one souvenir shop, and a small mercado store. It would be extremely helpful to rent a car if you are staying in Nuevo Arenal because getting a taxi to come get you and take you back can be difficult and pricey.
With that being said, I would not have changed my decision to stay here. The owners were so gracious, the location is out of this world, and the wildlife is amazing. It was beyond peaceful and I will never forget it.
March 8, 2023
Highlight of our Costa Rica trip! Beautiful and tropical. Hotel owner is welcoming and always available. Arrived late our first night and had a romantic personalized meal overlooking the lake.… read more Breakfast is amazing. When eating here, just say “yes”! Everything is great. The amazing stay was worth it for breakfast and dinners alone, also the view alone. 100% recommend. Lots of options in the area but this is worth the travel. Enjoyed myself more here than any 5 star resort.
January 10, 2022
Honestly there are not enough words to describe how PERFECT this place is. An absolute hidden gem!!! My husband and I stayed here for part of our honeymoon trip in… read more January 2022 and were simply blown away by the kindness, service, beauty, and breathtaking nature of this stay. To start with- the buildings themselves are simply stunning. Pristinely clean, amazing architecture, and frankly …. The views literally cannot be beat. Next are the owners, who are simply the most welcoming, kind, thoughtful people in the world. I texted in advance that we were tired and hoping to have dinner on checking in and they (plus their chef Carlos) made what was honestly one of the best meals in our lives. No joke. We travel a lot and have been to Michelin starred restaurants that weren’t this good. I cannot emphasize enough HOW AMAZING the food was… you should come here if not for the views then the food alone!! We essentially had a private chef while we overlooked the most gorgeous landscape in their open concept restaurant. We ended up foregoing the five star resort dinner we had planned for the next night to eat here again and it was equally as amazing. On top of that- breakfast was served every day and was also phenomenal. A huge thank you to the owners, the staff, Carlos, for making our stay unforgettable. This place is a must see-must stay and we… Honestly there are not enough words to describe how PERFECT this place is. An absolute hidden gem!!! My husband and I stayed here for part of our honeymoon trip in January 2022 and were simply blown away by the kindness, service, beauty, and breathtaking nature of this stay.
To start with- the buildings themselves are simply stunning. Pristinely clean, amazing architecture, and frankly …. The views literally cannot be beat. Next are the owners, who are simply the most welcoming, kind, thoughtful people in the world. I texted in advance that we were tired and hoping to have dinner on checking in and they (plus their chef Carlos) made what was honestly one of the best meals in our lives. No joke. We travel a lot and have been to Michelin starred restaurants that weren’t this good. I cannot emphasize enough HOW AMAZING the food was… you should come here if not for the views then the food alone!! We essentially had a private chef while we overlooked the most gorgeous landscape in their open concept restaurant. We ended up foregoing the five star resort dinner we had planned for the next night to eat here again and it was equally as amazing. On top of that- breakfast was served every day and was also phenomenal.
A huge thank you to the owners, the staff, Carlos, for making our stay unforgettable. This place is a must see-must stay and we are so thankful to have stumbled across it. You will be SO thankful to stay here as well! More
January 10, 2022
Three nights at Hotel Laguna wasn’t enough. The views are breathtaking with unbelievable sunsets. There are just six bungalows, so you rarely see other guest and you almost feel like… read more you have the place to yourself. Sliding glass doors on three sides allowed us to enjoy the fresh air all night. Private, clean, and comfortable; each bungalow has a view of the lake. Anna and her team provide a delicious breakfast each morning (no need to stop for lunch until mid-afternoon). We had dinner here one night and it was also very good. There are a few other restaurants just down the hill from the hotel. We had a great experience at these restaurants as well (bring a small flashlight for the walk back to the hotel). We loved this hotel so much it was hard to leave. Future trips to Costa Rica will always include a stay at Hotel Laguna. More
February 28, 2023
Three nights at Hotel Laguna wasn’t enough. The views are breathtaking with unbelievable sunsets. There are just six bungalows, so you rarely see other guest and you almost feel like… read more you have the place to yourself. Sliding glass doors on three sides allowed us to enjoy the fresh air all night. Private, clean, and comfortable; each bungalow has a view of the lake. Anna and her team provide a delicious breakfast each morning (no need to stop for lunch until mid-afternoon). We had dinner here one night and it was also very good. There are a few other restaurants just down the hill from the hotel. We had a great experience at these restaurants as well (bring a small flashlight for the walk back to the hotel). We loved this hotel so much it was hard to leave. Future trips to Costa Rica will always include a stay at Hotel Laguna.
