Reflects recent average nightly prices reported by our partners, and may not include estimated taxes or fees. Price at checkout may differ.
Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.5
#3 of 25 lodges in La Fortuna de San Carlos
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This wonderful place is the results of several years of conservation, allowing to a different species of animal a new home; at the beginning of the 80's was a big cattle field and now it is a paradise for Sloths, Mexican Anteater, Gray Fox, Ocelots, howler Monkeys, Toucans, Manakines, Hummingbirds, Turkeys, Tree Frogs, Glass Frogs and Poison Dart Frogs, Snakes, Lizards and much more...Accomplishing this rich natural environment, the Rojas Bonilla family created some cabins out in the woods, restaurant and one thematic trail of a several stations all along the refuge, where the visitors get a speech about natural history of the species.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Green
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos 21007 Costa Rica
Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge
500 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This was like an adult camp. Loved the cabins, clean and comfortable and a pretty setting. The food was also very good especially their native dishes- fish or chicken. The property is expansive and you can walk and find hummingbirds and look up to see the Aernol Volcano- what a view! We went on a night walk through the rainforest and got some amazing pictures of tree frogs, glass frogs etc... But the best part was eating breakfast and lunch outside and watching the exotic birds fly in for the citrus they put in the trees! Quite the experience. This location is also fairly close to town and if you are a walker you can easily walk in for whatever you need or a meal. TAKE BUG SPRAY.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arenal_oasis, Director de Relaciones con Clientes at Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge
Responded 25 Jan 2020
Hello What a pleasure to read these comments! It was a real pleasure to serve you, we are so grateful that you describe very detailed your experience in our forest. Thank you for appreciating our food and we hope you continue to enjoy our country very much. Good trip Friends
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed 3 nights in a cabin which was spacious and very clean and had a really good hot shower. It was very quiet apart from the howler monkeys that will wake you up at 5.30am! The restaurant was good and reasonably priced. Seating is outside but under cover and we loved having breakfast and lunch there as they put food out to attract the birds which we watched for ages. Sometimes the coatis got them first though. Very entertaining! There's nothing to do in the evening but that was fine for us as the days start early anyway. Dinner is supposed to be until 9pm but in reality they were wanting to clear up and finish by 8.
The area has so much to offer and there are numerous tours which can be booked at reception. It was no problem not having a car. We did the night time frog watching tour, the early morning bird watching, plus a day tour to Rio Celeste. All of them were very well worth it but the frog watching was outstanding. We were able to see many different species including the famous red-eyed tree frog. With the guide you can get really close and take amazing pictures, even on a smart phone.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is my second time at this lodge and I'm so pleased that it's back open again. The location is so convenient, yet the cabins feel so secluded, surrounded by forest and so much wildlife.
The onsite restaurant is surprisingly good for such modest accommodations. Breakfast is included but it's also possible to have other meals there and they are really well prepared.
Personally speaking, I see no reason to spend so much more for the better-know accommodations in the area.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Juan Esteban Rojas, Promocionar at Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge
Responded 30 Jun 2021
Hello Friends What a pleasure to read these comments! It was a real pleasure to serve you, we are so grateful that you visited us for the second time, this really motivates us to continue giving the best possible service with dedication. Thank you for sharing your opinion and recommending us! We look forward to host you again. Good trip Friends
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The center of La Fortuna is a busy, bustling strip of businesses catering to the tourist trade. Arenal Oasis is only a few blocks off the strip, but it feels quiet and peaceful. The photos are accurate: well-spaced little log-cabin type rooms in a leafy, reforested former cacao farm. At night we heard forest noises rather than street traffic. Breakfast was good; I can't speak to lunch or dinner. Decent small nature trail right on the property; nothing spectacular but attractive. This is a rustic accommodation; I thought it was good value. We had few interactions with staff but all were pleasant.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The trails and gardens offered a ton of wildlife and flora. We thoroughly enjoyed spending free time walking the property. The restaurant on the property was great for all meals and drinks and relatively inexpensive compare to other touristy restaurants. It is walking distance to la Fortuna falls if you enjoy a little adventure (about 25min).
There was no AC, but the ceiling fan kept the room reasonable during this time of year.
Highly recommend the night walk that they offer. We saw several frogs and reptiles!
