Hideaway Rio Celeste

We had an incredible experience at this hotel. The property is tucked away in the jungle with each room as a private villa. We opted for a jungle view and greatly enjoyed sitting out on the patio listening to the sounds of the jungle and watching the animals. The property is incredibly clean and beautifully appointed. The staff was warm and friendly from check in to check out. We particularly enjoyed time spent by the pool (with pool service), top notch spa treatments, and hiking the on property trails.

Before arriving on site, the staff was very helpful in booking multiple excursions for us. We highly recommend a private guide to the waterfall in nearby Tenorio National Park, we also enjoyed river tubing in the stunning Blue River.

My husband and I were in awe when we arrived to this gem. We absolutely loved the property and surrounding natural beauty.
The personalized service and outdoor shower with our beautiful, private, freestanding room were pluses! The first dinner was excellent and the breakfast was good. The second and third dinners were good also, but seemed to be somewhat inconsistent. The property offers and is surrounded by fun activities nearby. Overall, we loved it and highly recommend.

What an amazing experience. The villa was comfy and private. The staff took care of every need seamlessly. Katy, Ismael, Nelson and Jason made all of our dining experiences wonderful whether at the restaurant or by the pool. The night tour (free) was a highlight as well as being able to go into the 'blue' river from a path on the hotel property. We were sad to leave.

We had a wonderful two nights at this property. Loved the pool and the hot tubs. The staff were all attentive and helpful. I mentioned it was my birthday and they put the cutest “cake” made of towels, surrounded by Rose petals and a Happy Birthday note on our bed. The private deck off of our room in the jungle was so cool. Our favorite part was being able to hike down to the river and get in. The Rio Celeste is gorgeous. The restaurant was great for both breakfast and dinner. At breakfast they put fruit out for the birds. We would love to go back someday.

This hotel is stunning. Don’t hesitate to book. We traveled with two young kids and the staff were accommodating and gracious. Rooms are clean and well appointed. The location is nestled in the rainforest and is magical. We stayed in five hotel during our few weeks in Costa Rica and Hideaway was by far our favorite. I really hope to return someday!

While planning our trip, we decided at the last minute to split our time between the more lush parts of Costa Rica and the more beach parts of Costa Rica.

Because we were last minute, we were worried that we wouldn’t find something that would meet our expectations and give us the rainforest experience we were looking for. Somehow, we landed on this gem. This hotel was perfect. It has a boutique feel with all the amenities you need. Each room is an individual private “building” with a cozy patio surrounded by luscious gardens. The outdoor shower in each unit offers a spa like experience right in the privacy of your room. The pool, lobby, bar, and restaurant all offer a great experience. The employees are fun, attentive, and offer great service. Moreover, the location of this place is great if you want to go on a few adventures from the Rio Celeste waterfall, hiking, horseback riding, sloth tours, river tubing etc. we recommend getting your own vehicle (at the airport or other rental locations) to offer flexibility (and reduce costs of “excursions”). There are also a few restaurants driving distance from this resort including the Blue River Brewery which was a fantastic lunch experience. My wife and I give this hotel a 10 out of 10 and are sure to return.

Exceptional service, perfect hideaway. You can wake up early and be the first on the trail in the park, without crowds of people, its a great opportunity to make nice photos. If you buy tickets to the park online, they will not let you in earlier. We had to wait half an hour for our entrance time. So its better to buy tickets directly at the park's ticket office, but only if you come early in the morning. But unfortunately from 2024 August 1st tickets will be sold online only. The hotel itself has also trail to the river, so you can even swim here in blue waters river.

Hideaway Rio Celeste is a gem of seclusion, nestled in the lush, vibrant area of Rio Celeste. Surrounded by nature and a variety of wildlife, this hotel offers all the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay. The staff are excellent at organizing a diverse array of tours, one of the highlights being the exclusive cocoa tour with Felix, who added a memorable touch with his local insights and warm personality. This place truly provides a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.

