Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges is a verdant nature reserve that offers numerous adventure tours. The park boasts of 16 bridges, ranging from eight to 98 meters long, along with a scenic lake. These hanging bridges take you up high in the rainforest canopy, providing an excellent view of the surroundings and wildlife that are not easily observable from below. Visitors have the opportunity to spot birds and other animals while exploring this lush jungle environment.
Absolutely worth the price! We spent a good 2 hours slowly enjoying the scenery, and although you sometimes have to wait to get onto the hanging bridges, there's always something to look at. We went without a guide and saw plenty of wildlife, but we were glad to overhear some groups to spot incredible little creatures! The restaurant then offers great food and drinks with a view of Arenal if you need to relax after your little adventure. Totally recommend this place!
Izzy Laurin — Google review
A wonderful tour. Definitely book a guide who knows what they’re doing. Our guide knew every animal along the way and spotted things we would’ve easily missed.
From toucans to vipers and bats to unique plants, our guide picked them all out and highlighted them for us to see.
We even saw a poison dart frog!
Well worth the visit. Even if you hate heights as much as I do. It was a great experience overall.
Michael Teicheira — Google review
WOW, we had been told that the hanging bridges were okay but not wonderful. We disagree. It was a fun adventure with many animals to see. We went in the afternoon and saw 2 different vipers, spider monkeys, squirrels, raccoon like critters, different birds, beautiful views of Volcan Arenal, not to mention the swinging bridges. Some children may not like it so much if they are not interested in animals.
Our guide, Alonso C. from Jacamara Tours was excellent. He gave the group options as we went along the trail. He was able to spot a variety of animals and told us a lot of information not only about the animals but also many of the plants too.
Jean Robinson — Google review
This is a worthwhile excursion! The preserve is breathtakingly beautiful & very well maintained. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because half the park was closed off for maintenance. It seems they should offer a reduced price ticket or maybe a voucher for a drink from the restaurant if patrons are paying full price for a ticket, but not able to see the full park.
Note: We did a self guided tour & saw wildlife, but if I could do it again I would do a guided tour.
Shana Solis — Google review
I reserved the entrance tickets with a tour guide online. Highly recommend to book it a few days in advance to get the time slot you want. It's best to go early to enjoy a cooler walk. Our group was 8 people so two families.
In general, it's a one time kinda thing for us. The walk was about 2.5 hours. So not recommend for little kids. They will get tired and cranky. Plus to be honest it was hard to see the animals. The animals were fast moving and even with the telescope you can't see very much . We saw a ball of hair which was the slot. We did see the snake very clearly. And some monkey up top. The park was crowded. One group bump into the next, the tour guide helps each other to point out and locate the animals they saw. There was a bit of traffic waiting to cross the hanging bridge.
Trang Thu — Google review
I highly recommend this experience. It's a longer walk than I expected. A nice full experience with beautiful views of Arenal volcano. If you haven't seen enough animals in Costa Rica yet, pay the extra for a tour because the guides will find things you never could. The bridges feel safe and the place is well made. It is not accessible. Dirt road to get there. Plan 2 hours minimum but 3 is better.
Susan LeBlanc — Google review
Very enjoyable two hours. Lots of beautiful flowers and jungle animals. Walkways and bridges are well maintained and clean. The walk didn’t feel crowded and most of our two hour walk was by ourselves.
We visited the waterfall which was well worth the extra time and distance.
We felt that this activity was well worth the price. Good exercise too…. The total distance without shortcuts and the waterfall was just over two miles(3.4km).
Daniel Wylie — Google review
This is a magical place. The reason why I gave it 4 start and not 5 is because I do think it is overpriced. I went on august 2023 with my son and I paid $51 for both of us. We walked the loop in about and hour and a half and that was it. Once again, I do want to emphasize that this place is beautiful and it is amazing. The views are incredible and the bridges are super cool. On top of that all the employees that I spoke to were very friendly and helpful. As I wrote earlier, my 4 star rating is because of the steep fee. I do recommend the place even if it pours rain on you like it did on us.
Juan Pablo Naranjo — Google review
Enjoyed the walk and views. Heard monkeys which was fun. Trails are very nice and maintained. 10/23/2023 some bridges are under construction. Saw some wildlife. It did rain but the coverage from the trees helped a lot to keep us somewhat dry. Picnic areas, pack a lunch and enjoy the jungle. Close toe shoes. For the price extend your stay and plan to stay for a half day. Relax and enjoy don’t rush! @$26 each plus tax. I think the total for two was $62 US
Lisa Decker — Google review
We did the Natural History guided tour and it was amazing! Everyone enjoyed it from 5 to 50 years old. Our guide was Donald, we saw numerous animals in their natural habitat, we would have never spotted on our own. Highly recommended. The park is very well taken care off, restrooms available, restaurants, ample parking. Would deffianetly recommend it to anyone! The park is shaded, despite a sunny day, it was a very pleasant walk. Please don't skip this one! You can hike on your own, or you can hike with a guide.
Marianna Paulla Kuper — Google review
Beautiful walk through the rain forest and the hanging bridges were great fun.
We did not take the guided tour. Only 4 stars as a guide was showing a frog to his group and told my kid no as we weren't park of the group.
Didn't really see many creatures however a lovely hike.
Kelle Cross — Google review
Totally worth the price! We had such a great time! We saw monkeys, coatis, and cool birds. We came upon a group looking at a sloth, but it moved deeper into the branches, so we didn't get to see it. We chose to go without a guide, and in my opinion, it was still just as enjoyable. I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. The trail is really well maintained. The facilities at the trailhead were clean. To be honest, they were some of the nicest public bathrooms we've seen... even in the States and Europe. There are no bathrooms or water on the trail. They have an accessible trail in the park for those who need assistance. We brought our own binoculars and lots of water. We could have brought more water, so don't underestimate how much water you'll drink. We came at 9, but wished we had come earlier because I think we would have seen more wildlife. We took our time walking around, so it took about 3 hours.
Emily Sanders — Google review
We enjoyed not having a tour guide and going at our own pace. Beautiful scenery and surroundings. If we had a tour guide, we would have had more wildlife that we could have seen through a telescope,but we had experienced that on other tours
Not handicap friendly
Family friendly
Worth it
You have "bail out" spots if you don't want to commit to the entire loop
Karen Williamson — Google review
So glad we decided to do this hike even though there were storm clouds and light rain. We debated hiring a guide, but decided against it because of reviews here. We ended up catching up with a group who had a guide and they took us right in! The best part was, we saw what we needed to see with the other group’s guide, but we could break off and go explore on our own without a group slowing us down. There’s a really nice trail before one of the bridges that takes you to a waterfall (we would’ve missed it if with a guide). We saw many monkeys in the trees! The grounds are gorgeous, the bridges exhilarating, and the view of the volcano at the end was stunning! Great last minute decision. The rain made the experience even more magical. There’s enough tree cover that we really didn’t get wet.
Noelle Bradburn — Google review
A nice hike on well paved pathways. The area is beautiful but we did not see many animals as we had 10AM reservations. We found out later that you need to arrive/have reservations at opening to see the most wildlife. None of the trails are strenuous if you’re in decent shape. Be aware, the road into the park is steep.
Greg Bennett — Google review
Loved this experience! Super cool to walk along suspension bridges. I am personally afraid of heights, but this felt very safe and I ended up really having fun. There are some incredible views on the bridges. Highly recommend. This seems more like a family-friendly place and less for solo travelers (like me) but regardless, I had a great time:)
Maya Churi — Google review
I visited late morning during the week and it was pretty empty on the trail which was nice. I didn't book a guide, just had a walk on my own. I did bump into 3 other groups with guides and asked what they were looking at. Twice it was a snake. For me, I am not disappointed missing out on that. The other time, I didn't have to ask because I could hear the guide going on and on about a fern. On my own I spotted a toucan, so that was very nearly worth the price of admission. But I still feel like it was too expensive at $30 something dollars just for me to take a hike. The hanging bridges aspect was "meh". Didn't see much from above. So maybe it is more amazing with a guide, but I am sure it takes longer and I am not convinced it is that much more amazing.
S H — Google review
Fun activity, bridges are high up and can be difficult to walk on with others on the bridge, but felt stable.
Tours seemed to go slow, but I walk with purpose. I passed 4 tours on my way despite enjoying the scenery.
Great pics of Arenal on a clear day.
Cassidy Dalton — Google review
We opted for a guided tour and it was well with the extra $32 (for the two of us). Julio was an amazing guide and told us all about the area and the wildlife... But more importantly spotted the animals and pointed them out so we could see and take photos. How he spotted them I don't know, but without his direction it would have just been a nice walk, without seeing anything. Has to be a must if you're in the area.
Ally Fairgrieve — Google review
We chose the guided tours and are so happy we did. Gabby, our guide spotted so much wildlife. Her superpower is great hearing and eyesight. Her knowledge of the jungle and the wildlife with in was astounding. Had we taken the tour without a guide we would not have seen the wildlife we did. My husband is scared of heights, but it was me that was whimpering! They are very safe to cross and well worth the three hour tour.
Zoe Tremblay — Google review
We visited the hanging bridges on a Tuesday midday. It was not too busy. Beautiful scenery and very enjoyable hike through the jungle, the hanging bridges are beautiful and little scary to walk through, but worth it. Lots of wildlife, we got to see yellow snake 🐍 , monkey 🙈 heard many monkeys from far we didn’t get to see them all. Call and reserve your spot ahead a time since they sell out. Staff is very friendly and fun. We called them same day and was able to arrange it. Must see when you visit the area.
Mónika Molnár — Google review
This park was better than I expected, much bigger, denser forest, not overly touristy. We went at 8am and there was almost no one there. It was pouring rain for most of the 1.5 hours we spent there, but it was expected. We didn’t see a great variety of animals but it was quiet and peaceful and we thoroughly enjoyed our time spent there.
Emily Lammers — Google review
We had a really amazing time walking through the jungle with our guide Edgar. He was extremely knowledgable about both local plants and animals, and was able to show us families of howler monkeys, multiple kinds of vipers, and a variety of rare birds- some of which he only sees every two or so weeks. He really emphasized the ecological diversity of the forest and the way each plant and animal plays a specific yet equally important role in the overall ecosystem.
And of course, the hanging bridges were pretty incredible. I would say this park is a absolute must see if you’re staying in La Fortuna.
Hank — Google review
Beautiful scenery and park. The lunch/food situation was extremely confusing and disappointing. We paid for lunch in advance but there was no buffet as advertised. We had a wrist band for our meal but the instructions were totally unclear has to how to actually get our food. We ended up having to order from a menu and then 3 or 4 tables that arrived after us were served before us. We were very hungry and frustrated. The chicken with rice had only a few small bits of shredded chicken.
Michael Lynch — Google review
We had a phenomenal time at the hanging bridges rain forest. It was an impressive setup and we were told that they built the facility with a layout that makes it almost certain you see some incredible species. They are handicap accessible and even offer scooters. There are stairs in some places but I think those are off-the-main trail paths. The hanging bridges were really cool as well and gave you a glimpse of the volcano as well as the overall rainforest. We saw an owl that apparently was a huge deal. You can tell it is when all your guides take pictures on their phone and tell you that’s the best thing they’ve seen in months.
Callum Kerr — Google review
Amazing experience and would recommend for anyone. Hike was medium. There were small kids and elders doing it, and there are benches you can stop to sit at. Saw so much wildlife - 2 species of monkey, eyelash viper, poison dart frog, coati, birds. I recommend going with a guide if you want wildlife pointed out because it’s very easy to miss! They also know so much about the flora and can explain many interesting things along the way.
Baldi Hot Springs Resort Hotel & Spa offers a luxurious escape with picturesque volcano views and an impressive selection of 25 geothermal pools. Guests can indulge in the spa's relaxing treatments or enjoy complimentary breakfast at the on-site restaurant. The well-maintained rooms offer a clean stay, while some balconies may require attention to ensure complete closure. However, guests can unwind and soak in the numerous pools, including one open 24/7 upon request from reception.
Wow... Great experience! There must be at least 20 different hot spring pools here, all different sizes and temperatures. We loved the warm water waterslides and the dinner buffet was good!
Yeah, it's a bit pricey for the day pass, but it was worth it. I've never been to a place like this one.
Jeff O. — Google review
This place was great pools are right outside and they keep one of the pools open 24 hours each night just need to ask reception which one. Breakfast is included which is always a plus. The entire place is clean, rooms are clean which is of course acceptable. Only thing I had a problem with was the balcony window didn't close well and the person in the room next to us kept smoking out there and the smoke got in our room and that was really annoying but other than that we loved the place! we will definitely be back!
animegrl610 — Google review
I came on a tour bus. Stayed for 2 hours. Lockers and showers are convenient. However to get to the hot springs the cars intersect with the path to the hot springs so you're dodging cars to and from the locker and the multiple hot springs. Poor setup.
The hot springs were good. Lots of room. Brought my towel instead of paying.
Dinner was not great. The steak was red and chewy. The salad was great. Main dishes not so much. The guava drink was enjoyable.
