So you don't have to read to the end: I give this place RAVE REVIEWS - I absolutely loved it, and will be back. I recommend this experience without reservation.
I travel internationally extensively, and am lucky enough to have fly fished all over the world at this point. I would rate this trip as easily in my top 3 experiences, rivaled only by Russia and New Zealand. The lodge was well situated amongst the jungle trees of the reserve, and quite adequate; my room was clean and air-conditioned (more than I expected for so remote a destination), and each bed had a mosquito net. I woke each morning to bird song, and howler monkeys, and got up to photograph the sunrise. Food is local in flavor, flavorful and well prepared., and you are looked after by the friendliest team in the kitchen and family-style restaurant by Dolfi and Mommi. I loved the evenings when all sat around the same table and ate, and Mark the owner personally hosted and teased us about the day's successes and failures out in the boats. The fishing: Oh the fishing - I hooked up big Tarpon every day, to the extent that my arms and shoulders ached in the evenings. Many I lost, some were brought to the boat under the guidance of Tony, my guide for the week. (Same guide, whole week - nice touch). Also caught many yellow-finned jacks, some larger than 10 lbs - and their fight is prolonged and brutal on an 11 weight. If you want a shot a big tarpon on the fly, I would say that this place is one of the best choices you can make, particularly if you like personal attention in a relaxed environment. The boats are open Pangas, and worked fine for my style of casting, once I had learned to brace myself with my legs against the bulkhead. The guides really thrive on your success, and will work their butts off for you: Language was never a barrier, and my guide was very experienced and taught me a lot with patience and humility. (And occasionally laughed with me when I screwed up!). Bring two rods (I had an 11 weight Loomis NRX and a Scott Meridian 12 weight). Several rods were broken by others who shared my time there. I found the 11 a touch light, but still manageable. The 12 was perfect, but tiring to cast the whole day - I was still nursing a broken wrist from a couple of months back. The only flies you will lose are on fish - the bottom is clean and open. The best lines for me were full intermediates, and 500 grain fast-sink tip, like you would use for tuna. Use heavy backing, like Hatch 68 - your hands will thank you for it, and wear gloves unless you think multiple bandaids make you look more manly.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2017
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Â Upstairs room that I had (#2) was great, and equipped with its own Barking Gecko that sang to me...
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.
If you are here reading reviews it is because you are showing interest in Tarponville and I welcome you. I am the current owner of Tarponville and took over operations in 2014. When I took over there was A LOT of work to be done to Tarponville, shoot, there wasn't even a sign at the lodge. The lodge was run down, looked abandoned, did not resemble a fishing lodge, rooms where not up to standard and the fishing operation was very unorganized. I am proud to report that Tarponville has made a turn for the better and is proud to be able to offer anglers a world class fishing lodge to visit. With new staff, a new menu, newly remodeled facilities and a newly improved fishery and newly improved guides, we are excited to be spreading the word of our amazing fishery and lodge. Unfortunately with Trip adviser I am unable to erase any old reviews. When it comes to the "NEW" Tarponville, please read the reviews that pertain to the new owner ship and new operations as of 2014... Sincerely, Mark Martin (owner operator)
Read more
Date of stay: September 2016
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
I just took my second trip to Tarponville within a year. I first went first last October. Calm seas, jumped 10 big Tarpon (lost them every way imaginable) but got a Permit on my second cast! This is a very special fishery and place. Warm people, great food and a unique experience. You wake up not to an alarm clock, but the howler monkeys in the trees above the lodge. You have your morning coffee walking the beach scanning for tailing trigger fish. I knew after not getting a Tarpon on the fly the first time I'd be back! My second trip just concluded and I took my son this time. While the weather was sketchy at first, the staff at Tarponville made us comfortable, well fed and worked hard to find us fish. As the weather turned, so did the fishing. I got my Tarpon (and another) and watched my son hook a 120LB fish and fight it for close to two hours! The guides are good, they know the water and work hard. You honestly feel like this is one of the last un discovered beach areas around. The Punta Mona/Gandoca coastline has to be one of the prettiest and remote coastlines around. Mark and his team are dialed in. He is a very gracious, hard working host as is all the staff. If you want adventure, a true trophy Tarpon fishery and a Permit flat that is world class, go to Tarponville
Read more
Date of stay: May 2016
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
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.
