La Carolina Lodge

Awesome experience that was different than any other place we’ve stayed. Rustic yes, but very comfortable and clean. My husband and daughter were worried that we wouldn’t have a/c, but the night time temps cool down. The food was amazing… best we’ve ever had in Costa Rica! The bugs and roar of the river at night seemed loud at first, but we got used to it. Our 2 night stay allowed us just enough time to enjoy the property for a day. We went horseback riding and enjoyed the river and hot tub and also lounged around on our front porch. They light candles around the property every evening and we also had low lighting in the cabin. The serene natural beauty surrounding this place is what we loved. |The drive to Rio Celeste National park took about 50 minutes. We did the tubing on the river and it was a great experience!

Our stay at La Carolina lodge was amazing. The staff, the nature, the cabin; all perfect. The meals are served in the main lodge, on their veranda and meals include all locally sourced ingredients (I believe most from the farm). The meals were “simple” homestyle, homemade and delicious. My kids (10 and 12) absolutely loved swimming in the river and walking the grounds. Speaking of the grounds…wow, so green and lush. The sound of the river, birds and insects were so soothing. This lodge is located in a rural part of Costa Rica and we really enjoyed this aspect. This lodge was like “glamping” in the best way, the fire on our porch at night was the cherry on top. I also really appreciated the attention to detail. When we came back from dinner at night, our fire was lit. Thanks for having us!! I hope to be back.

Thi is such a special place. We stayed for 3 nights and could happily have stayed longer. We stayed in both Heliconias and La Mariposa and loved both. We loved the river and the many delightful walks around the lodge. The food was delicious and everyone we met so kind and friendly. We did not have a car and so were unable to go elsewhere but we made good use of all the trails and walks and took the boat out on the lake. Ruby the dog came with us which was a delight. It got quite cool in the evenings and it was lovely to have a fire lit for us to sit besides.

We absolutely loved our stay on the farm! We spent two nights which we found to be the perfect amount of time to experience the activities available on site. We did a horseback tour through the countryside with Alejandro, milked the cows, hiked the property, and spent lots of time in the wood fired hot tub. The porches were a highlight and hearths everywhere made everything very cozy. Super disconnected and relaxed. A major highlight was the food. Authentic, flavorful, and grown on the farm or near it. You could definitely tell the difference, and we loved that it was included. It’s so nice to not have to pull out your wallet all the time on vacation and made the meals more enjoyable. The candlelit dinners were the best. Rooms were very rustic but had hot water, temperature was good, and beds were comfy. 10/10!

This was the second time we have stayed at La Carolina Lodge and we enjoyed our stay even more this time. The accommodations were comfortable, the bird watching was fabulous and the service, impecable. The food was the favorite part of our stay. We are vegans and the staff could not have been more accommodating! We had avocado at every meal (meat for a vegan!) and anything else we asked for! Every item was cooked with love and seasoned to perfection. They even prepared salads for breakfast! We couldn’t have asked for more!

We had the absolute BEST time here with our family - our kids are 6, 8 and 10 and it was a trip they will never forget. The food was incredible - DON'T skip the dessert! We'll be dreaming of the coffee, hot chocolate and family meals for years to come. So much to explore and do at this property, but not at all overwhelming. We stayed for three nights in the El Commisario tree house and could have fit many more people in there. The personal wood fired hot tub was such a highlight. Can't recommend this property enough - it is magical.

If you want luxury, La Carolina Lodge which is up in the Costa Rican Rain Forest, is the wrong place for you, BUT if you want to experience nature this is where you belong. My wife and I arrived in time for supper on our first of three nights just as the evening song of rain forest creatures took over the area. Our room had very few modern conveniences … no TV … no air conditioning (mosquito nets and fans) … and very limited lighting. We did have a very private deck overlooking a mountain river. The lodge does have yoga and horseback riding, which we did not utilize. For me it was all about the birds which were fantastic (I am a naturalist in northern Minnesota).

A wonderful place. Right in the middle of the rain forrest. The setting is stunning, the buildings are all made of wood and rustic but beautiful. A river runs right through the property with swimming hole and hot tub. The food is delicious and best of all the staff are amazing, friendly, helpful and hard working. One of the nicest places or the nicest place I have ever stayed in.