Name: Essence Arenal and Spa
Address: 1 Km al Sur de la Escuela del Castillo, 24796 El Castillo de La Fortuna, Costa Rica, 1 Km al Sur de la Escuela del Castillo, Alajuela, 24796, Costa Rica
Price range: Prices for upcoming dates start at $31 per night (We Price Match)
Rating: 8.7

Info & prices
Facilities
House Rules
Guest Reviews (511)

Farm Stay Essence Arenal and Spa

Airport shuttle. Airport shuttle available at an additional charge. You can request this in the next step.

1 Km al Sur de la Escuela del Castillo, 24796 El Castillo de La Fortuna, Costa Rica –

Lock in a great price for Essence Arenal and Spa – rated 8.7 by recent guests!

to get started.

Nice Flair! Super nice stuff and beautiful surrounding!

Lena, Austria

Friendly staff Beautiful location with an amazing view

Gio, Belgium

The hotel has a lot more to offer then what's on Booking.com. you can wander the farm, there's a great common area outside, and there's a hot tub and small pool. The place is a gem!

Traveler, United States of America

The actual property was incredible. Great views from right outside of our room!

Benjamin, United States of America

The Staff was very pleasant and went out of their way to be helpful. The location has beautiful grounds and views of Arenal Volcano.

Gary, United States of America

This place has great character when it comes to the staff and their hospitality, the food, views, and vibe of the place will make you want to stay longer. On a beautiful property with farm, creek, and yoga.

Marina, United States of America

This place is just amazing. The staff, the environment, the food, the views, the people around, the connected farm,.... This place is a gem. The views on the volcano and the lake are amazing. This place is perfect to come to rest far away from touristy La Fortuna. Every night a delicious vegetarian meal is cooked and made with 100% fresh ingredients. Although down the road there were a few good places to eat, we had our dinner every night in the hostel. Highly recommended to have your dinners here. And oh yeah, go have an adrenaline shot at Skytrek adventures which is just 15 min by car.

Philip, Belgium

The staff was amazing, the property was very clean and beautiful, we had the massage and Tamazcal experience which was fantastic. The food is also absolutely great, thank you !!

Auriane, Costa Rica

We had great food at Essance - the staff were super helpful - we booked a day at the hot pools close to La Fortuna through them and they had lots of suggestions for other activities. We hiked around the property one day and ventured further afield on another day. It would be a challenge to be at Essance without a car - since everything is a drive away - but with a car it was a great place to stay as a family.

Andrea, Canada

Excellent vegetarian food, staff really very nice, beautiful scenery

Divya, Philippines

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Image of the property Image of the property

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9.5

Staff
Great neighborhood
Views from the property
Views from the property
Views from the property
Great neighborhood
Great neighborhood
Views from the property
Great neighborhood
Views from the property
Views from the property
Views from the property
Views from the property
Great neighborhood
Views from the property
Great check-in experience
On-site restaurant
On-site restaurant
On-site restaurant
Great check-in experience
Great neighborhood
Great neighborhood
Great neighborhood
Views from the property
Views from the property

What guests loved the most:
“Nice Flair! Super nice stuff and beautiful surrounding!”

Lena Austria
“Friendly staff Beautiful location with an amazing view”

Gio Belgium
“The hotel has a lot more to offer then what's on Booking.com. you can wander the farm, there's a great common area outside, and there's a hot tub and small pool. The place is a gem!”

Traveler United States of America
“The actual property was incredible. Great views from right outside of our room!”

Benjamin United States of America
“The Staff was very pleasant and went out of their way to be helpful. The location has beautiful grounds and views of Arenal Volcano.”

Gary United States of America
“This place has great character when it comes to the staff and their hospitality, the food, views, and vibe of the place will make you want to stay longer. ”

Marina United States of America
“This place is just amazing. The staff, the environment, the food, the views, the people around, the connected farm,.... This place is a gem. The views on the volcano and the lake are amazing. ”

Philip Belgium
“The staff was amazing, the property was very clean and beautiful, we had the massage and Tamazcal experience which was fantastic. The food is also absolutely great, thank you !!”

