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Arenal Vista Lodge

3.0 star property
Luxury hotel in Peñas Blancas with outdoor pool and restaurant

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Arenal Vista Lodge

Outdoor pool
Standard Double Room | View from room
Terrace/patio
Standard Double Room
Standard Double Room | View from room

Reviews

6.0 out of 10

Good

Popular amenities

  • Airport transfer
  • Bar
  • Pool
  • Free breakfast
  • Non-smoking
  • Laundry facilities

Main amenities (12)

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Restaurant and bar/lounge
  • Outdoor pool
  • Pool bar
  • Room service
  • Coffee shop/cafe
  • Airport shuttle
  • Terrace
  • Coffee/tea in a common area
  • Air conditioning
  • Garden
  • Front-desk safe

Feel at home (6)

  • Private bathroom
  • Separate sitting area
  • Garden
  • Terrace
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Laundry facilities

Room options

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8.6 out of 10, Excellent, (413)
The price is CA $99
CA $111 total
includes taxes & fees
Jan 5 - 6 Jan 2025
Arenal Waterfall Lodge
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About the area

Map
Pueblo Castillo, Arenal, La Fortuna, Alajuela Province, 21007

What's nearby

  • Costa Rica Sky Adventures - 11 min drive - 5.5 km
  • Arenal Volcano - 17 min drive - 9.8 km
  • Tabacon Hot Springs - 20 min drive - 13.0 km
  • Arenal Volcano National Park - 23 min drive - 13.5 km
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park - 26 min drive - 16.4 km

Getting around

  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal) - 39 min drive
  • Juan Santamaria Intl. Airport (SJO) - 48.2 miles/77.5 km
  • San José (SYQ-Tobías Bolaños Intl.) - 53.4 miles/85.9 km
  • Airport shuttle (surcharge)

Restaurants

  • ‪Agua Ardiente Pool Bar - ‬21 min drive
  • ‪Fusión Arenal Mirador. - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Soda La Palma - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪Caña Brava - ‬21 min drive
  • ‪Restaurante El Jilguero - ‬17 min drive

About this property

Arenal Vista Lodge

Arenal Vista Lodge puts you 6.1 mi (9.8 km) from Arenal Volcano. The outdoor pool is a great spot to take a dip, and guests can grab a bite to eat at Arenal Vista, which serves international cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A poolside bar, a snack bar/deli, and a terrace are other highlights at this luxurious hotel.

Languages

English, Spanish

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 25 rooms
    • Arranged over 1 level
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
    • Minimum check-in age: 20
    • Check-out time is noon
DONE

Special check-in instructions

    • The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
    • Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 20
DONE

Children

    • No cribs (infant beds)
DONE

Pets

    • No pets or service animals allowed
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • Wheelchair-accessible parking on site
DONE

Transfers

    • Airport shuttle*
DONE

Other information

    • Smoke-free property

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Free full breakfast each morning
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/lounge
  • Poolside bar
  • Coffee shop
  • Coffee/tea in a common area
  • Barbecue grills
  • Room service (limited hours)
  • Snack bar/deli

Traveling with children

  • Children's menu

What to do

  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Personal watercraft (motorized)
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Cave exploring nearby
  • Safari nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby
  • Scooter/moped rentals nearby
  • Hot springs nearby

Working away

  • Meeting room
  • Conference space (474 square feet)

Services

  • Concierge services
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Dry cleaning/laundry services
  • Multilingual staff

Facilities

  • 1 building/tower
  • Built in 1993
  • Safe-deposit box at front desk
  • Garden
  • Terrace
  • Television in common areas
  • An outdoor pool

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

Room amenities

Home comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Ceiling fan
  • Window screens

Sleep well

  • Memory foam mattress
  • Bed sheets provided

What to enjoy

  • Patio
  • Individually decorated
  • Separate sitting area

Freshen up

  • Private bathroom
  • Shower only
  • Towels

Stay connected

  • Desk
  • Free WiFi

More

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Access via exterior corridors

Special features

Dining

Arenal Vista - Overlooking the garden, this restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A children's menu is available.

Fees & policies

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle service is offered for an extra charge

Pool, spa, & gym (if applicable)

  • Children under 10 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision

Policies

This property does not have elevators.
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.