Oscar Aviles — Google review
I did a day trip here. I didn't spend the night. The hot springs are absolutely phenomenal. The separate pools offer something for everyone. The place is very clean, the staff were friendly.
The lunch buffet wasn't great. Simple enough fare, chicken, pulled pork, rice, fruit as long as it was watermelon or pineapple. Even the fruit was not really up to the standard I've learned in Costa Rica.
Chris Gross — Google review
We had a great time at the baldy Hot springs. They have a ton of different pools with different temperatures. And the place is done really well. Very clean. And although it rains all the times the canopies and the rain covers do a good job of covering you if you do not want to get wet. The water slides are also pretty fun. There is one that is a little more intense than the rest, and need to get past around a little bit.
Wesley Winsor — Google review
We've been here for day passes to the pools twice over the past 18 months. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, drifting from pool to pool, experiencing the different temperatures and features like waterfalls, saunas, slides.
Most of the pools have swim-up bars for ordering drinks (and maybe food?) Wasn't very crowded during our three hours there, but there were noticeably more people by the time we left.
The grounds overall are clean and well-maintained, giving some sense of being in the jungle. You may even spot some tropical birds moving through the palms and other plants.
We did not stay at the hotel, so I cannot opine on the rooms and accommodations. But all staff that we encountered were courteous and friendly.
We would definitely go back a third time if in La Fortuna again.
Jared Miles — Google review
These hot pools were amazing! The temperatures were all different, which made it really nice. The natural steam room was very cool. The price is about $45 per person, but if you're there all day, it would be worth it. There is plenty for adults and kids. I would recommend you visit if you're in the area.
Chory_MuthaFucken_B — Google review
It was a beautiful, reasonably priced hot spring. It’s fun to wander and test out the different pools, they also have paths through the trees that are fun to explore at night. The bars closer to the entrance have less costly drinks. Use the slides at your own risk-they are absolutely fun and absolutely painful if you’re over age 30.
Emily Lammers — Google review
We went to the Hot springs and dinner.
The pools are great. Not crowded even though there is no reservation required.
Dinner was a buffet and very average. You are only paying about $20 and the non alcoholic drinks are unlimited but was still a little disappointing considering the rest of the place. Drinks at the pool bars were more than $10 each.
Jane Stone — Google review
We visited Bali Hot Springs as part of a tour package and it was a relaxing way to spend the end of an awesome day. The buffet had a great selection and we didn't leave hungry. Eating with a view of the Volcano in the background was great. After eating we made our way to the springs which were heated by the volcano. The temperatures are different by pool and get warmer the higher you go. The top pool was hot tub hot and the lower pools were more "summer pool" hot. We had a couple of drinks and found ourselves very relaxed for our return trip.
Chris Campbell — Google review
I would not recommend staying here. The room was clean, but the sink smelled like rotten eggs (sulfur), no hot water in shower (even after maintenance came), AC made noise all night. One of the hot springs made our bathing suits smell. This resort offers day passes for people not staying on property so it can get very crowded. We got massages to be able to use private springs but there wasn’t any water in the springs? Drinks are $20 a piece. I would not stay at this resort again. For $500 I expect better plumbing. I was actually ready for my vacation to end.
Kelly McClure — Google review
Baldi Hot Springs is one of the best hot spring hotels in La Fortuna. The rooms are large and comfortable. They come with a small patio deck. The plants and foliage are well appointed on the property and add privacy in an otherwise large hotel. The hotel is right off the highway and very easy to find. They boast 25 pools on the property and include a kids area with water slides for kids. We did come during slow season so we didn't see too many kids which was nice and relaxing for us. But it is family friendly for those wondering. The hotel room we got came with a rather large closet, armoire, dresser, mini fridge, and bar. There is also a super cute vanity. Inside the bathroom was a little tight. Definitely not enough room for two people to be in there comfortably. The bathroom had a slight paint smell and also a slight sulfur smell but it wouldn't deter us from coming back. The shower came with a large deep tub in our room. So I would recommend anyone with knee or balance issues might want to request a different bathroom set up. The king size bed was nice for me and my husband and it was on the firmer side but not uncomfortable. We had house keeping daily and enjoyed the little towel characters they left on the bed each day. The property has several bars throughout and a few restaurants. Breakfast is included if you stay on site and it was different each morning. We stayed for 3 nights and enjoyed 3 breakfast. They also offer day passes for hot spring use if you choose not to stay in site and you can eat at the restaurants for extra cost. This property is not all inclusive. The staff was all very friendly and would say hello every time we passed them. I loved our visit. The pools all had something cool to them. I loved the ones that had the little day beds. Some were hotter than others and some were cold. There was a steam sauna and a spa as well. I would recommend it to everyone!
Karina Cecilia — Google review
This is truly an amazing experience that I’d highly recommend anyone check out when visiting the area! I believe there are 25 pools/saunas/hot tubs, and they get hotter as you go up the resort. A select few are even cool if you need to take a break from all of the heat. Everything was super clean and it was easy to navigate. One of the employees even loaded us up in his golf cart to give us a tour of the facility prior to paying. If you need food or drinks, they’ve got restaurants and bars available, but they also allow you to leave and come back as long as you have your wristband. We easily spent all day here, and would happy visit again! For the price, you really can’t get much better for “luxury” hot springs (but if it is a bit pricey for your group, there are free hot springs on the way to Arenal. They’re also amazing, but purely natural - not resort style, so wear water shoes to protect your feet).
Christian Prescott — Google review
We purchased a day pass to use the hot springs. It was well worth it, several hot and cool pools are situated on site. The natural hot sauna was incredible. Highly recommend going to pools where both hot and cool pools exist. Switching between them was really nice. The kids section in Baldi is small but well designed, it will keep the kids entertained. Overall was pleasantly surprised by the size of this hot springs resort
Nirupan N. — Google review
Location and the room was great, gorgeous views. But the staff was not pleasant. The price for the drinks and food was very high. For the price of a nights stay was $500/night and in my opinion not worth it. There are many other places in Costa Rica with beautiful hot springs. I paid for a night stay and then an hour after check out stayed around the hotel and asked to dry my clothes and they would not allow since it was past check out. For the cost to stay I would expect better service.
amanda ellis — Google review
A very well maintained and clean resort. Food is reasonably priced and good. There are several swimming pools and they are quite clean.
Only, improvement point I can think of is- bars should either not give drinking straws, if they do then they should be a bit longer than they are now.
Dushyant Sethi — Google review
I came to just visit the springs with a day pass and thought it was great, very well worth it. Total entry for myself (no time limit for the hot springs) plus locker rental and 1hr buffet dinner was under $80 which I think was reasonable. Facilities were very clean, spacious, and welcoming. There may be an extra fee for towels so I recommend to bring your own. Be prepared the walk to the further springs and the buffet area is on an upwards incline - not hard to walk but may be difficult for elderly/physically impaired.
Dina Goodger — Google review
This place is pretty cool. They have like 25 pools or something crazy. Swim up bars, hot pools, cool pools, party pools, pools with slides, pools for kids. It just goes on and on. Oh also, a steam/sauna area. So much fun.
Food was medicore at best. Drinks are pricey. Entry is pricey....but still worth it!
Christine Protz — Google review
It is a nice and clean place. The resort is well maintained and has a lot of pool options. I would recommend going there for sure. The only thing I didn't like was the amount of time we waited at an empty bar to get a drink with servers looking at us but not approaching to see what we want until 15 min later. It may be a thing to not bother you so much as I noticed that a few times but it is nice to get that first drink quick.
mehafroozs — Google review
Stayed a little over a week in May, Rooms are huge, great A/C, spacious balconies--a little dark inside but probably due to the wall colors and lighting. Wifi was also fine--I brought a laptop and used it daily, didn't have issues. Didn't use video though, so not sure if that would've pushed it. Breakfast buffet was delicious, so many options--seating area is open air with a lot of shade. So many pools, all heated, range of temperatures. It feels nice and secluded because of all the landscaping and tall palm trees throughout the resort. Large parking lot for overnight and day stays. Resort is in a pretty central location--feel like mostly everything we drove to was under 20 minutes. About 2.5 hour drive from San Jose airport area--roads are windy but all paved, and speed limit is pretty low. But it was a nice drive over--nice views of different towns and rolling hills/farms.
Connie Jung — Google review
We enjoyed our overnight. They had one pool open 24 hrs for guests which was great. We enjoyed the pools even more after dark. The free welcome drink was a nice touch.
The only reason why I had to give 4 stars instead of 5 was that our suite, in the furthest most building, overlooked a construction site so it had no view at all except for a green screen and it was noisy during the day. We were not warned of this when we made our reservation or during check-in.
Jenny L — Google review
Purchased a day pass and spent a relaxing five hours at this luxurious hot springs resort. $44 pp + about $15 in a la carte food. I wish we had purchased the included lunch option. There are countless hot pools (25?), many of them with waterfalls. The staff were friendly. My teenage daughter did not like the big water slide - ouch. Overall we had a great time here. The free hot springs at Choylin is an amazing alternative for those who are nimble and adventurous.
Burton Filstrup — Google review
We didn’t stay at the resort so I can’t review the rooms. We did spend the afternoon at the hot springs though. So many pools you feel like you can’t even hit them all. Varying temperatures in each pool if you find some are too hot.
My kids loved the waterslides. They particularly liked the funnel slide.
The afternoon included dinner which was delicious. Rice and beans, chicken/pork/beef, salad and desserts.
Ben DeRoo — Google review
We got a day pass with lunch included. There were many pools and we were delighted that each pool had a sign that listed its temperature. There are some thermal pools that have cool water pools nearby. At night, the colorful lights on the waterfall tower were spectacular! There were shallow pools with built-in lounges and a swim-up bar in another. The design is certainly well thought out. The customer service was stellar! As you walk around, when staff pass by, they always verbally acknowledge you. BUT the lunch buffet was pretty horrible. The pork in BBQ sauce was tasty, but I nearly broke a tooth because it was so tough. The rolls were stale and dry. The mashed potatoes were obviously instant and way too salty. The veggies were cooked to death, the chicken was dust, the pasta was mush, and both sauces, red and white, were watery and insipid. Desserts were your typical jello-like cheesecake and a fruit sponge with more whipped cream than cake. The best thing we ate was the fresh pineapple. It was sweet and delicious. DO NOT pay $22 for lunch. Leave, eat, and come back. Trust me.
Tena Jackson — Google review
What a fun place to relax! The varying water temps of each pool was really fun. It’s an excellent place to take kids. We were in the off season, so it was not crowded at all, but the water slides were not available because of this, I think. We had a pretty good lunch that was included in our price, and though pricier than a restaurant nearby, the convenience of having it in the park was great. And the food was decent. We did the day pass, so we didn’t stay in the resort , but speaking for the pools itself , I’d definitely recommend to anyone with kids staying in the area.
Emily Price — Google review
Great way to spend an afternoon, drifting from pool to pool, experiencing the different temperatures and features like waterfalls, saunas, slides. Most of the pools have swim-up bars for ordering drinks. Wasn't very crowded during our three hours there, but there were noticeably more people by the time we left. The grounds overall are clean and well-maintained, giving some sense of being in the jungle. You may even spot some tropical birds moving through the palms and other plants. Fair warning, the slides lead to super shallow waters, you'll end up regretting it.
Anthony M — Google review
Went here on a day pass. If you're tired of trekking or just need a break from the jungle this is a perfect place to unwind and enjoy some drinks in a really unique hot springs/waterpark. Entry fee for the day and drink prices are a little on the high side $47 to enter, around $8 for a beer. That said it is a totally unique experience. I think they have 14 hot spring fed pools. 5 or 6 of those have swim up bars. Parking can be tough for day pass visitors. You have to park along the road outside of the hotel property and it can get crowded. Another fun and unique experience in Costa Rica.
Joe Pickell — Google review
Very over priced. Drink prices are outrageous. They sell day passes and over the holidays it was packed with people. They don’t sell Imperial beer but they sell imports. How can you not have Imperial in Costa Rica? Our room was located backed up to a construction tarp. We paid extra for a large family suite with balcony. Never did anyone mention construction. They did not care when we complained. Not even a free meal. There are a ton of pools on property. Property is large and well manicured, so it’s not all bad. But it’s like Disneyland with bad customer service. It’s very commercial feeling. I would not stay here again. The staff was nice at the main restaurant and around the resort. The buffet is very bad and mainly for day pass guests I suppose. The breakfast buffet is included and was pretty good. Property is very large and required tons of walking up hill. So if you’re out of shape this would be very difficult. Also not fun with hot and tired kids.
Nicole Dalesandro — Google review
the hot springs are great. they are large areas that are more public. on certain nights you can have whole areas to yourselves. The bar at the top is stupidly expensive while the bars further down the hot waterfalls are less expensive.. there is a nice sauna and several cold pools to do small cold plunges. You can have a great experience starting from the top and working your way down. If you want cheap drinks and good hot springs you can do Los Lagos but the experience is a little different.