Auriane Costa Rica
“We had great food at Essance - the staff were super helpful - we booked a day at the hot pools close to La Fortuna through them and they had lots of suggestions for other activities. ”

Andrea Canada
“Excellent vegetarian food, staff really very nice, beautiful scenery”

Divya Philippines

Located less than 6.2 mi from Arenal Volcano National Park, this rustic farm stay features a spring-fed outdoor swimming pool, on-site yoga lessons and a working coffee plantation.

Essence Arenal offers spacious rooms with a wardrobe, tiled floors and a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. They also feature mountain and lake views.

The property serves vegetarian cuisine at its on-site restaurant, and guests will find other dining options within 1,950 feet of the property.

Essence Arenal also offers on-site massage services and temazcal treatments and can help guests arrange hiking and horse riding.

The local Butterfly Conservatory is 2,650 feet from the property, while Juan Santamaria International Airport can be reached in a 3-hour drive.

This property also has one of the top-rated locations in El Castillo de La Fortuna! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 8.9 for a two-person trip.

This property is also rated for the best value in El Castillo de La Fortuna! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city.

We speak your language!

Essence Arenal and Spa has been welcoming Booking.com guests since Sept 20, 2013

Missing some information?

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Most Popular Facilities

Swimming pool

Free parking

Free WiFi

Family rooms

Outdoor pool

Spa

Good for couples – they rated the facilities 8.2 for two-person stays.

Guests love...

“friendly staff”
18 related reviews

“great food”
15 related reviews

“great place”
11 related reviews

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9)

Breakfast Info

Vegetarian

Free Private Parking Available On Site

Checkin day

Checkin month

Checkout day

Checkout month

Availability

When would you like to stay at Essence Arenal and Spa?

Check-in Date

Check-out Date

Rooms

Adults

Children

Essence Arenal and Spa was booked 2 times in the last 12 hours.

Contact the host

Area Info – Guests loved walking around the neighborhood!

Closest Landmarks

Arenal Eco Zoo
0.3 miles
Sky Adventures Arenal
1.2 miles
Arenal 1968 Trail
3.3 miles
Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
4.6 miles
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
6.1 miles
La Fortuna Waterfall
6.1 miles
Selvatura Adventure Park
6.2 miles
Ecoglide Arenal Park
6.5 miles
Kalambu Hot Springs
6.7 miles
Children's Eternal Rainforest
6.7 miles

Restaurants & Markets

Supermarket Supermarket
0.2 miles

Natural Beauty

Arenal Lake Lake
0.6 miles
Hot springs river River
10.6 miles

Closest Airports

Juan Santamaría International Airport
47.5 miles
San Carlos Airport
49.4 miles
Tambor Airport
50.4 miles

What Travelers Love About This Location

“Thank you Mahela & Jairo for being so welcoming and helpful‼️ Your English is amazing‼️ Amazing too are the wonderful and friendly cooks‼️‼️‼️ The small,...”

Elizabeth

Canada

9.1

“The location is amazing!! You will need a 4wd to get there. The view over the lake and vulcano is very beautiful. The people there will give you good advice abo...”

Elise

Netherlands

8.7

“The staff was so friendly and it directly felt like home. The food was super healthy and delicious! The location of the hotel is perfect and the view is amazing...”

Dario

Germany

8.7

Are you missing any information about this area?

Brilliant!

4 reasons to choose Essence Arenal and Spa

Why book with us?

Manage your bookings online

The staff speaks English

Booking is safe

House Rules Essence Arenal and Spa takes special requests – add in the next step!

Check-in

12:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Check-out

7:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Cancellation/
prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodations type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room.

Children and Extra Beds

All children are welcome.

Free! One child under 3 years stays free of charge when using existing beds.

There is no capacity for extra beds in the room.

No age restriction

There's no age requirement for check-in

Pets

Free! Pets are allowed on request. No extra charges.

Essence Arenal and Spa accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.

