Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Being on the hillside near the base of the Arenal Volcano gave the hotel beautiful views, but be ready for lots of uphill and downhill walking or stairs. If you need a lift, you can call and the hotel shuttle will take you anywhere on the grounds. Our group of six used the red taxi service whenever we needed to go somewhere without transportation, since the Ubers there tend to take only four. The grounds are lush with trees, flowers and separate pool and hot spring areas close together. It was usually possible to find a peaceful spot. We loved the different water temperatures, and the kids had a great time in the pool and on the water slides. Staff were helpful whenever we had questions or needed something, and the poolside bar and restaurant were a hit with our family. The hotel zipline was amazing, and we didn’t have to leave the grounds to try it. There’s a small nature walk by the restaurant, where we saw lots of birds, and the path is lined with flowers. The grounds also have peacocks, turtles, chickens, ducks and fish. During our stay we spotted two howler monkeys, a pack of Coati just outside our room, iguanas and geckos.

We stayed about 4-5 hours on a day pass and found the place easy to reach. The gardens around the pools are beautiful, and everything felt clean and safe. There are showers in the bathrooms, lockers included, and towels to rent with a larger deposit. The regular pool and hot pools at different temperatures were great, and even on a Friday night we had entire pools to ourselves. The wet bar was reasonably priced for such a well-known place. One issue: like most visitors we saw, we brought reusable water bottles, but there was nowhere to refill them. Staff said we could use the bathroom sink, though as a traveler I felt a bit unsure about that. Maybe you could just ask at the bar.

The resort was beautiful, with friendly staff, great food and several pools. It never felt crowded, and the volcano views were stunning. I’d recommend it, but keep in mind that the property is large and has many slopes. If your room is in the 200s, higher up the mountain, getting around can be difficult without a car or shuttle, especially with young children or reduced mobility.

We saw lots of colorful birds around the property, and the thermal pools were fantastic. Despite cloudy weather, we caught a few stunning glimpses of the volcano. I can’t wait to return in clearer weather. The buffet was just okay, fine for a quick breakfast, and we didn’t care for the main restaurant when we ate there once, so we had the rest of our meals in La Fortuna. They did a great Super Bowl setup at the swim-up bar, though, and the food for that was amazing. Still one of our favorite destinations by far.