Alan Jacobson — Google review
Too hot for me. Would be nicer if air temp wasn't 95 degrees. Would be great in much cooler weather. Thought the price to get I was fair. Can be hard to find three chairs together unless you get there early. Food and drinks were average.l, avoid the pizza. Was awful. Thought the staff and bartenders could've been nicer
A Warner — Google review
Not entirely what I was expecting, but made the best of it. We went in the evening around 5pm for a day pass (which costs the same as if you went in the morning - no evening rate). My initial reaction and feeling was Disney Land meets all inclusive. Many of the pools had swim up bars, one pool had water slides for kids, and there was a separate kids water park area. Not our jam, was looking for a more tranquil thermal pool experience which you can apparently find at other hot springs resorts. We went on a recommendation from a friend, but could have done more research ourselves prior to going. We did end up enjoying ourselves a bit more once it got dark and the pools started clearing out, at one point we had a large thermal pool to ourselves, but could hear loud music coming from another pool/part of the resort. All in all we enjoyed being in the warmth of the hot springs but would have enjoyed a different environment. Might be suitable for you if you have kids and are looking for the best of both worlds. I myself was looking for a more relaxing, spa like experience.
Ashley Mitton — Google review
We went there and got a day pass⭐️. Food was absolutely fantastic. Best bruschetta and salad I ever had! Beautiful interior. We did not stay at the hotel we did this for the experience. The water pools are gorgeous with nice design. One thing that needs imposter the directions how to get from pool to pool to find different temperatures and what benefits they carry. Me and my daughter loved it ! Thank you
Dominika Staniewicz — Google review
It was truly an amazing experience when visiting La fortuna. Definitely won of the highlights to go visit and relax in Costa Rica. The place has roughly 25 different pools with a few slides available for kids / adults. Be mindful to experience a few whiplashes from the slide!
Dannie Nguyen — Google review
Went last year with my family. Very good location, had an amazing welcome drink, breakfast is DELICIOUS and rooms, bathrooms, public areas are well kept and super clean. Funny name too (I have a weird sense of humor) and I love the statue of the lady in the front 😂
Will be going back!
Stacy Peng — Google review
We stayed one night at this location, breakfast was included and it was pretty good with a wide selection of food to choose from. We had a nice sized room that was in a quiet location. There are multiple pools at this resort and at night the lights look nice when you are bathing. I suggest to book way in advance because prices can go up quickly. Will definitely come back one day.
Arenal Volcano is a prominent active volcano in Costa Rica that offers hiking trails through the rainforest, lava fields, and hot springs. Located in the La Fortuna area, it provides visitors with a glimpse of the simple Tico lifestyle while offering adrenaline-pumping activities such as zip-lining, rappelling or white-water rafting. The snoozing Arenal Volcano emits a low rumble that awakens senses.
Amazing views, vistas, and vibe was all around. Enjoy the vistas from all sides, the hikes, the towns and the community.
Kevin Markman — Google review
The view of the Arenal volcano is good. We got to see many animals and different plants and trees, and we have learned a lot about the volcano. The views of this volcano are absolutely stunning, when the clouds permit you to see it and easy trails to explore (about 6 km in total) that wind through the forest and provide some beautiful viewing points of the volcano. To really benefit, you need to go when the volcano is visible, one up to a view point of the volcano and lake Arenal you can go by car and the second view point you should walk 1:30 -2 hours and after that you can take the car to see the lake about 15 minutes away from the volcano and you should be aware because part of the road isn’t paved and there’s a ton of high bumps.
Tickets $17 adults and $5 for kids
Keep in mind. You don’t have to go to this park to see the volcano. It’s visIble from many points around the city.
Rola Sam — Google review
Beautiful!
We decided to get a guide this time and it was well worth it as a family!
We got to not just see cool animals and sights but also got to learn fun facts about these critters and the area.
And without them pointing out hidden animals we would have missed half of the amazing things here.
Owen Richardson — Google review
If you go to Arenal, take a tour of the volcano. We learned a lot about the volcano, the fact that it's dormant now, it's eruption, the craters, lava rivers, plants wildlife. Wear good sneakers or boots!! We took our tour with EcoTerra and they were amazing!
Chris F — Google review
Absolutely beautiful to see. The guided hike we did took 3-4 hours. We were under the impression that we would be able to climb the actual volcano, but you are only able to see it from a viewpoint. Not a super difficult hike, some stairs and elevation but overall pretty simple. Saw many beautiful plants during the hike through the jungle and a beautiful view of the volcano!! For sure worth seeing if visiting La Fortuna :)
Krishna Kolen — Google review
I can’t say enough wonderful things about this beautiful place!! The employees are beyond kind! It’s so beautiful and the breakfast is delicious! Also check out the spa it’s great!! And horseback riding with Miguel was the highlight!! The horses are so good & obviously so well-treated!! Loved every second of my ride!
Debby Ng — Google review
Went hiking to the base of the mountain. Good views. Was lucky with a clear day! Good guide and had a break with a helping of pineapple!
Nasir Fazal — Google review
This place is amazing. As far as I know there is total 27 volcanoes in Costa Rica and this is the largest. Unfortunately the day we went it was cloudy. We can’t wait to go back!!
hasan pathan — Google review
Overall pretty easy hike through one of Costa Rica's state park. During the off season and middle of the day the park is pretty empty. The cost is about $15 and allows for some beautiful views of the volcano at the halfway point once you walk across some lava stones.
NOTE: The large tree that this trail is know for must have been struck by lightening a few months ago and therefore is in several pieces. If you are an arborist, and this was one of your main reason for going then you might want to avoid this trail. Taking off one star due to the fact that the state park website doesn't let you know that the tree is now destroyed.
Kent Guthrie — Google review
It's an amazing place to see all kinds of plants and animals, nature is so beautiful and if you're lucky enough you can see the whole volcano with a clear sky, absolutely gorgeous,it's a must when you come to La Fortuna.
Yael Sisniega — Google review
The sight of this majestic volcanic mountain is breathtakingly beautiful. Its towering presence commands attention and leaves an awe-inspiring impression on all those who have the privilege of witnessing it.
Benny Plaksin — Google review
This was absolutely A incredible volcano!!!
When i was there it was cloudy but wow this volcano is sooo beautiful thank you Costa Rica Pura vida 🇨🇷
Pim Wilmink — Google review
Totally recommend doing the 1968 hike it is not terrible long or arduous and it has some lovely views. Look at this thing.
Zelda — Google review
Directly walking to the top of Arenal Volcano is prohibited for the public, but you can visit Parque Ecológico Arenal, which has nice trails with views of Arenal. We were there during fog, but the park was beautiful, and we saw some capuchin monkeys there.
Branislav Ballon — Google review
The hike up is easy, you will have to navigate some stairs and old lava flows. However it's not complicated. In the town below, there are hot springs and hotels with epic volcano views on all sides. We also seen a sloth on the side of the road so keep your eyes open.
Mary Day — Google review
Fun hike on the 1968 Los Platos trail. Bring hiking books or comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting beat up. Bring lots of water. The cafe at the end has the best view.
It is possible to do the trek without paying the lodge fee. We have read that the lodge does not own the property. But If you avoid the discussion: At the parking lot by the waterfall, to the right of the Fortuna lettering, there are a few stairs. If you follow the path you come across a cow meadow to the hiking area!
Markus Poschmann — Google review
To get to the starting point of this hike at Arenal observation lodge you need to pay 15$ per person, to pass a checkpoint and get to the starting point….unreasonalble.
Very challenging hike through wild jungle, very easy to loose the path and orientation („No pase“ sign inclusive). Our plan said 3h roundpath, due to rain and bad conditions therefore we had to turn around on top of the lake and finished the hike back at the AOL after 6h.
Not recommended for beginners or people that are not completely fit and sporty!
You need to climb, crawl and focus on every step…there might be nice animals around but you will simply not see them because you need to focus. You are warned ;)
The Arenal Volcano View and Lava Trails, named after the 1968 Arenal eruption, offer a good hike through bamboo, tropical trees, forested areas and black lava rock fields. The flora and fauna are reclaiming the beautiful lava fields and there are great views of the lake below. It is important to note that this is an actual hike with unpaved trails, covering a distance of about 3-4 miles round trip.
There are lots of options for hiking the areas near the volcano, highly recommended seeing what experience you’d like to have before choosing. We chose this one for the lava field hike and facilities.
Was not disappointed. Hiking trails have about a 500ft elevation climb to the lookout. Even in the heat, we made it, just went slow. Trails are rocky, good ankle support and a walking stick was helpful. The cafe at the end was not to miss. The food was a surprise. Large portions and delicious. Ticket price is good for two days. We loved our experience and the staff.
Melissa Fox — Google review
The scenery is beautiful and you will definitely see a lot if birds and insects. If you are lucky, some monkeys as well. The view from the lookout is amazing. It is a fairly easy trail to hike. Food at the restaurant was delicious. Overall I am only giving it 4 stars because customer service beginning with the gentlemen we checked in with and the restaurant staff was below average. However, overall it was still a good experience and if you have time between other activities definitely worth checking out
Haben W — Google review
It was an incredible, family friendly hike.
We did half of it with our almost 6 years old twins, got to the main viewing point of the Arenal volcano, which totally opened for us it’s view ⛰ - it was totally breathtaking experience.
The hike takes you into to the jungle and you are getting immersed with this special eco system of the mountain. You get opportunity to see wildlife, and if you are getting tired from the long hike like us - there is an emergency exit, once you get to the main viewing point of the Vulcan. With the stops, it took us like 2 hours, to walk around 4 km. Make sure you have enough water 💦 with you).
The park is created good and really thoughtfully. At the end of the hike, there is a very nice restaurant, where you can rest, eat, and watch an amazing sunset 🌅.
Batsheva Mats — Google review
Loved the trail. It is truly an experience to hike near a volcano. Never imagined that. The area has so much to offer - there’s many choices for hiking. We drove and parked - it was not crowded and no tourist fans. The hike was well marked and full of varying terrains. Considered going back as the day pass is good for two days.
Portia Dudley — Google review
Beautiful hike with great views of the volcano and diverse fauna. Restaurant at the end of the trail served
great food! Shrimp tacos may be the best I have ever eaten. Didn’t see much wildlife during the time of our visit but it was very beautiful.
Lynn Shearon — Google review
We weren't really sure the best way to see Arenal — Observatory vs. National Park vs. Silencio Mirador vs. 1968. We read a bunch of reviews and decided on 1968 and could not have been more satisfied. We did the long loop, which is moderate but very doable (we are both in our early 60s but fairly fit). The lava fields are really impressive, the view of Arenal is commanding, and the forest/jungle walk is beautiful. We saw numerous birds, a cayman, and some very cool lizards. Bonus is the 1968 cafe which has both good food and a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Arenal area (Lake, volcano, surrounding mountains). There were numerous cars in the parking lot, but the reserve never felt crowded. So glad we chose this option!!
Douglas Weiskopf — Google review
Admission costs 20$ per day. The hiking trails are very wide and resemble a highway. The red trail is not quite 5 km long. I personally did not like the hike at all. There may be nicer and cheaper alternatives.
Arriving at the
Restaurant you have a great view and we even had live music, which was more or less the highlight of the day.
Eighty Percent — Google review
So cool to walk on the lava flows. Signage should be improved as we felt lost near the end and had to backtrack a couple times. The short hike is 2 hours if you don't stop a lot. This park has cool snakes, suggest a tour guide to spot them all (we didn't get a guide). Beautiful views.
Susan LeBlanc — Google review
It is a good hike... but $19USD / person... That is a bit much.
Still, the trails meander through 20ft tall bamboo, past giant tropical trees, through a pretty forested area, and up hillside black lava rock fields from the 1968 lava flows. The flora and fauna are already reclaiming the lava fields... and it is beautiful.
The views of the lake below were great. The clouds kept the volcano well-hidden while we were there, but I imagine that view would be nice too.
Secure parking. Friendly staff. Please know this is an actual hike, not a paved walkway. Check distances with their maps. I think we did 3 or 4 miles round trip.
Christian Filips — Google review
On the positive side, the trail offers breathtaking views of the Arenal Volcano. The surrounding landscapes are beautiful. As I ventured along the trail, I was delighted to encounter a variety of bird species, adding an extra touch of natural beauty to the journey. The chance to witness these vibrant creatures in their natural habitat was a highlight for me.
However, one aspect that dampened my enthusiasm was the price of the experience. I found it to be considerably higher than expected, and it felt disproportionate to what was being offered. While I understand that maintaining and managing a trail like this involves costs, the pricing seemed to exceed the value provided. It would have been more satisfying if the cost was better aligned with the overall experience. Another negative aspect is the public transport to reach the park, busses are highly unreliable.
Tom Dijkhuis — Google review
Gorgeous views of Arenal volcano with well-marked and maintained trails. We hiked the longer loop so we could get as much out of the experience as possible, and it was a great hike. It was a hot day, but thankfully, there's plenty of shade along the trail. We saw some wildlife - coati, leaf-cutter ants - but the volcano views are the real highlight. The hammocks and snack bar at the end are perfect for relaxing after a humid hike.
chris partridge — Google review
Had a lovely hike here. Saw some monkeys! Took us about 2 hours to hike the longer hike. Some up & down terrain so good ankle support and shoes were great to have. $25 usd to get in and goes to a good cause. Glad we packed a lot of water and wore good sun protection/ sun screen.
