Villa, 2 Bedrooms, Private Pool | Premium bedding, in-room safe, individually furnished
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Reviews of Arenal Waterfall Lodge

3 out of 5
Arenal Waterfall Lodge
300 Mts north of Fortuna Waterfall, La Fortuna, Alajuela

Reviews

8.2

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 105 out of 263 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 104 out of 263 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 37 out of 263 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 263 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 263 reviews" "

8.6/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

7.8/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

ana m

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Super simple room, and the pool was a little chilly. But that was my only complaint. I had a car rental so it was easy but other guests said it was a little isolating, but it is the most beautiful, quiet and affordable place. Beautiful views close to the falls!!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Cassie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We a very nice stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

EWA, Deer Park

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The cabin had a mold everywhere, old and outdated. The area around the cabin didn't have any flowers, just bare forest. Breaksast was terrible, eggs with american toast and american hot dog.There were dogs that enjoyed hot dogs. Below the lodge you can hear barking dogs all day, gladly dogs were sleeping during the night. Cabin had poor lighting and glass door by the bed that has no privacy. Bring earplugs because when it rains, the metal roof make alot of noise. Otherwise it is very quite place at the bottom of Chato vulcano. We did hike from the Lodge and it is poorly guided, berly any sings, easily to get lost and last sign is in the wrong direction. Make sure you have GPS and a map. It was very difficult hike but pretty. I was disappointed that we couldn't get closer to the volcano lake - that is a diffrent hike and we didn't have time and energy to do it again.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

Dale

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities
The property was good ..They were making improvements which it really needed ..We were disappointed that the restaurant was only open for breakfast and the outside bar not open at all, they are missing out on alot of added revenue ...they didnt offer any water , sodas etc...and had a huge refrigerator behind main desk ...We arrived by shuttle so we had to use Uber everyday to go to La Fortuna to eat ..If you stay here you should have a rental just for that purpose ,since it is 3 miles to town ..We will definitely have a rental next time we go ..I will say the Villas looked really nice ..We bought drinks and such in town to bring back to room as it did have a small refrigerator ..No Microwave though if you need to heat something up ..This place has so much potential ,i hope they get restaurant and bar open ..We would stay here again with a rental car..
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Paola

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Las instalaciones son muy tranquilas, el hotel cuenta con piscina, tuvimos una estadia agradable. Tiene estacionamiento propio, el desayuno es bueno y el personal es amable.

8/10 Good

LaMaryia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Leo-Paul

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An absolutely beautiful property where you feel like you are in the cista rica jungle. Nature sounds all around us. We could enjoy nature completely from our screened porch.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Sandra

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good breakfast 😋 Close to waterfall, but need a car to get to other things.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

Thomas

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
The grounds were nice. The room was small and that was okay. The bed was comfortable, but you're basically in a room with a toilet and a shower, you can't see the toilet from the bed but it's only about 4 feet away and there's no door. The road there is pretty bad and high clearance vehicle wouldn't be a bad idea. We had a car. The driveway is even worse with a very steep hill to drive up. Otherwise, you can park at the bottom of the hill. Driveways still bad to that point and you have to carry your luggage up a hill. There's not going to be anyone there to give you help.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Travelled with partner
Liked: Amenities
We stayed in one of the chalet's and it was terrific! The screened in porch was a nice touch to listen to the sounds of nature. Full kitchen was a plus and the beds were very comfortable. It was a great launch point to get to our excursions. Overall very satisfied
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Diana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
El personal, es muy amable un excelente servicio de parte de todo el personal, las villas están en muy lindas condiciones y su ubicación está en un muy buen punto ya que tienen las accesibilidad a diferentes partes!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I had a very nice room. The view from this place is incredible. The pool area was very nice and there are a lot of interesting birds.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Tim

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was out of town a ways, views are beautiful! Rooms are average. Staff was excellent. Very close to the waterfall. Walkable really. Good room for the price
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Michele, Andersonville

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is secluded and private. We rented a two bedroom villa with a private pool. The view from the deck was amazing! The pool was chilly so we did not use it but it was still a very nice feature. There was no TV in the villa, which was strange at first, but then we didn’t mind it once we got used to it. The seating in the living room is a bit awkward, not super comfortable. But the villa was spacious and very private. Of course being in the rainforest we expected rain, but I will say that the rain on the roof is incredibly loud at night when you’re trying to sleep. Not a fault of the lodge, just be aware. We enjoyed watching wildlife like Toucans and an Agouti from our deck, I’m pretty sure there was a Howler Monkey nearby too. The customer service was wonderful, their team is very responsive with WhatsApp and they were very accommodating to any of our requests, including laundry service. The lodge is a bit away from the city but we rented a vehicle so we had no trouble getting around and it felt very convenient for us.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Prashant

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marzena

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The lodge location is definitely the best asset as you wake up with the sounds of the rainforest and it is close to Chato volcano hike (wristband gives you access directly to the hike) as well as close to La Fortuna Waterfall. We stayed there and saved on booking separate excursions to these places. The property is older and dated with simple amenities but clean. We definitely booked it for the location and had no regrets to experience the beautiful surrounding nature. The staff are very friendly and breakfast was included in our stay which we would recommend as it was a more remote location if you do not have a vehicle. Overall would give it a 7.5/10.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Danielle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Good clean room and quiet area.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carmen

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This place is perfect when looking for a quiet place and to be close to nature. Staff is very friendly and they go the extra mile to help you feel comfortable and also help coordinating activities and transportation. Just a 10minute drive from the town. Walking distance from a famous waterfall and a must-do if you visit La Fortuna. Recommend that you have lunch there and its open until 4pm I think, because there is only breakfast (a good one) available at the lodge. No other place for lunch or dinner at walking distance. I stayed in one of the villas and the fact that the walls are all glass, provides you this freedom and contact with the amazing views and the nature surrounding. Dont know why I need to mention this but, yes, there will be a bug here or there, you are in the middle of the forest! But the room and other facilities are very clean. I definitely recommend this lodge and left with the feeling of repeating it next time I go to Costa Rica.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Darryl

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I was disappointed to learn that access to the nearby Fortuna waterfall was an extra $18/person. Bed wasn’t a standard mattress.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Ankur

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The service was fantastic. The property location was beautiful.

