Lands in Love Hotel & Resort

“A Country within a Country”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Lands in love- a Country within a Country.

After spending a solid week at Lands in Love, I find myself thinking back to what a wonderful honeymoon I had there. After driving through the Costa Rican countryside after dark to arrive at a place to see a caring staff walking their dogs was a wonderful greeting. Exhausted, we were shown to our room with by a friendly and helpful staff, and we fell asleep. The next morning I looked outside and the beauty of the place made me gasp. We ran out the door as the sun was coming up, and walked many of the gorgeous trails before breakfast.

“A Country within a Country”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Lands in love- a Country within a Country.

And from there the week got better and better.

The place is nothing short of stunning. I repeated to my wife many times over the week about the staff's "attention to detail". The well manicured grounds are a wonder to behold, and it seems like no matter where you look that someone has made an effort to beautify.

To call the feel of Lands in Love totally Tico (Costa Rican) would not be accurate. Read any review and you'll discover that the hotel is run by a group of Israelis, and let it be know that their unique touch to everything gives the place a very unusual feel. Lands in Love was our gorgeous oasis in the jungle, far from the footprint of tourism. It was unique, it was different, and by no means do I mean this as a bad thing. We could go away on tours, and drive the countryside, and experience the true heart of Costa Rica (to call it's people warm and courteous would be an understatement), and when we returned we had our unique oasis, a bit far from the real touristy places, but who wants to sleep with neon lights outside and a Burger King adjacent? Not I.

Animals abound in the jungles of Lands in Love. Each walk to dinner we saw new birds, lizards (they are everywhere. I miss them!!), etc.

In the writings of Tolkien the Elven city of Rivendell is described as looking as if the buildings evolved and grew right out of the richness of the earth in harmony with nature, like it was part of nature itself. That is how I felt while relaxing at Lands in Love. I never once felt like I was somewhere that had been hoed out by excavators, but rather in structures that were in some way an integral part of the forest. A bit heavy, I realize, but hey, that is how I felt.

Lands in Love is not for everyone. Their menu is totally vegan, yet with an open mind you will not even think about it. The food was fantastic, with everything dish having it's own unique twist, and just a FRESHNESS about every ingredient. Not true Tico cuisine (drive a mile or two to Caballo Blanco and you'll be treated to a fantastic meal with local color), but exciting, fresh, and tasty.

As for the staff, I was shocked to read some negative reviews about this wonderful staff. They would set up tours for us, hand us breakfast for the road (unexpected and VERY appreciated!), and when we dragged ourselves back in tired and happy from a day of Volcano tours or White-water rafting, they were always eager to hear how much fun we had, like friends who were happy to hear of our travels. I tip my hat especially to Rona, who was there whenever we had questions or needed assistance with tours. She was there for us early mornings, and into the evenings. We never seemed like an inconvenience to her, and she (and indeed, everyone) made us feel at home.

I could go on about lands in love, my country within a country. It is indeed perhaps the most unique place I have ever stayed. If you want predictability and the same old tourist angle, then by all means stay closer to places that are the tourist centers, and enjoy it if that's what you like. But for me there was nothing so wonderful as coming back to the hotel late and tired, and just being able to appreciate the quiet tranquility of the could forest, the sound of howler monkeys in the trees, and the scurry of geckos in the moonlight.

“Home of love”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We highly recommend Lands in love, it's a wonderful place run by 20 Israeli friends, the place is homely and beautiful, located in the cloud forest. These guys arranged for us the all tour in CR, they were generous and kind and helped us 24 hours a day, it felt like we have someone looking for us all the time, taking care for everything we need.

In the restaurant they serve great vegetarian food (don't miss the lasagna, taco and chocolate cake). They also have great canopy and rafting tour that we enjoyed very much.

go there!

“Best place best people”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We have been all the family (2 adults and 5 children) for 4 days and we enjoy every second.

The Canopy, cabling, rafting and horse back riding to the beautiful waterfall was excellent.

The staff gives us a very warm hospitality and it was great.

We recommend families and singles to visit and stay in this beautiful place.

“Good choice for vegan 1st-time visitors to CR”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

My wife and I just returned from a 25th-anniversary one-week trip to Costa Rica. On previous trips abroad, we felt rushed by having to constantly pack and repack so this time we decided to stay the entire time in a single location.

After some research on the web (including tripadvisor, thanks!) we selected Tierras Enamoradas (Lands in Love) hotel & resort and were not disappointed. We arranged our airport pickup/return through the hotel as well as all our tours. As first time visitors to Costa Rica, we appreciated having this convenience and consider it worth the extra expense.

The resort is owned and operated by 30 very friendly and incredibly industrious young people from Israel. It seems they are constantly working to make their beautiful, park-like surroundings even more attractive.

