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Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails

3.0 star property

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House Economy - Shared Bathroom - Private Room | In-room safe, bed sheets
White Hawk Villa | In-room safe, bed sheets
Breakfast, lunch, dinner served; international cuisine
Terrace/patio
Poolside bar

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
$153
includes taxes & fees
Jan 9 - Jan 10

Explore the area

View in a map
22 km Oeste de la Fortuna de San Carlos, 1.7 km del Volcán Arenal, La Fortuna, Alajuela, 21007
  • Place, Arenal Volcano National Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, La Fortuna Waterfall
  • Place, Costa Rica Sky Adventures
    ‪21 min drive‬
  • Airport, La Fortuna (FON-Arenal)

Room options

View all photos for Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds | In-room safe, bed sheets

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(29 reviews)
  • 269 sq ft
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Superior Room, Mountain View

Superior Room, Mountain View | In-room safe, bed sheets

Superior Room, Mountain View

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(31 reviews)
  • 215 sq ft
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

View all photos for White Hawk Villa

White Hawk Villa | In-room safe, bed sheets

White Hawk Villa

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 215 sq ft
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 8
  • 2 King Beds, 2 Twin Beds and 2 Twin Trundle Beds

View all photos for Phil's Villa + Waterfall

Phil's Villa + Waterfall | In-room safe, bed sheets

Phil's Villa + Waterfall

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 3 bedrooms
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 10
  • 3 Queen Beds

View all photos for House Economy - Shared Bathroom - Private Room

House Economy - Shared Bathroom - Private Room | In-room safe, bed sheets

House Economy - Shared Bathroom - Private Room

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(5 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

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About this property

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails

3-star La Fortuna lodge close to Arenal Volcano National Park
Along with a full-service spa, this smoke-free lodge has an outdoor pool and a restaurant. Free cooked-to-order breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include a bar/lounge, a hot tub, and massage/treatment rooms.
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails offers 48 accommodations with laptop-compatible safes and coffee/tea makers. Rooms open to balconies or patios. Bathrooms include showers and complimentary toiletries. Housekeeping is provided daily.
An outdoor pool, a children's pool, and a hot tub are on site.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Guests can pamper themselves with a trip to the onsite spa, which has 1 treatment room. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, Swedish massages, and facials. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy and reflexology. The spa is open daily.
In addition to a full-service spa, Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails features an outdoor pool and a hot tub. The lodge offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.

2 meeting rooms are available. This Colonial lodge also offers a children's pool, a library, and a terrace. For a surcharge, the property provides an airport shuttle (available 24 hours) and an area shuttle. Complimentary self parking is available on site.

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails is a smoke-free property.

A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 8:30 AM.
El Jilguero - This family restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Area shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited onsite self parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Free cooked-to-order breakfast available daily 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • El Jilguero

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Children's pool
  • Ecotours
  • Foosball table
  • Full-service spa
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Horseback riding/rentals
  • Hot tub
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Table tennis
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • Arcade/game room
  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Pool gate

Conveniences

  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

  • 2 meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In a national park
  • In the mountains
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Detox wraps
  • Facials
  • Hot stone massages
  • Prenatal massages
  • Reflexology
  • Spa open daily
  • Swedish massages
  • Treatment room

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Accessible airport shuttle
  • No elevator (single-level property)
  • Pool access ramp on site
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible concierge desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • Built in 1992
  • Colonial architecture
  • Eco-friendly cleaning products used
  • Fireplace in lobby
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Eco-friendly toiletries
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • LED lighting
  • Window screens

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: 10 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 10 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
2 children, per adult, up to the age of 8 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 200 per accommodation, per night

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 225 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 7)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and cash
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Pool access available from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)

Property is also known as

Arenal Observatory Lodge La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Arenal Observatory La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory
Arenal Observatory Hotel La Fortuna De San Carlos
Arenal Observatory & Trails
Arenal Observatory Lodge Spa
Arenal Observatory Lodge Trails
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails Lodge
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails Lodge La Fortuna

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 741 out of 925 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 146 out of 925 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 31 out of 925 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 925 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 925 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Had a great time. Very beautiful
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jean-luc

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Amazing location, excellent staff and delicious food. A little expensive but well worth it.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

