Cabinas El Mirador Lodge has one of the most spectacular views in the Osa Peninsula. Spend the day hiking in Corcovado National Park, snorkeling on Cano Island or relaxing in a hammock watching the sunset over the pristine waters of Drake Bay. Our rustic installations is located 80 m above sea level, and the hotel has 3 hectares of land with 200 m of beach front in Drake Bay with an amazing view of the Pacific ocean. The bay has beautiful beaches and tropical forests as well as the flora and fauna that is characteristic of the Corcovado National Park. We offer the best value in Drake Bay!
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We had such a great stay at the Mirador in a sweet cabina. The owner helped me figure out the best way to get there from Pavones, picked us up at the boat landing, and drove us up the precariously wonderful hill to the cabinas in his atv. Meals were delicious and rooms were everything you needed and very clean. The owner helped us book 2 great tours, one to Canos island snorkeling, and the next day hiking in Concorvado National Park. We had little time to spare to catch the boat back, so he brought our luggage down to us at the boat landing upon our return from the park. A wonderful experience and above and beyond in hospitality and helpfulness. If you are going to BahÃa Drake, stay at this wonderful, affordable, no frills lodge. We loved it!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
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We sailed into Drake Bay & decided to stay overnight on land. El Mirador had a clean, comfortable room for our family of 4. The views are amazing, especially at from the sunset spot above the hotel - there are 2 hammocks to lay in while you soak up the view. Breakfast was amazing & the hospitality outstanding!
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Date of stay: January 2022
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My brother and I had 4 nights here, each one a magical experience. Yes, there were bugs and spiders in the rooms, yes the hike up the hill each evening was tough, yes the sanitation isn't five star, but that is Costa Rica for you, and if you don't like it don't go. Drake Bay is fantastically remote and El Mirador is the perfect lodge to stay at in such a place. It's a no frills lodge, which is ideal for those who want to get away from the whingers, and just sit, watching from the porch, dolphin pods frolick in the bay at dusk. Our hosts were exceptionally friendly and helpful, and the other guests were like-minded. We booked through GreenStone, a free consultancy advice service, and paid in advance, so had no problems with being overcharged, and I am surprised to read other reviews about double-charging problems. Overall, it's a beautiful place, but it is remote Costa Rica, so don't go expecting luxury!
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Date of stay: February 2006
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During our last trip to Costa Rica we spent our final week in Bahia Drake at the Mirador Lodge. I had seen their Website several months before the trip and we kept the Mirador in mind in case we were in the area.
We traveled overland from Puerto Jimenez and as soon as we were in town our driver raised the Mirador on the VHF Marine radio. We were directed to the driveway and greeted by the Lodge's friendly owner Jose. We were quickly offered fresh juices and shown to our room.
The advertised price on the web was $35 a night with three meals included. It sounded too good to be true after looking at other offering in the area. What would they feed us for this price?
The food ended up being simple but quite good. All produce was grown next door on the Hotel’s organic farm. Breakfast had a fruit course followed by eggs y gallo pino. Cold lunch was packed for you if you wished or served hot at the lodge. Dinner usually started with soup, followed by a main course with an emphasis on local veggies. Desert was different nightly and served with coffee and tea. All the bread was baked daily and fresh squeezed juices were available upon request. Usually you did not have to request anything- when you checked in or returned from a tour it was assumed you would be hot and thirsty and the cold drinks would be waiting for you.
Our cabin was quite simple (#4) with a private cold bath and a great view. The structures of the lodge are quite basic with thin walls and plastic sinks. Some of the newer cabinas have electric with fans and hot showers but the old cabins have better views. Our room was spotless upon arrival and daily cleaning and fresh sheets kept it such. Most of the large window and vent openings were screened and we had no issues with bugs (although I did find a scorpion)
The family who own Mirador quickly made us feel like relatives- we soon were visiting in the kitchen and watching bad US television as everyone worked preparing meals. Mirador gladly took our AMEX travelers’ checks for arranged tours and transport. Meal times were quite social and despite being the low season Mirador seemed quite popular (Lonely Planet gave it a great review). One downside would be the climb from the driveway. The steps might be too numerous and steep for people in bad shape.
Of all the places we have visited in three trips to Costa Rica Mirador rates highly for family feel and value. We arrived intending to spend a few days and instead spent the remainder of our vacation.
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Date of stay: April 2005
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I gave the Mirador an "excellent," because it is what I was looking for. Very rustic, beautiful, friendly, and inexpensive. If you're the kind of person who likes a place like Maho in the USVI, you'll like the Mirador.
Looking over the previous reviews, I can echo a few things. Yes, the climb up and down is very steep. You don't have to buy a package that shows up when you Google Mirador, although I did, and it was convenient. You can just call, and set up a reservation, and plan your excursions after you get there. There's not much price difference. The package did take care of the flights and transfer, though.