February 28, 2023
I highly recommend this place to anyone looking to stay around the La Fortuna/Arenal area. Absolutely stunning view! Going to sleep and waking up with such breathtaking views is totally… read more amazing.
The owners are the best hosts you can wish for. Very friendly and always ready to help.
We will be back!!!
January 13, 2021
What a beautiful place. The room was delightful and we could have looked at the views non stop. And have plenty of pictures to prove it. … read more The breakfasts are delicous, the coffee superb. We chose to eat dinner there as well when we stayed at Hotel Laguna after our sight seeing days, and were not disappointed!! And Anna is delightful to talk to!
March 4, 2020
We chose Hotel Laguna for the views and the bright contemporary cottages. Everything else we’d looked at seemed dark and outdated, and with views like this, who wants heavy curtains… read more and dark wood closing in on you?
We were SO happy this is where we ended up! The cottages are gorgeous – walls of windows, a deep deck on which to sit and watch the lake in the morning with your coffee. Everything is smooth, clean and modern, with a large bright bathroom, and the service is amazing.
This is much more like a bed and breakfast, than a hotel. Julio is a professionally trained chef from Europe, and his meals are artwork. We had dinner there twice, as well as the breakfasts. This was the best food we had throughout all of Costa Rica. And don’t miss Ana’s Colombian "roasted milk" dessert! We really enjoyed talking with them, I feel like we have new friends. From the coffee, to the wines, to the gluten-free pancakes Julio made for me, meals here were a treat. And with the gorgeous room with postcard views, and the wonderful hosts, this was a perfect stay.
Rainy season has begun, so Ana brought us umbrellas to our cottage (out in the pouring rain herself!),so we could escape without getting drenched – just one example of the thoughtful and excellent service.
June 20, 2019
We only stayed one night but I wish we could have stayed one month. The pictures don’t do it justice. We arrived in the afternoon and were welcomed by the… read more owner’s rescue dogs and cats. We immediately felt at home! Our bungalow was out of this world. It was clean, comfortable and the view, well I don’t have any words. You feel like life is paused, the sounds are the sounds you hear on the sound apps. Birds, frogs, other animals. We left our windows open at night and it was cool and mosquito free. The breakfast was incredible. All handmade and organic. Amazing parfait with fresh fruit, mango and coconut smoothie, eggs and homemade bread. The owners are so welcome and gave us lots of good tips on what to visit. We are planning on coming back there and spending more days. This is the place to stay and you will not regret it. I run an Airbnb and I am pretty difficult on where I stay. This will not disappoint you! More
March 16, 2021
Don’t you love it when you find a spot that is off the beaten track and delivers a unique experience? Hotel Laguna Arenal fits that bill perfectly. Five modern… read more and very cool bungalows are perched on a hill overlooking Lake Arenal. You turn off the main paved road and drive 5 minutes up a typical bumpy gravel side road to the hotel. The bungalows are very modern in design and look pretty new. I was impressed with the interior layout. My only comment is one additional chair to sit in would be nice as there is presently only a couch inside. But in truth, I mostly sat outside on the deck chair taking in the lake views. Which were incredible. Our host provided a free breakfast which was unique and tasty every morning.
And after several trips over the years to Costa Rica I can tell you this is the cleanest place we have stayed in. Well done folks. More
March 1, 2020