The Fine Print

Please inform Essence Arenal and Spa of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

“The hotel has a lot more to offer then what's on Booking.com. you can wander the farm, there's a great common area outside, and there's a hot tub and small pool. The place is a gem!”

Traveler

United States of America

“This place has great character when it comes to the staff and their hospitality, the food, views, and vibe of the place will make you want to stay longer. On a beautiful property with farm, creek, and yoga. ”

Marina

“This place is just amazing. The staff, the environment, the food, the views, the people around, the connected farm,.... This place is a gem. The views on the volcano and the lake are amazing. This place is perfect to come to rest far away from touristy La Fortuna. Every night a delicious vegetarian meal is cooked and made with 100% fresh ingredients. Although down the road there were a few good places to eat, we had our dinner every night in the hostel. Highly recommended to have your dinners here. And oh yeah, go have an adrenaline shot at Skytrek adventures which is just 15 min by car.”

Philip

Belgium

“The staff was amazing, the property was very clean and beautiful, we had the massage and Tamazcal experience which was fantastic. The food is also absolutely great, thank you !!”

Auriane

Costa Rica

“We had great food at Essance - the staff were super helpful - we booked a day at the hot pools close to La Fortuna through them and they had lots of suggestions for other activities. We hiked around the property one day and ventured further afield on another day. It would be a challenge to be at Essance without a car - since everything is a drive away - but with a car it was a great place to stay as a family.”

Andrea

See all guest reviews for Essence Arenal and Spa

Newest Reviews for Essence Arenal and Spa

Reviewed: January 17, 2019

Sarah
Switzerland
8.3

“Great views, staff, and super tasty food”
- • Leisure trip
- • Group of friends
- • 2 rooms
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The beds were not so comfortable. The room was a bit dark and could have been cleaner.
We loved the place. The view was amazing. The whirlpool was great. The staff was so nice. Jairo is an excellent manager and would do anything to please his customer. The food was probably the best we had. So tasty!! Thank you.

Stayed in December 2018
Reviewed: January 13, 2019

Adélie
France

3 helpful votes
10

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Superior Double Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The isolation between rooms isnt good.
The place is lovely and the breakfast is delicious

Stayed in January 2019
Reviewed: January 5, 2019

Daniel
Switzerland

4 helpful votes
7.1

“Romantic place for couples far away from everyday stress”
- • Leisure trip
- • Group of friends
- • Quadruple Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Room wasn’t clean with some dead bugs on the floor etc. Very difficult to reach, steep unpaved road. 4x4 recommended
Good value for money. Nice staff. The whole property is amazing and offers nice walks inside the property.

Stayed in January 2019
Reviewed: January 3, 2019

Emilie
Canada
9.2

“Awesome stay”
- • Leisure trip
- • Group of friends
- • Superior Quadruple Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
The restaurant was delicious! The staff was so great, they had many very good recommendations and helped us with a few special requests we had with a big smile and were exceptionally helpful. There is a walk you can do on the property and it's very nice, you feel like you walk in an enchanted forest :) The views of the volcano and the lake are amazing. It's a little "far" from the action - you need a car to go around (and the roads are bad) but we REALLY appreciated staying a bit apart from the touristy town (La Fortuna). With the restaurant service that they offer (and which is very good), it makes it very convenient.

Stayed in January 2019
Reviewed: December 26, 2018

Guillaume
France
10

“Great People , Great Food , Great Place ”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
That we had to leave.
Great staff that makes great food in a great place