Rachelle Moore — Google review
We took the red trail (hardest hike) took us about 3 hours to complete. We were originally stocked up with a lot of people walking to the trail head from the parking lot. Once we got around them we were more alone and could actually hear/see the wildlife. Around the lake part of the hike, we got to see many different species of birds. Overall really nice views of the Volcano and good exercise. We skipped out on the restaurant due to high prices but food looked good.
Necessary items
-Water
-sun block
-binoculars
-bug spray (before)
-snacks (if you don’t want to eat there)
DJ Miller — Google review
We opted for the longest hike but I like that there are options for shorter trails. There’s a summit where you can see the volcano up close and then you can walk around the duck lake marked as “patos” where we did in fact see ducks. It was very lush, tropical, and beautiful to hike around. Be careful of the rocks and steepness, luckily there are some ropes to hold on to when it gets steep in some places and even manmade steps in some parts. We saw a sloth, hummingbirds, and butterfly’s which were a welcome surprise. At the end is a cafe with a panoramic view of the volcano, lake, and surrounding mountains with some amazing food to relax and enjoy the scenery. Overall really great experience and worth the entry fee :)
Isabella Iannotta — Google review
This walk cost us 25 dollars each which takes around 1.5-2 hours ok the yellow route.
The staff were friendly on the gate but didn’t actually tell us where to start so we went the wrong way initially.
The green, yelllw and red route are easily shown on the rocks.
The lava trails are amazing and the view at the very top of the volcano is fantastic. We went on a cloudy day so didn’t get to see much.
The cafe/restaurant at the end has great views.
Amie Bentley — Google review
Great walk, 3 to choose from varying in length.
Some amazing views.
$25 pp
Not very clear where to start the trails. We had to ask at the caffe and the team member was super helpful.
Lee Langford — Google review
25 USD per person to enter the gate. We picked the longer hike 4900+ meters. Nothing really spectacular, and it didn't help it was cloudy and rainy that day, so we didn't have a view of the volcano at all. However, you'll end your hike at the restaurant with good food and good service. There, you might get a much better Vista of the surroundings and the Volcano on a clear day.
Teresa — Google review
very nice walk, lots to look at. we arrived late so only had about 2.5 hours until sundown. they said the long loop ( red ) would take 2.5 hours, so recommended the yellow loop. we decided to favor distance over leisure and do the red loop. all in all it took us 1.5hrs. if we had more time I am sure all of the animal and we heard would have been interesting to explore
Gary Hurtz — Google review
Easily one of the best parks and hikes I’ve been on. The entrance fee might seem like a lot but the park is very well maintained with great facilities! Loved the red loop- I’d say doable for anyone that likes to walk/hike. You can take it at whatever pace you need. Don’t skip the walking sticks they offer at the beginning- the trail can be wet/muddy at times and you’ll be glad you have them.
El Choyin, a public bath located near the entrance of Tabacon hotel in Costa Rica, offers warm natural hot springs at no cost to visitors. While parking costs approximately $10 for those who come by car, the opportunity to relax in peaceful and private surroundings makes it worthwhile. If you prefer less noise and fewer people around you, there are quieter areas under the overpass where you can enjoy a more secluded experience.
Great free activity and very easy to walk down and get too. People are ok the road charging to look after your car but we didn’t get asked.
It was busy when we arrived on a Sunday afternoon about 1pm but for very busy before we left.
Nice mix of locals and tourists. It felt very safe.
Stunning place to relax in the hot water.
Amie Bentley — Google review
Loved the tour! The staff there was very friendly and knowledgeable of the animals and plants they were showing along the tour. They give you a chance to get in the river if you wish! Make sure to take comfortable shoes, it’s about 25 minutes of walking that you have to do and you go up some stairs as well.
Wendy Nava — Google review
Nice warm water!
We came here by uber but be careful, you have no reception to get one back. You'd have to walk back about 15 to 20 minutes before you get reception again. There is a bus going, but not very punctual.
It's a great free place. There is some guy that charges you for parking if you go by car but it isn't obligated. It's not a private area. Maybe if you don't pay they'd do something to your car? I don't know. We were there by uber. On the photos you see where the entrance is.
Ps. The resorts nearby won't give you wifi so book a taxi in advance, walk a bit or take the bus back.
Zo?zo ! — Google review
One of our favorite experiences in Costa Rica. Worthwhile IMO even if you are also doing a fancy hot springs visit. We paid 3000 to park. It was crowded even on weekdays, but that made it even more fun to people-watch. Buy a coconut and take it to the river with you - they float. Much scrambling required to find a good spot. The water temperature is perfect. My kids had an amazing time playing with the volcanic rocks and giving the parents spa treatments.
Burton Filstrup — Google review
These hot springs were so nice. They weren’t piping hot, but very warm. They are free to visit right outside of the overpriced Tabacon hot springs ($88pp for non guests I believe). You pay about $10 to park if you come in car and go right in. They are right by the Tabacon hotel entrance. My husband and I soaked about an hour and a half and it was nice and peaceful. There were a lot of people and music playing on the main side, but if you want more quiet, less people, and more privacy, head down under the overpass and find a nice spot. This is a must visit if you’re in the area. The waters were so relaxing, I would have stayed even longer, but I was getting hungry
Elda — Google review
One of my favourite things we did in La Fortuna! We paid for parking however the hot springs themselves were free. It was a super neat hangout as it’s just a bunch of people sitting in a waterfall in the middle of the jungle. Water is super warm and inviting. Would recommend wearing some type of footwear as rocks were a bit slippery and hard on the bare feet. Definitely worth checking it out!
Ella Tettemer — Google review
I highly recommend the public hot springs. They can get crowded, especially during the weekends, but they are still so fun. The vibes are great when locals are around and there’s plenty of space to settle in. Recommend bringing beer or snacks to chill with. There’s also not too much space to hang your belongings, so maybe leave valuables at home.
Carolyn Sigman — Google review
Hot spring for free we just have to pay for parking for 1000 colonies. It was a wonderful and relaxing place.
Shailinmary Marbaniang — Google review
Awesome place visited 2 times
Parking paid to locals about $8 other time paid $4 so…
Hot spring definitely a must free and in the actual river better than paying overpriced hotel to get the same waters in made pools
Natured surrounded
10/10
Carlos cabral — Google review
Free hot springs.
Parking is meant to be free but there are con artists dressed in high vis vest. These bottom feeders will pretend charge you to park.
There are official security guards in grey uniforms working on the street and down by the water who will not charge you and will look after the cars etc.
Down at the water is the natural springs which are really nice. All depends on timing with how busy it is. Later in the afternoon can get hammered when the big tours drop off. Before things great at a weekend. Local families about enjoying themselves.
Beware of pick pockets and bandits in the area if leaving bags o. The side.
Lee Langford — Google review
This place is fantastic all you have to do is pay for street parking which can be anywhere from 3,000 - 5,000 colones. We went to both the shallow and deep sides, although shallow side has less people I would still recommend the shallow side, it's more relaxing. Remember to take water and a snack with you so you can stay longer. We even saw a racoon on the way back to our car.
Christina Ibar — Google review
Tips TO NOT REGRET
Have zip locks , umbrella ponchos and all of that if you are gonna take your documents, cash phone down there because when it rains it pours.
If you can change to your bathing clothes beforehand it’s more convenient, otherwise find a tree or use a towel to change 😉
There are many people who renting car here so if you are a backpacking person like myself you will be alright.
Overall absolutely worth it, the water is warm and nice, can’t ask fore more and it’s completely free if you don’t have a car, you won’t pay a dime
Got off the public bus while coming from tilaran, got here around 2:10 PM , we were told that another bus will
Come around 17:00 but it never came so we hitchhiked and went back to la fortuna
Tony G — Google review
Beautiful free hot spring
Parking is located up the hill YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY TO PARK AND TAKE YOUR THINGS WITH YOU OUT OF YOUR CAR TO BE SAFE BE CAREFUL WALKING TO THE SPRING ITS VERY SLIPPERY AND WEAR WATER SHOES THE ROCKS WILL HURT YOUR FEET
D C — Google review
Free parking! most of the time there are some people walking around and ask money to help you park or after you parked to watch your car. Some ask a random amount $1 to $10. You absolutely don't need to even talk to them or pay. Many ignore them and walkaway. But I recommend to have like $2 or $3 and just give them if they actually help you to park.
It would be easier to park, you are not going to be asked to paying more, and they would be happy to help you by stopping traffic to come out of the parking when you leave too.
But if they didn't help you to park feel free to just walkaway.
Farzad — Google review
Wonderful natural hot spring river to relax. I recommend getting there early to enjoy with less crowds. It is not actually necessary to pay for parking and if you don’t mind walking a bit farther I would park up the road a bit to avoid having to interact with the “paid parking” system.
The Paradise Hot Springs resort is a peaceful and serene destination that offers basic accommodations, massages, dining options, and a swim-up bar. The grounds of the resort are stunningly beautiful, while the rooms are spacious and comfortable with heavenly beds. The food served at this resort is exceptional, especially their fruit which tastes exquisite. Their signature dish Gallo Pinto is also one of the best tasted anywhere else on the visit.
If they could get 100 stars I'd give them gladly. This place was a veritable slice of f@$king paradise and I'd like to live here. The grounds are breathtaking, the rooms gigantic, the beds like heaven, the food... all I know is I've never had fruit taste so exquisite and I now have to master making Gallo Pinto, hands down the best we had out-of anywhere else on the visit. The staff were attentive and helpful and so friendly. The hot springs were amazing and so relaxing. You will feel transformed.
I'd go back tomorrow if I could. STAY HERE STAY HERE STAY HERE!!!
vida wilson — Google review
Beautiful views, excellent service, and tasty food/drinks. I have never had a better espresso martini ANYWHERE, I really wish I could remember the name of our bartender. I want to say it started with an N, maybe Nicholas? We were there for a day trip so I cannot say anything in regards to the rooms but the hot spring pools were well kept and clean. My favorite part was getting to lounge on the upper deck with the bar and enjoy the volcano view. If you want it to be quiet and less crowded, go early in the day and leave by 4pm. We chose to have dinner there and the buffet spread was fairly diverse with pasta, typical food(fish, chicken, salad, etc.) But only one kind of dessert. Worth the price! If you want to use a towel or locker, they ask for a cash deposit which they will return when you give back the items. Prices vary based on the items used but for a locker and towel it was only $15.
Alexandra Huff — Google review
Fantastic experience! The place doesn't look extremely promising from the road, but once you turn in, a whole new world opens up. Staff are extremely friendly and helpful, rooms were nice, comfortable and clean and the hot springs and view of the volcano were amazing. Breakfast buffet was awesome too. Loved our experience there.
Andrew Fortuine — Google review
We were there for the day pass and dinner. Pools were lovely but a bit crowded. Nothing special in terms of the landscape. Dressing room was very small, crowded, with no place to sit and get dressed. Showers were dirty. We had lunch (vegetable burrito) which was tasty. Fruit drinks were made from a concentrate and water--so so. Buffet dinner was inedible. Next time I would try a different hot springs for a day visit.
Randi Schalet — Google review
Had quite a pleasant experience at this place. The rooms were spacious, and clean. Had all decent variety of amenities. The lighting at the pool was incredible too! The staff was also very friendly. The Arenal is right behind and can be viewed while relaxing or enjoying a drink or coffee from the rear bar. Overall, a good place to stay of you are traveling to Costa Rica
Andrés Zamora — Google review
We came here for a day pass and it was absolutely breathtaking and rejuvenating!
One of the best things I did on my Costa Rica trip was to come here - it is forever beloved in my memories.
The customer service is wonderful and facilities are gorgeous. The food and drinks were spectacular too! I loved the flamingo beverage at the swim up bar and had some sort of avocado chicken wrap for lunch.
Next time we visit Costa Rica- we will be back!
Marilyn LaVone — Google review
If you’re looking for a relaxing place to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the hot springs - this is the one. While it’s smaller than some of the other hot spring spas, with less pools/facilities, there is still plenty of ways to spend a morning / afternoon here. The place boasts 10 pools but some of the pools are actually just hot tubs. That didn’t stop us from having a great and relaxing afternoon with a few refreshing drinks from the bar. It wasn’t too busy most of the afternoon though after about 4:30/5, it started filling up (presumably with guests of the hotel who returned from their day tours). We also opted for the package that included dinner - the meal is buffet style but the food was delicious and plenty full and we really enjoyed it. Would highly recommend this place for a quiet relaxing afternoon (we did not stay at the hotel). While there were a few kids there, I’d say this place would probably be boring for kids. Also if you, like me, prefer to stay as far as possible from areas with lots of kids, this is the one!
