This 36-room gated property on a side road a 10-minute drive south of La Fortuna is an adequate mid-range option featuring a swimming pool with a swim-up bar and its own private rainforest trail. Clean, adobe-style rooms have air-conditioning and TVs (not a given for the area) in two-story buildings that are screened off from everything else by towering vegetation (and for the first floor, that includes views of the volcano; only second-floor rooms have guaranteed volcano views). There are few options immediately nearby, and hotel neighbors (like Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul) tend to be more modest. Activities on the property are a bit limited and many guests feel the restaurant is overpriced; those who want more features might consider the similarly priced Hotel El Silencio del Campo, which has on-site hot springs and a working farm.
This 36-room gated property on a side road a 10-minute drive south of La Fortuna is an adequate mid-range option featuring a swimming pool with a swim-up bar and its own private rainforest trail. Clean, adobe-style rooms have air-conditioning and TVs (not a given for the area) in two-story buildings that are screened off from everything else by towering vegetation (and for the first floor, that includes views of the volcano; only second-floor rooms have guaranteed volcano views). There are few options immediately nearby, and hotel neighbors (like Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul) tend to be more modest. Activities on the property are a bit limited and many guests feel the restaurant is overpriced; those who want more features might consider the similarly priced Hotel El Silencio del Campo, which has on-site hot springs and a working farm.
Arenal Paraiso Hotel Resort is situated on a large, lush expanse of greenery a 10- to 15-minute drive from La Fortuna and the famous Arenal Volcano. This three-and-a-half-pearl property offers an extensive list of resort-like amenities including a modern full-service spa, a steakhouse, and a large pool complex with more than a dozen hot spring pools. The 118 rooms offer a blend of traditional and modern with free Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, and volcano-view patios -- some also have whirlpool hot tubs. Still, the sprawling layout can be difficult to navigate, some of the rooms are austere, and complaints range from inadequate air-conditioning to mediocre food. The nearby Los Lagos Hotel Spa & Resort provides similarly priced accommodations with adventure-centric amenities like ziplining, a wildlife trail, and horse rentals.
Arenal Paraiso Hotel Resort is situated on a large, lush expanse of greenery a 10- to 15-minute drive from La Fortuna and the famous Arenal Volcano. This three-and-a-half-pearl property offers an extensive list of resort-like amenities including a modern full-service spa, a steakhouse, and a large pool complex with more than a dozen hot spring pools. The 118 rooms offer a blend of traditional and modern with free Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, and volcano-view patios -- some also have whirlpool hot tubs. Still, the sprawling layout can be difficult to navigate, some of the rooms are austere, and complaints range from inadequate air-conditioning to mediocre food. The nearby Los Lagos Hotel Spa & Resort provides similarly priced accommodations with adventure-centric amenities like ziplining, a wildlife trail, and horse rentals.
This 11-acre, 68-room resort appeals to families with kids, couples, and travelers who prize privacy, and is centrally located 10 minutes north of town on the way to the Arenal National Park entrance. Rooms are perfectly adequate for a mid-range property, and feature wood ceilings and photographs of old La Fortuna; all have outdoor space and most have a private hot springs pool and volcano views. A public freshwater pool with swim-up bar and a hot-spring pool are also available. It may also be worth considering Arenal Kioro, where all rooms have indoor hot tubs and even better volcano views.
This 11-acre, 68-room resort appeals to families with kids, couples, and travelers who prize privacy, and is centrally located 10 minutes north of town on the way to the Arenal National Park entrance. Rooms are perfectly adequate for a mid-range property, and feature wood ceilings and photographs of old La Fortuna; all have outdoor space and most have a private hot springs pool and volcano views. A public freshwater pool with swim-up bar and a hot-spring pool are also available. It may also be worth considering Arenal Kioro, where all rooms have indoor hot tubs and even better volcano views.
