Mar y Selva Ecolodge
Costanera Sur Highway Marker Km 170 go 500 south and 1100east, Ballena 60504 Costa Rica
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About
4.5
#2 of 3 lodges in BallenaLocation
4.4
Rooms
4.4
Value
4.3
Cleanliness
4.5
Service
4.5
Sleep Quality
4.7
Eco-style elegance! Mar y Selva Ecolodge is immersion in the jungle with all the comforts of home. Close to pristine beaches including Punta Uvita - famous Moses Pass and Whale’s Tail; Semi-Olympic pool, and personalized service. We overlook the Ballena Marine National Park; near Corcovado National Park; Caño Island Biological Reserve; the mangroves of the Sierpe and Terraba Rivers, Manuel Antonio National Park and several waterfalls, including Nauyaca Falls.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Pool
Free breakfast
Non-smoking hotel
Room features
Air conditioning
Safe
Coffee / tea maker
Refrigerator
Bath / shower
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish, Portuguese
Location
Costanera Sur Highway Marker Km 170 go 500 south and 1100east, Ballena 60504 Costa Rica
Getting there
89 Restaurants
within 5 miles
109Reviews3Q+A11Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
The eco-lodge is situated on a hill, surrounded by unspoiled nature and has a very nice view of the ocean. It is a very peacefull place often visited by local animals, yet it is very safe because there are no dangerous animals around. You can leave your window open all night and wake up to the sounds of nature which is a great experience & start to every day! The pool is unique in the area, it is clean and has magnificent views surrounding it. Each morning you can enjoy the breathtaking view while having a fresh organic breakfast in the eating area of the main building. The bungalows are nice, roomy and clean. Each has a large private balcony where you can enjoy your evening wine and relax. The bungalows have a large tub,tv, a/c, safe, fridge, closet area and hair drier to fit all your needs/preferences. The owner, Martha, is willing to help you in any way possible. She helped us pick and schedule many great tours in the area. You need to have a 4x4 to safely travel around since all the side roads are curvy, bumpy unpavaed and often steep. You need your own transportation if you want to experience anything outside the lodge and there are many wonderful places you dont want to miss out. The lodge provides complimentary breakfast but does not provide lunch and dinner. This is another reason you should come with a 4x4, and the area is rich in a great variety of restaurants and bars and there are also two grocery stores cca 7 miles away. The lodge also has a safe gated parking area. There are many local beaches which a are truly unspoiled. Most of the beaches are a part of the national park and charge a $6 entrance fee and provide safe parking. Our experience of the Uvita beach was spectacular and worth the entrance fee, one day we walked for three hours along the beach and didn't meet a single person. But on the weekends it gets bussier. There are also free public beaches which don't provide parking but you can walk to them from the lodge which is a mile away. The eco-lodge is a safe jungle retreat, great for romance, advanture, or family vacation. The staff and the owner are very nice people who will make your stay very pleasent. Highly recommended! :)
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Date of stay: April 2011Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We found this wonderful secluded Eco Lodge when looking for a place to stay along the Pacific coast for a couple of nights before heading to the Osa Peninsula. It is a wonderful gem hidden off the main highway by about a mile into the forest but still has wonderful views and is far enough away from the highway so you do not get any traffic noise. The cabins are spacious, bright, clean, modern and have A/C. If you are looking for a quiet retreat in a beautiful setting with great hosts then you need to visit Mar y Selva. We loved our short stay there and wished we could have stayed longer.
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Date of stay: February 2015Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mar Y Selva is a wonderful resort! The Osa peninsula area is much more laid back than the northwest area (Tamarindo). It is quite, serene, beautiful, great ocean views, minutes from great restaurants. There is an olympic size pool, 10 private bungalows, breakfast included. The monkeys come through on a regular basis, tons of birds, lots of wildlife. It is about 1 km from the ocean with surfing, kayaking, swimming, whale watches (one of only 2 places on earth with 2 whale seasons each year!!), mountain biking, hiking, fishing in stocked lakes, rivers or deep sea, or just relax and soak in the ambience!!
