Lapa Rios Ecolodge

Rooms

The 17 thatched cabins are spread down a steep path leading from the main restaurant building, with secluded balconies looking out over the forest and gulf so that each feels utterly private.

There are 15 identical cabins - with either 1 kingsize or 2 queensize beds. There are also 2 smaller cabins, one with a wider deck (perfect for honeymooners) and the other with a wraparound deck and 2 sofabeds in addition to the kingsize bed.

All the cabins are spacious, with high pitched ceilings of palm thatch, giving a beautiful romantic feel. Two fans keep the place cool, and walls are open on 3 sides, screened with mosquito netting to keep bugs out. Floors are varnished wood, walls and bespoke furniture are made of (sustainable) bamboo, and the lighting is excellent. There’s a desk right by the window inspiring you to write, and 2 armchairs with a small table create the full effect of being explorers in the jungle.

We're yet to see the new Ocean Villas and Premier Suites for ourselves, but they have wraparound terraces and kingsize beds, plus outdoor rain showers. The villas even have a plunge pool.

Beds are romantically draped in white mosquito nets and are extremely comfortable, with white cotton sheets. There are 2 sinks behind the half wall which acts as a headboard for the bed, and a further shower room with 2 showers - one hot and one rainhead shower of cold water. Water comes from Lapa Rios’ own spring and is regularly tested for purity. There are bamboo slatted blinds on all windows which you can lower at night (it gets light before 6am) and during rain to keep the interior dry. There’s also a small hanging space and shelves (you’re encouraged to keep bags off the floor and keep suitcases zipped up so that creatures don’t get in), plus a safe for valuables.

Each room has a spacious terrace with jungle and ocean views, with an outdoor shower, as well as 2 stylish recliners (which look like bamboo but are made of recycled plastic!), a hammock, bamboo chairs and a table. Creature comforts come in the form of white fluffy towels and plentiful toiletries - organic and biodegradable, which you’re encouraged to use rather than your own, as these are guaranteed not to harm the fragile ecosystem of the surroundings. Water is heated in solar panels and thoughtful touches include water bottles you can refill from the tap, wind-up torches and chocolates on the bed - organic, locally made and absolutely delicious.

Eating

All meals are included in your tariff, and are eaten in the spacious main palenque - a traditional building with a soaring thatched ceiling and wide veranda overlooking the valley below.

Wake up to complimentary coffee/tea or hot chocolate delivery to your casita in the early morning. Breakfast is served from 7-9am (with an earlier little breakfast prepared for early birders) and includes freshly squeezed juice, a generous platter of fresh fruit, homemade granola and yoghurt, and a selection of homemade pastries with guava jam. Hot dishes are either international - pancakes, French toast, eggs and bacon - or Costa Rican favourites like corn cakes and papusas. These were wonderful: rice, beans, plantain and fresh corn tortillas with locally made cheese.

Lunch might be a packed lunch eaten on a hike - and the sandwiches really are out of this world, with piles of fruit to follow. Alternatively, you can have a light lunch in the restaurant.

Dinner starts with drinks in the bar; try one of the special cocktails as you sit and watch a slide show about the local wildlife. Dinner always has 3 courses - you will have selected from a choice earlier that day: part of the kitchen’s commitment to saving waste is to prepare exactly the right amount of each dish. We started with black bean shrimp and calamari fritters (delicious) and a salad of macadamia nuts with feta in a zingy dressing. Then we moved on to fillets of tilapia (fish) with a sensational sauce of limes, chilli and coriander. The melting organic chocolate hot cakes which followed were amazing.

Food is organic, and most of it is sourced locally to support farmers and growers in the region, though sadly some has to be brought from San José. This is the only negative you could find in an otherwise impressive kitchen. The waiting staff are all exceptionally friendly and kind, and bring considerable ceremony to an otherwise informal dinner, by producing courses at the same time on massive trays.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Restaurant

Activities

You’ll be invited to sign up for a whole variety of walks and hikes: all on-site activities and excursions are included in the rate, plus you can do the sustainability tour. Some excursions are off the premises, but once here you won’t want to venture far; there’s so much in Lapa Rios’ own 1,000 acres.

