Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

The hotel’s eclectic decor relies on tropical elements like locally sourced wood, Spanish tile flooring, high ceilings with exposed beams, and purposefully overgrown landscaping. But the homegrown shabby chic accents of hand-painted furniture, mismatched tablecloths and curtains, and retro dime store dishware feel as though they’ve lost their charm since the hotel first opened more than 10 years ago. Much of the property feels more drab than homey. However, the wealth of amenities and outdoor opportunities including a large outdoor pool, a massive lobby with live entertainment, and an adventure center, create plenty of lively social space for guests to gather. The resulting vibe is busy and bustling even in the off-season. The combination attracts a mixed clientele of families and couples that includes Israelis, Costa Ricans, and Westerners.

The hotel is several miles into the rain forest down a long winding access road off of Route 702 -- a little-trafficked thoroughfare connecting San Ramon to La Fortuna. The remote location provides plenty of peace and quiet, although it also means there’s nothing within walking distance. By car, the nearest town, San Pedro, is 30 minutes away. Visitors will find a handful of local restaurants, markets, and other services.

San Jose International Airport (SJO) is at least 90 minutes to the south but requires considerably longer travel time in the capital city’s infamous rush hour traffic. The hotel’s paid shuttle service is by far the cheapest, safest, and most convenient transportation option to and from the airport. Alternatively, rental cars are available at the airport. However, visitors should be prepared for sky-high rates (due to Costa Rica’s mandatory renter’s insurance) and chaotic -- often dangerous -- roads and drivers.

The same bohemian yard sale chic aesthetic in every common area carries through to the guest rooms. Hand-painted furniture embellishments, dated bed linens, and vaguely nature-inspired artwork all create a vibe akin to staying at a grandmother’s home. A great deal of artistic inspiration was clearly dedicated to each individually decorated room. But, there’s a failure in the execution, and it looks cheap and homely.

Every room is similar, differing mainly in the bed configuration. Standard Rooms included some combination of queen and twin beds, while some Family Rooms also offer a bunk bed option. All feature a studio layout with floor space comparable to most mid-range hotel rooms. Flat-screen TVs and fast, free Wi-Fi are provided in every category. All lack air-conditioning, although the surrounding region of Costa Rica rarely gets warm enough to require it. The in-room minibars (fee) are lightly stocked with beer, bottled water, and a handful of snacks. We noted obvious maintenance issues during our stay which hint at the age of the property. While Costa Rica’s high humidity can wear heavy on even the country’s most well-built hotels, the rooms at Lands in Love smelled extremely musty. Because of its pet-friendly nature, the odors from past guests’ pets linger in many of the rooms as well.

Bathrooms are modestly sized and awash in a cream-and-white color palette that’s bright but spartan. Most feature bidets, walk-in shower stalls, and generic bath products.

Features here are focused on nature. The outdoor center is arguably the hotel’s best asset. Many of the adventures synonymous with Costa Rica can be found here including canyoning, rappelling, zip-lining, rafting, and hiking trails. A Superman Cable experience also allows guests to zip-line face-first down a 750-meter (2,460-foot) cable over the rain forest.

The outdoor pool and adjacent hot tub are large and mostly well-maintained. However, the drab furniture, hand-painted exteriors on the neighboring buildings, and overgrown landscaping all provide a sense that the space has long been forgotten by hotel staff. Rows of lounge chairs and patio sets ring the terrace to afford plenty of seating. However, the lack of umbrellas means the area is completely exposed to the sun throughout the day. There is no poolside drink service available.

The sole, unnamed restaurant serves a long and varied list of dishes. Hot a la carte breakfast is included in every rate and features local Costa Rican items like gallo pinto, Mediterranean shakshuka, American (French toast, eggs, and hashbrowns), and Israeli fare. Lunch and dinner are also served a la carte with similarly varied menus that change regularly to include almost every imaginable nationality (Italian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese, etc.). Every dish is either vegetarian or vegan and the food is well-reviewed for both selection and quality. Guests can also use the restaurant’s kitchen to cook their own meals as long as they provide the ingredients.

As a distinctly pet-friendly hotel -- a fact that’s hammered into guests throughout their stay -- there's an on-site pet hotel (called the Dog House), an animal refuge, and even a pet cemetery. For a fee, guests are welcome to bring and board their own animals. For pet-free visitors, the hotel also offers the opportunity to walk dogs from the on-site shelter.

The large, open lobby is divided into a dozen individual rooms with intentionally mismatched furniture and area rugs to create a feel that’s more like an eclectic home than a hotel. A stage area and speakers provide a permanent setup for the live music that’s hosted on select nights each week. A small adjacent room offers a TV lounge and a sunny, open-air patio packed with tropical plants and flowers. It provides a bit more space to spread out. A tiny game room next to the front desk includes a pool table and foosball tables. An open conference room is also reservable for private events. However, it’s little more than a cavernous hall with a few dozen mismatched wicker and upholstered chairs.

Free parking is available in numerous lots spread throughout the grounds. Most are located within a hundred feet of guests’ rooms. Wi-Fi is fast, free, and reliable in all common areas.