Laguna Lodge

"We got picked up spot on time at 5.50 am from the Barcelo hotel in San Jose (15th July). Juan Miguel introduced himself to us and was our guide for the next 2 days. He was absolutely brilliant. He took care of our group to the smallest details, informed us what our room number would be and the key on the door, so no check in. The exciting thing is the road stops well away from the hotel, so a beautiful one-hour boat ride is needed to reach the hotel. The hotel is situated in an idyllic place between the canal and the Caribbean Sea. The gardens are magnificent, full of tropical flowers and trees. Lots of birds come and visit, as well as a gorgeous iguana, frogs... The rooms are very well appointed but very hot (no air con). The restaurant is open to the canal, bringing a bit of air. During our 2 nights stay we went to the village by boat, visited the rain forest from the canal, had a walk with a guide showing us what was around us and finally a tour of the garden. Juan Miguel was so knowledgeable about the fauna and flora. It was such a pleasure to discover Costa Rica nature in simple terms. The staff at the hotel was extremely friendly. Juan Miguel took us back to a place where we had breakfast on the way up. This time it was lunch. He handed us over to the driver taking us to La Fortuna, Arenal. We really enjoyed our short stay in this hotel."

Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero

"I loved my stay at this hotel and it was great value. The hotel is a short walk from the centre of town, but this means that it’s really quiet at night and you go to sleep with just the sound of the sea. (Be warned - swimming not allowed here because of dangerous tides. The food was great and the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. It was possible to book all the tours and transfers I wanted, including seeing the turtles laying their eggs at night, through the hotel. I had a very big room all to myself which has both air-conditioning and the ceiling fan. There is a small pool and one afternoon. I have time to have my siesta by the pool while a flock of the rare green macaws circled above. Pura Vida!"

Pachira Lodge

"Hotel pick up with a stop near Guapiles for breakfast and then back on the bus to the pier to pick up the river boat. We were worried about luggage weights etc but there was really nothing to worry about. It was a lovely journey and was definitely part of the. ' experience ' . The lodge was great, could have done with aircon tho. A ceiling fan wasn't enough when it was 30 degrees outside and humid !! There were also loads of squashed bugs on the walls and ceiling in the bathroom which was pretty gross! Room 11. Food was good, buffet style but loads of choices. Our group was really friendly, a mixture of Spanish and English speakers. The guide was multilingual but tbh it was a bid tedious waiting for him to say exactly the same in both languages. It would have been better for us (and him) to have a single language group. Pool area was great especially the jacuzzi. The on site nature walk is a must too - there's sloths there!! The trips were great, we discovered a fabulous Tiki Bar on the other side when we went on a trip to the village and beach - just on the right - excellent cocktails! The canal tour by boat was excellent - we saw so much wildlife. The trip back, via boat lunch at Guapiles and then transfers to everyone's next destinations ran like clockwork. It's a well oiled machine. Would definitely stay here again but would ask for a room with aircon next time if they have any. Great lodge!"

Pura Natura Riverside

Mawamba Lodge

"The Hotel premises are very beautiful but the shower was cold. Service did not help. Restaurant was good but could be cheaper. You get there per boat"

Caribbean Paradise Eco-Lodge

"We stayed at this location for two nights and had a great time; lots of beautiful colorful birds and wonderful silence, except for the sounds of the jungle and the howler monkeys in the distance, though occasionally taxi boats speeding past! The lodge has no windows but mosquito nets, so you are truly close to nature! Milene, the owner, picked us up in San José and guided us to Tortuguero, where we were welcomed upon arrival by Bismarck. We had a lovely stay! We did two excursions: one boat trip and a tour of the town of Tortuguero, both with the guide. The beds were very good, the shower fine, and the food simple but tasty! And truly Costa Rican."

Hotel Serendipity Tortuguero

"Tortuguero was our first stop in Costa Rica. The welcome from the staff at Hotel Serendipity was amazing. They met us off the public boat with a warm welcome and took our bags to the hotel. It’s more 6 apartments than a hotel but the rooms are amazing. Very modern, super clean. What sets this place apart in addition to the great rooms are the staff. They are absolutely lovely - especially the women who made our breakfast and dinner. Nothing was too much trouble and unlike some places the warmth and friendliness appeared genuine. This was our first stop in Costa Rica and it truly made us happy that we had picked this hotel. Don’t hesitate when booking, just book it you won’t be disappointed."

Tortuga Lodge

"This was the most disappointing experience of our trip. While the location and ground staff are great, the management is exploitative and the "Spa" standards are appalling. 1. DECEPTIVE SPA & GROSS NEGLIGENCE: Do not be misled by the word "Spa." It is an empty room with two tables—no shower, no water, no facilities. Even worse was the massage: the therapist had long nails (a major hygiene and safety violation) and was scrolling on her phone with one hand while massaging me with the other. When reported, the reception was cold and dismissive. They simply do not care about professional standards or guest safety. 2. EXPLOITATIVE BILLING: We had a guest cancel for health reasons. The management’s response? Total greed. They forced us to pay the full price for all 3 nights for a person who wasn't there—charging us for 3 days of "all-inclusive" meals never eaten, excursions never taken, and even the extra bed fee. This is not hospitality; it is a "take the money and run" strategy. 3. UNACCEPTABLE FRONT DESK: The receptionist this evening was insulting in her indifference. No empathy, no solution, just a cold attitude that clearly signaled our satisfaction was irrelevant. 4. THE ONLY REDEEMING FACTOR: It is a tragedy that excellent staff like Luis (waiter), our brilliant guide Luis Torres, and the housekeeping team work for such a poorly managed establishment. They deserve better than a management that treats guests as mere bank accounts. FINAL WARNING: This lodge is a tourist trap hiding behind premium prices. You are not a guest here; you are a transaction. With so many ethical and professional lodges in Tortuguero, do not waste your money here. You will regret the lack of respect and the substandard service."

Casa Marbella

"Nice, basic place for short term stay. Easy walk, 5 minutes from the main port with roller bags (they were not doing private pier drop off when I went). Staff is very responsive and helpful. It's right on the river so constant boat noise day and night, but this is outweighed by beautiful scenery and spectacular sunsets. The bathroom could have been cleaner - there were old soap pieces in the shower soap dish, the sink was gritty and I had no hot water despite following their written instructions."