Martha, the owner is a great hostess and a vivacious little wealth of information on the area and sustainability. They recycle EVERYTHING ... they even have their own worm farm to recycle newspaper and food scraps to make their own dirt!!
The resort would be an awesome spot for a destination wedding with the lodge and 10 private bungalows you could all stay in one spot and enjoy the time but still have privacy!
I would stay there again in a heartbeat!
Martha, the owner is a great hostess and a vivacious little wealth of information on the area and sustainability. They recycle EVERYTHING ... they even have their own worm farm to recycle newspaper and food scraps to make their own dirt!!
The resort would be an awesome spot for a destination wedding with the lodge and 10 private bungalows you could all stay in one spot and enjoy the time but still have privacy!
I would stay there again in a heartbeat!
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Date of stay: July 2010Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were ever so disappointed in room #9. This bungalow hasn't been updated for years! The shower was terrible. Water from the shower head squirted all over, the toilet leaked, the toilet handle was broken, bugs in the window sills, sliding glass door was dirty, no glasses or cups. Needs painting & total update for the terrible price they made us pay. The A/C worked off & on, had to have maintenance reset the A/C. Not a good experience & couldn't wait to check out. The path to out room was awful. You have to be really careful as to not trip.
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Date of stay: December 2015Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What we learned: when it's the only or last place with availability for travel over the peak holiday week, there's a reason.
We liked the remote location, wild life (monkeys, birds, butterflies), the view and the quality of the food we had; both the fresh fruit for breakfast and the vegetarian Indian food at dinner.
What we didn't like were the contradictions, thin towels, thin walls, no electricity twice, incongruent information, excessively chlorinated pool, demanding requests for cash for dinners and excursions after arrival, and our experience of passive-aggressive behavior from the guy in charge.
If you go, I recommend taking your own 4WD transportation. We had no vehicle and it was regrettable. Our taxi to the place literally could not make it up the steep hill... well, it would have since he got as far as he did, but there is this one place in the road that made it impossible for a regular Toyota yaris to conquer. The hotel staff came half way down to meet us, do the bag swap and drive us up the rest of the way backwards on the narrow road.
Deepak (Not the owner of the hotel, but self-described as the owner of the Restaurant) was very helpful via multiple emails in setting up our stay, organizing our tours & the driver back to the airport. During the planning time, we knew we would need to switch rooms due to their holiday schedule as we got the last room available. However, since I know that people and plans change, when we arrived, and since it affects how we unpack, I specifically asked him if we would still need to relocate or not. He said we would not. Two nights later, a friend of theirs who was staying at the property and "helping them out" came to our room at bedtime to tell us we needed to have all our things out in the morning as we would have to go another place... it was not just another room on the property, it was to an entirely different property. It would have been nice to have phones in the room to communicate this instead of having someone show up at our door unexpectedly, when we were in pjs or less.
When I made an effort to understand Deepaks's incongruency the next morning, I was met with a very argumentative spirit, ignoring his own error in telling me upon arrival that we would not have to move, simply & angrily citing the emails telling us we'd have to relocate. We didn't care about having to move, we booked late and are flexible. We simply want accurate & congruent communication and don't like being told one thing one day, planning accordingly, then being argued with as a person dances around their error when I seek to understand what happened. He could have simply said, "oops, I made a mistake." Trying to make sense out of non-sense was my mistake.
So that day, since we were going on an excursion, we very reluctantly left our belongings in his office which I observed was often left unsecured, and with no safe for our few valuables (wallets/passports). We were left with no other choice because the other place wasn't ready as early as we needed to leave. Deepak was clearly disturbed and demonstrated this by bringing us half the amount of fruit for breakfast as he did the previous morning. He argued about this too and when we asked for papaya, seeing it left over as trash from other people's plates, he told us they didn't have any that day.
We should have figured this place was going to warrant a story since our first night there struck us odd as the contradiction regarding the term "Ecolodge" emerged . We came with grander ideas as Raw food was mentioned and other than fruit, only one soup was offered as raw. If you want to be Eco-friendly, why are you serving carcass? ($ is always the answer ) And using paper napkins?
We enjoyed our delicious vegetarian/vegan Indian food surrounded by the curious Christmas lights (eco-friendly?) and music which drowned out the sounds of nature; the monkeys and birds.