We recently got back home from an amazing trip to Costa Rica. During our time in Costa Rica we stayed at 3 hotels and participated in countless excursions and activities (zip lining, horseback riding, night tours, snorkeling, etc). Yet, even with all of these new memories and experiences, our favorite (as a family) was our stay at Rio Celeste. Within just a few days we felt like we made lifelong friends with the staff. They were professional, fun, engaging, and went above and beyond their job titles to make sure our stay was memorable and comfortable.

Ishmael and Nelson (staff) went out of their way to find, show, and teach my two boys about snakes and reptiles on the property. Staff also found and shared with us frogs and sloth (never feeling rushed in sharing these experiences).

Each morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by the kitchen staff. Even our boy’s hot chocolate was prepared with extra attention to detail (art / designs made with cream and chocolate).

The grounds were so well kept and maintained. It was beautiful.

I can’t say enough about our experience at Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel. Our goal is to go back someday!

Everything about this place is great. Fantastic rooms and the staff and service is top notch. The local area is not over-commercialized or overrun by tourists spots (yet) like Arenal. The grounds are incredible, especially the hiking trails through the forest to Rio Celeste. The food isn’t necessarily “five star” resort type quality, but it’s a great blend of typical Costa Rican cuisine with local ingredients and familiar plates, overall fantastic. Much better than the over priced five star resorts on the pacific coast.

I visited here eight years ago, and was so impressed, that I had to return. My only regret is I didn’t come back sooner. The service is still impeccable, grounds are amazing and you can’t beat the ambiance. Also, the roads have significantly improved from several years ago. A shout out to Ismael who was a great server and it is his one year anniversary!

Hideaway at Rio Celeste is a very special place. My wife and I took our two youngest daughters to Costa Rica for a week with many fun activities planned, but we began at Rio Celeste, a true hideaway. What a blessing to begin our first trip to Costa Rica at Rio Celeste! My wife discovered Hideaway Rio Celeste through researching different locations to stay and wanting to see the beautiful Rio Celeste. Although on a little higher end of cost, my wife felt very good about the what she anticipated. They have gone to great lengths to make the grounds, the public spaces and the individual cottages appear charming with thoughtful decor and emphasis on upkeep and cleanliness. There is a sense of peace and a clear connection with the environment. Tucked away in a rain forest, the hotel is surrounded by lush green vegetation and a variety of wildlife. We loved the emphasis on protecting and appreciating the environment. After arriving at the lovely lobby, we were greeted by kind and accommodating staff and were able to join the evening nature walk. I delighted in seeing my two daughters (both teenagers - 17, & 14), light up to see a variety of frogs, spiders and flora. The cottages are private and well adorned with beautiful and modern bathrooms, including an outdoor shower that I really enjoyed - like I was showering in the middle of a rain forest (very private). The vaulted wood ceilings in the dining room and delicious food served for dinner and breakfasted added to our experience. We especially enjoyed the private access to Rio Celeste. Our family loved swimming in the river and admiring our surroundings and the light blue water of the river. The outdoor, heated pool was so relaxing and enjoyable that we swam in the evening and the next day. Because of the small size of the hideaway, there are a small number of guests and all of the other patrons were very kind and shared a similar interest in being in a quaint place. We also enjoyed the new workout equipment in the stand alone gym. It was a wonderful experience for our family and I highly recommend staying here if you are looking for the experience I described. I hope it stays the way it is.

A true gem! We stayed for one night and wish we had stayed longer. The hotel room was large with a beautiful four-post bed and an outdoor shower that felt like you were in the middle of the rainforest. The massages at the spa were so relaxing and the service at the restaurant and pool bar were amazing. We LOVE the trails down to the river and spending late afternoon in the pool’s many hot tub options. It was a relaxing and peaceful stay and we can’t wait to come back!

Amazing hotel, with access of part of the Celeste River where guests can swim. Super friendly staff. We loved the services of Katherine and Christian! The spa was also incredible.

