We shoulda known when we saw the restrictive cancellation policy. It was my fourth trip to Costa Rica (my favorite place on the planet), and we were going to one of the more adventurous, undeveloped jungle areas--we were really excited. But only moments after we arrived at the Defin, we were informed that our *all-inclusive meals didn’t include all--or any!--meat. Sure, there's a deceptively cryptic reference to “special diets” on the website, but us omnivores apparently need to give plenty of notice well before we arrive if we want something as “expensive” as meat included in our meals at the Delfin. Soda and water will co$t you, too. Lights or lanterns along the pitch black walkways to the eating area might have helped assure safe passage to and from the cabins, but those “conveniences” can be pricey, too. Again, please refer to the website where it tells you not to forget your flashlight. They mean it. It does rain in the rainforest, so please bring your industrial ear plugs as the deafening sound of the rain pounding on the corrugated tin roof on your luxury cabin will play in your head All---Night---Long!!! The cold showers were a bit of a surprise, but they won’t kill you. The 4-inch scorpion in the bathroom at midnight was an even bigger surprise, and I guess that could kill you. The staff seemed unfazed when I told them about it. Sure, we were in the jungle, but there were no attempts at all at installing catch basins or plugging the holes along the cabin base boards that were big enough for a good sized snake to enter. Since there was no meat for the snakes to eat, we felt some reassurance, but still kept the bathroom light on for the scorpions. The Defin's owner is not the least bit Costa Rican, and she was unquestionably the most unfriendly resort staff I’ve met in the 10+ different CR places in which I’ve stayed. She ignored here guests, appeared condescending to her staff, and gave an unmistakable impression that this was ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. (I anxiously await her long-winded, deceptive reply to this post. DON’T believer her.)

To be fair, our Corcovado guide was one of the best we’ve had in CR. The Scarlet Macaws were fantastic. The food at the Defin was prepared well, despite representing little of what I might have chosen to eat. And the dolphin experience was tremendous.

In the end, nearly every “surprise” at the Delfin was a disappointment and every matter of convenience was decided in the way that would maximize profit. This resort packaged a penny-pinching approach and lack of upkeep as some sort of Naturalistic Minimalism. I bought it, but I hope you don't.

Wow, Wow, Wow....the lump in my throat and the chills that I get every time I think about my stay at the Delfin Armor Eco Lodge at Drake Bay in Costa Rica do not cease. I was wondering if my trip there in Jan. this year could be beat. I couldn't wait to take my girlfriends back to find out, which is what I did July 4th 2006. I'm glad to say that words would not justify the awesome expeirence that I had. I don't even know where to begin except to say "GO" and see for yourself because if you don't you're missing out.

The lodge is a beautiful piece of Gods art that has just about every plant, flower, bird and creature of the rain forest for your pleasure and entertainment. There's many things to do there and we took full advantage of them all. That includes the awesome beaches with the most unbelievable sunrises and sunsets. The pristine oceans will make anyone truly know that heaven does exist on earth with again many creatures that will bring tears to your eyes and take your breath away because of their beauty. This includes many different species of dolphins that do their jumps & flips a few feet from your boat to the humpback whale that decided he wanted to spend at least a couple of hours with us just blowing his spout, flipping his tail, raising his head & fins and breaching just feet from us.

The trip wouldn't have been what it was even with all of this if it hadn't been for the friendliest, laid back and yet very professional staff that was always there to be of service. From always having the cleanest of rooms to catering to our daily needs and routine. The tour guides were the best with very interesting and educational information. I guess the only thing else would be how good the food was. Yes, depending on what time of year you go it can be hot or it can rain, but I've never had that be an issue. If that's something that matters to you then just ask questions before you go as far as what the best time of year might be and then hope mother nature is on your side but again everything else will take your mind off such small issues.

The whole trip was very affordable and worth every penny, easy to make reservations and easy to get to. I could literally go on and on and on. You're just not going to get anything but "two thumbs" up from this nature/dolphin lover kinda girl. My next destination? Need you ask? I can tell you this...Dreams Do Come True and I still have a smile on my face. From Austin, Texas. See you soon Delfin Amor Eco Lodge! Until then - Pura Vida!

Arriving at the site was an adventure in itself. We were driven across three rivers due to washed out bridges. The last foot of the journey involved getting in and out of the boat in the water - no dock facilities. The cabins are small but generally neat and clean, however the electricity is intermittent. We had no lights or warm water for two days.

If you are on a diet this is a good place to go. The meals are good but very light and mostly vegetarian which we did not expect from the information given on the website. Because this is the rainy season we got totally drenched during each outing. There was no means of getting clothing or shoes dry and no offers of extra towels from the management. Roy, the guide, however was very knowledgeable and genuinely helpful. We saw a good number of dolphins but no whales or other marine life and the sea was too rough for snorkeling. Corcovado N.P. was good.

Our family just completed an amazing adventure to Costa Rica and Delfin Amor, so we are all contributing to this review. From start to finish, it was an amazing trip - we loved our jungle arrival (tiny plane to jeep to boat), the beautiful scenery, the incredibly friendly staff and knowledgeable tour guides, the awesome food, our fellow guests, and our exciting daily adventures.
From our 9-year-old son: I loved Delfin Amor so much. It was the best vacation I’ve ever had in my life (I loved it even more than our trip to Disneyworld). There was lots of animals you could see around the lodge including capuchin monkeys, scarlet macaws, toucans, blue morpho butterflies, and there is a sloth that lives around there but I never saw it. The dolphin tour was one of my favorite things we did there. I loved to see all the dolphins do spectacular tricks and jump into the air. And anyone would enjoy a nice relaxing day at Cano Island. You can go snorkeling there, and the only thing that was not relaxing was hiking up a steep hill. But the reward for doing that was a superb view of the ocean. I also enjoyed going to Corcovado Rainforest and seeing all the wildlife. The food was probably the best food I’ve ever tasted in my life. If you are a vegetarian you would die if you didn't taste it. Any kid or adult would definitely love to go to Delfin Amor.
From our 5-year-old daughter: My favorite part was the canopy tour and swimming in the waterfall on the hike through Corcovado National Park. And my other favorite part was going on the dolphin tour. I liked the snapper fish and it was really nice that the cook made macaroni and cheese and french fries for the kids. I loved feeding a banana to the cute monkeys but I did not like the bully monkey.
From my husband: This place is so unique and peaceful that it allows you to really enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Although we were busy all day long and fascinated by the surroundings you never felt hurried or tired. You can literally feel the stress leave your body as the days progressed. Swimming with dolphins, touring the miracles of the rainforest, and quietly observing unusual forms of wildlife is what this trip is all about. The unexpected treasures consisted of the delicious food and the friendly staff - those two things together with the nature provided a package that was far beyond my wildest dreams. If you're petty and pessimistic you could focus on some rustic features that would distract you from the beauty of this place. But I’ve never been to a place that blended simplicity with elegance so perfectly. Riding the horses on the beach was one of my favorite parts, and topping that off with swimming in a secluded waterfall was the kind of fun you can't find just anywhere. Watching my children's sheer delight over the wildlife and beautiful scenery was so fulfilling. Life's journey is not complete until you've taken a trip to Delfin Amor!