Stayed in December 2018
Reviewed: December 18, 2018

Elizabeth
Canada
9.2

“Highly recommended‼️‼️‼️⭐️⭐️⭐️”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Superior Double Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
I wish the small, plunge pool were closer! It IS clean, but the bottom of the pool needs to be tiled or something so that it LOOKS clean.
Thank you Mahela & Jairo for being so welcoming and helpful‼️ Your English is amazing‼️ Amazing too are the wonderful and friendly cooks‼️‼️‼️ The small, cozy, low key Essence Arenal is on top of a hill, a little remote, but in a sweet, small neighbourhood with a small grocery store. There are shuttle busses that go by a couple of times a day to take you places and taxis are always available. There are a couple of extremely steep, but short, paved hills to get to the pool, gardens, yoga area and spa if you want to use any of them, but there is a cool tub and outdoor, shaded, common seating area near the small restaurant and accommodation. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were always delicious‼️ I have to give extra kudos to Lily, one of the cooks. At lunch one day, I asked for a sandwich with avocado, my husband didn’t want any. At dinner, we ordered something that we didn’t know was topped with avocado. Mahela brought us both dishes, not noticing that only one was topped with avocado and not knowing that my husband is not crazy about it. From her position in he kitchen, Lily told Mahela to switch the dishes because she remembered I was the one who likes avocado. Now, THAT’s excellent & comforting service‼️😲⭐️

Stayed in December 2018
Reviewed: December 17, 2018

Elise
Netherlands
Age group: 25 – 34
8.8

Excellent
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Superior Double Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Nothing actually, it was a great stay
The location is amazing!! You will need a 4wd to get there. The view over the lake and vulcano is very beautiful. The people there will give you good advice about where to go during the day. We had breakfast and diner in their vegetarian restaurant. It tasted very good! The farm has sever hikingroutes. We did them early in the morning and spotted some wildlife. The hike to the swimmingpool is quite steep, but you will be rewarded with an quit pool in the nature. If it is to far for you, you can always relax in the hottub (not that warm) with lakeview. The first night we stayed in a deluxeroom, which was very comfortabel. The dag after we stayed in the normal room which was very basic but ok.

Stayed in December 2018
Reviewed: December 6, 2018

Anonymous
Czech Republic

2 helpful votes
9.6

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Surroundings and location are superb!!! Worth for it!

Stayed in December 2018
Reviewed: November 15, 2018

Anonymous
Germany
9.6

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Group of friends
- • Quadruple Room
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The last part of the road to the hostel is very bad. The rooms could some more tray areas and a bit more light.
Beautiful views from here if the weather allows for it, very delicious food. The food is organic and all from their garden which is beautiful. Also, the staff is super friendly and helpful, the manager Jairo was always there to answer questions and give recommendations. We also took some yoga classes which were great, the teacher is super nice also. It’s in a good location to do various tours but a rental car is recommended.

Stayed in November 2018
Reviewed: October 5, 2018

Dario
Germany

1 helpful vote
8.8

Excellent
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Superior Double Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The staff was so friendly and it directly felt like home. The food was super healthy and delicious! The location of the hotel is perfect and the view is amazing!

Stayed in September 2018
Reviewed: September 28, 2018

Fia
Switzerland
9.2

“Relax and enjoy the view on a big farm property”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
- • Stayed 2 nights
It is a great place to enjoy the view on the lake and volcano. You will stay in a hotel that is connected to a huge farm. You can even do a hike through the jungle on the farms property and see the plants, a pool and a volley ball field. From there what you can also do is to hike up to a waterfall. On your way you will pass a house where you need to pay 5 dollars to get there as it is a private way. The hike takes about 2 hours one way and you can enjoy an amazing view on the volcano and the lake. The hotel itself is a great place to stay. The staff is lovely and can give you nice advice for exploring the area. The meals you can buy extra is delicious and changes every day, though it might be a bit pricey for some. We did not enjoy any of the spa treatments. The place is kind of remote but it has options to go there by shuttle. Once you are close to it you can even hitchhike. Of course you can also go there by car if you rent one. It has a free parking spot right at the entrance. For us Essence Arenal and Spa was perfect to enjoy the beautiful area, relax and get a cloud-free view on the volcano.

Stayed in September 2018
Reviewed: September 17, 2018

Hayley
United Kingdom
10

“So happy we stayed!”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Everything was amazing! We loved the staff, they were all so friendly. The food cooked for us at the restaurant was the best quality food we had in Costa Rica - real authentic home cooked vegetarian food. The farm area is stunning, with incredible views over the lake and volcano. So happy we stayed out of La Fortuna and in a more rural and authentic area.