We had such an amazing experience staying here, but what truly made it magical was the staff! Nelson (F&B manager) went above and beyond to make sure we had a memorable stay. The food was delicious and we loved staying in the jungle. Highly recommend! (Also be sure to get a 90 min Swedish massage at the spa!)

We had a great time at Rio Celeste. We are a family of four. Kids are 12 and 9. Pool was great. Food is great. We hiked around the trails and swam in the river. We recommend tubbing with Onca on Rio Celeste. The vibe is mellow with plenty to do.

We felt extremely welcomed coming to The hideaway!! It was a great experience. The service is the best, we visited a few areas while visiting and we have to say, the service makes a huge difference. We loved it. We liked the hike that gets you to the Rio Celeste river, it was beautiful. Great experience.

What caught my eye was the attention to detail throughout the property and how well-maintained everything is (the humidity can be brutal over time).

The staff came across as truly happy to be working there. Everyone threw off a great vibe.

While breakfast was good, the dinner was mediocre. If you want local food, go somewhere else. However, if you want a pleasant atmosphere, this is the place to be.

The bar was nice, and the drinks were pretty good.

From the moment we arrived we knew we were some place special. From the welcome drink and towel to the amazing support from the front desk and Abigail. The room was gorgeous. The outdoor shower and bathrooms are spectacular. The trails to the river and the quiet swim there as well as the pool.

The entire staff was kind and helpful. The food and drinks were delicious. I am so glad I made it to Hideaway prior to my trip to the coast.

Gracias a todos en Hideaway Rio Celeste!!

This was the best relaxing vacation that we have had. The resort is nestled inside a rain forest, so in addition to the wonderful room and amenities, you are also surrounded by the natural beauty. The rooms were spacious and beautifully decorated with a blend of modern and traditional pieces. The outdoor shower was amazing and and we loved sipping coffee and reading at the porch secluded by the tropical plants and trees . The grounds were maintained very well and they did a really good job of doing the minimal disturbance to the rainforest. You really feel like you are walking through the rainforest. There were two trails - the tapir trail that is the longer trail through the rainforest. We had gone to the ho rainforest in Washington and compared to that , this felt like the real rainforest. The second trail is the shorter trail that gives you quicker access to the Rio Celeste. Being able to access the river a quick walk from our room was priceless. It was so beautiful and serene. We would just soak in the water and let the gurgling water just melt all the stress. I even took a video of the peaceful blue river so I can later playback during my stressful work days. Everyday coming to the restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner was such a relaxing experience as well. The restaurant is beautifully designed just to make you feel at peace. It's greenery all around with tropical plants and birds and animals and fishes. The staff put fruits outside so you get to see so many birds and animals up close. On the last day we were leaving we saw atleast 4 new birds including a toucan that we hadn't seen before. Everyday coming to dinner felt like another relaxation ritual before going to bed. There was live music everyday. The food was very good but this was the only that we would like to see a change. We would have loved to see some more local food. Don't get me wrong , the food was really nice , it was what you would expect to see at a high end restaurant in United States. The staff was amazing, they were very welcoming and took very good care of us . There were many adventurous tours that you could go on. But as my husband and I were looking for just relaxing and getting away from our busy lives, we only did the tour to the torino national park. We went first thing in the morning and because the hotel is like 2 minutes to the entrance to the national park, we were able to get there before it got crowded. If you go with a guide, just ask them to take you the waterfall right away and then show you around after that. It was rainy and misty the day that we went to the waterfall . The first glance of the waterfalls from the steps was magical. To see this waterfall surrounded by the big lush mountain and the bright blue water at the bottom was just surreal. I was waiting for some of the avatar beings to fly in. It felt like it could be a scene from the movie. It was beautiful. But once the crowd comes in, all the magic is broken, so try to get there as early as you can. All in all, we had the most beautiful relaxing vacation at the hideaway.