The 50-room Arenal Lodge is like a summer camp in the rainforest. It offers a good likelihood of up-close-and-personal encounters with the local fauna, thanks to the daily guided tour through the hundreds of acres of trails; guests may also be greeted by friendly, hungry coatis at the front gate. Also like summer camp, however, the facilities and rooms are worn and show their age and the ravages of the elements, and the hotel is located just far enough away from the local population centers to make it inconvenient for quick pops into town. Hotel Kokoro also offers a rustic rainforest stay but with on-site hot springs and a location much closer to the town of La Fortuna -- however, its views aren't as impressive.
The 50-room Arenal Lodge is like a summer camp in the rainforest. It offers a good likelihood of up-close-and-personal encounters with the local fauna, thanks to the daily guided tour through the hundreds of acres of trails; guests may also be greeted by friendly, hungry coatis at the front gate. Also like summer camp, however, the facilities and rooms are worn and show their age and the ravages of the elements, and the hotel is located just far enough away from the local population centers to make it inconvenient for quick pops into town. Hotel Kokoro also offers a rustic rainforest stay but with on-site hot springs and a location much closer to the town of La Fortuna -- however, its views aren't as impressive.
A six-room motel on the sparsely populated road on the way to La Fortuna waterfall, Cerro Azul Arenal is a 10-minute drive south of La Fortuna and has commanding views of the rainforest in back and the volcano in front. Wooden-shack-style rooms are clean and have porches overlooking the rainforest, as well as AC and cable TV, but the fact that the front doors look right onto the parking lot makes it impossible to escape the feeling of a roadside motel. Still, there's plenty of rustic charm and it's hard to do much better for the price, but if a pool is a priority consider Hotel Vista del Cerro. Hotel Kokoro Arenal is sometimes only slightly pricier and has on-site hot springs.
A six-room motel on the sparsely populated road on the way to La Fortuna waterfall, Cerro Azul Arenal is a 10-minute drive south of La Fortuna and has commanding views of the rainforest in back and the volcano in front. Wooden-shack-style rooms are clean and have porches overlooking the rainforest, as well as AC and cable TV, but the fact that the front doors look right onto the parking lot makes it impossible to escape the feeling of a roadside motel. Still, there's plenty of rustic charm and it's hard to do much better for the price, but if a pool is a priority consider Hotel Vista del Cerro. Hotel Kokoro Arenal is sometimes only slightly pricier and has on-site hot springs.
Tabacon is the original and best-known resort in the Arenal Volcano area, and is deservedly famous for its 18 natural hot springs at the Tabacon spa property up the street, which are the most extensive in the region. This 102-room, eco-friendly spa resort and local institution is a sensuous Eden in a relatively remote area on the west side of the volcano, about a 20-minute drive from La Fortuna and other sights. Rooms are large, modern, and sophisticated, with beautiful rainforest (and sometimes volcano) views. There's not much local character here, though, and the springs are often crowded with day-trippers; those looking for more seclusion and luxury should consider Nayara Hotel, Spa, & Gardens or Nayara Springs, which have comparable rates to Tabacon's higher-end suites.
Tabacon is the original and best-known resort in the Arenal Volcano area, and is deservedly famous for its 18 natural hot springs at the Tabacon spa property up the street, which are the most extensive in the region. This 102-room, eco-friendly spa resort and local institution is a sensuous Eden in a relatively remote area on the west side of the volcano, about a 20-minute drive from La Fortuna and other sights. Rooms are large, modern, and sophisticated, with beautiful rainforest (and sometimes volcano) views. There's not much local character here, though, and the springs are often crowded with day-trippers; those looking for more seclusion and luxury should consider Nayara Hotel, Spa, & Gardens or Nayara Springs, which have comparable rates to Tabacon's higher-end suites.