The pool was so chlorinated-smelling, we had no desire to swim, even at the hottest time of day. The heavy use of a highly toxic chemical, chlorine, at an "eco lodge" is also a big contradiction to us. Clearly we had no idea what "Eco lodge" really meant. It seems the requirement to be an eco lodge is to recycle and to put notices out about washing your towels if they're on the floor or hang them up if you wish to reuse... same as anywhere. The towels were well used, paper thin and rough as I recalled from a desperate one-time stay in a Motel 6 over 20 years ago.
Both mornings we were up for breakfast, there was someone smoking. One went "outside the gate" and the smell still drifted in to the eating area and the other person was just outside the open-air eating area. The No Smoking on premises advertised on the web site was one of the primary draws for us so this was quite disappointing. Yes, the helping friend told the 2nd person to move or stop smoking after we pointed it out, but that misses the point. Just another contradiction.
In fact, the girl who was staying there and helping, was the person who was the most friendly and helpful in our experience. We didn't use any of the massage or spa services mainly because we want to pay Costa Rican prices when in Costa Rica. I can get my $90-$120+ massage in the US anywhere, anytime.
The electric going out isn't their fault, of course... it made for a nice candle lit dinner with limited options and melted ice cream, just the way we like it! Being able to easily hear the conversations through the walls of our room, as if we're in the living room with the couple and their small and vocal child, was not ideal either so we were quite glad to move. (And we liked Many's House much better.)
One excursion day, we were apparently on our own to get to the location but didn't know it. There was a French family that had their own 4WD and going to a very nearby location. Deepak asked them if we could join them. They were very kind and took us, 2 of us sitting half on laps of others. (And no one was over weight!) It just wasn't right or fair to the French folks... or us that the transportation wasn't organized or that we weren't told that this was an issue before.
Another thing that came up that was not mentioned before arriving is regarding cash. Deepak was no less than demanding, arguing and insistent the 3rd day into our trip that we bring him cash to pay for the excursions, 2 dinners and transportation to the airport. He offered to take us to an ATM and described in detail how the hotel business charges and the complications with charging these other items although they have a completely separate business and charge machine for doing so. On the morning we returned from the other property to settle our bill for the 4 nights, we agreed to pay cash for the driver and stood our ground for charging meals and excursions, not trusting his motives for some reason.
The morning of departure, Deepak also told us of another incident with a group of travelers who didn't want to pay their dinner bill, thinking the food was part of their deal. So he described the event and told us that all those people ended up leaving and that because they didn't stay, we could have ended up staying there the whole time after all... (but we were SO grateful that didn't happen as we wouldn't have wanted to.) To us, his experience with the group is no surprise given the communication skill set that needs much improvement, both on the web site and in person.
There was clearly tension between Deepak, Irma, the spa gal and their helping friend; all this going on in front of a couple who said they are friends with the owner who lives in VA/D.C. area. The tension was such that even the helping friend wanted to leave and nearly did so, on the spot, as we offered her a ride back to San Jose with us as we had plenty of room and understanding of her plight.
The place definitely has potential... but that's not what we look for when choosing a place. A peaceful, tranquil Eco Lodge, it was not., a Drama Lodge or Contradiction Lodge, yes. After this experience, we even joked about forgetting about the environment altogether and sticking to the comfort and kindness at the big chains!
We liked the remote location, wild life (monkeys, birds, butterflies), the view and the quality of the food we had; both the fresh fruit for breakfast and the vegetarian Indian food at dinner.
What we didn't like were the contradictions, thin towels, thin walls, no electricity twice, incongruent information, excessively chlorinated pool, demanding requests for cash for dinners and excursions after arrival, and our experience of passive-aggressive behavior from the guy in charge.
If you go, I recommend taking your own 4WD transportation. We had no vehicle and it was regrettable. Our taxi to the place literally could not make it up the steep hill... well, it would have since he got as far as he did, but there is this one place in the road that made it impossible for a regular Toyota yaris to conquer. The hotel staff came half way down to meet us, do the bag swap and drive us up the rest of the way backwards on the narrow road.
