My 21 yr old son and I checked in with no reservations. the only room left was one of the "apartments" on the ground level across from the bird structure. The place was amazing to both of us, the views, trails, frogs, humming birds etc... at this point we were just begining to recognize that costa rica service is low in general... it was the same at peace lodge. the checkin was jumbled and insincere. I could tell others we also uncomfortable. I would stay again but suggest you go ready for poor service then you'll focus on the beauty of the resort and of the surrounding area. suggest the night frog tour and a dinner table along the windows so you can see the fireflys and overlook the hillside. We'll stay there again in the future. It is a great base to explore that part of Costa Rica b4 going on to the observatory lodge in Arenal.

This is a magical place. Everything has been thoroughly planned and executed. The service was outstanding. The food was delicious. The deluxe room was incredible. We enjoyed a 2-hour massage in our room and it was one of the best I have ever had. Don't hesitate to reserve a room here, we can't wait to return.

My wife and I honeymooned in Costa Rica for 7 nights in July 2008. We stayed at three different hotels during the trip: Peace Lodge in Heredia, Hotel Fonda Vela near Monteverde, and Arenas del Mar near Manuel Antonio. Of the three hotels, Peace Lodge was our favorite, and perfect in nearly every way (complete reviews for the other two hotels on their sites).

We only stayed at Peace Lodge for one night this trip, and it wasn't enough. When we go back, which we will, we'll make sure we have two days there to fully enjoy the grounds and scenery. I'd recommend that you do the same.

SERVICE
Very friendly staff, who were available whenever we needed them. Spoke the best english of any of the hotel staffs. The hotel itself could have been more accomodating in a couple instances - had to buy toothpaste instead of having it at the front desk like many resorts; no leeway on early check in or late check out, although they held our bags for us at the front desk - but that wasn't the staff's fault. On thr bright side, when we were first showed to our room there was a complimentary bottle of wine waiting as a honeymoon gift. They also have masseuses at the reception desk to give free (+tip) back and neck massages for most of the day, which was a nice perk.

GROUNDS
Absolutely gorgeous. Green and lush. Well manicured around the hotel, and then turning into natural forest. Having the animal exibits there was a perfect way to start our trip, getting to see a lot of the flora and fauna of the country right away and up close. The waterfall hike was beautiful, getting to see waterfalls right in the heart of the jungle. I imagine that if you're travelling with kids this would be even more ideal.

They have two pools for guests to swim in, each having a hot tub, with Trout Pond pool by far the nicer and larger of the two.

ROOM
Our room was amazing. We opted for the lowest price "Standard Room" and it was more than enough for two of us. Large room and well appointed, comfortable bed, huge bathroom, very rustic with the fireplace and dark wood throughout. When we first arrived we fired up the deck jacuzzi tub and soaked away our day of travelling while watching hummingbirds zip right by out patio. There was a second large jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, plus a huge waterfall shower. One slightly negative thing I will say with our room was that we didn't have much of a view. Since we were on the ground floor of the two story villa - I believe all standard rooms are ground floor - instead of having a view out over the valley, the view from our patio was straight into some tropical plants. We didn't mind because it added to our privacy, but there really wasn't a view to speak of. If you want a view, you'll probably need to upgrade from a standard.

FOOD
Very good, not great. The free breakfast buffet was huge and delicious, consisting of local breakfast foods and fresh fruit, and was served in a wonderful open air room with great views. Couldn't get enough of the fried plantains. We may have enjoyed this breakfast more than any other meal throughout our trip. Lunch at the Trout Bar was also very good, and reasonably priced. Dinner was mixed, but overall quite good. We got a lot of food for what we paid, too much food really, as we chose the 4 course dinner for two, that I think was $35 each before tax and tip. I just wish they'd reduced the portions and kicked the quality up that final notch. For example, I got beef tenderloin as my meal, and a lot of it, where I'd have preferred a smaller portion of fillet. Not that any of it was bad, we just were left wanting a little something extra. Given the portions, we were very grateful that they were willing to give us our deserts to go, which we brought back to the room and enjoyed later with a glass of wine while laying in bed with the fire roaring.

We probably would have eaten dinner at the Trout Bar if we'd stayed a second night, hoping for a lighter meal, but having one fancy dinner was nice.

Our service durint the meals didn't stand out at all, but no complaints either.

THE "ALMOST"
You can decide for yourself how much this last piece matters to you. When we woke up at Peace Lodge and I went in to use the shower, I found two cockroaches diving for cover. Since I found them, I didn't really care and was able to dispose of them quickly. Had my wife been the first one into the bathroom, it wouldn't have gone over so well.

This hotel was absolutely amazing from the second we walked through the door. The lobby was beautiful--the wood work and wrought iron are breath-taking. The food was incredible and the pricing was very reasonable for the quality and the experience. Personalized service--follow the recommendations that are given (tour the waterfall gardens, do the nightly frog tour, feed the hummingbirds, catch a trout and have them cook it for you). We felt that the staff was always one step ahead in meeting our needs and were very helpful any time we needed assistance. We were so impressed with the customer service that we are approaching the owner about speaking with our national CEO group. We could not stop saying how much we love this place, and we will go back!!