This 10-room roadside motel is a decent place to stay for a night or two for budget travelers who don't need frills but still want to be close to La Fortuna. Its spare but clean rooms have views of the volcano (though they are partially covered by the neighboring souvenir shop) and frequently experience noise from passing traffic -- but all at a price that can't be beat. Hotel Cerro Azul has similar prices and rooms with a bit more rustic charm, but no pool. Partygoers may prefer weekend nights at Magic Mountain nearby, while those who want the hot springs, spas, and bungalow-style lodgings can try the string of hotels to the north on Route 142 -- though they start at two to three times the price.
This 10-room roadside motel is a decent place to stay for a night or two for budget travelers who don't need frills but still want to be close to La Fortuna. Its spare but clean rooms have views of the volcano (though they are partially covered by the neighboring souvenir shop) and frequently experience noise from passing traffic -- but all at a price that can't be beat. Hotel Cerro Azul has similar prices and rooms with a bit more rustic charm, but no pool. Partygoers may prefer weekend nights at Magic Mountain nearby, while those who want the hot springs, spas, and bungalow-style lodgings can try the string of hotels to the north on Route 142 -- though they start at two to three times the price.
The 24-room, mid-range Hotel Kokoro Arenal is a yoga-friendly, eco-friendly property a 10-minute drive west of La Fortuna. Rooms are dimly lit, rustic bungalows that lack Wi-Fi and might be a tad too open to the elements for the truly squeamish, but they're reasonably clean and comfortable. Those who want a similar budget bungalow-style property a little closer to town may want to look into the El Silencio del Campo or Arenal Volcano Inn, but it will be hard to beat the rates here for this caliber of property.
The 24-room, mid-range Hotel Kokoro Arenal is a yoga-friendly, eco-friendly property a 10-minute drive west of La Fortuna. Rooms are dimly lit, rustic bungalows that lack Wi-Fi and might be a tad too open to the elements for the truly squeamish, but they're reasonably clean and comfortable. Those who want a similar budget bungalow-style property a little closer to town may want to look into the El Silencio del Campo or Arenal Volcano Inn, but it will be hard to beat the rates here for this caliber of property.
This seven-room eco-resort, a scattering of rustic, sky-high treehouse bungalows, allows guests to live our their Lost Boys fantasies, and keep company with howler monkeys and tree branches. The location is securely out of the orbit of the central La Fortuna tourist hub (the town is a 40-minute drive away over bad roads), a pro for those looking for remote environs. Those who would prefer to stay closer to the ground might want to check out Leaves and Lizards on the other side of La Fortuna, for somewhat more per night.
This seven-room eco-resort, a scattering of rustic, sky-high treehouse bungalows, allows guests to live our their Lost Boys fantasies, and keep company with howler monkeys and tree branches. The location is securely out of the orbit of the central La Fortuna tourist hub (the town is a 40-minute drive away over bad roads), a pro for those looking for remote environs. Those who would prefer to stay closer to the ground might want to check out Leaves and Lizards on the other side of La Fortuna, for somewhat more per night.
The Arenal Volcano Inn is a solid mid-range choice located on the road between La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano National Park. The 25 rooms are clean and modern, with subtle touches of local charm, but not all have views of the volcano, and traffic noise is more noticeable the closer you get to the road. Those who prefer a property with hot springs on-site, lusher surrounds, and rooms with a bit more personality should consider nearby El Silencio del Campo. The Arenal Volcano Inn does offer a quality restaurant with wood-oven pizza, attractive pool and hot tub, free Wi-Fi, and a free quality breakfast with hot items. All in all, it's one of the top options for the area in this price range.
The Arenal Volcano Inn is a solid mid-range choice located on the road between La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano National Park. The 25 rooms are clean and modern, with subtle touches of local charm, but not all have views of the volcano, and traffic noise is more noticeable the closer you get to the road. Those who prefer a property with hot springs on-site, lusher surrounds, and rooms with a bit more personality should consider nearby El Silencio del Campo. The Arenal Volcano Inn does offer a quality restaurant with wood-oven pizza, attractive pool and hot tub, free Wi-Fi, and a free quality breakfast with hot items. All in all, it's one of the top options for the area in this price range.