Also known as

Arenal Vista Lodge
Vista Arenal
Vista Arenal Lodge
Arenal Vista Hotel Volcano National Park
Arenal Vista Lodge El Castillo
Arenal Vista El Castillo
Arenal Vista Lodge Hotel
Arenal Vista Lodge La Fortuna
Arenal Vista Lodge Hotel La Fortuna

Frequently asked questions

Is there a pool at Arenal Vista Lodge?
Yes, there's an outdoor pool.
Are pets allowed at Arenal Vista Lodge?
Sorry, pets and service animals aren't allowed.
Is airport shuttle service offered by Arenal Vista Lodge?
Yes, an airport shuttle is available.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Arenal Vista Lodge?
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. Check-out time is noon.
What is there to do at Arenal Vista Lodge and nearby?
Have fun during the warmer months with activities such as hiking. Additional recreation nearby includes hot springs, spelunking, and safari tours. Enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool or use the hotel's other amenities, which include a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near Arenal Vista Lodge?
Yes, Arenal Vista offers international cuisine and garden views.
Does Arenal Vista Lodge have any outdoor private spaces?
Yes, every room features a patio.
What's the area around Arenal Vista Lodge like?
Arenal Vista Lodge is located a short 13-minute walk from Lake Arenal.

Arenal Vista Lodge Reviews

Reviews

6.0

Good

5.8/10

Cleanliness

7.0/10

Staff & service

5.0/10

Amenities

5.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Poor

The description of the property is fraudulent. No towels in the room, the hot water does not work, we reserved full size beds but were put ib a room with 4 twin beds. We had to climb 64 steps in the rain to get to our room. Internet is only available in the lobby.
1-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Everything was horrible except from the view. Dirty, worn out, unfriendly staff, insulated, we were the only guests, after 9:00 no possibility to buy food or drinks not even water. The photos do not correspond to the reality. A total scam administrated by Expedia.
Nasrin, 4-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very good

I love the place, it is different, great place for relaxing
2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very good

Older hotel with basic accommodation. Fantastic view of the volcano. Good value with breakfast and dinners included.
Michael, 1-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

Booked for 3 night, upon arriving was very dissapointed at the property conditions, not as advertised on Expedia. Stayed only that night and booked at another hotel for the rest of my trip. Reservation was for 3 adults, only one bath tower in the room, no soap, shampoo, no telephone in the room. Purchased the dinner option, 4 meals to choose from. The only nice of this facility is the view to the lake and volcano.
Maria, 3-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

5-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Hotel ok for 1 night
Room clean. Hotel provides minimum comfort. View in the lake is ok. Breakfast was not so good.
Eric , 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Need to try harder with basics
Ok place in an incredible area. Food was below average, and they overcharged us for our dinner there, had to go through the bill with the waitress/cook/bartender/ only person there. Check presented in dollars with menu in colones and nothing was right. Just a poor experience otherwise ok place, nice pool, and nice room with incredible view.
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

Horrible road, animal droppings, hotel run down.
Horrible unpaved road with lot of potholes. Takes very long to reach hotel from main road. Friendly staff but Hotel looks run down. Found animal droppings in our bed every single night.
Verified Orbitz guest review

2/10 Poor

Remote, needs a major update
Got to the hotel, not at all what I was expecting. No cell reception, wifi did not work, very remote. Rooms were similar to a hostel, bedding was old and worn, looked at the room and found another hotel to stay at. Very disappointed.
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Beds were comfortable but all singles. Breakfast was good. Location is great as its right near the National Park
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

Unpaved rood to get there
Expedia website fails to include road condition info. The highway has a lot of potholes and eventually one front tire became flat. We had to change the tire and found the next gas station to add air. Then we had to drive on unpaved road to get there.
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

The room, and especially the bathroom was very dirty.
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Total ripoff! Not as advertised! Dirty! Do NOT use
Total ripoff! Not as advertised! Dirty, rundown, disgusting. No AC as advertised. So hot that dead flies on windowsills and bed/pillows! Would not let us take pictures of inside of room. Pool had rusty pipes sitting in the water. No wifi (they said it comes and goes). Entrance road with potholes for many kilometers, dangerous and bad for car. Not one guest! No one, reception area empty when we got there, bar and restaurant closed, empty parking lot. Asked for cancellation and refund. Refused to help. Cell phones don't work there, they wouldn't let us contact Expedia on their lines. Do NOT stay here!
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very good

