A wonderful place for anyone who wants to get away from the mainstream tourist circuit and enjoy nature pure! A very pleasant lodge with basic facilities, in a beautiful setting in the middle of a tropical forest. They serve very good typical Costa Rican food. Ideal for birdwatching (over 130 species, apparently) if you have good binoculars. Well maintained hiking trails, and you can cool off in the waterfall when it gets too hot.
It's an absolutely amazing place if you want escape from crowds and visit not touristy place. We were the only tourists there, had company of two professors working on meteorological station nearby and our lovely hosts Arnulfo and Mery, who have been managing this place for 16 years! Reserve is 20 years old and it's incredible to think it was only grass and caws two decades ago. Now it's dense jungles with over 250 birds species and numerous animals. Beware - from the parking place you have to climb the stairs for 3.3 km! In humid hot climate! You have to be very very fit to do so. Also when booking ensure you check that your meals are included in the price. Otherwise you will end up paying $11 for breakfast and $15 for lunch and dinner. Food is very simple and home cooked by lovely Mery. Couple doesn't speak a word in English but somehow we got by though I regret not understanding half of what Arnulfo said - he is very knowledgeable . Unique experience so if you are up for a challenge off the beaten track - go for it!…
I have just cancelled the bookings with them, that I booked via booking.com, because instead of the stated $288 (plus 13%tax) they asked for $705 for 2 people for 3 nights, saying that the meals and tours are not included in the rate (booking.com, even their own website states otherwise). I first approached them on airbnb sending them a message, didn't get any reply whatsoever, but because it looked like a place where my partner and I would've liked to go to (and still does), so I booked a room with them on another website. In the confirmation they say we need to let them know of our time of arrival, so I sent them an email with the information. After a day passed without any reply, we called them, and this is where it gets tricky, the lady who deals with the bookings, doesn't speak any English, so we had to ask our host to help us. Then she said she would send an email with the details about the final price (what? I thought we already had that) and how to get there; and that's when we found out that it actually costs more than double the price they stated on multiple websites (on their website they say that they keep their prices low. No they don't), didn't give us options whether we wanted to take the tours every day or wanted to eat in their restaurant. We were very disappointed because we really wanted to go, but didn't want to get ripped off. When we phoned again (with the help of our host) about the price they asked for, the lady wasn't interested in finding a solution, well, the only solution she came up with was to cancel it altogether, so we did. I'm sure it's an amazing place to visit, make sure when you book, there are no hidden costs with calling them. …
This is a very special place, with wonderful local guides and cooks. It is tucked away in a beautiful, untouched part of the Nicoya Peninsula. We had the whole place to ourselves and saw toucans, howler monkeys, swam in the waterfall, etc. Everybody is amazing and I left totally refreshed and inspired :)
This reserve is a very unique experience. Beautiful climb up to the rooms over the rivers was amazing. Our guide, Arnofo, was so helpful and knowledgeable. It is so peaceful there. The cabins are very clean and the homemade food was delicious. The sights and sounds of the forest is an unforgettable experience.
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