Being in the Fashion business for over twenty five years,,,and being used to not one detail escaping the eye,,, especially as a photographer,,,, I can joyfully say ,,,Maureen has not let one little detail slip,,,,,everything is just gorgeous!!!! From the the fabulous views , the dinners and breakfasts.,, the appetizers, the room ,,(el cielo,,) the entire house,,,,,the birds (toucans and all), their dogs, the pool, the nature , the coffee, the staff, the convo with you both and all the other guests,,,, all perfection!!!
Need I go on????? Ohhhhh,,,, john,,,your great martinis ,,,or was that you Maureen that made my martinis??? Hahahah ,,,well ,,,,whatever,,,your both superb,and I hope to see you again,,,in fact I just may ,,as I have another trip planned ,,,,I fell in love with the town OJOCHAL ,,not far from you,and am going back soon to look around some more,,,,I will pop in ,,for a ,,,martini???
Much light , heidi lane

My fiance and I had a perfect visit to Rio Magnolia in April 2012.

Everything said in all the other glowing reviews is true!! This is a one of a kind, magical nature lodge! Do not hesitate to book your stay here – I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

The main house is gorgeous - with mountain and valley views from every spot. We stayed in the "Mono Congo" cabin - which I highly recommend – although I am sure all rooms are lovely.

In the mornings and evenings we heard a symphony of beautiful rainforest sounds – howler monkeys, birds and insects. The days were filled with sunshine and warmth and in the evenings it cooled down and we slept peacefully.

We walked on the property trails and took the hike down to the beautiful, private waterfall! This is a must-do!

The food was out of this world delicious!!! In fact, it was the best food I have ever had while traveling! We were served breakfast on a private porch alongside beautiful mountain and rainforest views. We ate evening appetizers looking out on a beautiful sunset over the valley below. After sunset the entire home was lit with candles, which was an incredibly romantic setting for our dinner.

John and Maureen are kind and lovely. We were so relaxed throughout our entire stay. They have built a very special home and life - and it was a pleasure to be a part of it, if only for just a few days.

Visit Rio Magnolia and you will have beautiful memories that last a lifetime. Let the experiences of others assure you... Rio Magnolia is paradise found!

We woke up to the sounds of toucans and went to bed after hearing the sounds of our forks scraping our plates for one last delicious morsel. The Rio Magnolia has something for everyone and is full of wonderful juxtapositions.

Although isolated, high up in the middle of a jungle, you are never far from a friendly face thanks to John and Maureen and their wonderful staff. As other reviewers write, staying with John and Maureen is like visiting old friends or family. Conversations and tours with them were some of the best parts of the trip. (Even their dogs are exceptionally well-behaved and adorable. And this is coming from ardent cat people)

The winding, unpaved road up to their property makes you feel cut off to the world, but the coast (like Domincal or Hacienda Baru) or the bustling town of San Isidrio really aren’t that far away—an hour or so (Maybe a little further depending on where along the coast you want to go.) Actually riding with their charming driver – Eliecer – was another favorite part of our trip. His budding English and our limited Spanish made for a lot of fun conversations. He also picked us up at the airport in San Jose and let us off over a bridge brimming with crocodiles. (There is no way we would have known where to stop to see such a sight, one of many insider gems shared by the folks of Rio Magnolia.) John and Maureen also helped us plan and coordinate all our excursions before we even arrived, like visiting Hacienda Baru, snorkeling at Cano Island, visiting Corcovado National Park, and going to San Isidro. On a free day they suggested visiting a cool beach with caves called Playa Ventanas. Though really there are enough interesting things at the Rio Magnolia to keep you busy for days there.

Again, with such beautiful, hilly terrain and being located literally on the edge of a dense rainforest, the Rio Magnolia is like another world. Beautiful birds sing and fly by and there is all sorts of other wildlife around. But they have wireless internet should you want to ruin this other-worldly feeling. And the comforts of the place are on par with any lodge or B&B you can find.

The only cons we can think of are really unavoidable and actually just part of the whole experience. The place can be a little humid and damp, but that is part of the deal when you sleep in a rainforest. (The weather there was much cooler and more pleasant than along the coast.) And the ride up to the lodge from the main highway could be a little long and bumpy for some, but for us, it made it all the more exciting. You also get to drive through the tiny village of La Alfombra along this road. The village was another highlight in our book.

We stayed a week in early July and the weather couldn’t have been better. It rained only in the late afternoons and in the evenings, never interfering with any of our plans - only enhancing our naps and evening slumber. We can’t recommend the Rio Magnolia enough. It was a great time and great value, and we really feel like we made new friends—friends with the remarkable vision to find, build, and run such a wonderful place.

My boyfriend and I stayed here for 7 nights- we got an Adventure Package that provided us with big and delicious breakfasts, happy hour appetizers, amazing three course dinners, a horseback riding and waterfall tour, and a ziplining tour and picnic. It was the PERFECT vacation for us. John and Maureen are incredible people and stupendous hosts. Their property is beautiful, and they are so knowledgeable about the area. We went in June (during the rainy season) and it was actually perfect for us because we were able to be active in the morning when it was sunny, and then we read for hours in the afternoon when it was raining. The rainforest sounds are so peaceful- living in the city, we miss the natural white noise terribly! We were also able to see (and hear) some unique wildlife which was fun looking up and trying to identify in the plant and animal books that they have.

It's hard to describe the unique quality of this place- it was just so relaxing staying at the property, eating delicious food, and chatting with wonderful hosts. We can't wait to make it back to Costa Rica, but more importantly, we can't wait to make it back to Rio Magnolia!