Deepak (Not the owner of the hotel, but self-described as the owner of the Restaurant) was very helpful via multiple emails in setting up our stay, organizing our tours & the driver back to the airport. During the planning time, we knew we would need to switch rooms due to their holiday schedule as we got the last room available. However, since I know that people and plans change, when we arrived, and since it affects how we unpack, I specifically asked him if we would still need to relocate or not. He said we would not. Two nights later, a friend of theirs who was staying at the property and "helping them out" came to our room at bedtime to tell us we needed to have all our things out in the morning as we would have to go another place... it was not just another room on the property, it was to an entirely different property. It would have been nice to have phones in the room to communicate this instead of having someone show up at our door unexpectedly, when we were in pjs or less.
When I made an effort to understand Deepaks's incongruency the next morning, I was met with a very argumentative spirit, ignoring his own error in telling me upon arrival that we would not have to move, simply & angrily citing the emails telling us we'd have to relocate. We didn't care about having to move, we booked late and are flexible. We simply want accurate & congruent communication and don't like being told one thing one day, planning accordingly, then being argued with as a person dances around their error when I seek to understand what happened. He could have simply said, "oops, I made a mistake." Trying to make sense out of non-sense was my mistake.
So that day, since we were going on an excursion, we very reluctantly left our belongings in his office which I observed was often left unsecured, and with no safe for our few valuables (wallets/passports). We were left with no other choice because the other place wasn't ready as early as we needed to leave. Deepak was clearly disturbed and demonstrated this by bringing us half the amount of fruit for breakfast as he did the previous morning. He argued about this too and when we asked for papaya, seeing it left over as trash from other people's plates, he told us they didn't have any that day.
We should have figured this place was going to warrant a story since our first night there struck us odd as the contradiction regarding the term "Ecolodge" emerged . We came with grander ideas as Raw food was mentioned and other than fruit, only one soup was offered as raw. If you want to be Eco-friendly, why are you serving carcass? ($ is always the answer ) And using paper napkins?
We enjoyed our delicious vegetarian/vegan Indian food surrounded by the curious Christmas lights (eco-friendly?) and music which drowned out the sounds of nature; the monkeys and birds.
The pool was so chlorinated-smelling, we had no desire to swim, even at the hottest time of day. The heavy use of a highly toxic chemical, chlorine, at an "eco lodge" is also a big contradiction to us. Clearly we had no idea what "Eco lodge" really meant. It seems the requirement to be an eco lodge is to recycle and to put notices out about washing your towels if they're on the floor or hang them up if you wish to reuse... same as anywhere. The towels were well used, paper thin and rough as I recalled from a desperate one-time stay in a Motel 6 over 20 years ago.
Both mornings we were up for breakfast, there was someone smoking. One went "outside the gate" and the smell still drifted in to the eating area and the other person was just outside the open-air eating area. The No Smoking on premises advertised on the web site was one of the primary draws for us so this was quite disappointing. Yes, the helping friend told the 2nd person to move or stop smoking after we pointed it out, but that misses the point. Just another contradiction.
In fact, the girl who was staying there and helping, was the person who was the most friendly and helpful in our experience. We didn't use any of the massage or spa services mainly because we want to pay Costa Rican prices when in Costa Rica. I can get my $90-$120+ massage in the US anywhere, anytime.
The electric going out isn't their fault, of course... it made for a nice candle lit dinner with limited options and melted ice cream, just the way we like it! Being able to easily hear the conversations through the walls of our room, as if we're in the living room with the couple and their small and vocal child, was not ideal either so we were quite glad to move. (And we liked Many's House much better.)
One excursion day, we were apparently on our own to get to the location but didn't know it. There was a French family that had their own 4WD and going to a very nearby location. Deepak asked them if we could join them. They were very kind and took us, 2 of us sitting half on laps of others. (And no one was over weight!) It just wasn't right or fair to the French folks... or us that the transportation wasn't organized or that we weren't told that this was an issue before.
