We stayed one night. The horrible and noisy rooms near the kitchen $ 50 / night, shower and toilet and no comment coffee, the other rooms or gampling in the jungle seem much nicer for a relatively expensive price. Around the beautiful place, there are different superb courses in the property to do absolutely.
A real scam. A farm ? A poor abandoned garden rather yes. A 50 ball tent that takes up the fleet and really terrible food. Exorbitant prices for what it is!
Essence Arenal is an amazing experience!
We stayed in a superior terrace tent. The tent had a balcony which overlooked the forest and the lake. In the area where the lounge and the hot tub are located, you can see EVERYTHING (Arenal Volcano, the lake, hillsides, forests, etc.)!! The price is great and there are local markets and restaurants around. You can also eat breakfast and dinner at Essence Arenal ($4.50pp breakfast, $10.50pp dinner). The dinner menu rotates each day to a different type of cuisine (we had Indian on Friday, Peruvian on Saturday).
If you're looking for things to explore, you have everything you're looking for within minutes. There are ziplines, guided tours, hikes, and anything else you'd want to do in an area like El Castillo. If you don't have a car, the tour companies can usually pick you up for a small fee.
Just a side note: if you're in the area, I'd recommend checking out La Ventanita. It has great food at great prices!
Nice place to land in the corner of the Arenal.
A lot of different types of rooms ranging from mini-house to big tent.
Attention there is no shared kitchen on site. It will be necessary to eat at the arenal gas restaurant or go to the soda 5 minutes walk.
The restaurant is a pretty good one. It's cooked with local produce and it's vegetarian, but it's a bit pricey.
The rooms next to the kitchen and next to the road are rather noisy. So privilege the rooms towards the forest.
There is a jacuzzi with a great view of the lake, open from 16h.
The staff is very nice.
I had a very nice stay here. Sleeping in a tent is not my preference but it was 100% easy. The owner is a very nice guy and his employees or volunteers are great! To really experience arenal this is a great place. Yoga, mudface, temazcal, massage, all equally good and it is all done with love. The view is amazing, it makes you very small, but it also gives you strength. Do not expect luxury but a very nice experience. Lots of flora and fauna! Restaurant makes delicious vegetarian meals.
My fiance and I stayed at essence arenal in a premium tent for 3 nights. The road to the hotel is a bit rough and I would reccomend a 4x4 but possible without. The tent was lovely, had a great view. The shower and bathroom was very clean and nice. We did not intend to stay at the hotel during the day but after finding out all they offer, we ended up spending our daytime there. We enjoyed a massage, some yoga, a walk through the farm, and a hike to a nearby waterfall. The staff was great and we ate all our meals at the restaurant. The food was good and they offered a different type of dinner each night and it was fairly priced!
The accomodation is very comfortable and the surroundings are absolutely fantastic. We woke up every day to the sound of monkies and birds. From the hostel there is an amazing view of Volcan Arenal. What is more, the owner (Nico) is a great guy who organizes fun tours of the farm and a chocolate workshop. There is also a temascal (mud hut sauna), which is a super fun experience. Amazing place to stay!
On a short stay in El Castillo, I was lucky to find Essence Arenal.
I ate a wonderful meal there last night, and afterwards the staff helped me pick and book an outing. They can also help you figure out shuttles from El Castillo to your event, so you have nothing to worry about.
Today it was rainy, so I got a massage here.. What a view!
The walls are very thin, you hear every word from the neighbors and also the snoring. Unfortunately, a kind of barrier in the shower is missing, so that the whole bathroom gets wet and if you do not hurry even the room! I still give four stars because the staff was very friendly and the food on allergies and requests was received.
Stayed in the basic tent for 2 nights. Found the accommodation very comfortable and clean. The grounds are truly beautiful with a lovely pool and hot tub. All the staff were very friendly and informative.
We traveled to the hostel from La Fortuna using the bus they provided. The bus leaves three times a day. We feel that the hostel is more suited to people with their own transport and felt a little isolated without.
We ate in the restaurant but found the food not really to our taste with only one option.
All in all I would recommend the hostel but would recommend having your own transport.
We had planned to stay two nights but we liked it so much that we stayed 4 nights. It is a very special eco lodge, with spectacular views and the people who are part of the Essence team are very attentive. It has a hydromassage that you can use to relax in the evening with views of the Arenal Volcano. In La Cocina all the food comes from the own garden that they work on the same farm and if you want they will take you on a tour and explain to you how they carry out agriculture and the care of medicinal plants. In the same eco lodge they will recommend tours and any activity you want to do in the surroundings of Arenal Volcano! And to finish they have an area where you can relax with massages, a natural water pool ... and many things to discover!
