Pacuare Lodge by Böëna Reviews

We choose Costa Rica for our family vacation in search for adventure and a luxury wilderness lodge feel for my husband and I along with our 8 and 9 year old children. Pacuare Lodge more than deliverd and I cannot speak highly enough! Arrival- We arrived in SJO and stayed at Hotel Grano de Oro. The hotel arranged transportation for us from the airport and we were very pleased upon arrival. We were able to rest and prepare for the start of our adventure. Pepe met us on behalf of Pacuare in the lobby and was incredible! He was informative, funny and made us and our children so excited for the upcoming adventure. The ride to the lodge was great as he shared with us along the way and we stopped for breakfast at a great restaurant with beautiful views! The rafting in was amazing!! The children had not rafted before and this was a huge highlight for them. Pepe made it so special for the kids and us all. Danny was our safety kayaker and was nearby the whole ride. He took my phone to get some great action shots for us. The ride was adventurous, but we felt very comfortable with our children being there. Concierge- Upon arrival we were greeted with a delicious tropical smoothie. Eimy was the concierge and was so kind and welcoming to make sure we knew where everything was, explain what to expect and share with us all activities options and help us get our schedule arranged. Nia also assisted us during our stay and was so kind and helpful. We did two bags of laundry while on site and loved leaving with dry clean clothes. Having a dedicated person there all the time for absolutely anything we needed made us feel confident we were making the most of every minute of our stay. They went above and beyond! Room type- We were in Morpho which is a linda vista suite. It was high up and offered the most amazing views!! Waking to see sunrise was something I will never forget. The incredibly attentive staff delivered coffee and sweets to our room at 6:15am for us to enjoy while relaxing on the hanging swing. The room felt very spacious allowing my husband and I space while each of the children had their own beds. Soaking tub overlooking the views as well as an indoor and outdoor shower. Loved this room! The golf cart was so fast to take us anywhere we needed. I always prefer to stay as close to everything and did not know that I would enjoy taking a golf cart from my room, but highly suggested for the views and the golf cart system was extremely convenient and they came very fast. Dining- Meals were absolutely amazing! Each item we received was so beautifully presented and tasted incredible. Diana mainly took care of us for meals and made the dining experience perfect! She made us feel very welcome and attended to anything we may need. They offer so many delicious options and a nice wine list. Dining while overlooking the river with such amazing food was a highlight for us! Each member of the staff made us feel so welcomed and we could feel they wanted u

Omg ! Firstly when I was told we had to white river raft to the lodge I didn’t sleep the night before ! But what an experience! The staff are amazing and professional with a glint in their eyes for having fun but safely. I loved this place and felt truly welcomed. But that said I have one comment …… the food ! Amazing , innovative and out of this world , amazing chefs ! Michelin stars . If you get a chance to go please go and enjoy ☺️

Not many places like this in the world. For our visit we were driven in via 4x4 then we rafted out down the river at the end of our stay. We had a suite in the gardens. It was excellent. Beautiful rooms, peaceful, nice layout, perhaps could have done with some more space for storing luggage (cupboard etc) but otherwise really on point. Liked the option for the indoor or outdoor shower. The terrace out the front was nice and we enjoyed our morning tea/coffee here and reading in the hammock. The rooms are settled in the rainforest and when you’re in your room you really feel apart of your surroundings yet the rooms are clean and generally bug free. Which given a few meters away there’s a humming jungle is pretty impressive. During our stay we did some of the included tours. The canopy zip lining is a real highlight. Dave and Gio were our guides and they were excellent – funny, professional and engaging. We saw so many different types of birds (sadly we saw no sloths or monkeys here although I’m told they do visit) and also insects, frogs, spiders etc. The night walk was great and we got to see a couple of snakes too. The loop walk to the waterfall we did with Alejandro was enjoyable too. He was very knowledgeable (all the guides were) and we learnt a lot about the local flora, fauna and people. Swimming in the falls was fun. Food was exceptional. One of the best places we’ve eaten in Costa Rica so far. As veggies it’s not always easy but the meals were not only satisfying but well thought out and inventive. I don’t think we met a single member of staff who wasn’t pleasant, smiling or otherwise happy to help us with whatever we required. The attention to detail really set them and the place apart. The staff quickly knew us by name and remembered things like what we ordered and how we liked things. Perhaps one downside was that the drinks are expensive (but then you are in a luxury resort and in the middle of a jungle). The only other constructive thing would be to put a couple of hooks in the bathroom for towels as we just hung them on the side after using. Really just nit picking. Breakfast up in the nest was a lovely idea too. Was great to be at the same height as many of the birds, seeing them in closer quarters while enjoying the great food. Our trip out was very smooth – despite it being white water rafting. Drivers took our bags to the end point while we spent several hours drifting down the Pacuare. We were a convoy of 2 rafts (one of 5 and one of 4) each with its own guide and also a safety kayak. The guys were great, professional yet fun. The lunch they put on was lovely. Given the limited space they had and the fact we were on a riverbank surrounded by untouched jungle it was great really. The river was low so the rapids were fun but pretty easy to navigate which I was happy with to be honest. Saw lots of bird life and the untouched jungle in the morning sun was one of the best natural things I’ve seen. Strongly recommend, it’

Love this place. Definitely for adventurers and not the meek. Zip lining is fab. Canyoning too but not if you’re scared of heights. Rafted to the lodge which was great but gentle rapids. Staff and guides are wonderful. Food is good but wish they had more choice.