The grounds are maintained very cleanly, but it will perhaps help to remember that the property is large and rural (coming from a rural location ourselves, this was another plus) and if you search long enough, you will be able to find spots that are a little wilder (less maintained) than the main grounds themselves. Is that a problem? Of course not - my wife and I enjoyed exploring all the nooks and crannies we could find! The hiking map they provided was sufficient for us to find the trail to the river and waterfall and back without getting lost.

Perhaps the main reason we chose Lands in Love was for the vegetarian cooking. As vegans, we normally cook for ourselves when traveling, but this time we decided to trust the kitchen staff. The wonderful smells coming from their kitchen were a most welcome treat even before our meals arrived.

We would like to thank Naama, Michal and the others in the kitchen for taking a personal interest in our dietary preferences and doing all they could to make sure we were happy with our meals. They even washed and sliced a couple of mangoes we had purchased at a super in town during one of our tours. What a treat! At our request, Rona baked us a pair of personal-sized pies (apple and pecan) which were exceptional.

Was it absolutely perfect? No, of course not. We were used to more whole-grains and vegetables, but what we found at Lands in Love certainly surpassed our expectations and we hope to visit again another time.

We went on several of the tours offered by Jacamar and would recommend most of them. Our favorites were the Cano Negro (lots of wildlife) and Rio Celeste hike. We prefer smaller groups when going on tour and for Rio Celeste it was just the two of us with Edgar our guide. Very nice! His English was quite good and he helped us spot the "blue-jeans" or poison arrow dart frog which we never would have found on our own.

The combination tour (most expensive) was perhaps a little crowded with many other groups visiting the same location so we did not enjoy that one quite so much. The canopy/zip lines are a must also.

Although August is technically the rainy season, this did not really hinder us much at all. There are umbrellas for the guests to use at the main reception and this enabled us to walk the grounds even if it rained on us occasionally. Usually the rain would stop after a few minutes.

The rooms were clean and functional. No AC, but with the windows open (screen in place) we had no trouble. It was cool enough in the evening that we were quite comfortable with just the room fan.

There are a block of rooms (26, 24 and some others perhaps) that do have fantastic views of the Rio Balsa valley. Ask for them if possible.

In summary, the staff and owners of Lands in Love have a high regard for their natural surroundings and for the animals in their care. As is usually the case, those who treat animals kindly have learned to also show kindness to their fellow man. We have no reservations in giving our highest recommendation!

“a great place!!”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

we enjoy very much at "lands in love". the hotel is located close to main places, and has a beautiful view-green and cloud forest.

the staff arrange us all the trip in costa rica, and gave us a wonderfull treatment. they are very very kind and proffesionals.

very recommended!!!!!

“In Love with this Hotel”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

This hotel is nestled in a valley in the mountain tops in a northern central area of Costa Rica. You can truly experience the rain forest climate. The hotel has been restored with an artist homey feel. There are various trails to explore on the grounds to a river and beautiful waterfall. Canopy, cabling, rafting and horse backing riding can be accessed right on the hotel grounds. I stayed with my children for eight days. Being a vegetarian hotel should not discourage you, the food was excellent and nice change of pace. Drawbacks of staying here is the limited places to eat, and the distances in doing tours outside of the hotel. It made my stay more expensive then I had planned. I highly recommend this hotel.

“Fell in love!!!”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

I loved Lands in love when staying there for a week with my family, I wrote in points:

Location – just what we looked for – a real place to relax and enjoy, nothing touristical in this place, a peace of mind.

Nature – nice wiew of the beautiful cloud forest, many different types of birds, frogs, some monkeys, waterfall, river and nice trails.

Food – never thought that I'll taste such a good vegetarian food. I have to give it to Naama the chef, the lasagna, taco, spaghetti bolognese and the israeli food were delicious.

Activities – we did canopy in the forest and the canopy above the ofrest with the 750 meters cable and the tarzan swing that was a real thrill, rafting, horseback riding, Tabacon hotsprings - all the tours excellent.

Staff – The best part of Lands in love. Everywhere you go you see a happy face, allways helping with every need we had. We became friends knowing now that we have a loving home in Costa Rica.

“We liked Lands in Love”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Stayed there with my young daugther for 4 days. She wants to go back because it was as nice as Hawaii. Though we are not vegeterians we liked the food. The prices were about right. I read the other review about riding the horses and I think the staff learned from it because our experience was fine. The place is very beautiful so make sure you walk around alot. Also you must experience the canopy-zip line. Lands in Love is about an hour from the Arenal Volcano which we also enjoyed. Note: Since Lands in Love is located in North Central Costa Rica the place is very far from either coast.