6$ a night t throw down your tent and use the jacuzzi, so worth it if you can keep it cheap....the dinners were good, a nice break from the la fortuna trash restaurants..........great base for a few days to chill if you get there the right time of year.......happy w my stay in castilla, as most people spend thousands of dollars and weeks of time researching potential properties and locations to purchase....took me only a week of exploring, meeting neighbors, researching land value before i realized the secret t why it's so cheap up there and no ticos want to live there.....earthquake on a rough fault line....when the big one hits, it's money down the drain........glad I didn't take the bait, and instead came to santa Elena, cayo region, Belize....4 times the property size for half the price, less tourists but they spend more money, and the locals work hard and can build some amazing things, were the ticos have lost heart years ago......
Such a beautiful experience here. Essence is a hostel/ farm on a beautiful patch of rainforest land! I was awoken every morning by the howler monkeys and chirps of nature. Their tents are perfect and provide more comfort than most hotels at a fraction of the price. The views of the lake and the volcano are amazing! Plus there is a wild macaw who is a beautiful red blue and yellow color. The owner of essence started feeding her many years ago and she can often be seen circling above. They call her banano. She likes bananas!
We didn't stay here but we ate a few meals here. Super great staff and unique dining experience. If you can grab a spot by the window it's nice to stare at Arenal while you hangout and eat.
Great view, good accomdations, amazing hospitality! Fun trails and simple but good food. Great value!
Stopped there for dinner! Really awesome place. The food is all vegetarian and they let you help prepare part of the meal. Service was quick and the food was amazing as well. They also have a ton of other things for guests like yoga and such, all very affordable.
This place is very friendly and has all the view you can take in. The pool has Volcano and Lake views also. I had some of the best food in the area and was always going back for more!! Great cook. Wish I could have spent more time there. Gringo Michael
Essence Arenal is an ideal place to relax in nature. If you are looking for a Hostel near La Fortuna with amazing volcano and lake views then this is the place. Food is great, 3 vegetarian meals a day. You can rent a luxury tent or private room, enjoy the Jacuzzi and spring water swimming pool or visit the local free hot spring river or walk 2 hours to a stunning waterfall!
The place is very nice with wonderful views. The hostel has its own organic production of fruits and vegetables, and you can visit it. It also has some nice trails to walk a while if you leave the place. The rooms are simple but comfortable. In the price does not include breakfast that costs 6 U $ S and is not the best I've tried in Costa Rica. The dinners are rich, plentiful, very well decorated but a little expensive: US $ 12 plus drink. The Wifi you leave quite to be desired.
A great choice, the double room with private bathroom is very good and you have a breathtaking view of the sandy volcano and its lake ... the perfect breakfast ... a good choice if you want to escape from the bustle of fortune.
We were there for 2 days and would have loved to stay longer if the time hadn't been so short!
A very nice accommodation with really lovely and helpful people!
In the evening you help a little with cooking and then sit down together at the table for a fun chat. :-)
I have celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and that was taken into account right away and my own meal was put together. Was very good!
Also had problems with our rental car and hayo and Enrique cleared them up immediately on the phone!
Super dear!
Thanks for everything!
Amazing place to stay. Definitely worth the bumpy road it takes to get there. All the food made is made organic from the farm out back, and the massage was the best in my life. The views and location is breathtaking having so much nature on and off the property. I booked the basic package which includes staying at a tent. However there was still power and wifi and beds. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
I didn't stay at Essence Arenal as a guest but I did frequent the cafe almost every day when I stayed in El Castillo.
Their coffee and food offerings are delicious. I recommend coming here and speaking with their staff members. The owner of the establishment, Mico (sp), is a German expat who visited Costa Rica while on vacation many years ago and fell in love with the country. This story echoes throughout the country to other expats because it was the same story we kept hearing from foreigners who moved their life to the country.
The hostel is located on the top of a hill in a small village. The view is outstanding with the Arenal Volcano right out of the window. To get this view, make sure to walk all the way towards the windows.
Beautiful view of the volcano, super hosts and best food in Costa Rica! We did the horseback riding with our 3.5 and 5 yrs old to see the waterfalls. It was a heavy ride for the smaller one, but she did it! The mastress was not very comfortable...but for the rest, we really enjoyed our stay!
Amazing view of the Arenal and the lake! Had the superior tent, with the best view directly from the balcony.
General Clean and very friendly :)
We love my family and super super beautiful and quality attention ... and not to mention the flavors of the cook the attention of your team definitely all PURE LIFE! Excellent :-) <3 God keep blessing them and business! Thank you
The views from essence cant be beat. The vibe of this place is nothing short of divine. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to stay here. Thanks again!!
We stayed at this property for 4 nights and never thought it would be so great!
