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Recent guest reviews

Difficult to find ,out of the way place down a long dirt road . 10 to 15 minutes from town. Need car or taxi. Nothing near by . No restaurants or attractions . Room very basic , bare fixtures, closet has no door and no hangers, no glasses, no maid service, 2 worn bath towels and one hand towels for the 2 days we were there. No shampoo or conditioner provided.Two pillows for 2 queen beds (had to request 2 more) no blankets just sheets on bed. Contrary to the info on the internet Wifi was not accessible from our room.(13) We had to go sit in front of another unit to get reception. The grounds needed attention but we recognize that this was the dry season. Pros: warm water available in shower, flat screen TV that worked., clean room, small AC unit.in wall. Off site owner helpful in booking tours. This does not qualify as a 3 star establishment for sure. We based our choice on that rating and what we read on the internet which was deceiving. Bfast was basic and same both days , no choices.

Far from town.need car or taxi.and very hard to find, down a dirt road. Nothing around. Room very basic: bare light fixtures, open closet ,no hangers, no maid services,2 towels and one hand towel for 2 day stay,no glasses,no shampoo, no conditioner and no hair dryer. Beds were comfortable but had only 2 pillows for 2 Queen size beds had to request 2 extra pillows. Unit appeared clean. Shower was basic but had hot water. Breakfast was basic and the same both days.Staff tried to be helpful and off site owner as well. Grounds needed attention but in all fairness this is their dry season. We spent very little time there. This place does not deserve a 3 star rating and is very expensive for what you get.Thank God we were only there for two days.

My husband and I stayed here for a week and had a very pleasant stay. The grounds are very well kept but the rooms need some renovating. The location is pretty good (10 min from town by car). I think what we enjoyed most about the stay was the hospitality of all the staff. Everyone was helpful and smiling. I think this hotel is a pretty good option if you aren't looking for anything too fancy.

My boyfriend and I stayed here for two nights and had the best experience. The hotel room was clean and very larger. The outdoor seating area is beautiful, it feels very tropical with lots of trees and greenery. The owner of the hotel was very helpful and gave us the best advice on things to do in the area and even got us discounts on zip lining. I could not have been happier with our stay, I highly recommend it,

Had a fantastic time. The owner, Mario, is unbelievably friendly and helpful with coordinating your activities and giving advice. The hotel is in a fantastic, tucked-away location among the trees. Great breakfast, great bird-watching. Highly recommended!

I was here last week driving in from Tamarindo. We arrived late at night. You have to drive through La Fortuna and it is off a bumpy gravel road. We didnt know what to think as we pulled up but were immediatly greated by the owner of the hotel Mario. He showed us our room and the grounds of the place including the pool and the river which runs through the back of the hotel, very pretty!. He went out of his way to book amazing excursions for us and called to set up times that worked for our schedule. One morning he got up early for us b/c our scheduled time wwas 7:30. He was there with fired egs, fresh cut fruit, coffee and toast. the best free breakefast I have ever had! The hotel currently does not have real hot waterl. THere is a machine on the head of the shower that heats it as the water comes out. It only makes the water luke warm., but mario promised me that they are putting solar heaters on the roof of the hotel so that there will be real hot water showers very soon and definiely by the next time i visit, which I hope is very soon!

This hotel is located 10 min out of La Fortuna down a rough dirt road. The room was clean and neat. There is not TV or internet in the room. The minimal kitchen was adequate. The wall airconditioner was loud and inadequate to cool the room (even in July, their winter). The grounds were beautiful with vibrant flowers and trees. The staff was wonderful at breakfast. serving the best breakfast I have had at a hotel! We just love the fresh papaya, mango juice.

Windows in rooms didn't open. Air conditioner in our room worked but rattled like a broken down freight train. The hotel is 3 to 5 miles south of Fortuna and the entry is POORLY marked. (NOT 3 minutes south of Fortuna as claimed). We didn't stay the 2nd night, forfeiting what we'd paid. Fortunately we managed to find a superb hotel about a mile west of Fortuna on the main road...at the SAME PRICE! On the positive side: Nice grounds and a superb stream towards the back of the property separating the hotel grounds from Monteverde Nat'l park lands. Breakfast is included and okay. The woman in charge was very sweet and was as helpful as she could be.