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Parking available, restaurant open 7am-9pm. 45min walk from La Fortuna town but 5min by car.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff are lovely, the gardens are beautiful, the food is really good. Breakfast is especially nice as they put out fruit to attract birds next to the restaurant. There’s also a lovely hummingbird garden. You are also staying actually inside the main frog watching spot in Fortuna - and the night tour was really excellent and you get a discount if you are staying there. I knew this would be basic and it was getting back to nature, that’s all good, the problem was the amount of insects actually inside the cabin. In November our cabin had an issue with fast moving tiny little black beetle things. They were everywhere including on the top of the bed (not actually in it) I did report it to reception who were really apologetic and said it was the time of year and they’d get maintenance to check for where they were getting in. Personally I think it was the roof as they seemed to be dropping on us. It wasn’t so bad we wanted to leave early - for 2 nights it was just about bearable. I think they just need to install netting over the beds (there isn’t any). I really liked the whole ethos of the place and if it just weren’t for the insects inside I would have really enjoyed it
Read more
Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed for a night here and it was such a lovely place, you felt like you were deep in the forest and could always hear the wildlife. The room was really big and comfortable, the shower was okay. It’s within walking distance to La Fortuna waterfall which we walked to, it is a bit of a walk when it’s hot because it’s quite steep and along the road but definitely doable. We had dinner at the lodge restaurant and I had the classic Costa Rican dish with chicken and that was delicious. The breakfast here was also really really nice and you get a chance to see the birds up close as they put feed out next to the restaurant. They also have a walk you can take that is around the lodges and it’s a lovely little walk, you can also do this at night with a guide and you can organise other trips from here but we didn’t do any so can’t comment.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Arenal_oasis, Director de Relaciones con Clientes at Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge
Responded 19 Feb 2020
Dear Friends Thank you so much for staying at Arenal Oasis. We value the time to writte this beauful review that describes your experience and also give other travelers a more clear idea of what we offer and our location. Thank you for mentioning our restaurant, as our lodge we try it to really shows Costa Rica in every touch. We look forward to see you again.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I visited specifically to do some macro photography of the frogs and, if possible, some snakes. I was picked up at my hotel by my guide for the evening, Raul. Raul has over 20 years of experience and is extremely knowledgeable about all of the different species of frogs and snakes as well as so much more. He asked what I specifically wanted to photograph and off we went. Raul was quickly pointing out frogs and allowing me time to set up my shot without bothering the frogs (no flash and a low beam flashlight). I wish I was better at remembering all of the different types but a few highlights of the night were, of course, the red eyed tree frogs, the hourglass frog and the Vine frog. After one time around the property and nearing the end of the visit Raul offered to take me back around for another pass to try and spot snakes. The night started with a few different groups out and about on the trails, but at this point there was almost no one left out. While we were looking at a Northern Cat Eyes snake and trying to reposition for a better angle we luckily noticed a 5 to 6ft long Fer de Lance pit viper on the trail just in front of us. It made its way back into the rainforest but stayed near the edge of the trail and it wasn’t long before it coiled up to wait for a meal. It was a wonderful experience and I can’t say enough good things about Raul.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You truly are immersed in nature. We fell asleep to crickets humming and woke to howler monkeys and birds chirping. There’s only 10 bungalows so it feels very secluded. Very refreshing. Shower had hot water. Surprisingly close to town, very convenient spot and felt secure.
Incredible service, the restaurant was a good price and delicious food. Free breakfast when you’re staying there.
We opted for the night walk ($35/pp if you’re staying there) and got to see snakes, spiders, insects and frogs. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Small group too which made it easy to see things.
I would 100% stay here again.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a brilliant location just out of town. Much better than we expected. Loads of wildlife on site which you could see from your lodge, from the restaurant or just walking round the property. It included monkeys, frogs, insects (including lightning bugs) and numerous birds. The staff were fantastic throughout. The lodges are comfy with parking right outside. The rooms arent quiet even though they are detached because of all the noise the animals make including the insects, birds and the howler monkeys. We would have liked tea/coffee making faciltiy in the room. The restaurant is a short walk away from any lodge. We walked into La Fortuna a few times for lunch/dinner. All the excursions we booked picked us up from the reception (the reception would also check that they were going to pick you up)
Read more
Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
They mainly come in the morning as that's when the fruit is put out, it disappears frairly quickly. There is a incredible variety of bird species that cone to visit. There may be some around in the afternoon but we were busy doing other things. You will see toucans but only yellow throated ones. I will try to add some pictures of what we saw.
There are more places to choose from in the La Fortuna de San Carlos area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 1,564 - RÂ 1,831 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
arenal oasis hotel la fortuna de san carlos
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of AlajuelaArenal Volcano National ParkLa Fortuna de San Carlos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
