Celeste Mountain Lodge

Amazing lodge, a short distance from the Volcan Tenorio (Rio Celeste) nature reserve. The owner Joel is a great character, who explains a lot and is really a joyful man.
The eco part of the lodge is really nice.
Great views from everywhere at the lodge.
The whole staff was really friendly, and baby friendly.
Rooms were nice and comfortable, could be a bit hot.
Last but not least, the food... as other reviewers mentioned, really amazing. Original, fun and well executed dishes. The food by itself is worth a trip.
We, and our baby had a great time.

Several reviews mention the food and this review is no exception. We were only here one night but the timing was perfect as we experienced lunch, dinner and breakfast. Beyond great, all three. The room was adequate, nothing special, but certainly comfortable. The location is almost stunning. Great views of the mountains along with a huge garden in front of the rooms. We walked the trail through the garden before we left. It's incredibly well done. Joel, the owner, happened to be around so we spent some time chatting with him. Great personality with a very interesting story.
I'll end this review the same way I started it. The food. Just cannot say enough about it. We very much enjoyed our stay.

A truly relaxing, peaceful and beautiful hotel. The owner, Joel, is clearly passionate about his hotel and this was evident in the details of the location, the food and the way the hotel was managed and organised. It was like a breath of fresh air to stay here for 2 days, after being in more hectic places we enjoyed the calm of Celeste Mountain Lodge. The food was really delicious and we loved the dining room at night. There was a lovely private trail to walk on too which was great. Thank you Joel for making us feel so welcome.

This was one of the most fabulous hotels I have ever stayed in. The design concept is stylish and completely successful, with extraordinary attention to detail. The garden inside the hotel works so well, the bird feeder on a pole was an inspiration, the tropical jardins à la française were a surprise, and the hotel's own (well marked) trail through the rain forest was an added bonus. As was the cooking - very French, very good - and the relaxed, professional service. It's in the rain forest, and therefore rather humid, but the architecture mitigates this as far as possible, and the owner's commitment to minimal environmental impact is to be applauded. You really get the feeling that everybody who works there enjoys working there.

The staff were excellent .The owner Joël was always around .He chatting with all of us .Felt like home away from home .The chef Eric made sure to adapt the meals to my food allergies .We ate very well everything home made .
They even washed your hiking boots for you after the muddy trails .The views from your room are amazing .
Would recommend this place .
Price is very reasonable with 3 meals a day included and will pack a lunch for you if you are out for the day .

My husband and I stayed here for two nights and thought it was a five star experience for the price. The room was clean and had nice touches. The shower had plenty of hot water and good water pressure. The service was very friendly and knowledgeable, they gave us great recommendations. The trail on property is amazing and quite impressive for such a small hotel. We saw monkeys while on the trail! Best of all the food was amazing. They serve an interesting European/local fusion cuisine. They accommodated our vegan diet likes pros. We enjoyed things like yucca gnocchi, vegetable ceviche, stuffed peppers, vegan burritos and more. The food is a major attraction. I highly recommend this place and would stay there again.

We had a wonderful stay here. As others have said, the food is a real highlight. The owner and chef are French, and each meal is a carefully created set menu, presented with much pride in the open air dining area festooned with recycled decoration.

The whole place has a recycled feel to it, literally: couches made of tires or barrels, lamps in the rooms made of recycled metal (and not the most practical design). That’s the French for you though - style over practicality.

There’s a nice garden on the property, it’s good value, friendly owner and staff. Lots to love about this place.

The only downside is that the bedroom walls are thin. Don’t be surprised to hear conversation from the next room, and avoid gossiping about the other guests as they can probably hear nearly every word.

Absolutely amazing place to stay and explore. They own and protect a large section of rain forest with a nature trial that was one of the the highlights of our holidays. The lodge it is very interesting architecturally on its own, designed and run with the principles of sustainability at the core. The building design work with local microclimate to provides comfortable habitation instead of wasting energy on heating/cooling. Constructed with reused, recycled, natural materials in very aesthetic way. Spectacular views. Fairly easy access. They offer laundry and shoue drying service! And every meal we had there was absolutely amazing.

