First of all......I would like to extend my thanks to the staff and owner of this beautiful place. (Thank you Lee, Byron, Nano, Jean Carlo, Rick, Nicole, Daniele, Rudy, Kailor, and everyone else who made this the best week ever) This was the best vacation of our lives and I think we may be back in a few weeks! Not Joking! We are currently looking for property in the area just to be closer to HEAVEN. If you are looking to be swept off your feet and shown how the other half lives, THIS IS THE SPOT!!!

I am a firefighter from Collier County Florida, and by no means wealthy. Have you ever wanted to take a trip where you felt like you were the most important person on the planet? Have you ever wanted to live, if even for a short while, in a room that was built for kings or celebrities, and treated as such? THIS IS THE SPOT!!

Upon arriving at The Springs Resort you are met by a friendly gate guard in what appears to be a field of tall grass, very quiet and quaint. Little do you know that in just a few moments you will be swept off your feet and spun into pure nirvana. A short drive on a gravel road brings you to the top of a mountain in the clouds where I promise, you will never be happier.

When you reach the entrance, you will be greeted by a friendly staff ( hopefully Kailor ) AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS! You will be welcomed with a delicious drink made with local fruit, and booze (if you like). You will be given a tour of a small portion of the property and a map to help you navigate your way through heaven. I promise you, it only gets better!

Words cannot describe the feeling of relaxation in the rooms......

In the morning, you can take a short bus ride, and everything under the sun you might want to do is there. Club RIO, is at the bottom of the hill/mountain. River rafting, tubing, horseback riding, hiking, eating, drinking, so on and so on and so on and my favorite, climbing......Its all there! I am an avid rock climber and the (NEW) rock wall that the owner (Lee) has constructed is ridiculous! AWESOME!! The guys that work there are the best. Byron, Jean Carlo and Rick manage the WALL and are eager to help anyone who is willing to learn, at any age group or skill level. From the smallest climber to the most advanced, these guys truly love their job and cant wait to teach, or learn, everyday!

My fiance and I loved the horseback riding so much that we decided to go again the next day. Our guide, Nano, went above and beyond. He took us on an adventure that included crossing the river on horseback! We are not experienced riders, but his gentle way with the horses, and with us, made us feel so at home riding! We truly feel that we made a new friend in Nano!

If you are looking for a once in a life time experience, looking to make new friends to last a life time, the springs resort has my A+++. WE CAN NOT WAIT TO COME BACK. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH......... everyone who works there, you guys, and girls, make the difference.

Who ever handles the human resources in your company Lee, they have their finger on the pulse of progress! I have never met a group of people that enjoy their jobs and lives as much as they do! THANK YOU ,THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!! PURA VIDA!!!!!!!!! The pure life is what you set out for I think, and you found it! ( for those of you that have no idea what Im talking about, just come see for yourself, you will not be upset.)

Very nice hotel, facilities and amazing views, but extremely expensive. They charge drinks and food at nyc prices... To go for a short term is ok, but more than 2-3 days it is not worth the costs..take note, that you will have to land in San Jose and then drive about 3 1/2 hours in very dangerous roads to La Fortuna where all the arenal hotels are.

My husband and I were in Costa Rica visiting family. They booked us all in to this resort for 2 nights and wow, what a fabulous treat that was!! Every room has a super view of Arenal Volcano and we were lucky enough to wake up in the morning and there it was - no clouds in site and we could even see the smoke coming out of the top of it!! The pools were all fabulous - even though it was thundering and lightning when we arrived; we still went in the pools. I know, crazy but we didn't want to miss any of the adventure and the pools were so warm. The hospitality was great - everyone is very friendly. Club Rio was so much fun - we booked in for 2 kayaks and 2 tubes for the river thinking we would switch off for the second run but my sister and I opted to keep the tubes if the guys would keep the kayaks as the river was running quite fast and we were leary of being in the kayaks. We had a blast!! I highly recommend everyone check The Springs Resort and Spa out while in Costa Rica - you will not get this fabulous experience anywhere else in Costa Rica with the volcano right out your window and all the pools that are available.

We've stayed at quite a few properties in the area and the Springs is the best by far. Service is great, facilities are top notch and there are amazing views from all the public spaces and many of the rooms.

Here are a few things that make this property unique:

1. Land: The property is built on a giant land estate and thus has a definite feel of privacy. They've used this land wisely in keeping it forested and creating a great small zoo on the property. The only downside is a long winding gravel approach road - but we like that!

2. View: Every hotel around Arenal has some view - but only the Springs has "The View". This isn't just subjective. From the dam of Lago Arenal, the river winds down a valley towards Fortuna. A majority of hotels are located here including the famous Tabacon. These hotels are near the road and built on the same slope between the peak and the river near the bottom of the valley. So the views are craning your neck up and looking through trees. There are a few properties on the opposite side where the elevation rises on the other side of the river but they are still close to the road. There is only one hotel where one has to cross the river and climb up the opposite hill for a long distance. This gives the Springs close, unobstructed and powerful views. The hotels on the north shore of the Lake also have similar views but they are are 4-5 miles further away.

Please note that the top of the mountain is often cloudy for days - so the view is dependent on weather.

3. Springs: These "Springs" are beautiful. Sure they are artificially placed, but the water is real (pumped from hot springs), the rocks and vegetation have all grown in nicely and the hidden pools, slides, bar make it great for kids during the day and couples at night. The best thing about these Springs are the crowds - there are none. The upper springs are built wonderfully into the hotel - you can hang out with non bathers, get food and drink easily and watch people and the lower springs are in the Jungle. The Springs are the perfect compliment to the much larger (and more crowded) Tabacon. Do them both but definitely stay here.

4. Service: Amazing service. True 5 star service.

5. Rooms: Modern with rain forest decor. Its not over the top cheesy but nicely done. His and her hammocks on the balcony with a view over the Volcano - priceless.

South Asian Tips: Fish is very good. Vegetarian was sufficient but limited. For multi-generation trips, elderly will struggle with long walks to room from lobby/restaurants. Call for a cart which takes you around behind the parking lot to the top lobby.