2/10 Terrible

Joshua

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Bait and switch at its finest. They show you such a beautiful hotel with all these amenities that when you get there it’s a completely different hotel and the bar was broken. The pool was filthy. The food was horrible. They were buggers all over the place.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from AWL on 15 Mar 2024
Personal problems and lack of happiness make you have a bad perception of things, greetings

10/10 Excellent

Ruijia

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel was great. Conveniently located close to the La Fortuna Waterfall. Easy parking. Breakfast was simple. We stayed at the 1 bedroom villa. Room was big and spacious. However, bugs everywhere. Be warned.

10/10 Excellent

Krista

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely gorgeous downhill view from grounds/pool/dining area.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good setting and service. Nice to have the private trails and access to its own waterfall. It's not too far from town, though I'd recommend having a car.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

6/10 Okay

Valeria

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
I’m not sure if it was just my unit, but honestly I wouldn’t stay here again or recommend it only because our room was so humid that my hair never dried. Our clothes never dried. Our towels from showering never dried. The place isn’t dirty at all, it’s just run down. Really peaceful rainforest noises all night, but beware the drive to our bungalow was slightly veeery bumpy and steep. Breakfast was good!! Super fast. The server was very nice. Front desk staff also very pleasant
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

A M

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ramaprasad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was comfortable and dining was good. We really appreciated getting a takeout breakfast when we needed to leave early for tours. A hot tub would have been nice for the cool evenings.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Isaac

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Jo-Anne

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a perfect place to stay if you're planning on visiting the La Fortuna Waterfall...you can literally walk down to the entrance. The staff are very nice and breakfast was first rate! We'll stay here again when visiting La Fortuna.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Joe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very nice
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Kelly

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location and staff. Good food, good portions great price. Hotel could use some TLC and updating.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

6/10 Okay

William

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Seyedmasood

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Worth the money
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

Joe

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Arenal waterfall lodge
Cleanliness was good overall, our bed was made as requested daily. Breakfast included is a definite plus.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

guy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

6/10 Okay

Caitlin

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Great location to visit the la fortuna waterfall as it’s walking distance to the hike; but rooms overall had a weird small, plumbing issues, they didn’t provide shampoo or conditioner, and the restaurant was over priced comparatively to food/drinks served. Overall again great location and budget friendly option.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

4/10 Poor

Daofa

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Strong chemical smell made our throats hurting bad
We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights, below are what I felt: 1. People are really friendly and helpful, 5 star 2. Location is away from attractions except the waterfall, 3 star 3. The bad part: the rooms are filled with some weird chemical smells and it made both of us sore throat for 3 days and we need to take medicines. We ended up opening everything we can open and opt out for room cleaning. Truly terrible to us. 1 star, 0 if there is such choice In general, I don’t recommend this place despite its friendly staff
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

6/10 Okay

Aaron

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Amenities
Na
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Response from AWL on 31 Aug 2023
Thanks

4/10 Poor

ROBERT

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Best thing about this place is the pictures
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Response from AWL on 23 Aug 2023
Thanks

8/10 Good

Bryn

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service
We enjoyed the welcoming friendly staff. The food was good, but the menu was limited. Beautiful view of the valley and we saw a sloth on the grounds. Lots of bugs, given the jungle.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from AWL on 23 Aug 2023
Thanks

10/10 Excellent

Malachi

Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

RUSSELL

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location with Arenal Waterfall within walking distance. Clean facility, safe and friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful view. Friendly staff.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

6/10 Okay

Karen

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
In March 2023, this property is in the process of being refurbished. New management took over ~ 2 years ago, and the fact that refurb. is still happening now likely due to COVID-induced delays. Things are being spruced up, maybe it'll be in better shape next year! View of the valley from the terrace / swimming pool / bar is beautiful - just like the photos in that regard. (you won't see the volcano). Good for birdwatching. The restaurant serves simple, good quality food, with rapid service. Arenal Waterfall is just down the hill, and there is a hike (Observatory Hike) from the property that we were unable to do that might be quite nice. There appear to be some great bungalows on this property. Ours was a bit wonky! STEEP driveway & path to access it (could be accessibility issue). We got a surprise upgrade, & our bungalow's second "room" was a small loft. Not enough room for an adult to stand, stairs up were too dangerous for our child. But there was space enough to bring the mattress down and put it on the floor. Balcony faced in to the jungle, but we never saw any animal life there and it was very dark. The spacious shower stall however had a great view - two big windows right where you don't want them! There was a *full* kitchen though. Very clean, friendly helpful staff. Good base of operations if you will be out & about all day and need a clean, quiet place to spend the night. Not great for small kids / folks with accessibility issues.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Robert

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love the area
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from AWL on 12 Mar 2023
Gracias por sus buenos comentarios de nuestra propiedad, saludos

10/10 Excellent

Julia

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023
Response from AWL on 12 Mar 2023
Mil gracias

6/10 Okay

Laura R

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Would stay again
The staff were helpful and friendly, the room was clean and comfortable. The facilities could use some sprucing up, but it seemed like they were working on that. After COVID we all have some catching up to do, and it was really nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022