Another thing that came up that was not mentioned before arriving is regarding cash. Deepak was no less than demanding, arguing and insistent the 3rd day into our trip that we bring him cash to pay for the excursions, 2 dinners and transportation to the airport. He offered to take us to an ATM and described in detail how the hotel business charges and the complications with charging these other items although they have a completely separate business and charge machine for doing so. On the morning we returned from the other property to settle our bill for the 4 nights, we agreed to pay cash for the driver and stood our ground for charging meals and excursions, not trusting his motives for some reason.
The morning of departure, Deepak also told us of another incident with a group of travelers who didn't want to pay their dinner bill, thinking the food was part of their deal. So he described the event and told us that all those people ended up leaving and that because they didn't stay, we could have ended up staying there the whole time after all... (but we were SO grateful that didn't happen as we wouldn't have wanted to.) To us, his experience with the group is no surprise given the communication skill set that needs much improvement, both on the web site and in person.
There was clearly tension between Deepak, Irma, the spa gal and their helping friend; all this going on in front of a couple who said they are friends with the owner who lives in VA/D.C. area. The tension was such that even the helping friend wanted to leave and nearly did so, on the spot, as we offered her a ride back to San Jose with us as we had plenty of room and understanding of her plight.
The place definitely has potential... but that's not what we look for when choosing a place. A peaceful, tranquil Eco Lodge, it was not., a Drama Lodge or Contradiction Lodge, yes. After this experience, we even joked about forgetting about the environment altogether and sticking to the comfort and kindness at the big chains!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2009Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from buelita2, Owner at Mar y Selva Ecolodge
Responded Feb 22, 2010
Mar y Selva Ecolodge has been known for going out of its way to please its customers. We regret that you did not find the accommodations to your liking. What you found here is correct – we are surrounded by wildlife and provide good food. The towels we use are the Deluxe Klassic brand which are not thin but are not as plush as you may find in a five star resort, our walls are not insulated but are standard code for any home, and six of our rooms are individual bungalows two are double bungalows. The walls separate the room from the outdoors; the pool is kept at the Ministry of Health’s mandatory health level of 3 and is always allowed to lower to less than one when a backwash is needed, thus the water that re-enters the environment is not harmful to the environment. You may walk all over our 8 acres of land and you will not find any harm to the vegetation surrounding us. The excursions and tours that our guests take are not provided by the hotel, and each tour operator expects payment directly from the client. We are not involved in anything other than arranging the reservations as a courtesy to our clients. We act as your concierge. The restaurant is rented out to a well known Indian Chef (whom you commended for his excellent food) and his policy of cash only payment is not unusual for many restaurants in the area. The napkins he uses are non-chlorinated 90% recycled paper. Our Administrative Office and all the bungalows have each a Safe. The Administrative Office is often used to keep luggage for our clients and it is locked at all times if not occupied by our staff. As to our Christmas lights – we do use them around Christmas and we are the only Ecolodge in the area that has purchased enough trees to be carbon neutral for 2009-2010. We are efficient with our use of our resources, give discounts to clients who don't use the air conditioning, we refuse to use articles that increase wastage or contamination of our environment, we reduce the use of resources, we reuse most articles and fix things rather than replace them when possible, and recycle all our glass, metal, aluminum, cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and plastic bags and encourage all our customers to do the same. We conserve water and have the only LaundryPur washing system in Costa Rica to avoid putting soap into the surrounding forest. Our spa services are priced competitively with all the surrounding hotels and they are excellent and often used by the locals of the area. We do in fact recommend a 4x4 vehicle in our literature as well as in our letter of confirmation of all reservations. I am glad that the hotel staff came to your rescue when your vehicle failed to make it up the hill. We regret that we fell short of your expectations and wish you well. We apologize for the staff’s behavior and have provided guidance to them as to how to handle difficult situations in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Owners are very involved not on good way, treat guests as they are there to take stuff from them....not good vibe! We paid for 1 night in advance and did not stay there, lost our money.
Go to Cristal Ballena it is a beautiful place.
Go to Cristal Ballena it is a beautiful place.