• Lapa Rios is in a unique position on the migration corridor of enormous numbers of birds: just sit on the observation deck and borrow a pair of binoculars. And first thing in the morning, at the forest's edge, you’ll see a ceaseless stream of pretty little creatures starting their day. Lapa Rios’ bilingual guides' enthusiasm is contagious when they spot rare ones and you’re almost guaranteed to see scarlet macaws - a miraculous sight
  
  
• Follow The Osa Trail and Ridge Hike. These more challenging hikes are offered on alternate days, and take around 6 hours each, depending on your pace. They're the best way to get right into the primary rainforest. Your guide interprets the whole chaotic ecosystem for you, while you marvel at the extraordinary variety of trees, fungi, butterflies and birds. Spider monkeys flinging themselves through the trees and red-capped mannequins were my personal highlights
  
  
• Head to the beach. Just 15 minutes walk from reception (though there's a shuttle on offer) are the most beautiful beaches - and hardly anyone’s on them. The tides are strong for swimming, but perfect for surfing. Staff will arrange lessons if you like. Just ask for a box lunch and spend a few hours under the florblanca trees. Bliss
  
  
• Arrange for a lesson in shore fishing on the beach, take the boat out to catch yellowfin tuna, giant snappers and roosterfish (naturally only certified sport fishing operations that follow catch and release practices are supported), or go on a sea kayak mangrove tour in the Golfo Dulce area, which is bursting with marine life
  
  
• The swimming pool is not chlorinated, but kept clean with salt. It’s surrounded by loungers and has beautiful views over the forest and bay. After your swim take a yoga class or ask reception to arrange a massage
  
  
• Enjoy horse-riding through the rainforest - the excursion finishes with a gallop on the beach - or take a dolphin tour to see stingrays, turtles and bottle-nosed and pan-tropical spotted dolphins
  
  
• The diverse Corcovado National Park is well worth a visit, but it’s expensive to get to. Access is either by road to Carate (40 minutes from the hotel), from where you walk 6 hours to a biological station at La Leona, or via light aircraft to Sirena, from where you walk to Catare with your guide, camping overnight. It's an unforgettable experience, apparently, with fabulous wildlife and diverse ecosystems

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Fishing
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Surfing
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

Children over 6 will love Lapa Rios and are made very welcome here. There are plenty of things to amuse them, from scarlet macaws and spider monkeys in the rainforest to sustainability walks, family-friendly activities (many included in the rates), and kind and knowledgeable guides. There are no electronic amusements provided, but who needs them when you're surrounded by jungle?

Children under 6 are not accepted at Lapa Rios due to the lodge being situated on a steep ridge in the rainforest, and hazards such as drops and high decks attached to the cabins. Children, especially young ones, must be supervised at all times.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

An extra bed can be added to most rooms and families will be accommodated in rooms nearest to the main building, so they don’t have so far to walk. Bungalows sleep up to 4, and the Lapa Villas sleep up to 5.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 30 minutes (Puerto Jimenez, which has connecting flights from San Jose)
• Hospital: 30 minutes
• Shop: 30 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Lapa Rios Ecolodge is 18km south of Puerto Jiménez at Playa Carbonera, on the south-eastern tip of the Osa Peninsula. This is on the south end of Costa Rica's Pacific coast.

By Air:
Puerto Jiménez (18km) is the closest airport. Most guests take an internal flight from San José Juan Santamaria International (370km), although some will have arrived into Liberia (460km) on a charter flight from Europe or North America - links on internal flights aren't quite as frequent from there though. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
You’ll be met at Puerto Jiménez's airstrip by Lapa Rios’ charming staff, and offered a cold drink and use of the bathrooms, as well as the chance to make any important phone calls "before you leave civilisation behind"! This transfer is included in the rates if you go by shuttle bus, but extra if you want a private vehicle - see Rates.

By Car:
You could drive here from San José, but it would take around 8 hours and the last stretch is very rough. You won’t need a car while you’re here, so a flight and transfer really is the best option. If you're determined to drive yourself as part of a fly-drive around the country, please see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Costa Rica and getting around