“Lands in Love was a Beautiful home away from home”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We just retruned from a weeks stay at Lands in Love in Costa Rica. The lodge is located in a cloud forest on the side of a mountain. The views from our room were beautiful. It was delightful to sit outside of our room and watch the numerous hummingbirds as well as multiple other types of multicolored birds, listen to the howler monkeys in the forest and watch the clouds roll in, out, up and down. The lodge has good hiking trails with a beautiful waterfall and rushing river. Addtionally there is an excellent staff who will assist in arranging any tours to nearby atrractions. The lodge has its own canopy tour and zip line. The food is all vegetarian, delicious and the servings are generous and reasonably priced. The complimenatry breakfast is wonderful. The decor of the lodge and the rooms is lovely and very clean! It is a very inviting place and the people who own it and work there are warm and take great pleasure in sharing their bit of paradise with visitors. We look forward to returning to Lands in Love in the future.

“Good, but not great”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Most, if not all, of the reviews of this resort are positive. And rightfully so. However, there are negative aspects of Tierras Enamoradas that go along with the good and being as none of the reviews seem to delve deeply into the place I decided to give it a go.

My wife and I stayed here for a little less than a week from June 21st - June 27th. In that time I feel like we experienced enough to write a thorough, non-biased review. I'll start with the pros and then cover the cons.

The Pros:

The Location: This is a double-edged sword here as the seclusion offers breath-taking views of the cloud forest and local wildlife but also offers some challenges (see the Cons section). We had room #24 and I think this room offers the best view of the cloud forest. The other rooms either opened up to see trees blocking the way or other rooms. If you can request it, I suggest this room.

The Staff: Extremely helpful and friendly. We saw more staff personel during our stay than other guests. They seem to come out of the forest itself at times. Rona and Michal, in particular, were always cheery and treated me and my wife superbly. They arranged all of our tours (thanks Asaaf) and even our cab to the airport when we were leaving. The entire staff went above and beyond to make sure we were happy and we greatly appreciated that.

The Cons:

The Location: While the location in the cloud forest was amazing for the nature aspect of it, it also made getting anywhere time-consuming. The nearest cities (La Fortuna and San Ramon) are about an hour to 2 hours (depending on traffic) away. So if you want to go shopping for gifts or to take a tour you need to start your day early. Two of our tours began at 6am with an hour long bus ride to La Fortuna where the real tour then began with another hour long tour to Arenal or Cano Negro (the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge tour was our favorite and I highly recommend it).

The Menu: If you're only staying for a day or three the menu shouldn't be an issue. If you're staying for a week, however, it gets a little repetative. Also, be warned: anything that says "meat" on the menu is really soy-meat so it's a little misleading. Also, if you take a tour that includes a real Costa Rican lunch or dinner you'll find out that "real" Costa Rican food is missing from the menu. And we thought there'd be more fresh fruit offered. We were sad that this wasn't the case being as bananas, pineapples, and mangos seem to be everywhere outside of the resort.

The Room:

No air-conditioning and there were little bugs crawling all over. I had to use my Off bug repellant wipes around the door frame and bed headboard each day to keep them out/off of us while sleeping. If you put a cup down on the desk for more then 5 minutes it was crawling with them.

The Tours:

The tour company they use, Jacamar Tours, is outstanding. Every guide we had (Roberto, Sylvia, and Allen) were extremely courteous and knowledgeable. Their English was excellent, also. However, Asaaf, the tour guy for Lands in Love, neglected to tell my wife and I to bring extra clothing to the waterfall and hot springs so we couldn't enjoy those as much as we would've liked. We felt that being as this was the most expensive tour they offered (The Arenal Combination Tour) that we were kind of "jipped" out of some money and while everyone else was enjoying the hot springs we had to sit them out and felt foolish.

All-in-all, on a scale of 1-10, i give the resort a solid 6.5. If you don't rent a car (be ready for the large deposit fee of around $1500) you'll find yourself getting bored with the resort after the first couple of days. The tours we went on (Canopy Tour with Adventure Cables, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, and Arenal Volcano Combination) were all great thanks to the staff of the respective tour companies and I recommend you try them out. Just bring extra clothing if you go on the La Fotuna Waterfall or Tobacon Hot Springs tours and you'll be fine.

Hope this review helps you out and that you find it clear and concise. I'm not trying to scare anyone away from Lands In Love, just trying to inform you of some things we didn't know prior to arriving there. Of all the places we considered staying at in Costa Rica, i don't think, overall, we could've picked a better place for the price.

“Close to perfection”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Myself, my husband and my mother had the extreme pleasure of staying at Lands in Love in late March. I could not believe how lucky we were to find this little piece of heaven.

My mother worked hard our whole life and had very few pleasure trips. Our plans to go on a family adventure was complicated by her serious dietary requirements. She has Celiac disease (a severe intolerance to gluten) and this makes traveling very difficult. I was lucky enough to find Lands in love which not only caters to gluten free and vegetarian diets, but in fact follow the diet themselves. I still remember the excitement I saw on my mom's face when I told her that she could have a trip of a lifetime and not have to worry about getting sick.

