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

  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.

  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.

  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

  This hotel was our first hotel in costa rica our of the capital, start of our journey and honeymoon! we were so surprised by the beauty and serenity at this… read more place, the view just amazing, it is so quiet, at night all you hear is sounds of crickets and frogs and see the reflection of the moon on the lake! the sunset view, its an expirence never to forget! the place js so secluded and away from noise!
obviously to get there you need car, taxis dont get there as it is far from everything, down the hill therr is a little cafe and restaurant ( Toucan Lane) that has soooooo delicious food that you must tree!
Milena prepared us steak dinner with lake view that just is amazing! they helped us to rent a car and before renting a car they took us themselves from san jose hotel!
Great hotel, one with nature; highly recommend it! More

  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!!!

  I recommend this destination to anyone looking for an unforgettable visit to Costa Rica!

On the hotel and owners: Julio and his mother are some of the… read more kindest, and sweetest I have ever come across in the hospitality industry. They care for their guests as if they were staying at their own home. Unlike large resorts, this secluded property only consists of 6 private villas. Rest assured, your time will be full of peace, tranquility, and the melodic sounds of the rain forest below. Every so often you can hear a howler monkey in the distance. The views are spectacular, as are the sunsets.

On the food: Where to begin… Julio, the resort’s executive chef, demonstrates an attention to detail and care for the preparation of his plates that would rival any white table establishment. The difference being that we had a private dining experience each night, with his sole attention on us. It was a dining experience we will never forget.
On one special night, for the first course, he prepared a shrimp based Thai soup with a distinctly aromatic red curry paste. My mouth went on a journey tasting the various deep flavors of the vegetables and juicy shrimp that mixed delicately within the spice of the Thai influenced comfort food. The accompanying crisp white wine helped to freshen the pallet at the end – it was a hell of a start.
For our main course, we sampled a steak cut called Picaña, also known as the sirloin cap. This incredibly flavorful meat was accompanied by three different textures of pineapple. fort, a coulis (a fine purée with a dash of sugar), then a fully caramelized version, and finally chopped pineapple cooked In acids with jalapeño and cilantro. The last touch was a garnish of fresh basil plucked from the garden ten feet away.
The finish, a Japanese style cake – lovely and fluffy. – made with egg white and thyme. Accompanied with a splash of yogurt, and a sweet jam. These three ingredients coupled with the texture of thinly sliced grapes makes for a quite complete dish – and a smooth finish to a great chefs menu.

  Who did these people pay to write the good reviews? First, you cannot get there without 4wheel drive. The road up is unbelievably bad. Next, the rooms… read more are smelly and the bedding stinks to high heaven. The food is greasy and overcooked. Ugh. The owners don’t seem to care.

  Stunning place! The views are incredible, the hospitality wonderful and brand new modern rooms. Best breakfast we have had in Costa Rica. Highly recommend staying here, they have a restaurant… read more too! Or you can walk down the hill to town.

  This was such a beautiful find, and Julio and his mother are oh so lovely! Big smiling faces and genuine guidance throughout. We in fact skipped on adventures and extended… read more our stay so we could keep waking up to this view (and closing our days with it)! The rooms are wonderful little nests in the sky, and so peaceful. Also, tip– make sure you take at least one dinner with Julio– I am not very easily blown away (I think), but Julio’s dishes were beautiful and delicate and delectable! One of the places I will mark down as a sanctuary for future visits.