Natali Shatchan — Google review
We stayed at this hotel for 3 nights. The room was beautiful, very spacious, bed was super comfy. We had a partial view of the arenal volcano from the porch, which was really nice. The snack & coffee bar had spectacular view of the volcano. Unfortunately it was very cloudy when we stayed here so only got one view of the full volcano at 6am one morning. The hot springs were very nice. I enjoyed the waterfalls and the lounge chairs in the water the most. The reason for 4 stars is because of a few things: not enough chairs throughout the property. They sell day passes so it can get busy. We couldn’t get chairs on our first day there. The jets in the jacuzzi were not working. They empty all the pools every morning so we couldn’t do our usual morning routine when on vacation and go in the hot spring before heading out for the day activities. They open it back up by 10-11am. The food was okay. We ate breakfast there every morning and one buffet dinner. We decided to try other restaurants in the area for lunch and dinner and were happy we did. All the staff were nice. Overall we had a very nice stay and would recommend this hotel.
Renata Martello — Google review
The staff is very friendly; upon checking in, they automatically emailed me a list of activities in the area.
The property has several natural hot springs pools located on the property, and the pictures of the property are very accurate (looks just like in the pictures on their website).
The property is located within 5 minutes of downtown. My only issue was that the housekeeper didn't clean our room until around 3 p.m. each afternoon.
I definitely recommend Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Resort!
Tee — Google review
This place is great and well-named. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the pools are fantastic. The thermal water is so nice and refreshing, and they refill the pools daily, so the water is very clean. This place is a lot lower priced than other nearby hotels, but it has the same water and same great food and drink. There are several pools, and some are small and secluded. The food and juice at the restaurant is fresh and delicious. I have been to many hot springs, and this one is my new favorite.
There is a great observatory deck for viewing the volcano. However, you may not even see it due to cloud cover depending on the time of year. No matter though, you can enjoy the area in any type of weather.
Daniel M — Google review
Gorgeous venue! Six pool areas of various temperatures, we loved the lazy river one between the hot tubs. Plenty of places to sit among the plants, nice music. Pool bar available, although we didn't use it. Prepare to sit a LONG time at the restaurant, even though they have a very simple menu where it would be easy to make everything in advance, they don't. It took so long to get lunch we had to hurry through it and then didn't get a lot of time in the pool before our bus had to leave. Locker rooms needed some maintenance and a curtain or something across the entrance as everyone outside can see in to the locker areas.
Mila Gates — Google review
We had an amazing time here! It was very beautiful the hot springs were amazing. We definitely thought of coming back here for our next vacation until we tried getting drinks from the bartender at the swim up bar. He completely ruined our experience. I don’t know the man’s name but we were there between 3:30-5:30 PM on 4/24/24. He was very rude. I was shocked at the service we received from him- being that the resort was so beautiful and had an upscale feel. I noticed others at the bar were visually upset and aggravated at his demeanor and attitude. He single handily ruined our experience and I hope that management seriously takes this into consideration.
Samantha Davis — Google review
Loves our stay here. Reception/concierge was fantastic and helped us set up tours every day. Room was spacious and A/C was great. Only two issues we had were shower spray felt like needles and wasn't adjustable, although the pressure was great. Also, pools were really nice but even the coolest pool was too hot to be refreshing.
Christie Orendorf — Google review
First, Nohelli and Kenneth were AMAZING. We loved them. If this review was on them alone I would give them 20 stars. They were so kind and so helpful.
The messages were amazing and the pools were SO RELAXING. The location is amazing and beautiful and so peaceful
We stayed in the nicest room they had and my only qualm about the experience was that in the volcano view suit they have this outdoor shower that connects to the bedroom. It lets a ton of bugs into the bathroom area so you have to keep all the doors shut so that the bugs don’t spread to the other rooms.
Besides that an absolutely amazing experience.
Elle Fortner — Google review
We absolutely loved our stay at Paradise Hot Springs. This was our first time in Costa Rica and we wanted to experience both the volcano side and the beach so we spent three nights here and then three nights at the Marriott on the beach. Honestly, I enjoyed my stay at Paradise Hot Springs more than my stay at the Marriott. Paradise Hot Springs felt more warm and welcoming, as if you're part of the family.
The staff was extremely friendly and helpful from the minute we checked in. The room was spacious and clean. We booked a room with a private hot tub which was a bonus especially since we had a balcony where you could see so much more. The springs were drained and cleaned daily. The only downside to this is that you can't access them until later in the morning. The water was like bath water and there were beautiful waterfalls and lounge chairs built into the pools. The grounds were beautiful with greenery and flowers everywhere. We did go during the rainy season but actually didn't have a ton of rain, which was nice. We did have a very very brief power outage (but we had two at Marriott). The food in the restaurant was great. We liked it well enough that we ate most of our meals at the hotel. The hotel is fairly small which made it more peaceful. Our stay was pretty quiet which is exactly what we wanted. We booked a couples massage which was also great. The hotel staff helped us to connect with a taxi driver who took us into town to shop and eat one day and also transported us to our tours. We saw more of the country side in La Fortuna. We did go without our kids, so if you are taking children you may want to book one of the hotels with water slides so there is more for them to do and stay busy. I would definitely recommend Paradise Hot Springs to my friends and family and would absolutely return in the future.
Tambra Busjahn — Google review
Didn’t stay there, just used the day pass. What an experience- first ones there at 11, and had all the pools to ourselves for 2 hours.
The buffet lunch was very good, with pumpkin soup, grilled fish fillets and chicken, along with salad, rice, and mashed potatoes.
The swim up bar prices were reasonable, too.
The hot tubs were really hot, and I couldn’t get in them, but there were 3 other temperature pools.
Paul Nayyar — Google review
This is a relaxing beautiful place to be especially during the sunset hours so romantic if you coupled off and safe extremely comfortable if you're single. I went and practically all the pools there's cold warm hot and very hot soaking pools some have lounges within the water and out of the water to sit and relax. Some pools have waterfalls that you can sit under it feels like a great massage. They have lockers and you are given a free lock with a key bracelet to put your belongings in it's not an extremely big locker but enough to fit a backpack. You're also given a bracelet to enter into the premises. They have a restaurant. A bar within a pool area where you can sit inside the pool and have your drinks. It was very relaxing very comfortable and I felt extremely safe. The lockers are right next to the showers and toilets for private dressing. My skin felt amazing and I slept like a baby that evening definitely worth visiting when you're in Arenal Volcano area.
sky unidentifiedstorm — Google review
We did not stay at the hotel but we came for the day! It was so relaxing and I think we came out of their “busy season” so there weren’t many people there! We went at 11 am when they opened, stayed for lunch which was a buffet with fresh vegan options, we had a couple Swedish massage which was SO great and relaxing.
We came in late May and people started filling the springs after 4 pm. The top coffee bar had the most wonderful view of the volcano and it was such a fun relaxing experience. They had lockers available so you could just relax and have fun!
Definitely recommend spending at least 1/2 day!
Jina Foltz — Google review
Went there for dinner and hot springs combo. U need cash for deposit for towel & locker. The locker area was not clean. Men walked into the women area freely. The pools were nice but there were not enough chaises to put your towels.
Dinner is a cheap buffet with tasteless fish +chicken rice veggie pasta+salad.the best was cassava puree. Dessert was strawberry panacotta which tasted like powder(Jello) strawberry pudding.
Chu Travels — Google review
Rooms were immaculate and clean. So happy with our stay. Hot springs were great with lots of options and different pools with different temperatures. Would come back again definitely. With all the older hotels in the area this is a must because of how clean the rooms were. Rooms are up to date and modern.
Seth Watson — Google review
This is the most incredible place to stay! The entire staff is so friendly and the breakfast was amazing. The hot springs are thoroughly cleaned each night so they are in great condition. Beautiful views of Arenal Volcano, you are right at the base of the mountain. Couldn’t ask for a more relaxing vacation. The gym equipment is new and clean.
Sophia Litwin — Google review
Wow wow wow! This place was more than we expected. Comfy and quiet rooms, delicious food, and friendly service. But the real gem is the hot springs and the view of the volcano from the cafe deck! It was incredible to come back from a day of hiking/zip lining in the jungle to 5 hot springs! They were so clean (they clean them everyday!) and relaxing. The weekend was busy with day passers but the weekdays were very laid back and mostly hotel guests. A true oasis!
Jenna Wolf — Google review
Had a wonderful experience at this place. Rooms were spacious, clean, and nice. Had all the amenities. Love the spacious bathroom. The hot springs pools are well maintained and have enough area for everyone to enjoy. They're a few hot tub pools around the main pools that you can experience as well. The bar, cafe, and the on premise restaurant are also well staffed and nice. Friendly staff. I especially loved the plants and trees they have planted all around which just elevates the entire experience. Also Mount Arenal is right behind and can be viewed while enjoying a drink or coffee from the rear bar/cafe area on a clear day.
P Tiwary — Google review
What an oasis! The rooms are so clean and comfortable. Wonderful soft and cozy beds. Huge shower! The property itself is kept immaculate. I loved the different hot springs options and smaller Jacuzzis set in private coves. The property is serene and spa-like. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The staff was so helpful with our dietary restrictions as well and understood how to modify our orders to avoid gluten and cross contamination.
Jolynn Kilburg — Google review
What a beautiful place, great service, great food, amazing pools. I went with my mom and my Auntie, we got the day pass with the lunch option, amazing. They gave us towels and their Front Desk person, Marco was super sweet and very friendly.
The bathrooms were well designed and very clean. They have lots of pretty pools, hot hot springs and waterfalls and pretty lights. Next time I will have to visit the spa and definitely stay at the hotel. 12/10!!
Churis Harvey — Google review
This place was pretty nice. The pool was a bit rough looking during the day but the lighting was nice at night. Rooms were clean and the bed was comfortable. Only wish it was an adult only vs having children running around everywhere takes away from the hot springs at night being relaxing and that was the point of visiting.
Kelly Hoekstra — Google review
I'm only rating based on the pools, as we didn't stay at the hotel. There are quite a few different pools at varying temperatures. The space is beautiful, entirely surrounded by lush trees and plants. Our entire group of 21 people thoroughly enjoyed ourselves after a day of hiking.
After soaking, we had the buffet dinner, which was quite good, even with the options being a bit limited for us (we're all vegans).
Mirel Reyes — Google review
Lovely hotel, good breakfast buffet, large rooms. Would suggest offering guests a shuttle service to town as it is quite far and a $10 taxi ride each way - so factor the extra $20 - $40 a day if you don't have a car. We enjoyed our stay and staff was helpful. They do allow day passes so the hot springs are crowded.
Doreen Bennett — Google review
I loved my stay here! The rooms are nicer than I expected. The bathrooms in particular are giant and have lovely showers.
Breakfast each morning was super easy and great.
The hot springs were a delight, especially later in the evening. There’s enough nooks and crannies that you can find a spot to yourself. If you’re intending on going all day and treating this place like a waterpark, maybe go to a bigger resort. Heads up, getting food at the swim up bar is either super fast or wildly, painfully slow.
Overall, I’d come back here in a heartbeat.
Los Lagos Hotel, Spa & Resort is a tranquil vacation spot with numerous amenities including outdoor pools, hot spring baths, and a top-notch restaurant. The resort boasts stunning views of volcanoes and offers relaxing thermal spas featuring plunge pools of varying temperatures. Horse riding is a must-try activity as the horses are well-trained and the gardens are fascinating with attractions like butterfly houses and ant colonies. Breakfast is served amidst picturesque surroundings with lizards and birds adding to the ambiance.
Los Lagos was a dream! The location was perfection, the hot springs on premise were amazing and the staff was incredible. This was one of the most beautiful stays I’ve ever had. I would HIGHLY recommend this stay to anyone wanting to enjoy the jungle, waterfalls and wildlife around the area. While ALL and I mean all the staff were outstanding, Emanuel stood out as a great bartender and assistance staff within the resort. He was friendly and extremely helpful. 5 stars to this place genuinely. I would 1000% percent come back.
Angela Abel — Google review
I could easily spend a week here, slowing down and wandering through their beautiful grounds. There are many roads inside the complex that are great to walk. The pools can get quite crowded in evenings but in the mornings, they are pretty much empty. It's a good value, as the rooms are clean and spacious and the ones we stayed in had great views. And the views all around the property are photo bait. The volcano through the tropical gardens offered a variety of dramatic photo ops. Don't miss the observation point. The road at the top is a bit rough but if you go slowly, you will make it. It's a good uphill climb. If you are walking, bring water.
The buffet breakfast was good, with a lot of variety. The only downside when we stayed there was that you could only get a buffet dinner at the restaurant. Pizza and nachos at the bar were our substitute.
Kate Hayward — Google review
Definitely conflicted about this resort. Beautiful grounds with plenty of pools. Several pools have jets that don’t work, but they were still nice to use. If you reserve a standard room, be prepared to receive a room way up on the hill, where you would either have to drive or get shuttle to pools/breakfast. We were up sold $30/night to be move to a room closer to the center of resort (for sure this place is not at capacity, hardly see many people at breakfast, restaurants or pool, resort isn’t busy at all). At first we were given two room
keys that did not work. Despite now having a “superior” room, the gap between the door and the floor allowed lizards and cockroaches to come in during our stay 😬 otherwise the room was spacious and clean with beautiful views.
Breakfast is pretty decent as well. Also really enjoyed the nature trails— lots of birds and frogs.
