Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails

Great visit over Christmas. Rooms are well sized and comfortable. High enough up so, no need for air conditioning however that means screens are open. The resort starts early and with our room above check-in cleaning, tours, grounds maintenance etc sounds start at sun up.

Grounds are very well kept and extremely clean. Lots of people bird watching. Tons of birds however the bird watchers/photographer like to keep their stuff setup and in the way (when not around) which is annoying when trying to sneak some photos during the beautiful mornings. Pool was great but hot tub definitely not hot but was still nice to relax in.

The restaurant breakfast was good. Somewhat simple but overall very good. The fresh fruits are a nice touch. Dinner options the food was good but after one meal there it is hard to keep eating it as it lacks some variety especially if you hiked all day. Burger would be a nice touch (might be on the lunch menu but not on the dinner menu nor did we ask to order off lunch). Service was spot on however. Everyone is friendly and very hard working.

Definitely a decent drive from town so plan ahead but overall great experience and would highly recommend to family's who need to unplug. (rooms do not have TV).

We didn't stay here but enjoyed a half day here. It is $18 pp entrance fee, a bit pricey but understandable. We had lunch at the hotel restaurant which was delicious! We watched the birds off the restaurant deck which was fun. We hiked a few trails and saw a waterfall and hiked up the birds nest view (which was very high!!!) which made me a little nervous but I did it! Fantastic views from up there. We enjoyed a yummy slice of chocolate cake at the end of our hike at the coffee shop and took a quick stroll through the small but informative museum. It was a lovely place to spend time. It is a little ways up into the mountain from La Fortuna but we were already up that way for zip lining. I would recommend visiting there.

This Lodge is located right across from Arenal Volcano. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. Our room had a patio, which was very peaceful and had a great view of Arenal Volcano. This Lodge is on a huge piece of land. There are gardens and trails on the property. There is even a working farm. They give tractor rides at no charge. There is also a hanging bridge on the property. The surroundings are lush green. There are a lot of birds in the garden. It is birders' paradise. You can just view and shoot pictures of so many different birds from the deck next to the dining hall. We met some people who were avid birders. They shared their knowledge of different birds.

The food is good. Some dishes were too rich with a lot of cheese. Of course, they were tasty.

The Lodge also offers some tours around the property and in the vicinity. Some tours are free, and others are not. It is convenient to book the tours at the reception desk.

The roads in Costa Rica vary greatly in ease of driving. Some roads are very good while others make you feel like you are driving on the moon with craters. You definitely need a 4×4 vehicle. The mountain roads are winding with some blind curves. The approach to the Lodge is a mix of paved roads and "moon surfaces." The parking is included in the rental. The staff is very friendly and courteous.

The Lodge is in a remote location but well worth the trouble. You have to rely on the dining room for all your meals. Fortunately, the food is good and the service is great.

There is a laundry facility that charges by item. There is no self-service laundry, and there is no nearby town where you can find washeteria. The climate is humid, so the clothes don't dry for a couple of days if you do wash some items yourself.

Writing this review for the trails and not for stay or food as we found it very expensive.
However they are charging $18 per person for the trails. You can do all the trails if you have time. We spent nearly 4 hours walking around and taking photos of the birds and animals.
The trails were easy and were very well maintained. We saw many species of hummingbirds and many other birds. Which made the walk very exciting. Some of the trails had hanging bridges which was really cool.

We also did the hike to the waterfall and to the observation tower ‘The Nest’ Climbing up to the tower is not people who have fear of heights since it can get a little wobbly but the views are amazing. The waterfall was of decent size and beautiful.

The area has many beautiful tall eucalyptus trees. It’s amazing to see how tall they grow in Costa Rica.

Fantastic place! Tons of trails to walk on and see wildlife. An incredible view of the volcano! You will see amazing birds and the grounds are beautiful. If you don't stay there you can go and visit for the day. They have a day pass that includes lunch! We visit whenever we are in Arenal!

Only spent two nights here on a Birding tour with Cotinga Tours. Walked to the waterfall and the farm. Saw so many species. Room view was amazing grounds, and lodge was well kept. Best Hummingbird views right from our room.

Our family of four had a phenomenal and memorable time at Arenal Observatory. From nature trails, to go gorgeous views the grounds were paved and accessible. Our first day we took a free hike to explore the grounds and saw so many species of birds. We lucked out on timing for a tractor ride that took us to the hanging bridge. Even though it was pouring rain, we booked a horseback ride with German on the grounds...stunning views and super tranquil. We had visitors to our our porch, so make sure you keep those doors locked because they can open the screen doors. And lastly, the staff was absolutely gracious. Grevin and Max at the hotel lobby were instrumental in communicating with the previous hotel we stayed at to find and retrieve our passports/wallets in addition to answering questions and getting activities booked. The wait staff at the restaurant were kind and attentive. Although a drive to the town La Fortuna, I would definitely come back for a stay and this wonderful place!

