Arenal Springs

What a setting. Right beside the volcano, half covered in rain forest half wastes in grey and black rock from where it errupted truely a majestical view and it doesn't matter which room/lodge you stay at either we stayed in room/lodge 204.

“A Brilliant night!!!”

Arenal Springs

All rooms have 2 double beds plenty big enough for anyone and a great bathroom with your own mini rain forest cascading down the far shower room wall, a lovely touch!!!!

Tours to see the larva at night were only $10 and about 40min drive away a must do! Its quite a sight. We saw loads of Fireflys and frogs some very rare on our trip. We were only at AS for 1 night which was a real shame the pools looked great! I'm sure there was a swim up bar in one of them! Breakfast was fine a little more choice would have been nice but was there was good enough.

The staff were very knowledgable and spoke good English. The internet was free again a nice touch also. The local town of Fortuna (Named that because of how lucky it was when the volcano errupted down the opposite slope lol!!!) is a nice place not too touristy and the surrounding area has so much beauty and a lot of things to do. From the energetic zip wire and white water rafting to the relaxing, calming hot springs to the true wonder of the roof top walkways of Monteverde cloud/rain forest..

Just wish we had stayed longer!!!

“Great, unexpected stay at Arenal Springs”

Arenal Springs

This is a modified excerpt from my trip review:

We were originally booked at Volcano Lodge but when we arrived at Volcano Lodge, we found out that there was a problem with our bathroom in our room and that a plumber was working on it. We were given the option to wait or they would move us to another hotel. We decided to wait. We enjoyed the gorgeous grounds for a bit. There are 2 pools here, which I hadn't realized. We decided to eat at one of the restaurants (the more casual, non-seafood one) and Carlos at the front desk comped our meal, which I thought was a very nice touch. After our meal was over, I had a call from Carlos. Because it started pouring, the bathroom wasn't going to be in proper working order that night so we had to move. VL paid for our cab to Hotel Arenal Springs and paid the difference in the room cost (AS is a bit more). They also gave us a bottle of wine. Really, Carlos was very nice about the whole thing and we are pretty laid back. VL couldn't have been any nicer or made the situation any easier on us and I wouldn't let this deter me from booking at Volcano Lodge. AS is really close to VL so we were in the same general vicinity. Carlos did give us the option of staying at AS or coming back to VL on our second day but we were on our way out to EcoTermales and I didn't feel like packing everything up and moving, so we opted to stay put at AS.

Hotel Arenal Springs:

We got all checked in to AS and got into our room. You have to put your room key into this slot next to your door at AS to turn the power on to your room. My husband quickly figured out that ANY credit card-size plastic card will work to keep the power on, you just need something to complete the circuit. We didn't do this all the time but it was nice to be able to do when I wanted to go sit in the lobby or something while he napped and didn't want to have to wake him up to get in the room or when we spent the day around the hotel and in La Fortuna so we were in and out a lot. The only downside to this arrangement is that the mini-fridge doesn't have power if something isn't in the slot. I suppose you could leave something in the slot all day and just keep all the lights off and turn off the a/c while you are out.

The a/c worked well and we never felt hot or like the room was stuffy during our stay. The room was extremely neat and so clean and all of the furniture was very sturdy. It doesn't look like much in pictures but in person, it has a very relaxing, homey vibe to it. The bathroom is of a decent size and the shower is quite large with an area for plants behind it and a rock wall. It was a cool touch.

Our view of the volcano was spectacular. We had a picture-perfect view of the volcano and not only were we lucky enough to enjoy clear views every morning, we also were able to see an ash eruption and the top of the volcano glowing with lava 2 nights(must have been putting on quite a show for the people on the other side!).

We stayed in room 308 and I would recommend this room.

The front desk staff was very nice and helpful, one girl in particular whose name escapes me. She always remembered mine and was very friendly and helpful. Edward at the tour desk was very helpful. We had a bit of a situation where I needed to get our vouchers for EcoTermales printed up and he let me do that on his computer at AS for no cost, which I thought was very nice since we didn't book it through him. We did book our Cano Negro tour through the tour desk (charged to our room, very easy, excellent tour) and we took the hotels tour to see the lava, which we found was cheaper than any others I had found at $15 pp. We didn't realize this was a cash thing and didn't have quite enough on us. Edward said no problem and we just left the rest at the desk for the driver in the morning, no big deal.

