La Baula Lodge

We have travelled all over Costa Rica, and this has to be the worst of all places. It is run on a culture of greed and any opportunity to extract money from quests. All decisions are sent upwards to the owner who is not on-site, incomplete and poor quality meals, slow and forgetful service, lack of smiles from most of the staff. We were staying all - inclusive with breakfast, lunch and dinner. We wanted to upgrade our room to one with AC and were told we have to pay for two rooms (the original one and $80 per night got a new one the AC). Vegetarian meal portions are small compared to meat portions. When we complained we were asked to pay $10 more for any additional helpings.. There is no free tea or coffee after lunch or dinner (only at breakfast). To use s pool towel we had to leave a passport, driving licensee or credit card as a deposit which made us feel uncomfortable at having to leave high-value items out of sight. Poor vibes here. Avoid this place and stay at one of the many other friendlier hotels with a more reasonable attitude and delightful service.

Do not to stay here. We were part of a group tour - 5 out of 8 rooms had money stolen, passports tampered with and/or bags rifled through. No safety boxes in rooms and cleaners arrived at odd times and more than once even though room had already been serviced. Hotel was in denial when reported.

We enjoyed our stay in the unique riverfront lodge of La Baula. The boat ride to get there was delightful and we were warmly welcomed by staff. The grounds were beautiful. The swimming pool is lovely. The staff helped us plan a few activities and we enjoyed each one, especially an early morning boat ride, bird and animal watching.

We stayed here for two nights in March 2022 and it was great! The staff is super friendly and helpful. Kaylor, who is almost always at the check in desk, is so kind and goes out of his way to answer questions and help with any issues. We had a problem with our shower and he had someone there to fix it within minutes. The man who seems to be in charge of the restaurant (I think his name is Charlie) is such a hard worker as well, and he was also very attentive and helpful. The grounds are beautiful, including the pool. The rooms are a little dated, but they’re incredibly clean. We could hear our neighbors chatting through the walls, but honestly, it’s not that big of a deal. Everyone went to bed pretty early because most people have plans for early morning hikes and canoe trips to look for animals in the forest. The included breakfast is really well done. I also loved their recycling efforts! The lodge is across the river from the town of Tortuguero, but it’s easy to grab a water taxi and I know the reception would help you get in touch with one. It really is a lovely place and incredibly relaxing. One of my favorite spots was t just sitting in the rocking chairs overlooking the river. I highly recommend this place. Unless you’re super uptight and need a fancy place, this lodge is really well managed and nice.

The location and staff were great and my only criticism is a lack of tea and coffee facilities in the rooms. However the bar was great and the pool a welcome haven after the heat and rains. it was our base for exploring the National park and we saw a sloth on the grounds so A+ from us.

A fantastic stay! The staff are the highlight of the lodge. Especially Andreas and Charlie. The lodge helps so much with organising tours, our guide Mau was great, he spoke English very well and made our night tour and canal tour such a memorable experience. The food was amazing, breakfast, lunch and dinner there was lots of good choice and the cocktails tasted great too. The scenery around the lodge is so beautiful and we felt completely at peace here. It was very quiet at night and we slept soundly. The rooms are not luxurious but they are clean and comfortable. The showers get hot water and there is a good laundry service too. I honestly don't think there is a single thing to complain about. Thank you so much for a lovely stay!

Terribly noisy place. The cabins don’t have glass in their windows, so you hear everything that is going on around the whole place. In the central patio there is loud music and drinking people until late. A request for a room further away wasn’t at all taken seriously by staff and shrugged off with the remark that reception was closed so nothing could be done. The patio also has a stone floor and wooden chairs that make terrible noise when moved but are quite heavy to lift. The shower got lukewarm-ish but never warm. The surroundings are stunning but this hotel is very distracting from that.

Wonderful family run business showing pride in taking care of their guests. The resort was clean and they had many small personal touches that just made the place special. Food was delicious with both traditional and other options for meals to fit for many different tastes. The grounds are beautiful showings of flowers and birds to enjoy. The pool was a special treat. We enjoyed the experience of the guide that the resort offered to take us on tours and excursions with many explanations of Flora and Fauna around us.

Fabulous settling, lovely gardens, very basic tired room. Breakfast and dinner was OK. Hated the wooden seats without cushions in the dining area.