Buena Vista Lodge

Day pass. We paid for a pass and skipped the zip and water slide. Really enjoyable day horseriding, cultural tour, tractor ride and had the pools to ourselves. Some reviews suggest they have leaves in the pool. Haha. You're in a jungle. Leaves yes.... but also very very clean. Great service from the staff all round.

I can say so many amazing things about this resort!!! The resort is set on a mountain, surrounded by nature with stunning views. We got a cabin and it was spacious, clean, and cool (we had AC). There was so much to do: we did horseback riding, the night walk tour, the bird tour, and the zip-lining, everything was incredible! The guy who did the bird walk and night walk tour (I forgot his name!) was so knowledgeable and fun. You know you’re not going to be guaranteed what animals you may see, it’s the wild after all, but we still saw and heard quite a few critters. He did a perfect howler monkey impression that had a troup of monkeys howling back at us from a distance! We didn’t realize the thermal pools were a distance away, and we hiked there the first day and only realized that you get on a tractor ride (free) that takes you there and back at interval times throughout the day, definitely recommend this, it was so relaxing and spacious. The buffet breakfast was great and filling, literally wasn’t hungry until dinner. We ate at both restaurants for dinner and were very satisfied, food every night was delicious. We did two off-resort tours with other companies and with so many activities available directly on the resort, this was more than enough to keep us busy for a week. The grounds are kept clean and beautiful, everyone is so friendly and helpful if you have any questions, this hotel was truly perfect and we would absolutely return. (Note: the drive up is quite bumpy with no streetlights, so best to arrive during the day, although we arrived after sunset with no issue)

A wonderful experience at this charming family-owned park. Some facilities are showing their age — the pool area and main restaurant could use a refresh — but that’s a minor note in an otherwise memorable stay. One of the unexpected highlights is simply walking between activities: the park is teeming with wildlife, and you’re likely to spot something remarkable just strolling the trails. The hanging bridges are a great addition — though honestly, they don’t require a guide. We’d suggest going early in the morning on your own for the best chance of encountering wildlife in peace and quiet. The activities themselves are a real highlight: the water slide, horseback riding, and hot springs are all fantastic. But the true standout is the staff. Every single person we encountered went above and beyond to make our stay special — warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. A huge shout-out to the whole team. On the food side, the breakfast and lunch buffets were enjoyable and authentically Costa Rican — a nice touch. The sunset restaurant, however, felt like an area with room to grow: the menu could be more varied, especially for guests staying multiple nights, as the options don’t change from day to day. Overall, a place with real soul and charm. Highly recommended — come for the nature, the activities, and the people!

Nice „all-in-one“ place but the official photos look way nicer than the place looks like in reality. Especially for children interesting because you can do a lot of actovities if you have the pocket money at hand (not cheap). We spotted different animals like birds, tukans, coati, monkeys, deer every dqy and there are lots of iguanas around the cabins. The restaurant El Mirador has stunning sunset views and is definitely one of the highlights (good piña colada USD 8). We didn’t like the relatively high prices, some construction noises before 7h in the morning behind our cabin and the ugly smell in out bathroom. The cabin‘s walls are very thin so you can hear your neighbors quite clearly. The service for guests is generally good but facilities like the cabins and the pool could be maintained a little bit better. And some hooks to hang one‘s stuff in the bathroom would be nice. Breakfast buffet was included in the price, has an acceptable variety and taste is ok. The road to the hotel is not entirely paved with some gravel and inclination but manageable with a normal car (Toyota Yaris). We recommend to stay no more than 3 nights. Most people seem to come with a day pass or for a night at the most…and there are mainly travel groups.