Stayed in September 2018
Reviewed: August 30, 2018

Anonymous
France
9.6

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
Fantastic place, out of the way and not in the over-touristy area, great food for decent prices, hottub with a view of the lake, friendly staff. Average comfort level in our room, perfectly acceptable for the price. Clean, beautiful common areas.

Stayed in August 2018
Reviewed: August 9, 2018

Lena
Austria
10

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Nice Flair! Super nice stuff and beautiful surrounding!

Stayed in August 2018
Reviewed: June 9, 2018

Elina
Latvia
9.6

“This place exceed our expectations, wish we could stay longer.”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Quadruple Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Really beautiful place with a good view of Arenal volcano.

Stayed in June 2018

Sleeps	Room Type
	Superior Double Room 1 full bed	Show prices
Start of dialog content 댴 Private bathroom This spacious room features a private bathroom with free toiletries and a shower with massaging jets. It also features a wardrobe, tiled floors and mountain views. Room Facilities: • Shower • Desk • Free toiletries • Toilet • Private Bathroom • Tile/Marble floor • Wardrobe or closet • Lake view • Mountain view Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content
	Quadruple Room with Shared Bathroom 1 full bed and 1 bunk bed	Show prices
Start of dialog content This spacious room features a wardrobe, tiled floors and mountain views. The bathroom is shared and comes with a shower and toilet. Room Facilities: • Shared bathroom • Shared toilet • Tile/Marble floor • View • Wardrobe or closet Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content
	Superior Quadruple Room 1 full bed and 1 bunk bed	Show prices
Start of dialog content 댴 Private bathroom This spacious room features a private bathroom with free toiletries and a shower with massaging jets. It also features a wardrobe, tiled floors and mountain views. Room Facilities: • Shower • Desk • Free toiletries • Toilet • Private Bathroom • Tile/Marble floor • Wardrobe or closet • Lake view • Mountain view Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content
	Quadruple Room 1 full bed and 1 bunk bed	Show prices
Start of dialog content 댴 Private bathroom This spacious room features a private bathroom with free toiletries, in addition to a wardrobe, tiled floors and mountain views. Room Facilities: • Shower • Free toiletries • Toilet • Private Bathroom • Tile/Marble floor • Wardrobe or closet • Mountain view Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content
	Triple Room with Shared Bathroom 1 bunk bed	Show prices
Start of dialog content Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content
	One-Bedroom House Bedroom 1: 1 full bed Living room: 2 sofa beds	Show prices
Start of dialog content Select everything you want to know more about (Your response helps provide better info for travelers) Beds Bathroom Kitchen Breakfast Room capacity Room view Room facilities Parking Smoking Other What do you want to know about the options you selected? Enter your feedback Submit Cancel Thanks for your time! Your feedback will help us improve so you can book more easily next time. Close Sorry – there was an error submitting your response. Please try again. Retry Missing some information? Yes / No Great! Thanks for your response. Check-in Date / / Check-in Date Check-out Date / / Check-out Date Rooms Adults Children End of dialog content

Farm Stay Essence Arenal and Spa

Essence Arenal and Spa

Most Popular Facilities

Guests love...

Availability

Contact the host

See availability Area Info – Excellent location – show map Guests loved walking around the neighborhood!

Closest Landmarks

Restaurants & Markets

Natural Beauty

Closest Airports

Most Popular Landmarks

What Travelers Love About This Location

4 reasons to choose Essence Arenal and Spa

Why book with us?

See availability Facilities of Essence Arenal and Spa Great facilities! Review score, 8.2

Most Popular Facilities

Outdoors

Pool and Spa

Pets

Activities

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Internet

Parking

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Entertainment & Family Services

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See availability House Rules Essence Arenal and Spa takes special requests – add in the next step!

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Area Info – Guests loved walking around the neighborhood!

Facilities of Essence Arenal and Spa Great facilities! Review score, 8.2

House Rules Essence Arenal and Spa takes special requests – add in the next step!