Arenal Vista Lodge

The restaurant was excellent, and everyone was friendly and very helpful. It rained and stayed overcast during my visit, so I’m sure the view would be magnificent on a clear day. The only downside was parking at the bottom and walking up to the lodge. I don’t mind the walk itself, but hauling luggage in the rain and arriving already wet was rough. Otherwise, I loved it.

We paid for three nights but left after one, losing the money, because the conditions were horrendous. I know a cheaper hotel comes with lower expectations, but this felt like a ripoff. The booking site photos don’t represent the place at all. Our king bed wasn’t available when we arrived, and we were given a smaller one without compensation. The bathroom was dirty and smelled of urine. There was a trash can marked with body fluids, a sink nearly coming off the wall, and a towel holder that fell out when I took down the already dirty, holey towel. The window didn’t close, just mesh to keep insects out, so there was no privacy in the shower or bathroom. There wasn’t any soap, either. The bed frame and sheets had several stains, and the room was full of ants. There was a TV and AC, but no phone, coffee maker, or other amenities. The nightstands had a ridiculous number of disturbing stains and made it seem like the place is very carelessly run. The Wi-Fi was a joke. The two or so networks kept going down every 2-3 minutes and didn’t work when connected. Mobile reception is poor in the area, and there’s no room phone. This place is run extremely badly and deceives customers into paying. Don’t stay here if you want a good time in the Arenal area.

The lodge has a cozy cabin feel, and the volcano and lake views are beautiful. There’s a nice pool, the people are very friendly, and it’s pet friendly.

I was sent here on a student travel program tour in Costa Rica in June 2019, and was completely shocked by the place. Students walked out in protest and refused to stay. There were spiders in the beds, blood on the sheets, covers, under pillows, and in the shower, body fluid stains on walls and comforters, and torn window screens. There’s no A/C, so you’re stuck choosing between sweltering indoors or opening the ripped screens to all the Costa Rican bugs. It wasn’t limited to one room, either. The whole resort had these problems. Ants were everywhere, including on my toilet and in the shared dining room. The lobby chairs and a bed had mold, probably because there’s no air conditioning anywhere in the lodge. Staff said this was just part of being in the mountains, but the other hotel in town we demanded to move to was sparkling clean and pest free. The staff were friendly enough, but cleaning alone won’t solve this. The whole place needs a full renovation. Staff leave at night, too. In an emergency you’d be 45 minutes from town, with no room phone, poor cell service, and internet that only kind of works in the lobby, which closes at night. Too bad I can’t post pictures, because there was much more of the same.