Lapa Rios Ecolodge Osa Peninsula

Being at the heart of the Lapa Rios private reserve of over 1000 acres was an amazing experience. The guided walks are really informative and fantastic for appreciating the landscape and the wildlife all around. From the efficient welcome at the local airport, to guides, hotel and restaurant staff - everyone is warm and enthusiastic about this location and ensuring you have the very best experience. We had a very spacious room with fabulous views towards the Pacific and a terrace to watch monkeys and parrots nearby. Excellent and healthy choice of food - the best we experienced on our trip. We stayed for three nights but could have stayed for longer as there are so many wildlife walks you can do across this enormous reserve, including to the ocean bays.

Lapa Rios gets a SPECIAL call-out in terms of both a uniquely luxurious place to stay, and one that's remotely located in the Costa Rican wilderness. From the staff to the guides to the elevated canopy walk to your private room, it is a surreal place to enjoy nature. Our package included all meals and activities (there is a large weekly "menu" of options), and the lodge provides all the adventure gear you might need - professional grade rain ponchos and rubber boots, umbrellas, walking sticks, and even high-powered flashlights for their night walks. The guides are all super knowledgeable and carry spotting scopes for wildlife. Ask for Frank - he's the BEST; a local, he's 100% knowledgeable about the wildlife and is a fierce advocate for nature and how sustainably the lodge operates. Did I mention all their water is locally sourced from a spring, and that the majority of their electricity is sourced from local solar panels and a series of microturbines driven but a local river? We were only able to do a few of the many activities offered (mostly nature and birding), but they offer catered afternoons on the beach, a waterfall trek and swim, and then can help cater off-property activities. We never left the property - there was really no need to. Make sure to get up at 0445 and venture the hotel grounds at 5 am - troops of monkeys every day! The 1,000+ private natural preserve they own offers everything you want to see: sloths, monkeys (howler, white-face, squirrel, and spider!), macaws (scarlet and green), parrots and parakeets, coati, toucans of most every type (less the keel bill), iguanas, and even the "Jesus Christ Lizard" that can skim across the water. Night walks include snakes (vipers), owls, bats, tarantulas, frogs (red-eye), scorpions, and the ever-present leaf-cutter ants. The facility is wonderfully and uniquely constructed, so much so that I am already planning on returning with my grown children to experience perhaps one of the last corners of the globe that still belongs wholly to nature. I can't speak highly enough of Lapa Rios. Some pro tips: do the all-inclusive rate for the best experience. Ask about the room assigned - the higher the number (there are only 17), the longer the walk and more vertical climb you'll have; it is quite a drop to room 17, something equivalent to 225 stair steps. Also, room 7 is immediately adjacent to a small housecleaning hut which unfortunately shares a bedroom wall and window, so it was quite noisy with slamming doors and dishes in the afternoon. The hotel, when this was brought to their attention, immediately fixed the issue for us though - kudos to the staff.

We had a special memorable and wonderful visit not only due to the excellent accommodations ( we were in Matapalo suite 1) ,the very good locally sourced food and the view and wildlife. The most special part was the staff. My wife twisted her knee while climbing into a vehicle. They were able to find a pair of crutches for her to use in a very short time. In addition, they all were so very personable, friendly and helpful. We have traveled a great deal and know that this staff was some of the very best we have ever encountered. Your trip will there will be enjoyable if you like to take walks, see a variety of wildlife, eat outstanding food and enjoy interacting with the staff.

Location, atmosphere, service, food, and all of the lodge excursions were extraordinary.

Brilliant. Don’t have enough words on how amazing this hotel is. From the first experience at their office the jemeniez with a fresh coconut or options of drinks to the welcome at the hotel with a cooling drink and towels. It is right in the centre of 1000 acres of forest and also overlooking the ocean with access to the beach. We have travelled around Costa Rica from the central valley to Caribbean side and round. This was our 5th stop. It beats all others. You can see so much wildlife right here on the doorstep. From our room, we were lucky to see macaws, eagles, hummingbirds, toucans , coati and Aguti to name a few from fairly close distance. We also saw sloths and anteater. They offer guided trails which are very good. There is also a self guided trail which leads to an amazing waterfall where you can swim. There are no facilities on the beach but if you want to spend time there then they will take you there and back in the car and set up beds and a packed picnic in coolers. It’s amazing. The food is also excellent. They have a plant based menu in addition to normal menu. They are very obliging in trying to accommodate any requests you may have. I like the fact that they listened and were flexible. It makes the stay enjoyable. In spite of having coffee making facilities in the rooms, they will deliver hot coffee and milk to your room at 6am. There is also coffee, cookies, yogurt and granola in reception for early risers at 5.45am. At 3pm, after lunch hours, again there in coffee in the reception which you can help yourself to. The only downside was that our room was nearly at the end and there are 100 steps which take about 10 minutes to walk to the lobby and restaurant. The first 60 steps were a chore due to the hot and humid weather. If you request, they will pick you up from near your room in their 4x4 car. The walk is on a raised platform so it feels you are walking right in the middle of the forest. I could keep on writing about it. Definitely top of my list of hotels I have been to anywhere in the world( and have travelled quite a bit!) Just Go