After a bumpy ride there, we were so warmly welcomed by Alex (a volunteer there) and felt right at home. We had booked the superior room for 2 persons. The room size was good and everything was clean. The highlight of our room was the view !! We had lake and volcano view and almost directly in front of the jacuzzi our room. The people there have been so great, they have reserved us a zipline tour and organized a horseback ride and you always had a good mood! The property also runs a vegetarian restaurant and all food is sourced from its own organic farm. The concept is really great and refreshing. A tiny little point of criticism is that there was no fan in the room, but still this is the best place we have ever had on our trip !!! Pura Vida!
Wonderful experience! Friendly and helpful people, excellent (vegetarian) meals, and perfect scenery.
Definitely fo the cocoa tour!
Very friendly and available team. The place is ideal for going to the natural park or for a horseback ride in the forest with a breathtaking view. I recommend !
Friendly staff. We enjoyed the tour through their garden.
Beautiful location but the rooms are very basic for the price they charge. The walls are thin and the beds are squeaky. Some of the rooms are right next to the road and the restaurant so it s very noisy.
The staff are lovely but we were charged for every cup of tea and coffee and the meals were very over priced for the basic food that was provided. Having just staying at another hotel 5 minutes down the road which was much better value for money we were very disappointed.
Having said this the gardens were beautiful and the food was organic. Just better to know that for the same price you can stay at a much nice place.
Very cool place, food, comfort! A super natural and quiet place, ideal for contact with nature. Martin's attention on the night walk was admirable! Thank you!
The memory of this place and experience you have here stays with you. This is a very creative concept. A organic farm, kitchen with a lovely warm Chef Liliana who cooks yummy food every night, very helpful cheerful staff and lot to explore in the property and around. We liked our stay so much that we extended it. We also were able to meet other fellow tourists and make some friends. This is an amazing place to stay and I would definitely go back.
Cheers to all of you there and it's a wonderful concept.
ENGLISH - We have stayed in 6 different hotels throughout our two week trip to Costa Rica and this place is by far our favorite. We stayed there for 3 days. The atmosphere is simply magical when in the morning you get up with the singing of birds and screaming screaming monkeys! In addition, if you get up early, you can easily go on the path that leads to the farm and observe monkeys, big birds and other animals. It feels so good here that we would stay longer than expected. It's ideal for relaxing and maintaining a good lifestyle with very healthy and more than excellent food! (I'm not a vegetarian on the contrary and I loved it) In addition there is the pedestrian path Stairway to Heaven (which I have done twice so we feel out of place) which allows us to live a total immersion in the jungle . The houses are very clean and you have the choice between small cottages or elevated tents in the hill. And finally, everyone who works there is amazing and very welcoming! It's really worth it!
Incredible. Friendly staff, gorgeous location, delicious food, clean accomodations. No complaints, whatsoever.
Great place to stay, nice showers. The food they cook for you is delicious. They grow mostly everything they make for you, however the pool is slightly inaccessible and had tadpole eggs floating around.
Nice place, friendly service, a view of the volcano and wonderful lagoon. You can hike through private forest and observe the beautiful toucans, monkeys and more. Jairo, the administrator, receives you with great kindness.
An extremely gorgeous location, with a clear view of Arenal Volcano, Arenal Lake, tonnes of trees , a beautiful vegetable/fruit garden, an yoga room in a gorgeous setup, a spa, a swimming pool, hiking trails, a restaurant inside serving breakfast, lunch, dinner with healthy vegetarian food from the organic produces from their own garden. There is nothing to not like about this place
One of the best stay in Costa Rica.
Staff is very friendly, breakfast is good (with very nice view!), but the true difference is the garden and the farm. You can find 3 paths (not the short one!) to walk alone through the jungle and / or through the farm. Amazing experience, great view, and everything inside the hostel area.
We even walked alone to 'Night Safari', it was so accessible.
Definitely recommended.
An amazing gem. If you can get here you'll absolutely love the view while hot tubbing.
Perfect spot for vulcano view, hiking trips and enjoying nature. Tents are comfy, banos sufficient, many birds around and you hear monkeys during the night. A nice spot away from mainstream tourism. Food is great and I d also recomment their cocolate tour on the farm nearby. Staff extremely friendly, best hostel in CR. Keep going!!
Absolutly incredible view, the chef is fantastic everything is prepared from scratch with love and passion, everyone is incredibly nice. The guide Carlos is fantastic as well, so passionate.
Loved every bite of our stay, defenetly worth the ride there. Very sad to leave
Thank you!!
This Hostel ist amazing! The staff is super friendly their food is really good and prices are fair.
You can take a really nice hike in their plantation.
But the most amazing thing is the view. You see the volcano and lake from your bedroom.
We had one of the cabins with a private bathroom by the jacuzzi. Good time with the staff and fantastic food! Definitely stopping there again next time I go to Costa Rica !