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Date of stay: July 2010Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from buelita2, Owner at Mar y Selva Ecolodge
Responded Jul 20, 2010
Our clients come first. This couple signed in during a heavy rain storm. I offered them time at the restaurant to wait it out so I could take them to their room. They ordered a beer and juice. Then the lady lit up a cigarette. I asked her to extinguish it - which she did. All of our materials indicate we are a non smoking establishment. They chose to leave without paying for their drinks. I made sure that their lost luggage was taken to the Cristal Ballena Hotel 1 kilometer down the road so they would not be inconvenienced the next morning. Their baggage was supposed to have been delivered at out hotel. The were within the hotel area no more than 20 minutes.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
So, this review needs a preface. I can certainly see how this place would be a great vacation for some. The property is beautiful, the rooms are very nice, and the view from the Ecolodge is one of the best in the world. If you are looking to sit by a nice pool in the sun, enjoy. That being said, there were some significant problems with our trip that may make this a place to skip when planning your next trip to Costa Rica.
The Ecolodge is very remote. The small towns nearby are about 8km either direction - a rental car or numerous taxi rides will be required for your stay. The Ecolodge is about 1km straight up (not exaggerating) the side of a mountain, so be sure that if you are renting a car, it is a manual transmission with four-wheel drive. If you are not in pretty good shape, then walking up or down the mountain is out of the question. The owner did offer to drop us off at the beach or a few other places, and also offered to rent us bicycles for $30 each per day... almost as much as the rooms cost.
The tours booked through the Ecolodge are questionable and expensive. We signed up for what was sold as a half-day snorkeling package and got on the boat at about 930am. At 1230pm, we had yet to get in the water. Turns out, it was a half-day snorkeling AND whale-watching tour. Since we actually did see whales and dolphins, it was nice, but the snorkeling was relatively poor and much shorter than we had expected. Also, we had a very serious issue when trying to book a SCUBA tour. The owner of the Ecolodge made a few calls and told us that no one was running SCUBA tours because of high waves and a boat had recently capsized. However, in checking with each and every SCUBA shop we came across while exploring the area, none of them had heard anything of the sort and would have been glad to take us out. With the limited time we had at the Ecolodge, we missed our chance to SCUBA because of the misinformation. It is strongly recommended that you book all of your own tours without the assistance of the Ecolodge.
The meal options might not be suitable. Breakfast is fine, served buffet-style with fruit, bread, and coffee. Other items like eggs and hot cereal were available a la carte. Lunch and dinner are served at a specific time, with reservations required at the beginning of the day. Portions are very small - in fact, when I was being served my first lunch, the owner took a look at my plate as she was delivering it to my table and returned shortly with about half the portion she was originally carrying. The food was good, but simple, and expensive. Lunch is $10 per plate, dinner is $15. That is more than you would pay for just about any meal at local restaurants. On our last night, the owner joked with us that she was tired of cooking and asked if we were eating out. Our group plus the other group sitting with us were pretty much on our own for dinner that night. If you are expecting an order-off-a-menu type restaurant with service when you are ready to eat, you will not find it at the Ecolodge.
Finally, we had some issues with the management and operations of the hotel. At breakfast one morning, we asked politely for our room not to be cleaned. When travelling, especially internationally, we pretty much have the "do not disturb" sign on the door from our arrival to departure. However, we were told, rather sternly, that our rooms would be cleaned each day whether we wanted them to be or not. The owner also told me about a guest that had stayed recently that she charged for towels that were extra dirty because they had mopped the floor with them. She prided herself on only using eco-friendly detergent without bleach, and said the towels were ruined to her. Number one, I don't need to hear badmouthing of other guests by the owner. Number two, I started to wipe up a water spill on the bathroom floor and it was filthy. Not wanting to pay for my towel, I let it be. So either the "forced housekeeping" needs to be done better or the owner needs to get some dark-colored towels.
The Ecolodge is attempting to be a resort, but turns out more like a motel. The restaurant could have been a big plus, but was lacking. The tours could have provided a great variety of activities, but they were lacking. Above all, the isolated location of the Ecolodge could amplify those and any other issues you may have. We will not return to the Ecolodge.
The Ecolodge is very remote. The small towns nearby are about 8km either direction - a rental car or numerous taxi rides will be required for your stay. The Ecolodge is about 1km straight up (not exaggerating) the side of a mountain, so be sure that if you are renting a car, it is a manual transmission with four-wheel drive. If you are not in pretty good shape, then walking up or down the mountain is out of the question. The owner did offer to drop us off at the beach or a few other places, and also offered to rent us bicycles for $30 each per day... almost as much as the rooms cost.
