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All reviews beautiful waterfall every morning la fortuna town arenal national park minute drive location was perfect baldi hot springs hanging bridges miguel jungle
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Reviewed January 17, 2010

I really wanted to like this place more – the owner. Miguel is a top-notch fellow – but let’s face it: it’s not for everyone. On the plus side: it’s very inexpensive. It’s also kept very clean, something a lot of other places can’t claim. Miguel is knowledgeable and very helpful, he knows all! Just ask! I LOVED having a Foosball table for entertainment. The location is both a plus and minus – it’s off the beaten path and very tough to find, esp. at night, but is close to everything and quiet at night. The cottages themselves are quaint and eco-friendly. The breakfast is $3 extra, but worth it – however, it is the same thing every day (eggs, toast, fruit, OJ, rice & beans).

BUT… the cottages themselves are Spartan and barren. Yes, there’s no air conditioning but you won’t need it here. The décor – ay caramba! The wall paint is lime green, there is no wardrobe, closet or drawers, no pictures on the wall, no clock, radio or TV. The bathroom has no place to put your toiletries except for the toilet top. The shower was Ok on my first day, but gradually more stingy with the hot water. I gave up on it on the last morn. The bed has thin sheets and no mattress cover. There are no hangers to hang wet clothes on in the bedroom – but that’s OK, they won’t dry in this climate anyway (ha-ha!), And oh yes: The bugs that sneak in if you’re not careful are big enough to split the rent. Some were assisted by a 1” gap under my door that could let in any bug (or worse) - I had to put a towel up to that.

Other minor gripes:
light in the bathroom is not good enough for shaving or applying makeup.
Miguel charges an extra 10% for credit cards (bring cash!).
There is no refrigerator (common or in-room), and NO ICE available, a major hassle for beer drinkers like me.

That said: after my first night here, I was OK with it, I was very rarely in the room anyway. This is a GREAT value, but If you need lots of pampering, TV, iPod chargers and room service, this isn’t the place for you. And Miguel rocks!

TIPS: Don’t even think of staying here without driving an SUV. You could walk if you don’t mind getting wet and muddy. Good luck with that, I gave every pedestrian I could a ride – do the same!
Bring a hair dryer - Not so much for your hair, but to dry your clothes. You will get wet in this rain forest climate sooner or later, guaranteed!

You MUST do the Costa Rica Sky Adventures zip line – unbelievable and worth every penny!!!

AVOID: the Cerro Chato hike (very strenuous, and not worth $10, since there is no view at the top, and the crater lake is almost unreachable without ropes, etc. ), and La Fortuna Catarata (nice, but $9 just to see a waterfall?!).

Date of stay: December 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled solo
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2  Thank mcmacguy
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed January 4, 2010

The lodge consists of pleasant cabinas with ceiling fans and working warm water showers. The rooms are clean and quite large. Our room looked onto the Arenal Volcano, which, as usual, was covered in clouds. The breakfasts were good typical Tico style - scrambled eggs, fruit, juice, and coffee. The price was very reasonable.
The lodge backs onto a forested area that has some surprisingly good birding, including Rufous Motmot! You could easily spend an hour in this area, and in other patches of forest along the road. The lodge is also a short drive away from the trails around Arenal Volcano, making it a good base for exploring the area at a price much lower than the fancier lodges.

Date of stay: December 2009
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Thank DavidM35
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed December 25, 2009

This hotel is for super budget minded travelers. Owners do not intend to provide much service and you feel it right away. It is basically a hostel that also tries to capture more mature travelers. As soon as I layed on the matress I felt sharp things - I pulled up the sheet and saw that the mattress has worn out so much that the threads rolled into small sharp balls. The road to the place is not paved. You can get a much better value in La Fortuna with better breakfast.

Date of stay: December 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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2  Thank Downhill_Skier
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed August 3, 2009

Cerro Chato Eco Lodge was a true highlight of our time in Costa Rica. We spent a good deal of time chatting with Miguel Zamora, the owner who is a gracious and helpful host.

Miguel provided lots of laughs as well as clear, plentiful information about what to see and do around La Fortuna. His tour prices are competitive with the operators in town - and he was always there to call us a cab if we needed it or give us earnest feedback on a planned activity. He was at all times a pleasure to work with.

While Cerro Chato is not right on the main strip of La Fortuna, that was just fine for us. Downtown (what there is of it) is a 10-minute ($3.00) cab ride away or a 30-minute walk. The Eco Lodge is situated on a dirt road in a lush residential part of town. It's close to the actual Cerro Chato (a miniature volcano beside the looming Arenal) and the waterfall.

Our stay was a true Costa Rican experience. If you want to rub elbows with the locals and enjoy quiet secluded pristine nature - book Cerro Chato. The rooms are not frilly, but they are clean, comfortable, and mosquito-free and for what we got, the rate was excellent.

We were very happy there.

Date of stay: July 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Thank ramblinrae
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed July 17, 2009

We just came back from a wonderful trip from Costa Rica. The first leg of our trip included a stay at Cerro Chato. The lodging is located at the base of the volcano. You really can't get closer and the views are spectacular! The lodge is set amongst the rural community and not at all touristy. You won't be surrounding by cheesy tour groups and novice travellers being bused from activity to activity. The setting was incredibly lush with streams flowing and animals roaming around near the lodge. We often saw horses grazing from our room. The location is extremely safe too.....I would not hesitate to take a stroll in the evenings. Many nights I layed on the hammock and enjoyed the spewing of the volcano. It doesn't get better than this! The best part was the mornings where there were so many birds singing.....really nice. The lodge was a great value...especially if you are active and do not prefer just sitting in a room all day long. I would not hesitate recommending Cerro Chato. The location and setting is truly spectacular.

Date of stay: July 2009
  • Trip type: Traveled with family
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Thank anna_sandiego1
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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