I travel a lot and have close to a million miles. I have never seen a better value. This hotel has hostel prices and offers the quietest setting in Arenal with views to the volcano. The owners will make you feel like family and save you money by getting you good tours and transportation prices. This is a small and simple hotel though. But at less than half the price of most places this is a great option.

This hotel is a three-four minute drive just outside La Fortuna. Very friendly staff that speaks a little English. The rooms were modest, but well kept. We felt very safe here. The owners made a great breakfast every morning. The grounds were well kept and nicely landscaped. You can tell the owners genuinely care about your comfort and stay. The owners suggested the Arenal Mundo Adventura, which is a two-three minute drive on the road back to La Fortuna. Well worth the trip, with eleven zip lines, a view of the La Fortuna waterfall and nice gardens.

After a 3 hr flight and a 4 hr drive up very, very twisty 2 (& sometimes 1 ) lane roads shared w/ cars, trucks & busses we were exhausted. Ate dinner in la Fortuna, and found lavas de arenal motel in a pastoral setting just south of town, up a side "street" paved w/ rocks (not gravel...rocks), flanked w/cows & chickens. The motel itself is only 10 units, in a well taken care of landscaped setting. The room was spartan & clean. All we needed for that nite. It rained heavily all nite. We weren"t going anywhere. We fell asleep quickly. In the morning, Alycia, the owner, cooked us breakfast out on the patio. A beautiful fresh cut flower bouquet on the table, and fresh cut fruit from their gardens, w/ eggs, ham, juice, coffee. We left after breakfast because we wanted to see the town, and then spend the day in the hot springs at Tabacon. This is all part of lifes experiences.

This was a very quaint little hotel. I assume it was family owned as it was "off the beaten path" but the staff was extremely friendly. Make sure you know how to speak some spanish before you go though, becuase the family that owns it didn't speak much english. There is an awesome river that flows along the edge of the hotel property and you eat breakfast in the morning right next to it! We loved our stay here, it was scenic, enjoyable, and the price was the most budget friendly in the area.

300 meters west from El Bosque school La Fortuna Alajuela

Hotel highlights

  • Free continental breakfast
  • Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
  • Free parking
  • Onsite dining

Lavas del Arenal is located 3 mi (4.8 km) from Arenal Adventure World and within a 10-minute drive of Costa Rica Chocolate Tour. This 10-room, 3-star hotel has an outdoor pool along with free in-room WiFi and free self parking.


Dining

Start your day off right with a free continental breakfast, served each morning from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. This hotel is home to a restaurant and a bar/lounge. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service.


Rooms

32-inch LCD TVs come with satellite channels, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi. Refrigerators, coffee makers, and safes are also standard.


Property features

Guests of Lavas del Arenal have access to an outdoor pool, a lazy river, and free WiFi in public areas. There's free parking and an airport shuttle for a fee. Staff members are on hand to provide concierge services and luggage storage. Additional amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and a terrace.

Room options

Couples Rooms

1 Queen Bed | Sleeps 2

Garden View, 2 Queen Beds

2 Queen Beds | Sleeps 4

Deluxe Suite

2 Queen Beds | Sleeps 4

Guest reviews for Lavas del Arenal

Couples (7) Family (3) Friends (2)
1

would not stay there again and would never recommend it

Couples

Difficult to find ,out of the way place down a long dirt road . 10 to 15 minutes from town. Need car or taxi. Nothing near by . No restaurants or attractions . Room very basic , bare fixtures, closet has no door and no hangers, no glasses, no maid service, 2 worn bath towels and one hand towels for the 2 days we were there. No shampoo or conditioner provided.Two pillows for 2 queen beds (had to request 2 more) no blankets just sheets on bed. Contrary to the info on the internet Wifi was not accessible from our room.(13) We had to go sit in front of another unit to get reception. The grounds needed attention but we recognize that this was the dry season. Pros: warm water available in shower, flat screen TV that worked., clean room, small AC unit.in wall. Off site owner helpful in booking tours. This does not qualify as a 3 star establishment for sure. We based our choice on that rating and what we read on the internet which was deceiving. Bfast was basic and same both days , no choices.

By on Mar 17, 2014

1

do not stay there

Couples

Far from town.need car or taxi.and very hard to find, down a dirt road. Nothing around. Room very basic: bare light fixtures, open closet ,no hangers, no maid services,2 towels and one hand towel for 2 day stay,no glasses,no shampoo, no conditioner and no hair dryer. Beds were comfortable but had only 2 pillows for 2 Queen size beds had to request 2 extra pillows. Unit appeared clean. Shower was basic but had hot water. Breakfast was basic and the same both days.Staff tried to be helpful and off site owner as well. Grounds needed attention but in all fairness this is their dry season. We spent very little time there. This place does not deserve a 3 star rating and is very expensive for what you get.Thank God we were only there for two days.

