Kayak Lodge

The staff were the best part, really friendly and always ready to help. The place itself is a long way in from the main road, and the basic room facilities were pretty poor. We had to ask each time we wanted hot water turned on. Breakfast was available, but we kept having to remind them about missing items. Many rooms don’t have a safe, and the air conditioner switches off as soon as the room door opens. Some rooms have large glass doors with only okay curtains, so privacy feels limited. You can easily hear noise through the thin walls between rooms. There didn’t seem to be a working water filter at the pool, and the water didn’t look clean enough to get into.

The garden was lovely, almost like an exotic park, and everything was very clean. There’s a large pool, and the mangroves are right there, making it a great spot for kayak tours. Breakfast had everything I could want. Marlen and the staff were the best part, exceptionally friendly and helpful.

I only went on the kayak tour and didn’t stay overnight. The river was easy enough to paddle, though it narrowed in places among the mangroves and I had to push off them to keep moving because there wasn’t much room to maneuver. Our guide was friendly and knew his stuff, though I can’t remember his name. We went on a cloudy day and didn’t see many animals, so the weather can make a difference. Still, it was an enjoyable experience.

Monkeys and lizards came by the balcony. The rooms were clean, breakfast was good, and the host was great. There’s direct access to the mangrove forest and they provide a great guide. It’s a wonderfully remote spot, with great hospitality, yet close to Manuel Antonio.