The tours booked through the Ecolodge are questionable and expensive. We signed up for what was sold as a half-day snorkeling package and got on the boat at about 930am. At 1230pm, we had yet to get in the water. Turns out, it was a half-day snorkeling AND whale-watching tour. Since we actually did see whales and dolphins, it was nice, but the snorkeling was relatively poor and much shorter than we had expected. Also, we had a very serious issue when trying to book a SCUBA tour. The owner of the Ecolodge made a few calls and told us that no one was running SCUBA tours because of high waves and a boat had recently capsized. However, in checking with each and every SCUBA shop we came across while exploring the area, none of them had heard anything of the sort and would have been glad to take us out. With the limited time we had at the Ecolodge, we missed our chance to SCUBA because of the misinformation. It is strongly recommended that you book all of your own tours without the assistance of the Ecolodge.
The meal options might not be suitable. Breakfast is fine, served buffet-style with fruit, bread, and coffee. Other items like eggs and hot cereal were available a la carte. Lunch and dinner are served at a specific time, with reservations required at the beginning of the day. Portions are very small - in fact, when I was being served my first lunch, the owner took a look at my plate as she was delivering it to my table and returned shortly with about half the portion she was originally carrying. The food was good, but simple, and expensive. Lunch is $10 per plate, dinner is $15. That is more than you would pay for just about any meal at local restaurants. On our last night, the owner joked with us that she was tired of cooking and asked if we were eating out. Our group plus the other group sitting with us were pretty much on our own for dinner that night. If you are expecting an order-off-a-menu type restaurant with service when you are ready to eat, you will not find it at the Ecolodge.
Finally, we had some issues with the management and operations of the hotel. At breakfast one morning, we asked politely for our room not to be cleaned. When travelling, especially internationally, we pretty much have the "do not disturb" sign on the door from our arrival to departure. However, we were told, rather sternly, that our rooms would be cleaned each day whether we wanted them to be or not. The owner also told me about a guest that had stayed recently that she charged for towels that were extra dirty because they had mopped the floor with them. She prided herself on only using eco-friendly detergent without bleach, and said the towels were ruined to her. Number one, I don't need to hear badmouthing of other guests by the owner. Number two, I started to wipe up a water spill on the bathroom floor and it was filthy. Not wanting to pay for my towel, I let it be. So either the "forced housekeeping" needs to be done better or the owner needs to get some dark-colored towels.
The Ecolodge is attempting to be a resort, but turns out more like a motel. The restaurant could have been a big plus, but was lacking. The tours could have provided a great variety of activities, but they were lacking. Above all, the isolated location of the Ecolodge could amplify those and any other issues you may have. We will not return to the Ecolodge.
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Date of stay: December 2008Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check in / front desk
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
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Response from mibuelita, Owner/Manager at Mar y Selva Ecolodge
Responded Jan 5, 2009
Although I regret that our client was not completely satisfied despite our efforts, I feel compelled to respond to the following: 1. We use 3 reputable tour operators for Whale and Dolphin Watching and snorkeling tours. They are independently owned and operated and the hotel simply looks for their reputation of safety and knowledgeable bilingual staff. They set their own prices independent of any hotel, and each client accepts the price prior to using their services. 2. On December 13th, 2008, Crocodive Diving’s boat capsized and sank. The divers on board were not harmed and were rescued. When I called them for diving reservations, they responded that they would not have a new boat until February 2009. The sea had been very choppy due to unusually heavy rains at the end of November and the other major diving company – Mystic Dive Center – said they would not take any divers out until the end of December as a matter of safety. There are diving companies further south in Osa and also closer to Manuel Antonio in Central Pacific, but these are your best in the area and I listen to them for safety. Two other tour operators offer diving in the area but have not offered the safety or PADI experience of the two we use. The client was free to call other companies while here and did not choose to do so. 3. Meals at a local restaurant when you include the generous amount of juice and desert included in our prices are actually more expensive. We used organic produce and home made ingredients. Due to the fact that our costs were higher than our revenue, we no longer offer meals outside of breakfast. The client was free to eat at any local restaurant of his choice, and many clients who come without vehicles regularly use a taxi to dine out. The fact that he chose an ecolodge while arriving by bus was his personal choice and we tried our best to accommodate his needs by providing some basic transportation at no cost. It was a well known fact that we do not have an open restaurant and the client insisted on meals for most days at the ecolodge. 