Ash — Google review
Los Lagos was a beautiful resort and made our trip to La Fortuna unforgettable. The front desk staff is very knowledgable and helpful. The rooms can be a bit of a walk and uphill, but the resort provides shuttles to your room which come very quickly, but end around 10pm. The breakfast buffet was delicious and had a great variety of foods and tasty juices. The pools were amazing and had a swim-up bar with food and drinks, as well as slides which were fun even for us 25 year olds. I do recommend buying a pass to another hot springs location for added variety. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. I will say the water pressure in the shower was very light and we noticed a lot of bugs in there at night but keep in mind you are in the middle of the jungle! There is a beautiful view of the volcano and you can hike to an observatory for an even better view (pro-tip, take a car because it if a VERY steep up-hill hike.) Overall, Los Lagos was wonderful and I would recommend staying here.
Casey Nemeroff — Google review
Nice stay and very good breakfast. The rooms were a little bit out dated, especially the bath room was out-dated with several imperfections, a broken shower faucet.
However, the rooms were very very clean. Also when an wild animal flew in our room, the cleaning lady was very helpful to help us removing it.
The towel service and breakfast were brilliant. Plenty of choice between pools. However, at the end of the day the whole pool area still had pineapples and cups.
The tours offered by the resort were very pricey.
Dries De Laet — Google review
I love this hotel. The grounds are beautiful and the hot springs are amazing. The rooms are a little spartan but clean and well kept. The staff is fantastic and for the price it’s pretty unbeatable. The poolside bar can get a little crowded on the weekend but I always ask for a room out of the way and they are very accommodating. This is my third visit here and not my last.
Moira Lawson — Google review
I loved staying at Los Lagos! The employees were so kind, the pools and hot springs were amazing (so many small hot spring pools to explore!), and the location wasn't bad for us to experience the Arenal volcano and the town of La Fortuna. The rooms were clean, and I found the beds so comfortable in our room. The only con of our entire stay was that the shuttle was slow and sometimes unreliable, so we had to walk a decent amount to get down to the main area of the resort, and the place is very hilly! But no walk was too long, and we managed. I also heard the Observatory was very cool!
Emma S — Google review
Stayed two nights at the hotel and had mixed feelings about the stay. The room that we stayed at (room 103) was conveniently located right by the restaurant, pool and hot spring area. However, the room decor is dated, with not enough wall plugs, flickering lights and paper thin wall that we could here the next room loud and clear. We could also hear all the main entrance traffic from our room. The kid pool area has a nice long water slide which my son loves. The hot springs have a variety of water temperature that you can choose to your liking. It is definitely a family resort as there are kids constantly running and jumping around the hot springs (surprisingly more in the evening than during the day during our visit). They also run loud music from the swim up spa. So if you are looking for a relaxing soak in the nature, Los Lagos is probably not for you. Breakfast was served buffet style with fruits, a fresh egg counter and the usual selection of ham, sausage and cheese.
Other tips:
The trail up the hotel has a nice viewing spot of the volcano that is worth driving up to (5 min drive).
Their souvenir shop is very reasonably priced in comparison to stores in the area for both souvenirs and snacks.
We were told their butterfly conservatory has been closed down since a couple years ago.
Conclusion:
If I were to do it again, I'd probably stay elsewhere and just do a day pass for a nice hot spring experience.
A W — Google review
Overall a good place just very busy, took a long time waiting to get signed in and out. The slides were off in the morning around 9 or 10am which was a bummer because we wanted to check them out before we left. Showers great, rooms are good. Many smaller pools at all different natural temps which was pretty cool! Cute little butterfly garden and ant exhibit!
Jen — Google review
Highly recommend getting a Day Pass for the Hot Springs. Very reasonably priced which includes safe parking. a full day’s pass gives access to all the hot spring pools, change rooms, poolside bar & restaurant. Many different temperature pools & cooling pool(s) we’re perfect. A great way to spend a cloudy, not so hot day soaking in the Hot Springs & walking through the flora & fauna gardens & watching the butterflies. We’ll be going back later this week for another ‘soak & relax’ day. A great recommendation by our hosts Joanne & Simon at Toucan Lane a Boutique Hotel up the road.
Bryan Hallatt — Google review
Not sure if I would spend more than a few hours here but the time we spent was beautiful. Lovely pool bar, average Costa Rican prices, a good number of different pools and a scary, fast water slide! There is a scenic view up the hill that’s worth driving out too, as well as a natural lake on the property in which we swam as well.
Jenny Hoekstra — Google review
The kid liked the water slides. The swim up bar was nice. There was construction and lots of hammering when we were trying to enjoy the hot springs pools. I bruised the bottom of my heel due to a hard landing coming out of the water slide. Negligibly safe. I personally find the faux rock decor tacky. But that’s just me.
Steve & Lindsay Campbell — Google review
My stay at Los Lagos Hotel and Spa was truly amazing – much better than the photos suggest. Checking in was quick and easy, and the staff were well-organized. The beds were super comfortable, and we got one of the best spots with a view of the volcano right from our room. Breakfast was delicious, with a mix of local and American dishes, and they had a good selection of nonalcoholic drinks. The pool area was unlike anything I’d seen before, offering different temperature options. Sadly, we could only stay for a day, which I now regret. The hotel was kind enough to keep our luggage while we went on a tour the morning of checkout. They even let us use the facilities until 10 PM on the day we checked out, which was a nice surprise. The staff were friendly and approachable. The pizza I ordered for dinner on our first night was fantastic. Los Lagos Hotel and Spa left me impressed and wanting to come back for more.
Vanessa Benavides — Google review
Just did the day package of ziplining and use of mineral pools. It was excellent value. Extremely well run, the guides were fun, and we even got up close to a sloth on one of the lines !! Spent the afternoon soaking in all the pools, super nice views of the mountain. Free use of lockers and excellent bathroom and changing facilities.
Sue Ure — Google review
Great hotel! There is a parking close to the rooms. The rooms are clean. There are hot springs in the hotel so you can enjoy different pools. There is also a slide which was fast and interesting. The breakfast is a buffet and the food was tasty. The breakfast starts early from 6:30, so you are able to catch most of the tours after breakfast. The staff is helpful and kind. There are also some hiking trails and a viewpoint for the volcano.
Viktorija Ancevska — Google review
My daughter (16 years old) and I are staying here for a week. We are on day 4 and it's wonderful. Don't miss zip lining at Los Lagos, it's awesome! We went white water rafting and to Rio Celeste. We are having a great time. Tomorrow we are horseback riding to the volcano. I definitely recommend going to the look out point on the property that I posted in a video. The view is spectacular! I do wish the food was a little bit less expensive, but overall our stay has been fantastic.
Kerry Galvin — Google review
We spent two nights here. The location is great as it's away from the bustling city. The gardens are gorgeous, and the pools are clean. The swim up bar is a lot of fun when there isn't a bunch of kids taking it over. There were at least ten kids between eight and ten years old at 9pm jumping off the submerged bar stools and tables. They drove away all the people in the area and the parents were nowhere to be found. There is a kid area, not sure why they were taking over the swim up bar area. There were lots of other warm pools available. We grabbed our drinks and made our way to a more private area. At least there were lots of warm and hot pools to choose from. There's also a shuttle that runs people from their rooms to the hot springs and restaurant but it's not exactly convenient. Someone has to call for you to get a ride back to your room or you call from your room to get picked up.
Crystal Monnens — Google review
Hotel was decent. We loved the breakfast not so much the dinner options. The pools are great especially the hot springs. The rooms are spacious. Although I wish we had a better view. We had a lower room so our view was blocked by cars parking outside. The staff were great. AC’s are really not powerful for the heat. Drinks at the pool are great too.
Mary Britto — Google review
Brilliant hotel, it has everything! Thermal spas are quiet and differ in temperature, with plunge pools dotted around. Food is decent, the CR steak is awesome, pizza and cocktails are nice too.
Horse riding was amazing, a must do! Those gorgeous horses are so well trained they are clearly well kept.
Gardens are very interesting with butterfly house, ant colony plus more.
Breakfast sitting looking out at lizards and birds is always going to be a great start to the day.
Only negative I can give is that the sound proofing in our room was awful! We could here next door like they were in our room!
Leanne Fallows — Google review
We all absolutely loved this place. It far exceeded our expectations. Our favorite was the numerous areas to enjoy the thermal waters. This place is spectacular and priced excellent. The rooms feel somewhat dated but kept clean. The buffet is great and plenty of options.
Ver?nica Salgado — Google review
This is a campus style hotel with many Villas over the large estate. Requires a shuttle bus to pick you up from your room to take you down to the pools/ restaurants and back up again. Most of the time the shuttle would come quickly after you called it. Occasionally, we had to wait some time before we could obtain a ride to our room or the pools. Would be best if you had your own car. Is located outside of la Fortuna, definitely 10 USD each way to town via taxi.
They do have horseback riding and zip lining on site. These services are way better off hotel site but they try to sell you the ones available at the hotel site. If you are looking for a full service resort, not looking to leave at all to explore the surrounding areas, this is the place for you.
I did find the restaurant and the bar food extraordinarily expensive. They have you trapped. The included breakfast was plentiful and delicious.
The pools were 100% the best feature. Hot ones, warm ones, cold ones. Water slides. Bar service in pool with underwater seats.
Jen Howard — Google review
My stay at the hotel was amazing. The pool area is a dream and the view on the volcano Arenal from there is stunning. There is also a nice hike within the hotel property to a beautiful lake. The rooms were very spacious, clean and modern. For breakfast, there was a huge variety of food and the restaurant has a nice design.
Sophie Wunder — Google review
We had an amazing time at the resort. It was clean, the staff was accommodating and very nice. I had an amazing view. From the back door I was able to see the Arenal Volcano & from our front door I was able to enjoy beautiful sunrises. The hot springs and pools were so satisfying. We were about 9 minutes away from restaurants & night life. It was amazing and I would definitely stay here again.
S Powell — Google review
The staffing was friendly and efficient coupled with the sound of water falling and the jungle and flowers bountiful in beauty. The sounds of the jungle lulled us into repose upon the relaxing love seats and the bar with stools in the welcoming water. They had the best margaritas. The food, excellent along with excellent service. Highly recommend this volcano area. You will not be disappointed.
The only issue we had was the shuttle bus careening at top speed in front of our room. It was noisy and a unsafe feeling to walk down the hill. What happened if he did not see one of the many children or us walking by a curve in road??
linn rose — Google review
Absolutely beautiful resort! Food was great and the rooms were wonderful. The entire staff was pleasant and enjoyable. We saw a toucan and a monkey while enjoying the hot springs. It’s a great way to unwind after a day of adventuring.
Caleb Oshier — Google review
It’s a five star resort with everything you desire. Several pools with different temperatures, wet bars, water slide, butterfly house, fish pond, duck pond, beautiful gardens, bridges, an observation deck with a view of a big lake, mountains and valleys.
Breakfast buffet was good, with many selections. I didn’t have time to try the spa.
The resort was well maintained. Clean and beautiful. I would highly recommend it.
The room was spacious and comfortable.
The only complaint is that there was no electric outlet for cell phone charging near the bed. I found one underneath a table. It’s stretching for charging cord. I guess it was a bit outdated. There’s room for improvements.
Min Zhang — Google review
This hotel and thermal resort is beautiful. The staff was friendly and attentive, making our stay truly enjoyable. The room was comfortable, and the thermal baths were amazing - so relaxing! The restaurant is nice for both breakfast and dinner. We highly recommend this resort for anyone seeking a rejuvenating getaway.
Tomas Piaggio — Google review
We went for the day pass to access the hot springs area. Excellent spot and great layout as all the pools are close together. Didn't realize there was a cost to Towel Rentals so just a heads up if you want to bring your own. But otherwise it was a great place just to relax and have a drink.
We've previously gone to Baldi and that place is really busy. I'd almost compare that to a club as its pretty loud. But Los Lagos had a good amount of people and it was more of a "chill" vibe. Plus its so much cheaper in cost. We didn't opt in for the dinner portion as we were going to go get food elsewhere. Would definitely recommend
Sanjeev Shantharam — Google review
Maybe the best hotel we had in Costa Rica. The property is huge, the rooms are spacious. Best thing for sure are the pools. Super clean, nicely designed. Water slides for the kids, a nice swim up (sports) bar for the adults - with nice food and super friendly staff. Would book again!
Don Rothtauscher — Google review
Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here! Great affordable family friendly resort with great service, staff, food, and hot springs!
The rooms were large, clean, and all spaced out on the resorts campus. Felt safe on the grounds and could trust the staff. The breakfast buffet had plenty food options! It’s soo nice walking out to see the volcano view on the sunny day. Would recommend staying here for a few nights especially since it’s drivable to all the food and excursions in the town!
Rucha Desai — Google review
The grounds were beautiful! This is an amazing place! There are so many birds and frogs. The rooms were nice but the view and facility were amazing! The food was good, but they tried too hard to make it "fancy." Sometimes less is more.