We very much enjoyed our honeymoon trip at the observatory and lodge. The staff did an excellent job making us feel welcome. They did something special in our room which was awesome. The restaurant specials were always excellent and we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast. Reception was always very helpful in booking us tours and Cristian was so knowledgeable on our morning and night tours.

The grounds are incredible! We were so happy to be in a place that didn’t require us to go anywhere and were happy to take quick 15-20 minute walks between rain.

Overall we were extremely impressed with our trip to Costa Rica. We are talking about doing an annual trip back to the observatory because we enjoyed it so much. If you are able DEFINITELY stay here. The experience is well worth it.

We visited for the first time in November 2023. It will not be our last! This place is incredible and had everything we were looking for. The trails on their property are well kept, we hiked them for hours and saw so much of the local wild life, birds, insects, snakes, and frogs. The waterfalls we found on the property, big and small, were beautiful! The staff here is welcoming, and the food was amazing. Our room felt like it was within arms reach of the volcano, it was so close! (junior suite) It was very clean and the bed was comfortable. Spa treatment was relaxing, as was the jacuzzi. The pool was a little cool for me but looked nice. I wish we stayed more than 3 nights!

Beautiful! Rooms are huge and beautiful. View from room is spectacular! Enormous property. Pool, restaurant, reception desk. Deck with bird feeder. Shuttle from room to reception. Rooms are quite spread out. What's app offered for emergencies after reception closes.

We did not stay at the lodge but hiked many trails here. They were all in very good shape and trail markings good. The waterfalls were lovely!

Wow! I loved this place! The grounds are immaculate with beautiful flora and fauna! The view of the volcano is unmatched. The rooms are very clean and nice. We were treated so warmly from all the staff. Had breakfast and dinner at the restaurant and both were equally nice. Leroy was such a fun guy in the restaurant. The trails on the property were great. Loved listening to all the wildlife. I would highly recommend staying here. It was also amazing with kids!

The trails and property were expertly manicured. The restaurant serves excellent food with 5 star service and the best view of Arenal volcano and lake you'll get. I'd love to go back and stay in the lodging.

We only did the hike here but it was a great day out and we enjoyed exploring all the trails and garden areas. We saw some of the best variety of scenery during our time in Costa Rica! Also, it is clear the hotel is beautiful and well maintained.

This place was by far our favorite on our 2 week stay in costa rica! If you love wildlife and hiking, this place is for you! The grounds and hiking trails were wonderful, so much to see. Great location and easy 30 min drive to La fortuna. The on-site restaurant was really delicious. Only downfall were the beds weren't that comfortable- no TV and no air conditioning which you really didn't even need or miss. We would 100% come back and can't wait for another trip to costa rica!

Beautiful place for exploring the Arenal mountains views, hikes and birdwatching.

Our stay was very relaxing and had a perfect view of Arenal mountains from our room. Rooms are very spacious and clean, friendly staff.

Ample of amazing opportunities to immerse in nature activities including explore hiking, birdwatching, guides tours, horseback riding and more.

Great food options available both at their restaurant and cafe.

Brilliant activity to do if in La Fortuna for any size of budget.

We came on a day pass ($18) to walk around the grounds.

We took an Uber from La Fortuna (costing around ¢10000) and back (although we had to wait and try again a few times to pick up a rider).

Amazing place with a magnificent view of the volcano, native flora, waterfalls and abundant wildlife.

The birds and butterflies, in particular are plentiful in many species. Also lots of coati to be seen foraging and playing. Almost stepped on a snake which gave us a fright.

Also a great little museum which has information about the volcanic history of the area.

Beautiful place and beautiful location. You can spend a full day exploring the trails here. The view of Arenal volcano is huge and so close to this place. Excellent for viewing wildlife and plants. Amazing restaurant with delicious food.

We did not stay at the hotel, but visited instead going to one of the National Park. Trails
We did the longest trail of 4.5 miles and the trail down to the river (closed shoes recommended). We liked it a lot, the trails perfectly marked. The garden was in a almost perfect shape and assembled thoughtfully.

What a great place to see birds and enjoy nature. A birders paradise. A short walk to a beautiful waterfall All around the property is beautiful. We will definitely visit again.