Debbie and Steve and their staff have customer service down pat! We chose this retreat because of the great reviews on Trip Advisor and we were not disappointed. We enjoyed eating breakfast and dinner in their Lava Lizard restaurant with other Leaves and Lizards guest. There are many things to do even with the volcano not active at this time. We enjoyed horse back riding to the waterfalls and swimming there too. Ours guides were non-stop information about the area animals, birds, and culture. We visited the Cano Negro with an excellent guide (Robert) and the boat guide too who spotted many animals in the river.

We booked a week of lodging and activities with Leaves and Lizards and had a blast! All of our activities, meals, and transportation were organized by them so we could just have a fun vacation without really worrying about logistics. In addition, they have a great restaurant where you can socialize with your cabin neighbors and get a taste of local food. I highly recommend the horseback ride to the waterfall and river rafting! I can't recommend this place enough, Debbie and Steve really have this hotel thing figured out!

The people who said Leaves and Lizards was the best part of their Costa Rica vacation were right!!! There is plenty to do in the Arenal area too. We could go back again and do all new things (except we would INSIST on doing the horseback riding tour with Enrique again). We did not rent a car--just paid for transportation--that was no problem for us. We loved watching the birds in all the bird feeders every morning at breakfast, and the dinners in the restaurant were spectacular. It was so much nicer than staying in a touristy town. Great for couples or families. I love what Steve and Debbie are doing to support the local Costa Rican families and ecosystems. We chose adventure tours most mornings and relaxing with a book in a rocking chair in the afternoons. Fabulous place with all the US conveniences you miss in many hotels in Costa Rica. Service is amazing.

What a great place!! My wife and I found this spot while researching the Arenal Volcano area, looked at info on the internet, and booked three nights. We expected L and L to be pretty neat - boy were our expectations exceeded! First of all, I'll warn you that the road into the property is a bit rugged to say the least. 4 wheel drive is required. Also, I recommend arrival before dark as Costa Rican roads aren't well marked (understatement). However, quickly get past that and arrive in paradise. First of all, Debbie and Steve are great hosts - really cool people that fled the rat race in the U.S. We stayed in the Volcano cabin, one of the first they constructed when they started L and L, and it was awesome. The view of the volcano can't be beat - both from inside the cabin (picture window) and out on the large porch. I unwound immediately in that environment! The dining "hall" was a treat. It was open on one side overlooking the cloud forest / volcano with lots of birds gathering in the bushes nearby. The tables were arranged differently each night so you could get to know the other guests (and the owners) on a personal level. And the food - absolutely great!! Alot of the food is grown on the property and the dishes are tasty. The staff, all locals, were so kind and pleasant. I arrived with a pretty bad cold, and they prepared a special tea just for me and my cough. We ate both breakfast and dinner there every day and were not disappointed at all. Debbie also arranged two excursions for us. One was to a local hot springs site where we both had massages and access to the pools for the entire day..........and believe me it was a bargain. The other was to the Mundo Aventura (sp?) zip lines. Don't leave the area without doing this - what a rush and their staff was amazing too. Best of all, these excursions were billed to us through L and L, so it was hassle free. Bottom line this was an amazing experience as other reviewers have said, and WE WILL BE BACK!!