The breakfast is included here and was very good. The coffee was strong but good. They offered gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, plantains or fried yucca depending on the day, a breakfast meat, cereals, pastries, fresh fruit, toast, an omelet station (they also had eggs and I think you could get fried eggs and whatnot upon request), and fresh orange juice. Oddly, they had cheese straws and they were excellent.

It seemed much quieter than VL but I think that is because it has a bit more space around it and is pretty spread out. I loved sitting on our front porch each morning, reading, watching the volcano, surrounded by the beautiful landscaping (including plantain and banana trees) and watching the birds race back and forth across the wide lawn between our cabin and the ones in front of us and the butterflies and hummingbirds visiting the flowers all around me. It was very quiet and peaceful. If you stay here, request a room that begins in an odd number. The rooms beginning in an even number didn't look like they had as good of a view but they might have, I just didn't want to go stand on someones porch to snoop. We were in 308 and our view of the volcano was stunning. My jaw dropped the first morning I opened up the curtains. Also, the room was private and we slept with the curtains open to enjoy the night time view of the volcano.

The hotel offers 2 computers with high speed internet access for complimentary use by guests. We took advantage of this a few times.

I would recommend this hotel. We really enjoyed our stay and found the sound of the rain on the roof to be relaxing and the room very comfortable. It was also nice to sit outside on the porch and enjoy the view of the volcano with the rain coming down. Everyone here was just so nice and helpful. We felt very comfortable here and really enjoyed our (unexpected) stay.

I hope this review is helpful to someone. You may contact me through trip advisor if you have any questions or find me on the Costa Rica forum here. I hope you enjoy your Costa Rican vacation as much as we did. Pura Vida!

“Plesant enough but bring a flashlight”

Arenal Springs

The majestic Arenal Volcano dominates the views from all the rooms in this sprawling, camp-like, hotel- as it should! We found the room quite comfortable. The rooms are spread out over the campus of the hotel and are actually cabins. Each cabin has two rooms and is complete with a porch and the most amazing shower you will ever encounter. The shower includes its own miniature rain forest! That's right, a group of plantings, fed with fresh rain water is adjacent to the shower.

You will find all the comforts of a hotel including Air Conditioning, a full-service restaurant and a pool area complete with swim-up bar. You will always be able to glance up and see the volcano. It never lets you forget its there.

You will also find that after dark there is very little lighting (a trade-mark of Costa Rica). The paths from the rooms back to the lobby and restaurant area will be pitch black. I could not read the check in the restaurant despite the plethora of lights- they use only 5 watt bulbs it seems.

If it rains, and after all this is a rain forest, be ready. The metal roofs used on the cabins will magnify the sound of any rain so much you will be convinced its torrential no matter how slight the rain actually is.

Finally, you will need patience to operate the remote control air conditioning system. It defies logic. The entire unit will shut down when you leave the room because the room key is required to power anything. When you return you will need to start over.

“wonderful resort”

Arenal Springs

My wife an I were there as a part of a Carvan tour.

Spectacular view of the mountain, excellent food. Never tried the pool but it looked fine. The grounds were immaculate and very nicely landscaped. The staff was polite and helpful. We had a duplex- type cabin with a great view of the volcano. Very good birding on the grounds in the early am.

I'd go back in a second.

Tom S.

“Good Hotel...Bad Service/BUGS!”

Arenal Springs

Arenal Springs is a beautiful property with reasonable prices. We had a wonderful second floor room with a balcony and rocking chairs. The tub was great as it was a spa tub with steps you had to walk up to get in. We had a full view of the volcano and were so happy.... until the bugs came.

That night while my boyfriend and I slept we both woke up in the morning to find ten to twenty bug bites. There are NO screens on any of the windows and gaps where the doors close allowing all the bugs outside in. Once we came back to our room and found a cricket the size of a half dollar. Our friends were staying next door and they found a frog jumping around their room. When we walked out to leave that evening with them for dinner there were beetles all over the porch.

