We really love Hacienda Baru! The cabins are simple and adequate. The restaurant is reasonably priced and we still talk about the fresh fruit juices and how good they tasted after hiking.

We did the "night in the jungle" stay. Wow. What a fantastic memory. Be warned, it's a LONG hot hike but so worth it. My only complaint is that you leave later in the afternoon, hike for a couple of hours and get there when it's getting dark. We ate a terrific tipico dinner by candle light and then half of us went on a night hike and the other half went to sleep. Waking up with a stunning view of the jungle was AMAZING! We had breakfast and trekked back down. I think these trips should be at least two nights in length to explore and to really feel what it is like to be in the middle of nowhere.

The beach is beyond anything we have ever experienced. Gorgeous, warm water and not another soul as far as the eyes could see in either direction.

We'd go back to Hacienda Baru in a heart beat!

Six of us ranging from 65 to 5 in 2 cabins. The pool and gardens are beautiful and wonderful to see all the monkeys scrambling about the trees. We did the ziplining and the morning wildlife walk. The guides and staff are kind and amazingly informative. They engaged the young kids about leaf cutter ants and all sorts of wildlife that has stuck with them. We had a rental car and went into the nearby town which was great for watching the surfing and dinners. The food at Baru is best for breakfast but the rest aren't great. We picked up some snacks and beer to keep in the cabin but the kitchen is not too useful and the fridge isn't terribly cold. This is not a slick all inclusive by any means, but it was a lovely way to really visit Costa Rica. I felt like a guest of a family. The beach is absolutely stunning, but the undertow makes it very dangerous to swim. However, we played at the edge and had an endless beach to ourselves which was magical. Time is on a different clock in these parts, so be flexible about time so order a beer and bring snacks for the kids because everything runs very late.

My wife and I stayed at the Hacienda Baru for four nights over New Year's (2012) in a 'Superior Room' near the pool and took advantage during our three full days there of walking most of the trails available to all who stay there. We also took a birding walk, from about 5:30am until early afternoon, with one of the excellent guides, Juan, who took us up into the hills on rainforest trails that are available only with a guide.

We absolutely loved this place and look forward to going again some day. The trails are varied and informative, with well-written panels in English, Spanish and French, to explain various features of the forest, its plants, animals and other fauna; beautiful birds and monkeys are plentiful out in the forest and at times around the grounds near the rooms, too; the extra, guided outings are very reasonably priced and expertly led; the ambience is very friendly and relaxed both in the restaurant (which serves good food) and the pool, which is lovely; and our room was both huge and comfortable in every way. It seems to me to have something for everyone, really. A youngish mother whom we got to know with her daughter had a great time there, as did other families with kids. Couples would find it cosy and romantic. Groups with varied interests could probably find plenty to do, with individuals going their separate ways. And so on.

Shops and restaurants in (much over-rated) Dominical are very nearby, if you want to eat elsewhere, as we did one evening.

As the website for the place will explain in detail, the Hacienda Baru was once partly a farm and ranch, though it comprised a very large tract of untouched rainforest as well. The principal owner, Jack Ewing, became more interested in the natural world than in being a farmer and cattleman (since at least the mid-1970's, I believe) and over the years has very actively participated in the regeneration of that part of the property which was formerly farmland, and has made the pristine wilderness more accessible. There are beach walks, swamp walks, walks through former cocoa and teak plantations, and of course many forest walks. This is a delightful place to be, but also a great, thoroughly successful experiment. We were delighted to witness and in some small way support it.

We would have liked to stay here for more than one night. Next time. Beautiful trails. And we liked the butterfly garden. Great morning guided hike--saw toucans, sloths, and owls. No monkeys--too many homosapiens in high season, I think. We enjoyed hiking on the trail to the pristine, natural beach, and had a great time playing on the beach and swimming. The kids enjoyed the pool also. Food was excellent too--especially the smoothies. We stayed in one of the older cabins--next time we'd pay extra to stay in the new ones by the pool. The cabin was extremely hot. There were tons of centipede-like creatures in our cabin and we slightly worried about what else might find its way in during the night.