Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge

We went on the night tour with David, and it was AMAZING! This was one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip. He was so knowledgeable and could spot the smallest animals out of nothing. He showed us how to take the best photos on our phones. We saw so many types of frogs, eyelash vipers, lizards, and insects. We did this tour on our first day, which we definitely recommend! We were then able to take what we learned and understand the local ecosystem better when we went hiking at Arenal National Park.||It was easy to find and easy to park. We also had a snack at the on-site restaurant, which was yummy! There were so many birds to watch while we ate.

Wildlife-Filled Stay Close to Town Arenal Oasis Lodge was a very nice place to stay—close to town, yet surrounded by a wildlife refuge, so it never felt urban. We woke up every morning to howler monkeys, saw a resident sloth daily, and enjoyed abundant birds and butterflies. The butterfly observatory was a highlight, and we also did a beautiful self-guided day hike on the property. We joined a guided night walk and saw an impressive variety of wildlife, including frogs, insects, a fer-de-lance, and a coral snake. The restaurant was excellent; we ate there twice and enjoyed the food, drinks, and service. We stayed in the largest cabin, which was clean and very spacious—it comfortably accommodated our group of four and could easily work for 6–7 people. The front desk staff were wonderful and helped us with anything we needed, including navigating town. Helpful tips for future guests: There is no air conditioning. Normally this wouldn’t bother us, but during our stay it rained frequently and the humidity was very high. Clothes (even quick-dry and wool) never fully dried, and bedding felt damp. We would happily stay again during a drier period. Online photos made it seem like the large cabin had only one bathroom without full walls, so we booked an extra cabin for privacy. This turned out to be unnecessary—the large cabin actually has two bathrooms, one fully enclosed off the common area and one in the master bedroom (the bedroom itself has a door). The night walk, while great for wildlife sightings, felt a bit disorganized and crowded with multiple groups at times. Overall, a peaceful, wildlife-rich stay with great staff and food—especially appealing for nature lovers who don’t mind rustic touches.

I did the early morning bird tour through arenal oasis. Francisco was an amazing teacher! The tour was just me and he really took the time to show me things. Pablo picked me up and was also great about spotting birds. They didn’t rush and extended our 2hr tour for an extra 90mins. Ended our tour with a great breakfast. Highly recommend the early wake up call to see some amazing species!

American visitor who stayed three nights in late January 2026. Adequate facility. This is an eco-lodge so the emphasis is being in nature. Comfortable bed, clean cabin. Includes free breakfast, which is good. Fresh fruit is put out in the morning very near the dining area to attract beautiful birds. This is a great photo opportunity. One should understand that there apparently is NO dry season in central Costa Rica. We understood we were visiting during the dry season but that is only the case on the Pacific coast early in a year. Inland, it still rained daily, sometimes for hours. This is important to know when staying at this facility (and perhaps others) due to the metal roof. A light sprinkle is noticeable and a gentle rain is a roar which caused some sleep disruption. But this rainforest area is pretty impressive if you immerse yourself in nature. There is an on-site butterfly exhibit my wife liked. (I decided to take a nap instead.)

This place was amazing. Being so immersed in the nature was so special. Every morning we got to see so many birds at breakfast. The butterfly oasis is worth the visit alone, even in the rain. The rooms are great, however, they do not have AC. It cooled off every night we were there so I didn’t feel like it made the stay any worse. All the staff are very kind and helpful. Highly recommend!!!

We did the night tour with JP and it was even better than I expected. I thought we might see just a few frogs, but we ended up seeing so much incredible wildlife — several different frogs, birds, a toucan, a sloth, lingos, a viper, and even a wolf spider. JP is incredibly knowledgeable and unbelievably skilled at spotting animals we never would have noticed on our own. On top of that, he’s funny, engaging, and very respectful of the animals and environment. Can you help us capture some really remarkable photos as well. We had so much fun and I highly recommend this tour with JP!

A very nice place to stay at, the cabins are very comfortable and provide a lot of privacy. We really enjoyed the private parking right by our cabin. the team at the restaurant was super friendly and helpful, they were proactive in helping us with any request. All in all we had a great experience and would highly recommend the Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge. Two things to note: 1. There's no AC - so if AC is a must for you, this is not your spot 2. WiFi in some cabins is spotty, it is working very well in the restaurant, but they are using repeaters rather than a mesh and that generates poor experience in some rooms

This was unexpectedly delightful. The staff were very welcoming and kind. We only stayed one night but left wishing we were spending more time there. Definitely a little more rustic than a hotel but in a charming way. The sound of the rain on the cabin roof was all encompassing for a relaxing immersive experience. Breakfast was included and delicious. A crib was provided and set up for us when we arrived. A bar was missing and one was loose but it was fine for one night. The lights outside the windows didn’t turn off making it a little bright while trying to sleep and the bathroom lights were fairly dim but other than that loved the room.