Lands in love is not only a hotel, but also a tour operator. From the moment we first contacted them, they provided assistance and made plans to ensure that our trip to Costa Rica would be trouble free. They arranged transport, a few nights at a beach hotel and most of the excursions we had while there. Some of these included: Canyoning, canopy tours, zip adventure lines, hot springs, volcano tour, coffee plantation etc. They also arranged a car rental for us and had it delivered to the hotel. This allowed us to travel further and see more of Costa Rica.

Lands in love is located about 45 minutes from San Ramon and 45 minutes from La Fortuna. A car is certainly helpful. However, there is plenty to do on the grounds of the hotel. There are beautiful hikes through the cloud forest, horse back riding, swimming, zip lines, canopy tours and more importantly relaxing. Each room has a beautiful view of the cloud forest. The hotel and grounds are beautiful and the rooms are very comfortable. While there they catered to our every need. From laundry to special food.

Perhaps the best Lands in love has to offer are the people. I do not think I have ever seen a group of people that work harder. From before dawn until late at night, they are working to ensure that guests have a truly fantastic stay. They make you feel like family and you truly feel cared for. We often enjoyed sitting in the open air lobby with tommy (the resident welcoming feline) watching our surroundings.

The food and shakes were amazing. You have to try the fantastic chocolate cake and the lasagna. They were constantly making little gluten free goodies for my mom. Even at home, it is difficult to cook a gluten free diet. It is the first time since being diagnosed that my mom could completely relax and eat whatever was given to her.

This was a truly magical stay, and we look forward to going back next year. We love the people and look forward to seeing them every year.

“Great Spot”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We arrived just as the rainy season did. It rained for almost our entire stay. Regardless, we had a wonderful experience at this resort and would stay here again.

The location is 2 hours north of the San Jose airport and 1 hour south of La Fortuna. The hotel will arrange a private taxi for $60 from the airport (or check with interbus online for better prices). There are public buses that will pick you up just outside of the hotel (although we had to get a taxi due to landslides during the recent tropical storm).

Pros:

Extremely clean, beautiful view of cloud forest from room, patio with chairs looking over cloud forest, hummingbird feeder off our patio with lots of hummingbirds, coffee in rooms, mini-bar in room with snacks at reasonable prices, beautifully up kept grounds, great pool and hot tub, organized transportation for us, mostly quiet and peaceful (see below), hiking trails, free internet and computers, pool table, GREAT FOOD

Cons:

Rather uncomfortable beds, not much information given about property/forest/ecosystems, because no AC or heat nothing dries out in the rainy season, DOG BARKING from the kennel which is across from the main building was not heard from inside the rooms but was a significant nuisance when we tried to explore that part of the forest and while outside near the main building.

“Quiet and tranquil spot”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We stayed at Lands of Love for 2 nights , 4/11 & 4/12 and we definitely didn't want to leave. The grounds are spectacular, overlooking the San Lorenzo cloud forest. All of the rooms have a clear view with deck chairs to sit outside your room and enjoy the multitude of wildlife. The whole resort was incredibly clean including the rooms and bedding. My husband was a little skeptical of the vegetarian fare but he enjoyed everything he had and did not miss the lack of meat. The staff was very friendy and accomodating, after only 2 days it felt like they were friends. This is truly a great place to experience the tranquility of Costa Rica. When we were there it was a holiday and the majority of the rooms were filled with locals - a welcome contrast to the large American type hotels. We were interested in looking at property and the 2 owners took us out for 4 hours to experience some of the small towns - this was the best time we had during our visit - their knowledge and stories of Costa Rica still have us talking. We are planning on returning and bringing our children with . Lands of Love is a definite must to visit

“Close to Heaven”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

I spend 4 nights at the hotel and liked it very much, my stay there was very pleasant.

The best thing for me was the hospitality of the staff.

They comply to every request with a most efficient and fast way, and always with a smile.

The feeling we had is as if we were vip guests and it was wonderful.

The rooms are comfortable and well equipped with TV, coffee machine and mini bar.

We enjoyed the food in the restaurant very much. Only after we spent 2 days we realized that everything is vegetarian, and the meat is made from soy. The food was so delicious we didn’t feel the meat was missing, they really know how to make their food which is quite a rare thing in costa rica.

We took a few activities which were enjoyable- horseback riding, canopy, tarzan swing and trails walk.

There is a swimming pool and jacuzzi, and the view of the forest & mountains is relaxing and tranquil.

We booked tours which were very good, all of them came to pick us straight from the hotel.

I recommend this place for everybody, it is one experience you don’t want to miss when looking for costa rica’s cloud forest hotel.