The best thing about Mirador is how friendly it is. You dine family style on meals prepared by Mom, right down to the home baked bread and cakes. We stayed four nights, and had a blast with our fellow travelers from the US and Europe.
Tours: Definitely snorkle at Cano Island. Corcovado is better and closer at San Pedrecillo than at La Sirena, no matter what anyone tells you. I would have liked to explore the swimming up the Rio Claro, but it was the Rio Muddy, after 5" of rain. Hey, it's the rain forest, right? Mirador's guide, Felix, is the best.
We spent a day just beaching it up a way by the Hotel Bahia Paraiso. Nice beach.
Just up the road is a soda with great ceviche.
If you're coming in by boat, you'll go through Sierpe, as I did last year. Fascinating mangrove ride. If you need to stay in Sierpe, consider yourself lucky. There's a friendly restaurant on the river and a couple of hotels. I stayed at the Serena Oleaje (?) for $20, although there is a cheaper one.
The Mirador also has a more basic place down the road for $7. Also, Mirador has a new web site, that bypasses the GreenStone guys in San Jose:
(----) Check out the photos.
Have fun!
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Date of stay: August 2005
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I really enjoyed my time at Cabinas El Mirador Lodge. It's right on the edge of the village, set on the side of a hill amongst the forest and overlooking Drake Bay. There's a lovely beach at the bottom of the hill and my day was never complete without a dip in the warm sea. As others have said, don't expect luxury, but the rooms are perfectly comfortable. I had no electricity in my room, but that just added to the charm. The family are very friendly, and the communal dinners were a highlight - simple, but tasty food, and someone new to talk to every night!
With regards to bills, I'd purchased a package, but they worked out that the individual options would have cost me less and charged me that instead. It made a cheap stay even cheaper!
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Date of stay: January 2005
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An opportunity to get off the beaten track and experience a warm, welcoming and very friendy atmostphere! Despite reservations of no electricity or hot showers we barely missed them because the days were so warm and the candlelight evenings so relaxing! El Mirador is a 'must stay' for all those with a real sense of adventure!
One suggestion, we would advise getting in touch with the lodge directly and NOT going through the booking agent.
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Date of stay: April 2005
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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.
Mirador Lodge is set up high overlooking Drake Bay and there are quite a few steps that you need to walk up. This is one of the few lodges in the area where you are completely surrounded by the jungle. The family that runs this lodge couldn’t be nicer and the food they prepared every day was amazing. Mirador is the only lodge in the area that is owned and operated by locals, and it shows. It was a great experience. Be advised though, that if you are looking to stay at a place that has marble bathrooms, room service and a fully stocked bar, this is not the place for you. The individual cabins are rustic, but they do have a private bath and a shower. No hot water, but the climate is so hot and humid it is not necessary. If privacy is something you are looking for be sure to request one of the cabanas that is separate from the others, otherwise you will be hearing your neighbors conversations. If they are not available, ask for one of the corner rooms, so you can get a good breeze. Don’t be surprised if you see some spiders or insects crawling around in your room, but you should expect to see this no matter where you stay in Drake Bay, even the places that charge $300 a night. Also don’t be surprised if you wake up and see monkey’s, toucan’s or a sloth in the trees outside your room each morning, which makes for a great way to start your day. Mirador offers a wide range of tours to keep you entertained every day and I highly recommend doing the night tour with Tracie. If you are looking for a truly rustic experience in the jungle at the most affordable price in the area, than Mirador is the place for you. If you are looking for more luxurious accommodations, than you need to look elsewhere, but expect to pay a premium for it.
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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 stayed at the Mirador for two nights a year ago, and would happily repeat my trip there. Although the hotel is very rustic, the people that run it are incredibly nice, and if you speak a little Spanish you can really get to know them as a family away from home. As a woman traveling alone, I enjoyed getting to know the other travelers over the tasty communal meals.
My cabin was very quiet; there was a gorgeous view of the ocean and of the stars at night from my balcony, and I had no problems with insects during the dry season. I would definitely recommend the Mirador for all backpackers and others who want to be close to nature in a beautiful inexpensive setting. Bring a flashlight and insect repellent and enjoy Corcovado!
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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.
Our family (two kids 9 and 6) spent a month in Drake Bay and area. This is one of eight reviews of our experience.
We spent a total of 11 nights at El Mirador at the beginning of our trip and loved it so much we changed plans to again spend two nights with Michaelle and his family at the end as well. This was the least expensive of our Drake accommodation (even with food included) and it was the one we liked the best.