Cindy Pavey — Google review
One of my favorite places on earth. The spa... Fangus Spa, it's so amazing, the crew, the massages, the space. It's amazing. So beautiful, every little detail has been carefully thought of and properly executed. There's a beautiful young lady that greets you at the front open area, right after you walk under a waterfall, you can see all the way to their amazing gardens. She then goes over the different treatments they offer. Then the magic starts. The lush robes, the soft gentle music. Everything is so pretty and exactly what a Volcano Spa should look and feel . The pools are amazing, beautiful gardens with temperatures for all interests. My one observation is the bar and food, the bartenders are always super busy(good right!) However, sometimes they don't say hi or even acknowledge that someone has approached the bar, I get it. They can only do so much, so definitely make sure you're patient in getting a drink. If you have dietary restrictions, maybe look at the menu beforehand, it's traditional bar food. But my family and I didn't eat at the resort this time, we went out for lunch and then went right back to enjoy the pools. Amazing day. Definitely recommend.
Explore the lush green forest of Arenal Natura Ecological Park and find yourself amidst a crocodile lagoon, frog garden, turtle pond, and colorful orchids. Immerse yourself in nature and rejuvenate your soul while walking through the park's trails that encourage you to breathe in the fresh air, appreciate the surroundings and reconnect with nature. Experience an adrenaline rush by trying out their zipline activity.
Go. Worth every single penny.Go with your whole heart. Take in the nature. Cleanse your soul. Do the zipline!!!!!! The walk through the park has signs that tell you to breathe in, think of your joy, not just ," this tree is a _____, that flower is a ______." This park wants you reconnect with nature. It wants you to listen to the forest, to your heart and to the feelings you feel while there. Go. Go. Go. Bish. Go!
Julie Adrianna Olsen — Google review
We took the 2 hour night frog tour. We saw many animals and our guide, Leonela, was great. She was very knowledgeable about the animals and took great pictures (attached). We also got to search for the animals, which was very fun. The tour was a good length and the trail was not too difficult to walk, even in the dark. We would highly recommend our guide and the tour!
Katy Thorpe — Google review
So many animals! Very nice to visit. Loved the butterflies 🦋 There were so many different types of them.
Ana — Google review
We did a night tour at 6 pm tonight and our guide was not only knowledgeable but made sure that everyone was taken care of.
He took the time to find rare and hard to spot wildlife which made for a fantastic tour. We saw a viper, rare frogs, crocodiles, bullet ants, and an armadillo. He was very knowledgeable, we learned so much.
He took the time to take great pictures on several people's phones
He even noticed if a flashlight was starting to go slightly dimmer and offered his own to me nstead. At the end of the tour we had not arranged transportation and he called over 5 places to make sure we got a ride back to town.
Thank you for a great night, much appreciated!
Sophia Taylor — Google review
We were directed here by our tour guides recommended and now we know exactly why!
Our guide was Elias (I really hope I have spelt that correctly!) and he was fantastic. The experience from start to finish was brilliant and he had us gripped and laughing from start to finish! We learnt so much about the creatures of the night and were lucky to see so many frogs 🐸 in particular, an incredibly close and happy sloth 🦥 and even some rather ominous crocodile eyes 🐊.
I would definitely recommend both the place and Elias.
Love that they use some of the money to fund such an incredible eco park to look after nature too.
Gracias !
Kate — Google review
Excellent experience. This eco park/trail is a different from the others in that they have a butterfly conservatory guaranteeing sightings of the elusive Morpheus butterfly. Meyling, our guide joined us to view the reptile areas offering snakes, many varieties of frogs, turtles, crocs and caimans. Knowledge, and delightful staff brought us umbrellas for the at times heavy rainfall that is common in December. The trail is fantastic and well marked with ample seating areas to enjoy the rainforest. Sheryl, Meylink and the rest of the staff is charming and helpful. They advised us they offer rides back to LaFortuna for $10 which we gladly accepted. Enjoy this…very special.
FireflySailing (Firefly) — Google review
Amazing experience!!! We were able to pet a Toucan!!!! Very cool!! It started raining and one of the employees came out with umbrellas for us! This place is full of good vibes!
Kassandra Diaz — Google review
We decided to stop here on a whim and I'm so glad we did! They have such a great collection of native reptiles and amphibians!! There are a lot of birds on this property also and the guides were very nice and knowledgeable.
Rebekah B — Google review
My friend and I visited and were very impressed with the friendly and knowledgeable staff. We enjoyed a lovely tour of the snakes and frogs. The animals all seem well cared for overall but we were very concerned about the quality of life for the pigs and rabbits. While their enclosures were clean, we were very disappointed to see the 3 pigs kept separately with no mental stimulation. One of the pigs seemed desperate for us to interact with it. Pigs are incredibly intelligent creatures and need social interaction. The rabbits are in very small enclosures, and have no room to run around. It’s almost as if they’re in prison. If these two areas were corrected, I would give the park five stars, as I think they do really care and are doing a great job otherwise.
j s — Google review
Awesome night tour! So many nocturnal creatures that we were missing from our “wildlife bingo”
Colby Rose — Google review
We just did the night walk and it was a very worthwhile experience. Ashley was a great guide and was able to point out animals and insects that we never would have noticed on our own. We saw frogs, spiders, snakes, lizards, bullet ants, a praying mantis, a few other awesome things - like an olingo, which apparently was super rare to see.
Hanna Mandelbaum — Google review
We went to the night walk. There were only two of us on the tour, so instead of a group tour, we ended up in the private tour. The whole park was empty and only for us. This was awesome! The guide was very knowledgeable and provided us with a lot of information. We saw many spices of frogs and toads. Before the tour, we didn't even know the difference. We also saw a couple of snacks, Lizard and armadillo. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Gala Desonne — Google review
My family of five enjoyed a private tour of this special reserve with our tour guide Dennis. Dennis is so knowledgeable about the animals in the park and provided a fun, customized tour. His English was very good and he was very patient with the many questions from our young son. We leaned a great deal about the frogs, snakes and crocodiles on site and loved the experience in the butterfly pavilion. Dennis went above and beyond to help us get great photos of the many animals. If you are looking for an opportunity to learn about Costa Rica’s broad biodiversity up close, this is a great tour to take. The park is an easy drive from the Arenal Volcano area.
Margaret Erin Rodgers Schmidt — Google review
Most thoughtful tour guides and fun experience!
The guides were so considerate. My taxi driver was 20 min late and also took me to the wrong place. So we ended up 30 minutes late yet the guides waited for me and were very understanding.
Additionally, my camera phone broke, so the guides took lots of nice photos for me and sent them to me after. How amazingly kind of them.
I ended up being the only person to sign up for the tour and got to explore the park with the 2 guides at our own pace. It was so fun to walk around exploring and seeing so many creatures you usually can’t see in the day. We saw a lot of different frogs, a couple snakes, and lots of different insects.
Overall. What a special and fun adventure! Highly recommend!!!
Lizzie Stryker — Google review
We had a wonderful visit to Natura Park. The staff was great and our guide Ashley was outstanding. She went the extra mile to make sure we didn't miss anything and really enhanced the experience by providing context and background on all the creatures she showed us. It was a really good demonstration of why it is worth it to pay a little extra for the guided tour. Highly recommended!
Termales Los Laureles is a serene rural property that boasts well-maintained outdoor pools and stunning views of the nearby volcano. The hotel offers excellent dining options and even has a playground for children. It's an ideal place for families as there are plenty of pools and slides suitable for all ages, while power sockets are available throughout the rest areas. The hotel is reasonably priced at 5000 colones, with free admission for children under three years old.
Really nice place, not crowded during the week and very well maintained. There are plenty polls and slides for all ages, power sockets throughout all the rest areas and at present time is not expensive at all: 5000 colones, children under 3 years don't pay.
Manuele Migliore — Google review
Great hot springs, plenty of space for everyone
Antoinette Lydon — Google review
So wonderful to get in a nice long soak in these hot springs. It's a locals favorite, and at 5,000 colones per person, I can see why. ♡♡♡♡♡ I certainly wish we lived closer. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place. ♡♡♡♡♡
Momma Bear — Google review
Good if you have kids. Good family places and good price. They have picnic table so you can bring your own food.
Dale Crow — Google review
Great place to spend the day with the kids
Yvan Giraudon — Google review
Truly an Amazing place for the price needed to pay. Would highly recommend it, it's gonna be a blast!
Avarage Cabor Rojo Citizen — Google review
Many international tourists will skip this activity, but our budget conscious family loved it. Just $10 per person. Totally deserted on a weekday afternoon. Two waterslides, three large cold pools and several small, attractive hot pools. Bring your own towels. If you are nimble and adventurous, I recommend prioritizing the free Choylin hot springs over this location. But this is a totally different and fun experience.
Burton Filstrup — Google review
This place is accessible for everyone, you can bring your own food, music, etc. Clean and beautiful gardens and thermal pools. Slides for have fun. Absolutely beautiful. So happy to visit. Also, you can see the volcano .
Yadira Barrera — Google review
What an awesome experience.. went in the evening as the water was tub temp.. lots of fun without the sun.. we all had a blast.. going again for sure
tom ulrich — Google review
Nice clean and safety place to stay
Gustavo Badilla — Google review
Very nice and spacious.. Water sloghtly colder than expected
Jaroslav Nov??ek — Google review
The price was very reasonable and our 2 & 5 year olds were free which was great. The kids especially the 5 year old, had a blast on the water slides. There are a few very small slides which was perfect. My only minor complaint was there are no comfy chairs. I was trying to nurse my toddler and there was no where other than the picnic bench, the side of the pool, or in the water. We had a great day there.
kyle b — Google review
Tons of fun for the whole family! Reasonable prices. We came in on a Friday and there was hardly anyone here.
Andre V — Google review
Local, family-friendly hotsprings. Lots of pools with temperatures ranging from cold to hot. There are mini Ranchos to set up your spot for the day, with plugs, a picnic table, and a grill. If you go on a weekday, you might almost have the place to yourself, but weekends and Holidays if gets crowded.
Kristal Rose — Google review
The place is very nice and good price for the quality they offer. The only point there are many childrens and the security in the afternoon was not so present to check what they do because it is forbidden to jump in the thermal baths but they do it and this is a bit disturbing
Anna Madaschi — Google review
Beautiful place to spend a nice day with family and friends. They have ranchitos with bbq pits, electric and water. Perfect to bring your own delicious food n bbq or eat at the restaurants and cafes, you have choices. Incredible price...5000 colones pp, you can't beat that price.
DLM Nani — Google review
Lots of different pools with different temperatures and slides. There are also "ranchos" where you can eat or even have a small BBQ.
Carolina Leal — Google review
Excellent place to visit. Very clean and great customer service.
Jose Ramon Arguedas — Google review
Fun and affordable. They provide the space and facilities, you enjoy the experience. It's excellent for people who like to create their own experiences instead of having everything served to them.
Eric Bradstreet — Google review
Absolutely amazing place! We were here with our 6 year old son and 3 year old daughter in June. The entire park was almost empty with only 6 other people because during week days traffic is lower. We basically had a gigantic well maintained aqua park for ourselves! It has an amazing price-benefit ratio with tons of pools, slides, hot spring pools and a wonderful garden. There were lots of personell around keeping the place in shape, caring for the plants, maintaining the pools. Compared to pricey resorts this is really an amazing choice!
Mirador el Silencio is a nature preserve that offers scenic hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. The routes provide panoramic views of the volcano and take hikers through a mix of terrains including jungle, lava flow, and pastures. The trails are generally shaded but do have some steep sections, so hikers should bring water and wear appropriate footwear. The preserve is family-friendly and well-maintained with a natural, unpaved atmosphere that adds to its charm.
Fabulous moderate hikes. Good variety of terrain, some easier, some steeps, jungle, pastures, lava flow. Great views of the volcano. Family friendly. 5,000 mil when I went and I thought that was worth it for the upkeep of the trails. I appreciate that it’s not paved at all, but instead more wild.
Em Ess — Google review
Loved this hike - almost as soon as you start you really feel deep in a natural forest. In early February there was hardly anyone around once we got going. We were lucky to get amazing views of the volcano too. We spent about three hours and probably did most of the loops - it was all lovely, so I wouldn't worry too much about the route you take.
John Beale — Google review
Such a beautiful place. You van choose different hikes and make it as easy or difficult as you like. We did almost every hikes except 1 and 4 and it was stunning. A big applause for the people who maintain this park!
Nelline Notenboom — Google review
Good hikes of the lava fields and great views of the volcano. Not too long, but there are some stairs you'll need to hike up. We heard you could see sloths and monkeys but didn't get to see any unfortunately. Hopefully you're lucky!
Brittany Morris — Google review
Cool hiking area. However, trails got super confusing and map didn’t seem to match with signs. Still, enjoyed the privacy and terrain a lot.
August M — Google review
Beautiful park next to the Arenal volcano. Entrance fee is $10. The park has multiple trails which are clearly indicated by signs. The large loop can be walked in 1,5-2 hours. You will hike up the mountain through rainforest to a parking lot, which also functions as viewpoint to the volcano. From there you can walk to the lavafields, this is the closest you can go to the volcano. We saw multiple birds such as toucan.