1771/5000 The Tarpoonville offers very expensive trips for fishing. The money is ok if you go in the season. Unfortunately, the owners are dirty rip-offs. Open the Lodge off-season and sell expensive fishing for large Tarpoon. When booking, Mark was very rude and then they laughed dirty in your face. So "thank you for paying my stay here"
They advertise with tarpoon fishing in the sea and sell you this offer for the same price out of season. Simply dirty gringos. You can't be honest with yourself. Out of season it is almost impossible !!! to fish in the sea, which is not calm. They laugh in your face and give you hope, although you then point out that you won't catch anything.
Yes, the opportunity was there to fish Tarpoon, but only in the lagoon, where only small Tarpoon and Snoks schwimmen.Das boat goes all the almost under, it did not even rundern times a motor and the guide must manually. Then you do not have the right equipment for Tarpoon there because you do not know this fish. They give you bait and the guide says they are not ok.
Then you pay for fishing all day, and what do you do with yourself? you only go fishing for half a day.
The staff is very friendly, the food was good, unfortunately they were not so disciplined with the room cleaning etc., it was only cleaned a little.
The rooms are otherwise OK, but the shower almost falls apart. For a good 3 nights and 2 days full day fishing 1700fr. paying is simply too expensive if you can't go out into the sea with a motorized boat.
I'm going to go tarpoon fishing again, but not with those dirty gringos
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â doesn't go there
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.
Anglers and fly rodders, beware of Tarponville fishing lodge in Manzanillo, Costa Rica. Here's an account of our experience: After checking out the place on the Web site and talking with the owner, Jim DiBerardinis, we thought it sounded great. The description was wonderful, and the photos we saw seemed inviting -- pictures of a cozy resort with palm trees, swimming pool, modern comfortable looking accommodations. The disappointment when we got there was beyond belief. After flying 5 hours and spending another 5 in a minivan from San Jose to Manzanillo going over some of the worst roads imaginable we stopped at night in the dark at end of a wet, muddy road. Where is Tarponville, where is the lodge, where is the resort? At this point, we were told we had to cross a creek and walk 400 meters along an unlit trail through the jungle to get to Tarponville. My wife, who is usually pretty game, looked at the ``creek'' and asked where was the boat to take us across? No boat, we were told: take off your shoes and wade. To give you idea of what we confronted, there was a pickup truck stuck in the middle of this creek, water halfway up the doors and the truck that had come to pull it out was stuck in the muck as well. We told Tarponville's manager that we weren't going to cross that in the dark. The local manager agreed to put us up at Las Palmas, a resort a couple of miles up the road. The next morning, we agreed to go look at Tarponville. We crossed the creek, walked along the path through the jungle and arrived at Tarponville. It was most unappealing -- it's basically a large shack with a pair of damp, grubby second-floor rooms over an open eating area/kitchen. Where was the swimming pool, the nice looking beach, the well-kept accommodations? We got on the phone with the owner, DiBerardinis, who told us that what we had seen were photos of Las Palmas, where we had spent the night, and that he occasionally sent ``overbooked'' customers to stay there. Then it dawned on me -- this was the oldest trick in the book: a classic bait and switch. By the way, Tarponville has since taken the pictures of Las Palmas off its Web site. On the phone, DiBerardinis said if we weren't happy he would refund some of money while we stayed at Las Palmas, which we said we would pay for. We did that. But once I got home, DiBerardinis reneged on his offer to refund some of the $3,300-plus I paid to him upfront, one of the unseemly conditions of booking at Tarponville. Folks, here's my advice if you want to fish in Manzanillo. Rent a car at San Jose (try Poas, at (--), drive to Manzanillo (once you're out of San Jose, it's a pretty straight shot), book a room at Las Palmas (--) or the hotel next to it, Suerre (--). Try booking a guide through the hotels or head to Maxi's bar and restaurant in Manzanillo (--) and ask for a fishing guide. I figure that for two people this would cost $2,000-$2,500 for a week's stay and three to five days of fishing, not the $4,500 you'll pay in high season for the privilege of staying in a dump and being treated as if you should be grateful you're a guest.