4. Whenever a client asks for the room not to be cleaned, it is not cleaned. Fresh towels are offered as requested. We were not bad mouthing another client, although I apologize for the interpretation of a comment that the towels should not be used for mopping floors and that we would be happy to mop the floors at any time should that be required because of mud or sand brought in by the clients. The floors were dirty because they were not cleaned per client’s request. A Do Not Disturb sign will be added to each room. 5. If 4-5 miles from a town with full services is too far when looking for an Ecolodge surrounded by nature with rich flora and fauna everywhere, then an Ecolodge is a poor choice for this vacation client. Although we have facilities for wheel chair access – and happily will provide care for those requiring special assistance, we are clearly an Ecolodge in the middle of the jungle and a certain level of fitness is required to enjoy all our facilities. 6. We do not call ourselves a “Resort” – we are an Ecolodge attempting to provide the best service possible while respecting nature and doing our best to not contaminate it with our presence.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our room was very nice and clean. The walkway down to the rooms is fairly steep but doable as long as you don't have mobility issues. The breakfasts are prepared fresh, no steam table stuff, and they asked what time we would like to have it served. Although the staff did not speak English we communicated just fine using the Google translate on our phones, The pool is huge but they were working on it so we were unable to take advantage of it. My only complaint is that the safe in our room was unusable because a previous guest had kept the key and they didn't have another one. We don't like just leaving money and passports in our room or having to carry it all with us if we want to go somewhere. It wasn't as big of a deal since we were the only two guests and there is always staff present. We thought about having them move us to another room that had a working safe but many of the other rooms had the same issue.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just got back from an absolutely amazing vacation at the Mar y Selva Ecolodge! We had a large group and plenty of space. The bungalows were all clean and well maintained. My AC worked so well that I had to turn it off at times. The pool was a great way to be welcomed to the lodge.
Our staff are top rate as they cooked several meals for us and took care of our rooms on a daily basis. If you want a place to enjoy nature, relax, and be treated like family, this is the place to come.
Our staff are top rate as they cooked several meals for us and took care of our rooms on a daily basis. If you want a place to enjoy nature, relax, and be treated like family, this is the place to come.
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Date of stay: June 2016Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amazing getaway location with a beautiful view of the Pacific Coast. The staff is incredibly friendly and go out of their way to make your vacation a memorable one. We went on our honeymoon here and I don't think I would've gone anywhere else its the perfect combination of adventure and serenity. We also booked all our adventures/ tours through the Hotel and they were all incredible!
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is between 3.5-4 hours from San Jose to the lodge. All of the bungalows are in great condition. Whatever you read was not recent. The staff and lodge are both amazing. Hope this helps.
Its a drive, I believe it was about 3 hours. But its a beautiful drive along the coast. Lots of beautiful places to stop at. I don't know anything about bungalow 9. But our room was great.
Buenas el camino es accesible para cualquier vehículo, es muy bello el lugar se lo recomiendo.
"Excellent views of the ocean and the rain forest. Only a few kilometers from the beach."Read full review
"Try to get the rooms the closer to the reception or just next to the pool! they have the better views!"Read full review
"We chose a double bungalow that gave us room for two parents and their teen-aged children. Great views of the ocean."Read full review
ALSO KNOWN AS
mar y selva ecolodge hotel ballena
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasBallena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mar y Selva Ecolodge
Which popular attractions are close to Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
Nearby attractions include Playa Ventanas (2.0 miles), Stam Café (3.7 miles), and El Refugio Costa Ballena (3.9 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
What food & drink options are available at Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
Conveniently located restaurants include Pizza Time, Bagel Time Bakery, and Ballena Bistro.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Mar y Selva Ecolodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, and Portuguese.