“how spoiled could I be”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

My daughter, her husband and I spent 16 amazing days in Costa Rica, most ot it at Lands in Love. 20 or so Israelis run this very clean and beautiful resort in the middle of the cloud forest. I have serious dietary needs (celiac disease) and found their address on a celiac website. They are themselves both vegetarian and gluten free. Not only did they serve gluten free food, but couldn't do enough for me. They cooked for me special cakes and breads late at night so I would have something special for breakfast (included in the room cost). We also ate most of our evening meals there and I will attest to the fantastic food, some Costa Rican, some Israeli, some western gourmet foods. The rooms were pretty, clean and comfortable, all with a porch looking over the cloud forest. While I often enjoyed the peace of their lobby, open to the air and decorated with wood, beautiful areas with sofas and chairs (great for playing cards), my family enjoyed the zip lines, tarzan swing, horseback riding etc. The two volcanoes are about 1 to 2 hours away; a beautiful waterfall garden (with birds and animals) is worth a trip, and there are hotsprings in Arenal. We rented a car the second week, and Lands in Love arranged everything for us. The first week we did a very interesting tour of the Arenal volcano, and did most of the rest on our own. We also did a tour of a coffee plantation, which was very interesting.

Most of all, I was impressed by how wonderful the owners are. Their goal was to reduce the carbon footprint on the planet by protecting some valuable natural lands. They brought dogs and cats from Israel with them, and all are part of the protection Lands in Love offers their natural world. One cutie is called Tommy, and if there aren't too many people coming and going, he's allowed to entertain the guests who love pets and relax along with them. My daughter spent many relaxing hours with Tommy on her lap. I felt like part of their family. I have no doubt I'll be back next year. January to April are their summer season, and it isn't until after that the rainy season starts. The weather was fantastic while we were there.

I highly recommend Costa Rica and Lands in Love. It's a beautiful country with no military and they're proud of that. Costa Ricans are proud of their natural resources, and many of the guides are university educated, fluent in English ( and sometimes French) and delightful to converse with. I'll be back again.

“Wonderful Spot”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We highly recommend this hotel. The staff were very helpful, the food was incredible (vegetarian), and the site was magical. Wonderful hiking trails all around the hotel were easily accessible, and the staff arranged any extra trips (zip-lining; white water rafting; Arenal Volcano, etc.) with efficiency. It was easy to find from the San Jose airport. We would certainly return there again.

“Stay far, far away from this place...”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

My husband and I had the displeasure of finding this hotel quite by mistake. We were on our way to Fortuna from Quepos with no reservations for the night...the one night we "winged" it.

The bed collapsed when my husband sat upon it (no, he is not overweight) in the first room we were escorted to. Then, the sink leaked in the second room we were taken to. At this point, we were too tired to continue on in search of another hotel as it was late and already dark outside.

We had dinner at the restaurant. I became violently ill following the meal.

Next door to the main building there is a doggy hotel. Instead of peace and quiet and jungle noises, we heard the loud barking of

several large dogs. We have dogs ourselves and love them dearly, but they do not disturb the neighbors.

The next morning we asked for a map so that we could explore the surrounding San Leandro Cloud Forest. The map first took us to a fenced in corral of horses....we took another route on the map which took us on a difficult hike to a waterfall and river that just wasn't worth the trouble. The map was so bad that we could hardly understand where we were (my husband is ex-military and an ATC and very good at reading maps). This was the only bad experience we had on the entire trip to Costa Rica. What a mistake it was to leave that one night to chance.

“A Truly Wonderful Place to Stay”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We stumbled onto this beautiful resort as we were driving through the San Lorenzo cloud forest in Costa Rica. It was our first day in the country and we were not sure where we would spend the night. We followed the signs directing us to the resort and turned off the "highway" onto a long and winding road that led us to what can only be described as "paradise."

The resort is situated right in the middle of the jungle and is surrounded by amazing views of the beautiful cloud forest. The grounds are abounding with lush vegetation and brilliant flowers. It's wonderfully peaceful and inviting.

The entire staff was wonderful; very friendly and accommodating. The rooms were very clean and each was uniquely decorated. We stayed in Room 32 which was very cozy. The price was very reasonable - about $120/night, including breakfast. And it was not just a boring continental breakfast. Guests could choose from a variety of dishes ranging from eggs and pancakes to a typica-style dish.

For dinner one evening, we had the most amazing lasagna we've ever tasted. On another night, my husband had an Israeli-style dish that he really enjoyed. Needless to say, the desserts were also wonderful.

We ended up staying for a total of four nights because we just didn't want to leave.

I highly recommend this resort and we will definitely be staying here again!

