Laguna Lodge

We enjoyed our stay at Laguna Lodge, the grounds were beautiful and the gorgeous beach was just a stone's throw away. The room was quite basic, it was very hot and we struggled a bit with just a fan, however the pools, bars and restaurant were very good. The bars served the best Pina Coladas we've ever had! Be prepared for some geckos in your room (they are harmless and they'll help keep the mozzie numbers down!) and possibly a creepy crawly or two. Take a walk around the grounds after dark with a torch (don't forget to top up your mozzie repellent before you do!), you will find loads of toads by the pool, hear frogs in the trees, and if you walk through the butterfly garden you might spot a red eyed tree frog! Being in the rainforest, it is very loud during the night, I would recommend bringing ear plugs if you're a light sleeper. I cannot begin to explain how fantastic the boat tours are, I got up for the 5.30am tour and also the 8.30am tour and had what I would consider to be one of the best days of my life! The amount of birds and animals we saw was unreal, it was such a magical experience. Our boat driver (I can't remember his real name, I want to say Jacan but we all called him Eagle Eyes!) was brilliant, he spotted so much wildlife and was so lovely. Our tour guide during our stay at Laguna Lodge was Sebastian, he was so helpful and was such a great guy!

We stayed here as part of a Saga / Titan tour. When you arrive here by boat you have to take your own luggage from the dock to reception and onto your room. I had asked for a room close to reception and the restaurants which was not provided. And I was told there were no other rooms that day and they would move me the following day when one became available, but as we were there only two nights it was too much hassle. The rooms are in blocks of four, situated throughout the grounds. The rooms are basic and all wood and dark. The bathrooms are outdated and need an urgent upgrade. Like many toilets in Costa Rica you have to place used toilet paper in the bin provided rather than flush it away. There were three single beds in our room. The sheets had old stains on them, which clearly do not come out in washing. Only one bedside table with a table lamp. A small open wardrobe and a bench. There is no glass in the windows just netting to keep out the flies and mossies. There are shutters at the windows. The walls are paper thin and you can here your neighbours. There is a small wall mounted fan on the wall, which was useful in the heat. There are no tv's in the rooms and wi-fi is only available in areas very close to reception. The nicest thing about the accommodation is the verandah with rocking chairs, this is a lovely place to sit and relax. The grounds are quite extensive and have some lovely landscaping. There are two pools, both areas are nice, with plentiful seating and loungers. Towels are available. You can walk to the beach and sea on one side of the spit, although we were advised not to go in the water, and the beach area was closed at 6pm. Potential of caimans etc. You can get free water and coffee 24/7 from the main restaurant. The bar also serves are variety of cocktails, wine and soft drinks. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner included, there was a good variety of foods to choose from at each meal and a choice of juice at breakfast. We had a deaf group staying at the same time and I found one staff members in particular very rude to one of them, when the server asked the customer how she wanted her eggs, when the woman changed her mind the server sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. Not good. The group did a tour from the lodge on a boat up and down the canals which was wonderful, we saw, sloths, monkeys, are variety of lizards and birds, caiman. Would highly recommend. Don't bother doing the botanic gardens trail, it clearly has not been maintained in a while. My husband slipped here and sliced open his finger. The lady on reception and the manager were very helpful in providing first aid and redressing the wound. There are several hotels along the river so I don't know if one has any better reviews over the other. But I would do my research thoroughly as this would not be my choice of place to stay due to the sleeping accommodation.

We stayed here for three nights in November 2024. Reading some of the more negative reviews on here, it's possible some people were disappointed because this is not a "luxury" accomodation, but I think this is clear from the website. You stay in a remote location (part of the journey involves a boat ride that can take around an hour depending on water level) in order to be very close to the amazing ecosystem in Tortugero. The room was clean and comfortable and had a good bathroom but it is quite basic, with no TV etc (but why would you need that when you have so much else to do!). There is no air con but there is a fan which kept the room cool enough for us. The wifi doesn't reach to the room but is fast in the communal areas. There is not much reception elsewhere. The food was nice and was generally local dishes which we enjoyed; as vegetarians we didn't always have as much choice but I think this is more a reflection on the cuisine of Costa Rica and was not significantly different from other places we stayed and ate. However the reason we come is for the wildlife which is incredible! Sloths, monkeys, armadillos, frogs, hummingbirds, herons and waders, raptors, macaws... The list goes on. There are lots of opportunities to see these on the various boat tours and walking tours organized by the lodge. There was a kayaking opportunity but we didn't do that so can't comment. We had a fantastic local guide (Miguel) who was extremely knowledgeable, especially about the bird life, friendly and had excellent, very clear English. So remember your binoculars and raincoat, and remember you are going to get close to nature and enjoy lying in a comfortable bed listening to the nocturnal sounds of the forest.