My wife and I had an amazing experience this week at the Lodge. David was our guide and he and the adventure team were simply amazing. They were very safety conscious, funny as heck and very skilled. I never thought my wife would repel down a 100ft waterfall or go on a nighttime walk in the forest to see spiders, army ants and poisonous frogs...and enjoy it. The restaurant's food was exquisite. Being in a remote location, we were surprised at the 5 star presentation of each meal...and each desert. It was definitely a unique experience that we will not soon forget.

Such an amazing place! Costa Rica is renowned for its eco tourism, and this lodge is definitely an excellent example of why. We were picked up in San Jose and the 3 hour drive seemed short due to the engaging guides from the lodge and the great traditional breakfast that we stopped for on the way. We then did the raft in to the lodge, I’d never done rafting before and it was an intense but fun experience, and we got to enjoy great views in the calmer sections. We were lucky to be upgraded to the Jaguar suite, which was huge and had amazing views of the river, and all the features you’d expect at luxury accommodation. Once we were settled in, we were talked through the included and extra excursions we could do during our time at the lodge. We chose to do zip lining, a waterfall hike, a night walk, and a cooking lesson. All these were well run with great guides. The cooking lesson was an extra charge. We also did the included sustainability tour, jaguar talk and had a go at making clay balls full of biomaterial which keep the river healthy. The sustainability elements of the lodge are what really blew us away and were so interesting to learn about. We stayed for four nights, which meant we also had time to enjoy the amazing pool (maybe the best pool we have ever seen) and go to the spa, where the oils used smell incredible! It was also good to stay for longer as it meant we could rearrange activities if there was bad weather. This is no reflection of the lodge, but if you go in November be prepared for a lot of rain. We generally had clear mornings until about 12, then cloud and drizzle for a few hours and then very heavy rain from 4pm all night. We have travelled to other tropical destinations and this is definitely the most rain we have ever seen. The heavy rain meant unfortunately we couldn’t do the rafting out, which was disappointing but understandable. We do feel like this could have been communicated a bit better, as we were only informed the rafting was cancelled after we were in our rafting gear ready to go. Another stand out highlight was the food at the lodge. The vegetarian options were incredible, we didn’t have a bad meal and there were lots of healthy options. It may be because of the rain, but there were less wildlife spotting than we expected being in such a remote rainforest location. We saw one sloth from a distance, and lots of butterflies and birds, so something to consider if you are hoping to see sloths/monkeys.

We spent three nights at the lodge and had an amazing time in the Canopy Villa. As most others have said the food was amazing, staff friendly and attentive, and the location stunning. Rafting in with Juan Carlos and out with Chala was great, as were the ziplining/canyoning/nocturnal tours with Alejandro, Angelica and Erick. We’ve done a lot of these types of activities at many locations and these guides are as knowledgeable, professional and fun as you’ll find anywhere.

We arrived here on a raft, which was really good fun, thanks to Juan Carlos. The lodge was amazing. We were upgraded to an absolutely enormous room overlooking the river. We went on a night walk which was very interesting and educational, with an excellent guide, Eric. We also had a morning bird watching walk in the hotel grounds and saw toucans amongst many other birds. The food was delicious, beautifully and the service impeccable.

From the very beginning to the last minute our experience has been fantastic. Such high levels of service are extremely rare & very much appreciated. I especially want to say"Muchas Gracias" to JC, Dave & Eric who took us white water rafting, zip wiring & canyoning. They were thoroughly professional, polite & considerate. A brilliant team & a credit to the management of this group. We were absolutely blown away by their service & consideration. The only problem now is that given such high levels of service from these amazing people is that it can only get worse. I would also add that the food & accomodation was similarly of the very highest order. A super achievement.

