Essence Arenal Hotel, Spa & Bio Farm

All members of staff were very welcoming. The food was great, flavourful and fresh. We were able to identify more than 30 different species of birds just by sitting on our porch.

We had one issue during our stay and the staff and owner were very receptive and made it up to us. Do not hesitate to come here, you'll have a restful time!

in the heart of the forest, with a view on the Arenal Volcano, surrounded by wildlife and tropical floral. We've been waken up by howling monkeys every morning ! a lot of emphasis on ecology and sustainability - 100% solar powered equipments, excellent fresh and drinkable water by the tap

pretty old furniture, but it hasn't affected our experience

The vegan options were always unique and freshly delicious, with a new menu everyday. The holistic massage helped unwind tension in my legs I had been having a long time. I was supported by the staff there when I got some sad news. The spa circuit was top notch. With beautiful views. So very peaceful. Excellent yoga class with Gaby. I felt very relaxed to do some songwriting and watercolor painting there. Thank you, miss you guys❣️ Hope to come back for longer and do the sweat lodge and more of the plethora of other services next time!

Before you book a room, here is what you need to know. Yes the staff is amazing and friendly, yes, the views are spectacular. Yes it is quiet and has some great places to hang out, meet people, and do yoga. However, there are some things that you should know up front. If you book a room that is not right near reception, you can drive out to your room or wait and take hotel shuttles. The drive is sooooo steep that our car got stuck multiple times after it rained, as our wheels just spun and the car could not make it up the hills. The other issue that borders on unethical is that they list all of there prices in Dollars but instead of charging in dollars like other paces, they convert to colones at a low rate so you end of paying more than the listed price. This starts at check in and goes for every meal and activity. Breakfast is $15 dollars but after they do the conversion, it comes out to almost $17. It isn't much money but they should either charge in Dollars or list prices in Colones. Lastly, a small but important missing touch, is there is no tea kettle or way to heat up water for coffee and tea in the rooms. Being so far away from reception where you can buy cofee or green tea (they do not serve black) this seems like a small but important missing touch for a nice place. These are just a few general issues to know up front.

Above are the general issues with the property. We also had specific issues that might not happen to every guest or that may be resolved in time. During out stay of 4 days, we did not have hot water in the shower 3 times even after they said they fixed it. The wifi out in the rooms said it was connected but none of our devices could load a web page. The water dispenser for cold and hot water for making tea or coffee at the mirrador in the mornings was broken. For early risers who want to watch the sunrise with a hot drink, this was a problem for us a many other guests during our stay.