We spent 17 days in Costa Rica but Jinetes de Osa was our absolute favorite. We spent 6 days at this location & were very sad to leave. They provided excellent tours with amazing guides. Rolando & his brother were determined to find as much wildlife as possible while sharing information about the area. In Corcovado among other things we managed to see 3 of 4 species of monkeys (we had already seen the howlers), bull sharks swimming at the river mouth, crocs basking in the sunshine, numerous scarlet macaws, peccary, and our favorite the tapir that even came up to check us out, gently sniffing my daughter's boyfriend. We had equally good luck with the snorkeling as well as the whale & dolphin tour with Shawn a marine biologist. It was breathtaking to spend the day with dolphins jumping & frolicking as far as the eye could see. Claudio the bartender / waiter was an absolute gem. He took such pride in setting up beautiful tables for dinner & his service was top notch. After a long day's adventure he would surprize my daughter & me with a different but delicious drink upon our return. The food was great & more than we could eat. There was always cookies or ice cream if you wanted a little something to snack on, but my favorite was the freshly baked bread every day. . Monkeys would make an appearance to steal your cream & sugar as a pot of fresh coffee was left outside your door every morning before breakfast. The kids enjoyed spending time in the hammocks as well as visiting with the staff & other guests. The rooms were clean & comfortable with a ceiling fan to keep the rooms comfortable. Everyone of the staff made us feel at home with many of them going above & beyond to meet our needs. We were a party of two 54 year olds with our 24 year old daughter & her 24 year old boyfriend.

Jinetes de Osa is an unspoiled lodge with good food and excellent service in an outstanding location. Owner Greg is an expat who has been running the lodge for the last 11 years and his experience shows in his choice of friendly staff and knowledgeable guides. The fresh bread at every family-style meal is a big plus for hungry people coming back from a day of snorkeling or hiking! Guests while we were staying there, included a honeymooning Costa Rican couple, some Europeans and several couples from the US. It was a diverse crowd and everyone had a very relaxing vacation getting away from it all - it is as active as you want it to be with daily tours to dive, snorkel, hike, zipline and bird/animal watching. The only thing to be aware of is that it is a lodge, not a hotel, so if you are looking for hotel amenities you will need to pay twice as much for the larger hotels twenty minutes away. Jinetes has a perfect view, lush surroundings and is so unspoiled that at night you can't see any other lights from around the bay. While we were there, whitefaced monkeys were playing on the roof of the lookout deck, with macaws just down the beach. A perfect getaway for people who want to be off the beaten track but still enjoy good food and experienced guides.

Just got back from 6 glorious days and nights at Jinetes de Osa, and had the most relaxing and rejuvenating vacation we've had in years. Everything about our stay was perfect for us. The staff was attentive and responsive, but never in the way; the meals were fresh and delicious; our fellow guests were easygoing and interesting, which made the family-style meals very enjoyable; the room was comfortable and bright; and the hammocks in the balcony above the bar provided a great spot to read, sip a cerveza, or nap after a day diving or hiking. We spent three days just lying on the beach, two days at Isla Cano (I dove while my wife snorkeled), a day hiking in Corcovado with the hotel's salaried guide--and we did the famous Night Tour with the "Bug Lady." We'd recommend any and all of these activities.

Is there a possible downside to Jinetes for some travelers? It's not a luxury resort--no massages, hot tubs, or midnight buffets--and it's remote. I think my three teenage sons would have gotten bored after about three days without television, telephones (my cell got a signal, but I turned it off), or video games--but they were back home, looked after by their grandparents! The remote location was just what my wife and I wanted; we enjoyed the perfect romantic getaway in as beautiful a beachside setting as we've ever experienced. Kudos to a great staff, led by Alexis, Dana, Paulina, Claudio, and Ronaldo, for a great vacation--we'll be back!

Our stay in Drake Bay exceeded our expectations. The area is wonderful and the staff, especially Alexis, made sure that all our needs were met. This is great place to stay and relax, away from the crowds, as long as you are not expecting 5 star luxury!