Hotel Fuego Arenal

Isaias runs this clean, affordable hotel in a peaceful spot right in front of Volcano Arenal. I travel a lot, and I’ve never met anyone whose hospitality felt so genuinely caring. He’s a beautiful human. I’ll be back!

I stayed here with a school group at the end of the year in July 2016, and I’ll remember it for all the wrong reasons. There was an uneasy feeling from the start, and while we were eating supper in the dining lounge beside the hotel, someone went through our belongings. I returned to find my phone missing from the charger and $50 US gone from my wallet. My friend and roommate was missing $40 Canadian, $20 US, and 2,000 Colones. A lead teacher also lost $350 USD that she was carrying to pay for some student expenses. The back door had been left open, some teachers’ windows had been broken into, and other signs of a break-in turned up. We were worried and scared, so we left immediately and slept somewhere else. Police came by, and EF Tours’ travel insurance had to cover the stolen items. Who knows what might have happened if the robbers had come at night while we were asleep. I lost my phone and cash, and I wasn’t the only one. The place was being run by just three people and seemed unprepared for more than 40 of us. The pool wasn’t filled, and we waited about half an hour for our rooms. The spaghetti at supper was good, but there wasn’t enough for everyone, so some people didn’t get as much as they wanted. Never stay here.

I stayed here in 2005. It’s a clean hostel in a good location. By the office entrance there’s a chili plant, and I tried one of the small chilies. It was the best I’d ever eaten, with a sharp, spicy, pungent taste.

Monkey Tours left us at this hotel, and it was the worst. Please avoid the place. I’d give it zero or a negative rating if that were possible. Monkey Tours was unreliable too, and its staff weren’t helpful at all. Sorry for the harsh review, but I’m completely disappointed.