CHRISTINE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay. The trails were amazing.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Conor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it. Such a beautiful unique place.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Chadd

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the views of the lake and volcano, the food was great, the hiking trails were tons of fun, the dante waterfall was beautiful, and the staff were absolutely amazing! We loved Howard and our beautiful waitress with red hair! Also, don't let the shared bathrooms scare you away from the casona. It was an amazing room with the best view and toucans!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Autumn

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent in every way.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Lezley

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The location is amazing. We saw so much wildlife and lots of great hiking trails including waterfalls. We loved the frog pond. We went at night and heard all the croaking and saw lots of frogs including a few red eye tree frogs. The free tour they provide guests in the mornings was awesome. The only thing my family didn’t like was no AC in the rooms. The restaurant provided great free breakfast. We ate at the same place for dinner and found it was way overpriced and not great quality. Overall the stay was great and we would recommend it.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Surrounded with nature

Beautiful surroundings, peace and quiet, nature at it’s best
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Spilman

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We liked tye beauty of nature,the views,wildlife,food and friendly service of everyone.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jacek

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sebastien

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing location!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

ileana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
we loved the property . gorgeous lanscape and views . pleasant personnel , felt very safe. cabins are very nice designed . walls are very thin and you can hear all the wildlife outside and the rain . didnt mind that and fortunately it was very cool at night so we werent hot (no AC). the doors werent well sealed so we did have several spiders coming in but nithing major.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Paige

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lawrence L

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful spot to explore the cloud forest around Arenal volcano. Great trails for nature lovers with lots of birds and monkeys. Great breakfast buffet. However, the dinner options were a little disappointing and pricey.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

ileana

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was stunning. Gorgeous views of lake, mountains and volcano. Beautifully kept grounds . The room itself as very cool design . Simple but had an entire glass wall overlooking the most stunning view . There were a few things that we didn’t like . No refrigerator and the door didn’t properly close and bugs got in several times mainly spiders .
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

stephanie

Traveled with family
Disliked: Staff & service
We came to Costa Rica with our two kids , ages 4 and 6. Perhaps I did not read anything about it- but for those who don’t know it- the rooms only have fans, no ac’s. It was extremely hot and humid in the room.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tony

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lots of wildlife and trails on property. Close enough to everything but far enough that it’s quiet. Staff super friendly and having food available with their restaurant was a big plus. I’d stay here again if ever back in La Fortuna.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sonja

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous property and very friendly staff! We had access to viewing so many birds and we loved that there were onsite guided walks. The food was amazing as well! We are looking forward to returning.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Eran, Merida

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing hotel The area is beautiful, lots of activities within the hotel Close to all the activities of Fortuna and Arenal Rooms are nice, great views Food is delicious, every dish we ordered was great The entrance to the hotel area is a bit of terrain and not paved road, easy with a 4x4 but also doable with normal car. We loved everything and enjoyed every moment there, would be more than happy to return.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carrie

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The lodge was fabulous. It’s definitely more secluded but that’s exactly what I as hoping for. The weather came through for us and we had stunning views of the volcano out our window/patio area. I enjoyed walking the trails and birdwatching. We found about 40 different species with a guide in 2 hours. The rooms were comfy and clean. The restaurant had a free breakfast which was much more than a buffet. Dining at night was pretty good. I wish there were a few more options at the restaurant. Oh also saw spider monkeys on the grounds. Great place. Wish I had more time there
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Leah

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
So the trails and park are beautiful and really well maintained and walkable. The place is worth it for that but do not eat there. The food was truly awful. The desk service was also not great, we had a broken window the whole stay and the staff never did anything about it and did not appear to care at all when we told them. Said they would fix it next day but never did anything, we mentioned it again next day still nothing. We stayed in the casonas which are rooms with shared bathrooms, they were not bad but be warned there is no A/C and no mini fridge so dont bring stuff that can melt (sad for those doing chocolate tours) and they give you one bath mat for each bathroom each day so if its been used it kind of bummer. Otherwise they were clean and comfortable. Wish they had better rooms for the price but again trails and views of wildlife are incredible and unparalleled. Perhaps just get the day pass and skip the hotel if you wanna visit.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jolie

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property. Friendly service. Need transportation since it is away from other hotels, restaurants, etc. plenty to do on the property with hikes, waterfall, wildlife, etc
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025