“Exceeded all of our expectations”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Lands In Love is a 30+ room hotel/resort overlooking a cloud forest in the central highlands of Costa Rica. Run by 20 young Israelis who purchased the property in 2005, it offers comfortable accommodations in bungalow-style outbuildings that allow you to simply sit on your patio and let the birds and butterflies come to you. Or you can hike down to waterfalls or up to the ridge above for canopy tours by zipline. The menu emphasizes vegetarian fare with a delicious middle eastern touch, and the morning coffee from Costa Rican plantations is extraordinary. The restaurant staff make each meal a special experience, affording a personal touch that after just a few days made us feel like family. The hotel is operated by the Israeli owners assisted by highly competent and friendly Ticos. Listening to their story of locating and refurbishing this lovely property prompted us to suggest that they should write a book about their experience. A highly helpful tour service made several excellent suggestions for day trips -- to the Arenal Volcano, Rio Fortuna waterfall, Baracon hot springs, and the Naranjo Coffee Cooperative. We loved it all

“Absolutely Amazing!”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

I kind of found this place on the fly, because I waited so long to plan this vacation. I could not have found a better place if I had spent weeks searching. One of the major reasons this hotel popped out at me was because it appeared to have a wide selection of tour packages. I was drained from planning the rest of the trip...and did not want to start the search for reputable tour companies and figure out where I wanted to go. Let me say.....Lands in Love went above and WAY beyond in this respect! As soon as you get there and check in, the tour manager comes over and introduces himself and offers to help you plan your tours. We were tired and muddy, so we said we would check back later. When we came back down for dinner, we mentioned it to the desk. Next thing we know, we are having a glass of wine while surrounded by colorful brochures and the tour manager explaining our best options while setting up our schedule to maximize our time. Most of their tours are done through Jacamar Tours, and they did an excellent job. We never had to worry about transportation or lunch. The only negative to this resort is the distance from all the activities around Arenal Volcano. It was easily a 45 minute trip one way. The flip side to this was the Canopy/Adventure Cable is a 2 minute walk up the street from Lands in Love. It is also one of the best canopy tours in the country. Another major plus for this resort is the surroundings. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, nestled right in the heart of the San Lorenzo Cloud forest. The landscaping was amazing, and THE BIRDS!!!! If you are a bird watcher....you MUST go to Lands in Love, and if you are not, you will become one quickly! The resort hosts an abundance of trails all through the cloud forest with knowledgeable naturalist guides at your request. I absolutely love hiking....and other than the tours, I think we spent every spare minute hiking in that cloud forest. The staff is great and the food, despite being vegetarian, was very good. Only negative is the restaurant service is pretty slow...plan on taking your time at dinner. Final comment: if you are looking for nightlife, don't go here. The resort is pretty much in the middle of nowhere and the bar is absolutely dead at night. (I think everyone is so exhausted from so many activities during the day. I could barely stay awake through dinner most nights!!!) :)

“A Gem in the Cloud Forest”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We stayed at Lands in Love for an entire week at the end of January into the beginning of February. The stay was perfect from beginning to end.

The hotel is located about midway between San Ramon and LaFortuna (Arenal Volcano). It is nestled at the end of a long entrance road in an exquitie spot within the San Lorenzo Cloud Forest. We chose this spot specifically for its isolation from the more commercialized hotel areas in LaFortuna.

The hotel grounds are beautiful containing lush, well kept tropical vegetation. There is a good variety of wildlife within the property including some beautifu birds. We saw Tucan, humming birds and a fair number of other neat species.

The hotels common amenites are very nice. There is a large reception and lounge area which extends to a nice outdoor patio with plenty of comfortable seating to hang out in. The reception area connects to the dining area which is very relaxed and comfortable. The reception area also contains a pool table and a foosball table and there is a business center for those who must check their e-mail.

There is also a very nice and large swimming pool and jacuzzi with spotlessly clean changing rooms.

Dining at Lands in Love is pretty special. The food is strictly vegetarian and is excellent. There was enough variety and ethnic diversity to keep the culinary experience exciting and interesting for the whole week. We particularly enjoyed the Isreali food, the lasagna and the tacos. The pastas were all excellent as well. The kitchen is run by Namah who will take a personal interest in your dining needs and will go out of her way to accommodate any special dietary need or food choice. One of my favorite parts of this vacation was listening to my wife (who is a life long vegetarian) and Namah discuss their cooking secrets.

Another excellent aspect of Lands in Love was the tour desk. Our tour arrangements were all made by Assaf and they went off without a hitch. We (a) did a cloud forest hike on site and visited the waterfalls and beautiful river; (b) did the on-site zip line and adventure cable which I must say was the best I have experienced in Costa Rica to date (very long runs); (c) went white water rafting; (d) visited the Canyo Negro nature reserve at the Nicaraguan border and (e) hiked through Arenal National Park. Of all of these I would say do not miss the zip line and adveture cables, the white water rafting and the trip to Canyo Negro.

