Arenal Montechiari Hotel

I'm not sure why some people have had a negative experience here. We're staying for 5 nights and it's been absolutely great! We're a family of 3 and the cabins are BIG. The shower is so huge you could practically fit a twin bed in there. Our room has a king and twin bed. And there is plenty of space for our bags and stuff without feeling cramped at allll. There is a fridge in the room and the AC is freezing cold! ❄ The breakfast buffet is plentiful and usually had pancakes, gallo pinto (rice and beans), eggs, some sausage/hot dog dish, a fresh veggie sauté and fruit. The mom and daughter who cook and serve do it with a lot of love. Across the 'road' from the breakfast area are some large boulders. Keep a lookout on those! They put some fruit there and some beautiful birds and lizards come to eat! One thing to note, is that the rooms aren't exactly "mountain view." There is no window on the property that faces the mountain. But the mountain is visible from the property (when it's not cloudy). If you come in at night, look for the night guard. He took us to the border of the property and showed us a sloth mama and baby! And some frogs! The location is PERFECT. It's about a 10 min walk from the central plaza AND it's a nice quiet location. There are a few tiny shops very nearby for drinks and ice creams if you need a little something. I loved how close it was to town. *Some town tips if you're staying here* Need random things like flip flops or binder clips or a lock or earrings? Go to Distribuidora Montaña Mágica Right in the main part of town, tucked by the bus depot, next to a supermarket. They're super well organized, friendly and so helpful! It's about a 13 min walk from the hotel. Need natural, affordable hot springs? Go to Relax Termalitas Juan at the hotel told us about this. It has a very safe, family friendly vibe and it's AFFORDABLE, I think it was $8/person (in July 2023). A lot of Ticos come here, which is a good thing to be. We went 3x in 5 days. They have the hottest hot pool and 5 or 6 pools at other temperatures. It's magical at night! You can bring your own food in but the restaurant is good, fairly priced and you can order on WhatsApp and they bring it to your table. It's about a 10 min drive from the hotel. Free, secure parking on site. Need clothes, esp warm ones for Monteverde? Go to Tienda Sinai It's a used clothing store with prices from $0.40 to $6. I found excellent quality fleece and other things for my family. It's about an 8 min walk from the hotel, take your own bags.

Rustic rooms with good linens and furniture to play cards/eat as a family. The air conditioner was in good condition and so was the fridge. We appreciated the staff who were all very friendly. Loren at the reception even helped us order pizza to our room one evening. This is the one stay where we did not have ants in our room or bathroom. It was clean but the walls could use a good wash. The grounds here are a real plant and bird lovers dream. The volcano view is great on the rare occasion that the sky is clear. Breakfast is sufficient although we wish the restaurant was open for additional meals although the ten minute walk to town was enjoyable and very very safe. Even after dark.