By on Mar 16, 2014

4

the staff make all the difference

Couples

My husband and I stayed here for a week and had a very pleasant stay. The grounds are very well kept but the rooms need some renovating. The location is pretty good (10 min from town by car). I think what we enjoyed most about the stay was the hospitality of all the staff. Everyone was helpful and smiling. I think this hotel is a pretty good option if you aren't looking for anything too fancy.

By on Jan 27, 2014

4

great hotel on a budget

Couples

My boyfriend and I stayed here for two nights and had the best experience. The hotel room was clean and very larger. The outdoor seating area is beautiful, it feels very tropical with lots of trees and greenery. The owner of the hotel was very helpful and gave us the best advice on things to do in the area and even got us discounts on zip lining. I could not have been happier with our stay, I highly recommend it,

By on Apr 26, 2013

5

paradise

Friends

Had a fantastic time. The owner, Mario, is unbelievably friendly and helpful with coordinating your activities and giving advice. The hotel is in a fantastic, tucked-away location among the trees. Great breakfast, great bird-watching. Highly recommended!

By on Feb 24, 2013

5

fantastic family run hotel

Couples

I was here last week driving in from Tamarindo. We arrived late at night. You have to drive through La Fortuna and it is off a bumpy gravel road. We didnt know what to think as we pulled up but were immediatly greated by the owner of the hotel Mario. He showed us our room and the grounds of the place including the pool and the river which runs through the back of the hotel, very pretty!. He went out of his way to book amazing excursions for us and called to set up times that worked for our schedule. One morning he got up early for us b/c our scheduled time wwas 7:30. He was there with fired egs, fresh cut fruit, coffee and toast. the best free breakefast I have ever had! The hotel currently does not have real hot waterl. THere is a machine on the head of the shower that heats it as the water comes out. It only makes the water luke warm., but mario promised me that they are putting solar heaters on the roof of the hotel so that there will be real hot water showers very soon and definiely by the next time i visit, which I hope is very soon!

By on Jan 17, 2013

3

great breakfast

Family

This hotel is located 10 min out of La Fortuna down a rough dirt road. The room was clean and neat. There is not TV or internet in the room. The minimal kitchen was adequate. The wall airconditioner was loud and inadequate to cool the room (even in July, their winter). The grounds were beautiful with vibrant flowers and trees. The staff was wonderful at breakfast. serving the best breakfast I have had at a hotel! We just love the fresh papaya, mango juice.

By on Jul 11, 2012

1

anaerobic guests only, please...

Family

Windows in rooms didn't open. Air conditioner in our room worked but rattled like a broken down freight train. The hotel is 3 to 5 miles south of Fortuna and the entry is POORLY marked. (NOT 3 minutes south of Fortuna as claimed). We didn't stay the 2nd night, forfeiting what we'd paid. Fortunately we managed to find a superb hotel about a mile west of Fortuna on the main road...at the SAME PRICE! On the positive side: Nice grounds and a superb stream towards the back of the property separating the hotel grounds from Monteverde Nat'l park lands. Breakfast is included and okay. The woman in charge was very sweet and was as helpful as she could be.

By on Mar 15, 2012

5

the best value ever

Couples

I travel a lot and have close to a million miles. I have never seen a better value. This hotel has hostel prices and offers the quietest setting in Arenal with views to the volcano. The owners will make you feel like family and save you money by getting you good tours and transportation prices. This is a small and simple hotel though. But at less than half the price of most places this is a great option.

By on Jan 18, 2012

4

friendly place to stay

Family

This hotel is a three-four minute drive just outside La Fortuna. Very friendly staff that speaks a little English. The rooms were modest, but well kept. We felt very safe here. The owners made a great breakfast every morning. The grounds were well kept and nicely landscaped. You can tell the owners genuinely care about your comfort and stay. The owners suggested the Arenal Mundo Adventura, which is a two-three minute drive on the road back to La Fortuna. Well worth the trip, with eleven zip lines, a view of the La Fortuna waterfall and nice gardens.

By on Jan 15, 2012

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