Find Adventure Hotels in Upala

"Blue River Resort & Hot Springs is a gem of a location. The roads in and out are a nightmare to drive in but the location itself is an idyllic oasis. We decided to stay here as part of our "Pure Vida exploration trip" because we knew we wanted to go see the Cathedral Waterfall (El Santuario). Blue River is ideally located for that purpose and was the main reason we initially booked it. It was never part of the plan to stay there but we are so glad we did. We never intended to make use of all their amenities but after hearing about them upon arrival we booked an additional day so we could get the full experience since our first day we arrived at night. We enjoyed the natural saunas (enjoying the company of some bats), lathered ourselves in the volcanic mud and then relaxed in the multiple hot springs and fresh water pools they have on site. Saw some cool birds at the bird lake, visited the miniature horses and donkeys and the peacocks they have. The staff were great and food was good (would recommend the Casado for lunch everytime). But by far the best part was the tour we booked with Geovany to see the El Santuario. He went above and beyond and took us on an awesome tour of that amazing waterfall. He made sure we had a safe trip and saw to it that we enjoyed ourselves. He had a wealth of knowledge about the environment/animals in the area and even managed to find us an elusive sloth my wife badly wanted to see. Would highly recommend taking the tour with Geovany. "

"We loved our stay at this rustic location. Awesome authentic breakfast and very accommodating and informative hostess, Yocky. For travellers expecting luxury and air conditioning, this is not that experience. It is rural (some dodgy roads to get there), and basic but clean and well maintained cabins. Good hiking in the area. "

"We enjoyed our stay at the Lake Arenal Brewery. Dinner and breakfast were great, the facilities were comfortable and the staff was helpful."

"Great view and a fun area. Chef was good and feels like staying right in the rainforest "

"Amazing place!!! Amazing people. Highlight of our trip to Costa Rica. "

"Great spot to land and really get away from the majority of tourists. Local restaurants are cheaper, people are happier and it is not that far to all things Arenal. The house was great and property manager responded quickly when we had questions. Only thing is there is just one gate code, doors take a bit to get used to lock and unlock and house is 4th one on the left. But those are just minor things. "

"A great find, a hidden gem! "

"The garden was beautiful. The room was simple, clean and totally adequate. Nice to have the restaurant right away. "

"In the midst of the jungle, an amazing oasis of luxury and peace within nature."