Hotel San Rafael Ecolodge

We loved staying for 4 nights at this Ecolodge. This is a beautiful hotel which is in the midst of a lush garden, abundant with plants, birds and cicadas. Many colourful frogs come out at night. We saw a sloth on our second day at this property. and we spotted and heard our first toucan here as well. Anytime that we were not spotting the wildlife, we would play with Thor, the resident dog. Thor was always ready to play “fetch the stick” at any time of the day. The hotel location was perfect because we were only 30 minutes’ drive from the busy centre of La Fortuna yet we were close to the main attractions like Místico Park, the Bogarin Trail, the Chocolate plantation, and other activities. The best aspect of our stay were the hosts- Giovanni Cespedes, the owner, and the hotel manager, Luis. They were kind, generous, and always ready to assist with any of our requests. The daily breakfasts and the restaurant meals were consistently excellent. Meals were always freshly prepared. My daughters ordered their delicious chicken Nachos dish over 3 seperate meals!! We highly recommend that you stay for more than 3 nights so that you can fully enjoy all that this hotel has to offer.

Nothing …except that we wished we could have stayed longer than 4 nights!

Quiet and the owner Giovanni and staff were friendly and helpful and provided food and were flexible to our needs to leave early

Nothing

We had a wonderful stay. The room was comfortable and very clean, and the entire property was well maintained. The food was delicious, the pool area was beautiful and relaxing, and the natural surroundings made the place feel peaceful and special. The owner was incredibly kind and friendly, providing warm and attentive service that made us feel very welcome. Excellent experience overall and great value for the price. We would happily come here again.

Nothing. I couldn't complain of anything.

From the moment you arrive you are made to feel welcome and as though you are in your new home away from home. Giovanni is bursting with pride and gratitude and cannot wait to share all the property offers and to assist you with anything you may need, or to arrange offsite excursions for you. Within days the hosts felt like friends to our family of four and it was sad to say goodbye. The property is special, seeing a sloth and many interesting frogs, but also in being immersed within the rainforest culture, climate, and environ which is exactly what we were looking for. The fresh and tasty food was prepared by the hosts daily and a pleasant surprise, affordable, and delicious also served with much pride. The coffee is fantastic! Giovanni, Luis, and all staff were incredibly friendly, gracious, and excited to share the place they call home with us. It is not often the place you stay or the hosts there are as much of the experience as the things you do in the surrounding area, but in this case it truly became a beloved part of our Costa Rican family adventure.

Although not negative, things to be aware of as compared to some other typical lodging offerings, at least in the unit we had so not sure if true for all, there was no small fridge in the room. No room safe (although the property felt very safe and secure, so it was not something we felt we needed). We mostly lived out of our suitcases as there was not much storage for clothing aside from a few shelves in one of the bedrooms. And if you are a light sleeper, the rain most every night on the metal roof can be quite loud. It is so steady that it becomes a white noise you get used to but it was an adjustment at first. But again, it’s a rain forest, so part of the experience and adventure!