An amazing adventure in the lap of luxury. White water rafting in and out of this lodge was truly a highlight (especially out when the rapids were class III/IV). The accommodations were spectacular....comfortable bed, sheer curtains, natural light, private deck with pool, outside shower, standalone tub, outdoor bed/hammock and the list could go on. Peaceful serene grounds to ramble through. Activities galore.... zip-lining, canyoning, bird-watching, hiking, and spa treatments. Everything was executed by passionate, welcoming, and fun-loving staff. The restaurant food was superb. The executive chef produces a layering of flavors that you can't wait to revisit with the next meal. Staff throughout the lodge was very attentive and accommodating. Shout out to...........Alex (Mango), Alejandro, Eric, Luis, Giovanni, Tony, Angelica, Alberto, Adam, Hillary, Jenny, Kimberley and others we probably missed. You made our stay memorable!!

Incredible mixture of luxury and wilderness. Super comfortable villa. Ours was totally private, right on the river, private small pool, outdoor soaking tub, indoor and outdoor showers, hanging outdoor bed, lounging room, and very comfortable king bed with luxury linens. Almost no bugs (you could sleep outside if you wanted). Sounds of the river rapids, birds, cicadas, frogs and maybe monkeys. Nice temperatures. Incredibly warm and accommodating staff, all from the local communities. Some indigenous staff. English spoken everywhere. The activities are incredible. Adventures experiences like zip lines and canyon adventure. Nature trip with a skilled guide and a high power spotting scope. Food is delicious: both typical dishes and inventive creations. Nightly bonfire. Spa, pool, gym, bar. Recommend the whitewater rafting. Arriving is class 1 & 2, about 1 hour. Out is class 3 & 4, about 3 hours. It is also possible to arrive by car and cross the river in a steel gondola. If you are looking for something unique, luxurious, romantic, exciting, memorable and delicious, this is it.

The trip was amazing! The setting is remote, yet relatively luxurious. The Lodge is oriented towards the activities: zip lining, rappelling across canyons, hiking, rafting.The water activities were so much fun. I highly recommend it, but must be in shape to handle activities.

Suffering from withdrawals and want to hop on a plane and go back. Spend three days and two nights in the incredible Pacuare Lodge. Excellent food, excellent service. Pepe was a great guide to teach us the initial mechanics of rafting and to take us to a fun waterfall. Marcello was an amazing guide on the way out, taking us through precarious class 4 rapids and making us feel safe along the way. They also made an amazing lunch using the flipped rafts as picnic tables! Great excursions with Luis, Erik, David, Geo, Alexandro and Anthony. The meals were great and the staff was so acomodating. Amazing couples massage as well.

I had the privilege of staying at Pacuare Lodge for 4 nights with family. The remoteness of this lodge-arriving and departing via white water rafting - adds to the mystique of this place. I have never rafted before, but felt safe and comfortable while enjoying the thrilling rapids and amazing scenery. I wish the ride could have been longer! Thank you to Pepe, Luis, Marcello and Alex, our wonderful and entertaining river guides and safety kayakers. Rafting is not to be missed! From the moment you step off the raft, you find yourself in the middle of a sanctuary in the rainforest. You are surrounded by towering trees and lush greenery with the soothing sounds of the Pacuare river and bird song filling the air. Words cannot properly capture the beauty and serenity of this location. Coming here is an escape from the hectic, hustle and bustle of every day life. I felt very connected with nature in an intimate setting not overrun by tourists, which is hard to come by. We had two garden suites for our family of four. The rooms were comfortable and spacious and the bedding extremely plush. I have never slept so well in my life. Every night we feel asleep to the sounds of the river, rain on our bungalow roof, and creatures of the night, and woke to the sounds of birds and the occasional howler monkey. You will not get bored at Pacuare. We did bird watching, night walks, the looptrail, zip lining (twice), sustainability tour, Jaguar project, and hike to Bajos del Tigre. Zip lining and hike to Bajos del Tigre were my favorite. The hike is a 2 -hour trek through beautiful rainforest, traversing flowing streams and seeing wildlife along the way. Luis was our guide, who grew up there and has an extraordinary gift for explaining the natural world and sharing his amazing stories of his life at Pacuare. We had a delicious home cooked meal prepared by Luis’s mom and enjoyed the wonderful company of our two guides Luis and Alejandro. Thank you to Stefania, Kevin, and Amy for helping to arrange car service for our family who couldn’t do the actual hiking part. The beauty of Pacuare is out of this world, but what left the most lasting impression on me were the people we met. All of the staff at Pacuare are very special. Thank you to our zip lining guides, Alberto (Beto), Angelica, Dave, and Gio who made zip lining not so scary, but a lot of fun. Thank you to Adam, Wifredo and Diana for making our meals memorable. We spent the most time with our two guides, Luis and Alejandro. Both are professional and kind, but also fun and passionate about what they do. We were so lucky to have them. We also were pleasantly surprised to meet the owner of the lodge who was super friendly and down-to earth. This was our first visit to Pacuare, and I hope not our last. I felt rejuvenated and refreshed after our visit. Thank you for an unforgettable stay!