The cabins are well constructed, simple, clean, and comfortable with a strong screen material over the wood frame windows. We had a partially open-air, though completely private, hot shower (large, high window that you could look out at the bay/surroundings while showering) which we loved. There is a good safe in the room, a fan and two 110V outlets. We had a queen bed and bunkbeds which was perfect for our family. Great views of the ocean from the balcony and tons of birds (hummingbirds, tanagers, macaws, toucans) and butterflies to watch. During our visit, there was usually a nice breeze and there were very few (no) mosquitoes. Sheets changed every three days and towels changed every day. Soap provided but no shampoo. You do need to bring flashlights to get from cabins to the main deck area or to walk back from downtown at night. Earplugs are also a consideration. While El Mirador is very quiet from a people/car perspective, nature is loud! The ocean is loud. Crickets and frogs are loud. The birds offer a wonderful wake-up call starting at 5 am. We did not use earplugs at El Mirador as we enjoyed the nature noise, but we did use them in other locations. If you are a light sleeper, you might want earplugs everywhere. Do not be put off by the early wake-up. All the tours leave early and since you are there for the wildlife, you might as well get up with the birds...and go to bed early as well. Wifi in the main area - fast and by far the best connection we had in Drake Bay. The Lookout is a lovely deck and hammock area higher on the hill that provides panoramic views of Drake Bay and offers great birding opportunities as well as a great place to relax.
Breakfast was fresh fruit and fresh squeezed juice, tea/coffee; followed by choice of egg and toast, sausage, cold cereal. Pancakes were offered every other day. Our kids loved the batidos (fruit smoothies) and had one every afternoon while we enjoyed a cold beer on the deck and relaxed after a busy day of tours or beach. We opted to have supper included and enjoyed the convenience of not having to go to a restaurant in the evening with the kids. Food was good - soup to start, main dish (fried chicken, grilled fish, lasagna, etc.) and dessert and we really enjoyed sitting at a big table with other travellers and discussing travel adventures. They let us use their refrigerator to store snacks and food for the kids. They provide same day laundry service.
When booking, I studied trip advisor and noted three main complaints with El Mirador that I would like to address. First, the hill climb. Yes, the hill is steep but all of Drake Bay is on a steep hill. The only way to avoid a hill climb is to stay on the main road...in which case it will be very noisy and dusty and you still have to climb a hill to get to/from the beach. Michaelle will bring your bags up in his ATV so you just need to get yourselves up the hill. You also want to be up a hill in order to get a breeze. The hill climb is a good thing, and we were glad to have it given the benefits that it provided.
Second, critters - yes, there are critters (in all of the places we stayed) and they are unavoidable in this part of the world. You will likely have a gecko in your room. It is the most biologically diverse are in the world and that includes insects and spiders which are part of the amazing wildlife in this area. Note that there were no mosquitoes so the bugs were annoying due to their presence and not due to their biting.
Third, El Mirador is on the edge of town. Yes, there is a 10 minute walk to "downtown" either by road or along the beach. The beach, however, is straight down the hill from El Mirador and all tours and taxis will pick up from there (and thus much less of a walk to get your boat taxi than from anywhere in town).
You can check out my Drake Bay review but in a nutshell, you don't want to stay in Drake Bay proper. It is very noisy. The countless motorcycles tear unchecked up and down the main drag and a good portion of the drivers have modified their bikes to increase engine noise. They drive like idiots all hours of the day and night, with no regard for the potential peace that could exist. In town, you are awoken by the 5 am unnecessary revving (seems the ones with the modified exhausts derive pleasure from snapping the throttle as they pass each and every residence) and backfiring of motorcycles. Beyond the noise, the high rate of speed of the vehicles results in everything you own being covered in dust. There are certainly a few responsible riders that understand the impact that the behaviour of the others has on the atmosphere of Drake Bay, but the bottom line is that, unfortunately for the rental property owners in the core, you do not want to stay in town unless you are OK with A LOT of very unnecessary noise.
Final word on Michaelle and El MIrador...the family that run this beautiful place are fantastic. Michaelle speaks excellent English and goes above and beyond. He walks down to the beach with you to get your tour boat to make sure you get the right boat and are not forgotten (when we did tours from town, we walked to the main boat area on our own and had to ask to find our guide...not an issue, but it really made us appreciate Michaelle and the attention to detail!). When we decided to change travel plans, he arranged our transportation and accommodation to other areas of the Osa. We just felt that he would help us with anything we needed. This was incredibly reassuring when travelling...especially with kids.
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Date of stay: December 2016
Location
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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.
London, United Kingdom38 contributions30 helpful votes
"All cabins that we could see were similarly sized, with a terrace facing the beach and pretty close to the restaurant, so no real differentiation to note..."
There are more places to choose from in the Drake Bay area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
cabinas el mirador hotel drake bay
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasOsa PeninsulaDrake Bay
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
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