Read more
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 came back from Tarponville and have to wonder why I bothered. Dank, damp and dark lodge and overpriced for what you get. It isn’t so much that the drive from San Jose is long and over a bumpy road. That I can deal with. It’s what you get when you arrive there. The disappointment is hard to explain.
The pictures on their site looks inviting. But there is less here than meets the eye. The beach is a narrow strip of sand that is rock-hard coral at the water’s edge and there is hardly enough space to spread a towel. I will give the photographer credit for making the place look better than it is.
To be fair, the fishing, is awesome, but that has nothing to do with Tarponville; fishing in Costa Rica is awesome anywhere. My advice: Go to Manzanillo and just ask around for a boat and guide (they are the Tarponville guides). You’ll be happy with the money you will end up saving.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
In my opinion, Tarponville is a family house in Manzanillo, Costa Rica where the owners poorly added some rooms and call it a lodge of some kind. I had a bad experience in dealing with the management and have no intention of going back. One thing that I would like to point out is that the Tarpon fishing in the Manzanillo Village is indeed magnificent but to make your trip worth shop around for a hotel. There are plenty in the area.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2011
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
Where to begin… Tarponville disappoints is so many ways that it’s hard to count them all. First, make sure you buy industrial-grade bug juice, cortisone anti-itch cream, and any other medication you’re going to need in the jungle. Getting there wouldn’t be so bad – it’s a long drive over potholed roads – if the place wasn’t such a letdown. The road ends at a mudflat in the middle of nowhere. That wouldn’t be so bad if the lodge were nearby. But it isn’t – you have to wade across a stream that can be filled with water that looks a little suspect. Then you walk along an unlit trail to the lodge, which was little more than a lean-to with a couple of bedrooms upstairs and an unclean outdoor kitchen-bar downstairs. I wasn’t sure I wanted to eat anything prepared there because of all the insect life that seemed to be everywhere.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2010
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
In April 2007 I stayed at Tarponville, Costa Rica. That was the worst experience in my life. Bad and not reliable business. What a shame. Shop around... Stay in San Jose and if your objective is fishing, drive to Manzanillo. Maxi's restaurant provides excellent seafood and will give you great tips about fishing guides. This way, you will be able to enjoy your trip! Have fun!
Read more
Date of stay: June 2007
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check in / front desk
Service
Trip 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.
This was our third trip to Tarponville. Friends joined us this time from the UK. This trip we also had the pleasure of Ann and Jim's company. (Owners) Their hospitality was great. Ann is the sweetest lady. Her knowledge of dolphins from all her research over the years was educational and interesting. My husband's main interest is of course is the fly fishing. Tight lines with 110 pound plus tarpon is exciting not only to catch but their acrobatics are a thrill to photograph and experience for the on-lookers as well. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating. I have to mention the Caribbean style food it was great. Nice to have such healthy meals away from home. While the rooms are not overly fancy they are clean, comfortable and colorful. We took a guided jungle hike and photographed the many types of poison dart frogs, toucans, eyelash viper snakes, extremely interesting bugs, howler monkeys etc. A photographers dream location. If wild night life is what you are looking for this may not be the place for you although it is within walking distance to town where there is a club to do some dancing. If your are looking to experience the jungle (always interesting), nice beaches and of course the Tarpon fishing as well as Jacks (especially for the "King of Jacks") check out this lodge. Special thanks to Dolfi (manager) and Junior (the Cook)
Read more
Date of stay: October 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
There are more places to choose from in the Manzanillo area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
tarponville hotel manzanillo
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of LimonManzanillo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
20
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.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