The staff was extremely rude and too busy chatting to really help. One evening we had reserved tickets to go to the hot springs and a semi had gotten stuck at the entrance to our road (the road is dirt and VERY narrow) We had called for a taxi and they said it was waiting for us. We got ready only to find there was not only no taxi but we were trapped at the hotel because there is NO alternate exit. The truck stayed like that for roughly 36 hours. That was a little scary to think what they would do in an emergency.

The hotel is convenient location to the hotel and it is easy to book any activities and have it charged to the room which is nice. If staying in the Arenal area I would HIGHLY recommend the Sky Tram Zip Line *NOT canopy* It's a little more intense but def. worth it.

“Great Bargain”

Arenal Springs

As a group of 9, we decided that we wanted to have a longer stay so we looked into booking a cheaper property. After looking into it and reading all of the reviews as a group we collectively chose this one.

Pros: The grounds are very pleasant and serene. Offered extensive views of the volcano from all of our rooms. Helpful staff. Nice complimentary breakfast. The rooms were much nicer than I expected for $89.00. The pool is small, but very relaxing and Donald the bartender was really awesome. It's a really wonderful setting. The housekeeping was fantastic. The rooms are very clean.

I feel like for the price, you can't complain much. But if I was super picky I'll list a few of our problems.

We had to change rooms because our A/C broke. Staff was very prompt in assisting with all of our needs.

The rooms are quite noisy if your neighbor is home. Our door key had to be reset several times. Very minor things. The staff was always very nice and helped us immediately.

There is so much to do, we were barely in our rooms. It's just a place to lay your head and wash up and it's perfect for that. If your looking for a room that your going to be in a lot instead of outside out on adventures, you might want to try somewhere else if noisy neighbors annoy you. Personally, that is my biggest pet peeve.s However on this trip, being so active and cheap it didn't bother me.

I would definitely stay there again. I really loved the place, the Concierge (Salene) it's terrible I forgot his name- but he was awesome! We loved him. He booked us a really cool tour to Nicaragua for the day. It was a really great experience. Nicaragua was hot, but on the boat it was lovely. He was really great at suggesting the zip lines, hot springs, La Fortuna Waterfall etc. He even arranged to have a birthday cake made for me. He was fantastic! The whole staff was.

“Pefectly Fine - But no WOW factor”

Arenal Springs

We stayed at Arenal Springs Resort as part of a 10-day tour through Caravan Tours. While perfectly fine, it did not match up to the exotic character of our Tortuguera jungle lodge or our Pacific all-inclusive resort. But - it was fine.

The resort is located between Tabacon Hot Springs and the village of La Fortuana. When we turned off the main road onto a dirt road into the country, I thought we were in for "rustic," but the resort is quite modern. It’s cut right out of pasture and is still surrounded by fields with cows and horses.

The 26 cabins are actually duplexes, with two rooms each. Every room has a covered patio facing the volcano, complete with two rocking chairs. The rooms are not well soundproofed and we could hear the couple in the next room – not enough to bother us, but enough to make us wonder if we might be bothering them!

As mentioned in a previous review, inserting your room key in a slot as you enter the room turns on the electricity. I wish I had this at home - very green! The bay window in each room is fixed, but there are two other large windows that slide open. These windows do not have screens which was not a problem for us since there weren't any bugs, but it didn't feel real safe to sleep that way at night so we closed them and turned on the A/C.

The rooms are basic but clean and very serviceable. The garden shower is a nice touch - and wait 'til you see what they do with your towels. ;-)

Many in our group praised the landscaping and the resort did do a good job with planting lots of interesting plants and labeling them, but I found it rather uninspiring. I prefer paths through tropical vegetation and the landscaping here was much more open.

It was too cool to use the pool but it looked fine and there was a swim-up bar. I think it is designed so you can lay in the pool or jacuzzi and see the volcano at night.

Our tour group ate at the restaurant for breakfast and 2 dinners - typical yummy Tico fare , very well prepared considering it was all buffet. The restaurant is airy with a good view of the volcano.

Ah yes, the volcano. All the views in the resort focus on the it. Unfortunately, the most we ever saw of Arenal was the bottom third as it was cloudy the entire two days of our stay. Bummer.

We saw lots of birds on site and one of our group members had toucans on her patio!