The rooms at Lands in Love are very spacious and best described as mountain rustic. They are spotlessly clean. They have all the amenities including TV, coffee maker, mini bar, wireless internet, etc. The room we had contained a nice little porch area with chairs and a table and fronted on an open and beautiful expanse of the cloud forest. It was very relaxing and meditative. We had no insects in our room - only the occaisonal gecko - although ,if you are afraid of insects Costa Rica may be a bad choice for you .

As the hotel is tucked away in a secluded spot far from the commercialized areas of LaFortuna or SanRamon we do think it smart (although not absolutely necessary) to have a car with you. That will give you some freedom to explore off site and allow you to drive into LaFortuna (about 45 minutes paved all the way) when you want. That's also a good option for those of you who need your meat fix. There are good restaurants between the hotel and LaFortuna and in LaFortuna itself. There is also a very cool and different crafts shop on the way to LaFortuna called Coco Loco. Dont miss it as it has much more interesting crafts than the typical tourist fare.

Finally, I have to say that both the Israeli and Tico staff were very friendly and acommodating. They all went out of their way to get to know us and we them and I feel that we made a whole new set of friends during that week.

We will definitely return to visit our new friends on our future trips to Costa Rica.

“Overpriced, far from surrounding attractions, and disappointing overall”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We were looking for a place to stay near La Fortuna and Arenal but decided to stay at Lands in Love (a bit far, about 50 km from La Fortuna) because of the wireless internet and the wonderful reviews the hotel got from other travelers, both with regard to the tranquil setting and the great vegetarian food. The grounds were nice and rooms clean, but for $94 a night we expected more. Most of the staff was friendly and helpful, but there were some glaring exceptions. When checking out, there was an erroneous minibar charge on our account. We brought this to the attention of the receptionist who, from then on, was very rude. We also asked for some help in booking a taxi to/from San Ramon. Intially when booking the hotel reservation, we were told over the phone by the concierge that we shouldn't be charged more than 10,000 colones (approximately 20 USD) for a cab from the San Ramon bus station. When we told him we were charged 14,000 for the trip from San Ramon, he said we were overcharged. Curiously, however, for the ride back to San Ramon, we were told it would cost $40! When we questioned the high price, they offered to lower it to $35. Finally, we were able to talk to the same person (the concierge) who initially said it should cost no more 10,000. He told us he would make us a special exception and arrange for a cab for 14,000, giving the excuse that it costs more to have someone drive out to Lands in Love for a pick up than to hail a cab off the street. Okay, I might buy that story IF we hadn't seen evidence to the contrary. No one was willing to give us the phone number for a cab so that we could arrange our own taxi, so we ended up paying the 14,000 to Lands in Love, who we then saw give the cab driver just 10,000 for the trip. Obviously, Lands in Love wanted their cut, and 14,000 colones is only too expensive to charge when they aren't the ones doing the overcharging. It wasn't so much the money, it was more the principle that annoyed us.

Another instance in which we felt we were being somewhat taken for a ride was when we asked to borrow some beach towels. We were told that we would be charged $5 if we got them dirty. What does that even mean?!

Besides all this, nothing was all that spectacular about the place. There were huge black ants in our bathroom, which I imagine just come with the territory, but why not then just stay someplace less pricey? The hiking trails weren't well marked and were littered with road apples (the same trails were used for horseback riding), and the famed casa de las orquideas had no orchids.

Bottom line, if money is no issue for you, you don't mind being taken advantage of, and you're not looking for anything that special, go ahead and stay here. I think you can find places with better amenities, prettier or at least equivalent surroundings, and friendlier and more honest service, than Lands in Love. The vegetarian food was good but not that good if you consider the price, and the place is so far removed from the outlying attractions that you really ought to have a car (or bring the numbers for a taxi service with you). The flora and fauna you can see at Lands in Love can be seen elsewhere and the aspects about the hotel that make it unique (e.g., the decor and restaurant) are far overshadowed by the exorbitant price and discourteous attitude of some of the staff.

If you do choose to stay here, I would recommend paying in CASH US dollars. The prices are all in USD, but they are converted to colones when charging credit cards and the exchange rate they use is ridiculous (obviously working in their favor).

“great time for the entire family”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

we stayed in Lands in Love for the entire xmas week. we were 2 families with 6 kids in total ranging from 9 to 19. it was a great place for both relaxing in a beautiful surrounding, lush green environment, connection with nature as well as numerous activities like rafting, horseback riding, canopy and zipline . The people that run the place are very unique, friendly and accommodating. While the cooking is all vegeterian our meals were great and tasty ...not an easy task to satifsy kids . While we had a great time just hanging out, we also got educated about gluten and decided to try this ourselves. From all the running around the only think we missed was being able to sit outside the room and gaze at the beautiful green rainforest.