Good hiking shoes are recomendend. The climb is about 150m in height.
Joost Kraan — Google review
This is a worry small moderate hike. From the parking lot the is a two hour +/- hike up towards the volcano and back. If all goes well hopefully you will get good visibility of the volcano. Along the way you will changes in collage, flowers, rock formations, birds, and a green pond. If you are lucky and have a driver you can hike down through the rain forest afterwards and get picked up at the bottom. That takes another hour plus but we’ll worth it. The trails are very well maintained.
David Webster — Google review
It rained pretty heavily during most of the hike as it normally does during the rainy season but along the trails you remain relatively dry as the canopy of the rainforest kept you protected. Once you went along the lava falls and beyond is when you would get wet from the rain but it wasn't cold so don't let the rain deter you. Even while wet, everything was still very easy to walk along without being slippery. Would recommend having insect repellent on before you head on long the trail.
The top of the lava falls provide the best views of the green fields along with the volcano in the background. So have your camera ready. Once you come down from there, you then will start following a service road to the green lake and then finally back to the entrance.
If you're quiet through the woods, you can definitely hear the howler monkeys in the distance. Also, along the way down from the lava rocks, there's many different animals that'll be along the trail.
The cost is 10 US dollars which isn't bad for getting access to two trails.
There's also bathrooms and places to wash your hands as well in the beginning.
Kent Guthrie — Google review
Amazing hike through the forest and lava trail. We spent 10 dollars per person, no fee for parking. We took the longest trail and arrived back to the starting point in 3 hours. Compared to other hiking trails in the area, it was the cheapest option
İdil Uçan — Google review
We really enjoyed hiking the trails here for a few hours, we didn't pass anyone so much quieter than Arenal National Park! There are several routes you can follow, with great views towards the volcano. The trails are mostly shady but they do have some steep sections so bring water and wear hiking shoes!
Harriet Sullivan — Google review
Absolutely beautiful! Great hike for a breath taking view of the volcano and the city!
We came here as part of our tour with the Red Lava TSC and our tour-guide Julio told us a great story of the history of the city and the volcano.
V A — Google review
We had a great time hiking the loop here. We saw howler monkeys, so many butterflies, and many different birds. Unfortunately it was cloudy so we didn't get to the volcano but we still enjoyed the different scenery and terrain of the various trails. Only ran into a couple of other groups on a weekday visit.
Hayley George — Google review
This was recommended to us as we wanted to see the 1968 lava fields and it is both cheaper ($10/person or 5,000 CRC/person) than the main other option and also well suited to small children as you can drive up to a car park closer to the viewpoint and then there's a 1.2km trail to walk (there and back).
This was all true and was ideal for us with a 4 year old (and wearing a baby). There's a lot of steps and some are quite high/uneven but we all managed fine and it wasn't a long walk. We actually came back down via the Lago Verde route instead which was mostly a smoother trail / step free but then had a short flight of even but steeper steps at the end.
There were a lot of tour groups coming up and down the main route and it's not all wide enough for 2 to pass, so it was good to come back down the other way, we didn't see anyone on that route. We did it in the rain and it was a nice walk anyway. Lots of different plants from those you see elsewhere in the area too.
You stop in a car park at the bottom by the information hut to pay for entry then they let you up the track if you want to drive to the next car park for the loop we did, which had plenty of space.
Madeleine — Google review
A very nice hiking trail! At first you go through the jungle, where we saw lots of insects, butterflies, monkeys and even a snake. Then you can walk through beautiful fields and get closer to the vulcano on another path. The price (5000 colon) is very fair, we hiked for about 5 hours there :)
Milla Koch — Google review
Must do hike, beautiful and relaxing. Saw 10+ white faced monkeys at end of 1968 trail. Easy and safe. Use Uber or taxi to get there. Guide over kill for experience IMO. $10 excellent value
Wes B — Google review
I did this hike in on and off massive downpours and still loved it. I’m used to hiking in rocky terrain so I found this to be a solidly moderate level hike and entry is $10/person (plus $5 for parking I believe). You still get the lava flow trails from the 1968 explosion and on clear days, a fabulously rewarding view of the volcano at the highest point on that trail. We also did the part of the hike that goes through the rainforest and encountered a family of white faced capuchin monkeys, and by the lago verde, we spotted Oropendola Montezuma birds, a little blue heron, a purple gallinule, a white hawk, and a group of coatis! We spent about 3.5 hours in the park but covered most of the outer trails to make the longest loop and stopped regularly to take photos so it would be easy to shorten the hike or move faster.
Julia Firestone — Google review
Great place to hike. The map is a little confusing, both me and some unrelated hikers both ended up doing unintended loops.
I'd give yourself plenty of time here. I did the whole thing and I was there for 3 hours with frequent rest breaks.
I didn't see a ton of animals, but there was still plenty of nature to enjoy.
You can get close to the base of Arenal which was fun.
Cassidy Dalton — Google review
Great spot for a 2-3 hour hike, with what is allegedly the best view you can get of the Arenal volcano (it was unfortunately rainy and foggy when I went, but it was still spectacular!).
Trails are well maintained and indicated. You’ll go through rainforests, craters, lava grounds and a couple lakes. Well worth the detour!
Dominique Antonelli — Google review
Beautiful trails, though challenging for some parts. The hike to the 1968 lava pathway was worth slogging in the rain (bring a rain jacket because the weather can change quickly. Great views of Arenal Volcano when the weather cooperates.
Ross Brown — Google review
Well worth a visit. Not as busy as the National Park and with better views of Arenal. Lots of steps so not an easy walk but we'll worth it. Also get to see the Green Lake. $10 each for entrance on card only. Allow a couple of hours at least. Can drive part of the way but you'd miss a lovely walk.
Nicky Tollworthy — Google review
Great hike through rainforest, but also open areas. The highlight of the park is the part of the hike at the foot of el Arenal where you walk on the hardened lava rocks. Great view of the vulcano.
Ilse Wittens — Google review
Beautiful hike! Many trails to explore, and usually many opportunities to see the volcano and the lake. Better and cheaper than the national park, however, make sure you get early to enjoy without other visitors
Kalambu Hot Springs is a fantastic water park that offers a variety of attractions for people of all ages. The park has multiple pools, children's play areas, and exciting slides that are sure to provide endless entertainment. Additionally, visitors can enjoy swim-up bars, delicious restaurant options, and beautiful views of the surrounding area. Despite its popularity, the park never feels too crowded thanks to its numerous areas and relaxed environment.
Absolutely amazing experience! Went with 2 kids (3 and 7) and 4 adults. The 3 year old was able to go on the family slides with the tubes… they didn’t say anything about it! Very relaxed environment. So many areas in the park so it never feels too crowded. We didn’t even discover the swim up bar until later in the day. Overall, one of the BEST experiences we had in the area! Even incredible in the rain!
Oh, and the price was CHEAP! Cheap food, drinks, and all actually really good! We didn’t want to leave!!
**HIGHLY encourage checking this place out.
Chelsea Abbott — Google review
This was a great place for the family to spend a day on a cheap budget. It averages to be $8 USD per person. There are many hot springs and a lot of cabanas, but you gotta get there early to snag one.
Jeremy Youmans — Google review
This was the best full day in Costa Rica so far. I am a huge kid and we were there on a weekday, there were zero lines and I went down every slide so many times. Also there were like 4 huge empty parking lots so I am assuming it could be very very busy depending on the time of the year. Best swim up bar I have found in my life, drinks are cheap and made very well with just enough booze to keep.you coming back for another one.
Ryan LaPlante — Google review
Awsome place... beautifully laid out over several acres... lots of slides... the tallest hot springs slide in fortuna... very reasonably priced... GET THERE EARLY...
Richard Givens — Google review
A very beautiful place , multiples pools , clean and peaceful place. The view to the volcano is unique
Silvia Delgado Barboza — Google review
This water park is so fun and relaxing! The setting is stunning within the many many plants and beautiful volcano views. It is also clean and entrance is only 20 USD. We visitEd on a Tuesday in December and it was really not busy at all. There was almost no wait at the 5 different slides (which were amazing by the way: range of difficulties, some with inflatables, some without) and the pools were not busy at all. There were many different thermal pools, all different shapes and temperatures. There is also a kids area. I definitely recommend coming here if you are looking for a cheaper place to enjoy the thermal baths, especially if you enjoy slides. Top notch!
I'm Alexia — Google review
Way cheaper than the other hot springs close by and feels clean. There's a drink bar and the staff speak English. Great spot to hang out. I suggest going in the evening when fewer people are around and you can enjoy the hot springs while it's cooler outside. It's really worth coming here for the hot spring experience.
Adithi Jagannadhan — Google review
We went on a Sunday, so a little on the busy side, but no long waits for the slides. Definitely more of a Tico place than a foreigner tourist destination. I mean that only because the cost ($10) is so reasonable. Arrive early so that you can claim a covered picnic table. While we found no excessively hot tubs, there are lots of pools to choose from. The slides are great fun. I recommend shorts for women and swim shirts for the boys because the slides are not entirely smooth at the connections. I definitely recommend.
Lindsay Gartner — Google review
Popular place for locals and much less expensive ($11/person) than the place across the street, this is a great choice for fun in the heat. Slides provide a lot of fun for the kids especially. It was a bit crowded on the weekend, so it was not as relaxing as we were hoping, and the swim up bar was especially crowded. Still, it's a great place for the entrance fee.
R C — Google review
It was a really cool place with a great view of volcan arenal! And waaaay cheaper then the place across the street! Great family spot and kind friendly!
Ed Quintero — Google review
My wife and I took our two early 20 something boys to Kalambu after several slow paced days and it was an exciting change of pace for the boys. An added plus was all the energy the boys burned hiking up the many stairs. Compared to US water parks, Kalambu was smaller but much more beautifully landscaped.
Parking was free and plentiful. The location was easy to find. The facilities were great and on a Friday, it was not crowded. The price was right too!
The snack bar had a good selection of natural juices and beer. We also ate lunch at the restaurant, which was good and gave generous portions to the young boys who eat like goats.
A very fun and enjoyable diversion.
Gary Samson — Google review
My initial impression was a little bit underwhelming because there’s only two large water structure, and one little kids structure. I admit, after spending a few hours there I think this place is very well set up.
To begin with this is the only waterpark that I have been has the tubes lifted to the top of the tower, whereas everywhere else even in Disney cruise, I had to carry my own tubes to the top Then, for whatever reason I don’t know, on December 28 such a top season this place is not crowded at all The amount of waterslides I have done during a few hours visit equals to the whole week I did on Disney cruise because there’s no line here. You just get straight up to the top and you slide down.
The natural spring pools here come in different temperature. While my kids repeated the waterslides, I relaxed in different pools
Lastly, the food in the lounge café, even though it looks mediocre, but taste very agreeable My whole family couldn’t stop talking how crispy and juicy the fried chickens are particularly they are not the typical water park rip off price!
TooToo Hu — Google review
Mainly Costa Rican’s at this place. The kids enjoyed it. It would have been better if the water was warmer. Paid to have lunch included and that was a great plan.
Michelle Windes — Google review
This place was really fun. Hot springs AND slides? Come on 😄 The slides are not hot to be clear, but there are eight pools of varying temperatures to warm up in. The place is not very expensive, but it’s also not very fancy. It’s decent enough. If you look for higher end experiences - look elsewhere, but if you’re laid back and know how to have fun - it’s totally worth it. I felt like a kid here 😄 be mindful there is no WiFi, but you can get a taxi at a hotel across the street. Make sure to bring flip flops or even water shoes if your feet are sensitive, the floors of spring pools are pretty coarse to prevent slipping. I’d totally go again. Also, they close water slides after sunset, so don’t count on riding until 9pm.
V P — Google review
Wonderful mix of soaking pools and water slides which was perfect for our family with 3 teenagers. Mostly locals go and it's not listed with the other hot springs that dominate tour books, but the price (even a little higher for non-locals at $20 + a meal) was a much better value. Thee pools and area are clean with lush gardens and when Arenal decided to show its face, was a beautiful picture. We almost never waited more than 2 or 3 people for any of the slides and had a blast on the 3 person tube slide.
Scot Waye — Google review
Went with 2 kids aged 4.5 and 1.5, it was great fun! There is a park for young kids with slides and a large bucket that drops water every 30 sec or so, but the big splash is hard on younger kids and the water there is cold. We had more fun on the big slides (at the top, the left one is very gentle) as the oldest was sliding with mom or dad. Dad also had fun on the big and fast slides!
The hot pools (10 in total I think?) are great too and perfect to chill, splash around, or take pictures!
We got there at 9:15am and we were only 2 families in the whole park, by the time we left at 2pm there were maybe 10 cars in the parking lot, so we basically had the entire place to ourselves!
We took the lunch which was good for the price and plenty for the 4 of us, it's cafeteria style with rice, beans, salad, potatoes and a choice of meat for each plate.
Gabrielle GB — Google review
Amazing! I highly recommend. Makes teenagers and adults happy. Is truly a paradise. We went the week before Costa Rican Easter break and it was pretty empty.