We took two great side trips arranged by Caravans - a wildlife-viewing boat trip into the Cano Negro Wildlife Preserve and a visit to the much nearer Baldi Hot Springs. We saw lots of animals – especially monkeys and birds - on the river tour and had a great guide. The hot springs were almost empty when we got there in the late afternoon. We were the only people in several of the pools. Magical!

If you go to the resort website, it lists a variety of tours including rafting, caving, hiking, canopy tours, and horseback riding – plus the ones we did – all within a short distance. It states that the tour operators will pick you up at the resort.

We also toured La Fortuna but it's really pretty much a tourist town and did nothing for me.

If I were to go back to Arenal, I'd probably stay at a more rugged place with more of a nature feel to it, closer to hiking trails and the volcano. But this resort is nice, clean and comfortable – and a good deal.

“More like Cabins than Hotel Rooms”

Arenal Springs

We booked our stay on very short notice while in Costa Rica.

The complex is very unique, private and about 1-km off the main road. It consists of a few dozen two-unit cabins on separate lots, similar to a small subvision. The reception area and restaurant are at the entry point, and you can walk, drive, or ride a golf cart to your unit.

The cabins look quite spacious from the road, but in reality they are smaller than most hotel rooms. They are new and modern, but there is no sitting area (not even a single chair or couch). No other complaints, except for the weather.

The reception staff, bell captain, concierge, and restaurant staff were all very professional, friendly and helpful. All spoke very decent English. Food served was good and reasonably priced. The included breakfast was American-style and very good. We ordered room service one night due to the weather, and the burgers were just great. They were delivered by car.

Shopping and restaurants are available in La Fortuna, about a $6 cab ride each way. The many tours and Interbus pickup right at the resort.

It was too rainy and cloudy to view the Arenal Volcano, and the lava flows are on the opposite side, away from Arenal Springs.

In summary, it was quiet, relaxing, and a decent value.

“Great Hotel”

Arenal Springs

This hotel was great. It was off the main road, so it was peaceful and you could hear the howler monkeys in the distance. The grounds were amazing. The swimming pool looked small, but we were too busy to use the pool. Besides why would you want to hang out at a swimming pool when there are so many other neat things to do. Don't bother booking activities in advance (at least during the rainy season). The hotel has a wonderfully informative tour desk that can book everything for you depending on the weather. I would only recommend the horseback riding offered by the hotel for someone experienced. I would also recommend not renting a vehicle. I would recommend the hanging bridges, but if you really want to see wildlife, go on the safari float tour.

“Fabulous Place!!!”

Arenal Springs

This hotel was great! The rooms were clean, staff was freindly and the food was wonderful. The views of the volcano were incredible. I was unsure about the hotel before we arrived. websites always make places look their best, but when we arrived it was everything that was on the website. The bathrooms were ardorable with the little

"garden" in the shower. We never wandered off the resort for meals (we did do tours everyday). The restaurant on site was really good and a good variety of food. If you do want to go off premise but don't want to get a taxi, you will need a flashlight to make it down the long "driveway" to get to the road where there are restaurants.

My husband and I HIGHLY recommend and will go back. It is too bad you

can not see the lava flow, but nothing beats waking up in the morning, pulling back the curtains to a large picture window, and seeing the volcano. It is incredible and I will never forget the views.

“Muy buen hotel”

Arenal Springs

Tiene muy buena calidad de las habitaciones y de tamaño, muy cuidado, unas bellas vistas del volcan Arenal desde la habitación y desde su porche donde se esta muy tranquilo.

La recepción funciona muy bien, dejando un aparato de internet .

La piscina preciosa, y una huerta que enseñan sin ningún problema, incluso se molestaron y nos dieron a tomar zumo de caña recien cortado de la huerta.

“Lo recomiendo”

Arenal Springs

Estuvimos 3 noches en este hotel. La habitacion es grande, tiene minibar, cafetera,tv, cierre electronico, 2 camas, cofre de seguridad, pero lo mejor es el super ventanal que da hacia un jardin con vistas al volcan Arenal!! En el jardin individual hay 2 sillas mecedoras, es un placer quedarse ahi solo disfrutando de la vista y los pajaros.

El baño es grande aunque un poco humedo porque le pusieron plantas adentro.

Lo que es lamentable es el restaurant, que esta muy bien puesto, pero la tencion y la comida es mala.