Nice hotel with fantastic Arenal lake and Volcano
The hotel was nice and remotely located. The wild life was amazing especially the monkeys and birds. On a clear day the Lake and Volcano views were spectacular.
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Birdwatcher's Paradise
Arenal Vista Lodge has a great view of Lake Arenal and Arenal Volcano (when the clouds are gone). It is a bit rustic compared to other hotels in the area but it is very clean and has your basic amenities. The staff are very attentive and helpful. It is really getting away from it all and provides some excellent birdwatching. The pool was very nice and highly appreciated.
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

We greatly enjoyed staying here-it was a wonderful retreat into nature. The accommodations were great, thank you!
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

Hotel with view to the volcano
The hotel is a little run down. There were dirty plastic cups with cigarettes in the balcony. The floor was a little dirty and there were not enough soaps in the bathroom. The breakfast was ok, nothing fancy. The personnel was ok. No assistance with luggage and there were plenty of steps to climb before we got to our room. I will not stay there again.
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

nice hotel , very quite
probably quieter then usual due to tourist season not started yet , helpful staff
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Worst Hotel saw the room before check in never sta
The ride up the to hotel takes 35 minutes real bad road with pot holes.The lobby ? The room is a dark dirty old delapitaded room after we saw it we said no thank you and left.we are trying for expedia to fully return our two room two day stay.I would not recommend this Hotel to my worst enemy.
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

The hotel is nothing like the pictures! Don't Book
We checked into this hotel, went to the room and didn't even sit down. The room was dirty and the door was so old that we didn't feel comfortable staying in the room for the evening. About 30 mins after checking in, we gave them back the key and checked out!
Verified Hotels.com guest review

6/10 Good

Lodge Stay
Staff spoke very little English. No A/C. Fan was bolted to wall and did not work. Room very hot and stuffy at night. 10 mile bumpy unpaved road to get to hotel. Had to walk up very long steep driveway to get to rooms.
Verified Expedia guest review

8/10 Very good

Quiet, out of the way place
First off, a warning: The staff at this hotel do not speak English! I think they had maybe 150 words of English between them, and I knew about 20 words of Spanish if I'm generous. If you do not speak Spanish, this is probably not a good hotel for you. That said, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful to the best of their ability, including taking the time to write things down in English (probably with some translation software help) to confirm things with me. The offered horseback riding was fun. If they mention a "boat tour", it's actually a kayak rental. Just you, no guide. I discovered that when they took me down to the lake, gave me a paddle, and said "see you in 2 hours." It turned out fine and I enjoyed the solitude, but it wasn't what I was expecting. There's a nice nature walk through the forest behind the hotel, too. The food in the restaurant was quite good for the price. About twelve buc for a fairly good steak, rice, and vegetables. Service wasn't especially fast, but the food and price were good. There is no hot springs at this hotel! If that's your reason for coming to Arenal, go elsewhere. The staff recommended the nearby Los Laurelas springs, which is more of a water park than springs, it felt like. (Good water, lots of temperatures, but I've no idea if it was spring-fed.) It was 10 bucks, but a 25 buck cab ride each way which made it more expensive. Overall, it was an unexpected adventure but a good one in the end.
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Very basic hotel with great volcano views
This is a VERY basic hotel. All about it is a great view of the Arenal Volcano from the room. But that's if you are fortunate. We stayed there for 2 nights in mid-April and quite often the volcano was in the clouds. Nevertheless, we've managed to take several really good pictures during periouds of clearing. It takes about 10 km of unpaved section of the road to get there (20 min). If you want to stay in a very solitude place and enjoy the view of teh volcano - you might consider this place. If you want to stay close to other Arenal attractions - stay closer to the main (paved) road.
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Great stay at Arenal Vista Lodge
Fantastic location overlooking lake and volcano. Staff couldn't have been more helpful - we booked an extra night while we were there because we were made to feel so welcome. We loved the tranquility and the opportunity to explore Arenal National Park. Excellent food. The hotel even has its own forest nature trails.
Verified Expedia guest review