We love the vision and experience of this lodge. It may not appeal to some, with its modern, eco-friendly, and Euro-French vibe. I believe these are genuine, unique, and mesh well with a community atmosphere that the owner and designer has for the experience. The food was excellent, the gardens beautiful, and the hiking across the road on the side of the volcano is some of the best rainforest we saw in CR. Appears to be, and "feels" like high quality, old growth forest. We just finished a twelve day CR trip with two adults and three boys: 10, 8, and 8, and even though we had many wonderful experiences, we all voted the same that if we could return one night to one place it would be here. We don't have too many pictures, but some from outside and a close encounter with a tree frog for one of our 8 year olds.

It won awards for it's inovative and echo construction (used old tyres for example) Saw lots of amazing birds from the open plan lounge/ dining room/ corridors. They also put fruit on an elevated bird table that you can view comfortably. Friendly atmosphere. They do laundry and shoe drying ( for an extra charge ). Set menue ,( no choice) but that isn't a problem. Absolutely recommend to stay there.

A truly exceptional place situated in a perfect paradise. The grounds, building and staff were all exceptional. My wife and I spent two days hiking, exploring and eating incredible food! Joel (owner) is fantastically helpful and friendly. Marian - who took care of us from when we checked in until we left- was a gem. Fantastic views. Private hiking trail. Night nature tour. All worth your time - and you are five minutes from the great trails
At Tenorio National Park!

Come for the food! The rooms are simple yet very clean and comfortable, and the common areas welcoming. However the food was probably the best I've had in my 2 week trip. The chef whipped up soup when we arrived too late for lunch, and the group dinner (with choice of beef, chicken or fish) was perfectly prepared.

This is an amazing location! Staff and doors was great, it is situated in a perfect area to see wildlife and has its own private trails. We had an amazing stay.

We have loved the place! The staff is very welcoming and nice, the rooms are good and the dinners are amazing. If you are looking to get to know new people and have a unique experience, this place is for you.

This is an amazing retreat for birds and nature lovers. It was for us the perfect pit stop when driving to Arenal. The lodge felt like it was part of the nature and made our stay very special where we saw lots of wild life in the garden and during the night tour guide. The host, Joel, the employees like Marianne and the tour guide, Oñor, made us feel right at home with their generosity and careful attention to detail and care. Special shoutout to the French chef- The food was incredibly delicious; he is a master chef in our opinion that lit up our taste buds (Astec soup, beef tenderloin and banana crepes). Our stay at this lodge felt like a 5-star hotel stay for food and service !!! We wished we stayed for two nights to take it all in.

It's hard to list everything good about this place. For example, the architecture, the kitchen/food, the garden and the forest path, the view, the environment, not least the philosophy (no TV, completely biodegradable lunch packs, ...). Simply a magical place. I guess spending a whole day reading in the lounge would be a good idea. Too bad we were only here for two nights.

This was a great place to stay. The location was great and the staff were very friendly. I highly recommend eating there as well (especially for dinner). It is truly gourmet cooking and very reasonably priced for the quality. I can honestly say it was one of the best meals I have had in a long time.

Great experience overall. Clean room, with beautiful flow through breeze. The meals were amazing and getting to personally speak to the owner and engage in conversation was an excellent experience. We definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a relaxed atmosphere.

Jewel - don't miss

The Celeste Mountain Lodge is a magical place. The moment you exit your car, you know you made the right choice to be there. The Lodge is stunningly built into a mountain with its own carefully manicured garden trail, and an hour long rain forest trail just across the street on their private property. The jaw-dropping views from every room and from the communal dining area cannot be sufficiently described. They must be experienced. The food is local, thoughtfully prepared, and quite healthy. The air is fresh. The water is fresh. The furniture and décor provide a hint of whimsy, and the building design brings the outdoors inside. The owners, Joel and Selma, are memorably charming -- wonderful raconteurs, modest, smart, warm, and polyglots. We heard them speaking Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English fluently. The location is minutes from every local attraction. We felt stimulated, rejuvenated, and happy after our stay. Thank you Joel and Selma!

Our small group’s 4th eco lodge out of five on an October 2021 trip. Celeste is by far the best and we liked them all. The hotel is quiet and attractive. The views are stunning. Eco focused. But the secret was the food - such pride in planning, execution and presentation. Our meals were nothing short of excellent. Celeste is a spot that should not be missed. Owner Joel was engaged with us throughout our stay and the chef proved his skills at every turn. Each meal had local ingredients employed in tasty fashion.