Alma Vida Hotel

The staff made everything easy, especially Valentina, who booked a few lovely tours and took the stress out of my vacation. The resort grounds are beautiful, though the rooms feel a bit more rustic than that setting might lead you to expect. They don't have refrigerators or blackout curtains. Fantastic place, and I'd definitely recommend staying here!

The gardens, pools, and modern rooms are lovely, and there are animals around the rooms. Reception were sweet and helpful, especially Valentina. Yoga and meditation are available too, though our 7:00 am meditation teacher showed up half an hour late and didn't apologize. Breakfast tasted good, but the portion was tiny for the hotel's price. The facilities also make it seem like the hotel's best years may be behind it. Room quality varies a lot, and some of the lower rooms are very basic and overpriced for what you get.

Nothing on our 9-day trip was as bad as this stay. We arrived after a long day of travel and had to haul all our luggage ourselves, with no help offered. Getting from the entrance to our room was exhausting because of all the steps up and down. The room had several problems right away. The bathroom door wouldn't lock properly, the floors were cracked, and the toilet was dirty and wouldn't flush. Maintenance came and got it working temporarily, but it kept failing again. The shower only had hot water and no way to adjust the temperature. For sleeping, there was one queen bed and two twins. The queen bed had no headboard, so we had to prop ourselves up with pillows, and its base was extremely dirty, which raised serious hygiene concerns. Breakfast was poor too. The food seemed to have been made well ahead of time and wasn't even warm. The fruit looked like it had been cut the night before, with the top layer dried out. Costa Rica is known for fresh fruit, but this hotel offered none. The whole stay was uncomfortable and frustrating, far below an acceptable standard.

Breakfast in the beautiful gardens was a daily wildlife show, with so many stunning birds flying overhead that we were surprised each time. We were there in low season, and the room was great: excellent AC and WiFi, a good shower, large bathroom, decent fridge, and a fine bed. Sound insulation was honestly impressive, especially given how close it is to the main road. The restaurant food and drinks were really good, and the location worked perfectly. Staff were very kind, though not everyone spoke English; we managed, and kindness mattered most. The pool downstairs is a little dated and could use some TLC. Thanks Alma Vida! We loved our stay.