Recommend that you rent a car so you will be free to experience the different attractions as well as the beautiful coast. While we drove at night we don't recommend it to the faint of hearts. We would recomend this vacation to anyone.

“Fell in love with Lands in Love”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

All the staff at Lands in Love made us all feel so welcome and at home....

We had a truly wonderful time and felt that every need was met with grace and aplomb. We will certainly be recommending this place to all of our friends. If you are disabled, this place is very accessible -- just let them know you need one of the special rooms.

Amazing to us was the delightful discovery that vegetarian food can be fantastic! Naama, the chef, should write a recipe book and sell it at the resort. She is a culinary genius!

This resort is the best we've seen in Costa Rica -- beautiful, fun, friendly, clean as a whistle! We live here in CR and it was also nice to be able to speak nothing but English all week.

“Most hospitable and magical hotel in CR”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to CR. Travelling solo, I sometimes encountered hassles/extra costs that do not occur with couples/groups. At Lands in Love, I was treated as a welcome traveller, with personal touches from all of the staff. They are a remarkable group of people whose love of the land, and work ethic created an atmosphere that I will always remember.

While some of the hotels in CR are lovely, there is often a very "business" approach to tourists. There is also a very "uptown package "feel to some hotels. This is not so with Lands in Love. The setting of the hotel is magnificent, the personal touches of the room decorations/grounds are unique and artistic. While I am not a vegen, the dining was excellent, and I found the food to be the best in CR. I did not miss the meat, and wish that there was a restaurant in my hometown that created these distinctive flavorful meals. If I ever return to CR, I would make this hotel the "home base" and arrange all adventure destinations from there. Thanks for a great memory!

“Heaven in Lands in love”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

We came for one night and stayed 4 nights.

Pleasant resort in the jungle, offering all the Cost Rica's typical activities

[Canopy. horses, rafting, junglewallk]

Very welcome atmosphere, warm staff

Rich food

Ideal stay with or without children

“a dream come through....”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Sometimes, you can read recommendation about an hotel- come there and get disappointed.

With lands in love -it is more then you read

The minuet you get there- through a beautiful road- all the staff there welcome you-and you feel at home..

This beautiful hotel is se rounded with great forests and nature

The restaurant is with excellent vegetarian food-that you do not miss eating meat anymore

The canupy there is more great then in Monte Verde as it has more stations above and in the forest /I think the longest is about 750 M....and yep... They have tarazan swing also

The rafting is amazing

The rooms are so special and you see they took care for every small item in the room and the hotel

More of that ?? i felt i could skip all other places i planed to visit and only keep on staying in this piece of paradise

If you go to Costa Rica??you must stop there - i am sure i will come again!!!

Hadas

“Paradise,peace,a true harmony of nature and humans.”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

Nestled in the mountains surrounded by clouds. Manicured landscape gives way to natural beauty of orchids and colorful flowers, hummingbirds feed outside our room, other varities sing in trees beyond. The best was the delicious food prepared to perfection, decadent chocolate cake melted in the mouth. Better than the best was the excellent staff that made us feel we were the only guest, heartfelt service with a smile. Our daily excursions well prepared, they waited up for us when we were late to make sure all went well...nothing wrong...everything right...we will return!!

“it's like a dream”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

What can I tell you my friends- lands in love is probably the best cloud forest hotel in costa rica!

First of all, the spectacular green views and the variety of animals. Secondly, the longest canopy in costa-rica, many attractions like canyoning,rapelling and cloud forest tours and finally the most important thing is the excellent food and the great staff who did his best to serve me and to satisfy me.

I reccommend you all to be in this great hotel!

“For a relaxing stay in the cloud forest w/ yummy food & adventure, this is it!”

Lands in Love Hotel & Resort (Tierras Enamoradas)

The staff is super friendly and the place is beautiful. Lior, the reservations manager is a delight! The rooms are very comfortable & it's nice that they have free internet. They arranged a taxi for me from the airport which takes an hour and 45 minutes. It was very nice having their regular driver, Salomon, meet me as he knows the place well.

Aesthetically, they pay attention to every detail of the decor in the public spaces with art and fresh flowers. To say the place is clean is an understatement!

250 acres of greenery with birds and cute toads and geckos around the rooms at night. I was there during an unusally hot time, so AC in the rooms would've been nice. They're pet-friendly but in the opposite way of US hotels, meaning, dogs are allowed in the 2 restaurants but not in the hotel rooms.

The large pool and horseback riding were the highlights for me, along with the delicious vegetarian food. They will accomodate special requests such as vegan options, but it's all made-to-order, so be prepared to wait a while for your food.

I highly recommend Lands in Love!