Cerro Lodge

Costa Rica , Pacific Central Coast
Puntarenas, Garabito, Tárcoles, Cl La Barca, 3km antes del puente del ri
Show on Google | Website | Map

100 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

08 Mar 2026

Lindsay

The staff was great.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Feb 2026

Fabiola

Clean room, staff really helpful, very peaceful place.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2026

Frank

Comfortable and clean. The view was great and we enjoyed seeing all the birds and animals.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2026

David

Great place to stay, easy reach of the airport at San Jose but far enough away to be surrounded by birds and wildlife

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2026

Joo

Very friendly staff, especially Jessica at the reception area. Not many vegan options on the menu, but they are willing to make some vegan (Vegana) food for us to take for our morning bird walk. Only complaint was that it was noisy with the leaves/branches hitting the roof.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jan 2026

Robert

Beautiful hotel in an amazing location. Really feel the pura vida. Not luxurious but connected to nature

8/10

Excellent

29 Jan 2026

Scott

Room was clean and the facility was good. Did show it’s age a bit, but nothing that detracted from the stay.

8/10

Excellent

28 Jan 2026

kristine

Nice property. Nice owner. Room was plain but clean with ok beds. The outdoor bathroom was lovely.
We enjoyed the pool.
Food was ok, our order was wrong many times. we didn’t mind but if you are fussy it may not be the best choice for you.
Don’t expect 5 star it’s a simple place surrounded in beautiful nature.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2026

Dana

Great location surrounded by nature and animals, hospitable staff and delicious restaurant

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2026

Kathryn

The location is very special for bird spotting. We also saw cappuccino monkeys and local squirrels. And macaws! Great pool, has hammock, but the best part was Jessica at the front desk! She was so helpful with my questions and just a great person.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2026

John

Lovely - food was fantasic - don’t order a cocktail

10/10

Exceptional

31 Dec 2025

Yousef

Clean room, good breakfast buffet, staff were very friendly

Partner

4/10

Poor

16 Dec 2025

christel

i'm afraid to say we were very disappointed with the state of the rooms which we felt were really overpriced, especially as breakfast was not included. The food in the restaurant was overpriced ($15 for breakfast, $17 for a falafel salad). We had booked a standard room and had to ask for an upgrade after the first night as the room was cramped, dated and impractical. We found both rooms to be very dated in particular the electrics. The upgraded room had a hole in the wall fixed with cellotape, tiles were missing in the bathroom etc. Both rooms had an outside bathroom which didn't look anything like the photos on the site. An outdoor bathroom is a very impractical idea as it invites insects to the room and the doors are not sufficiently insulated to prevent ants from coming into the bedroom. I have to say i really resented being charged for the upgrade, having stayed in many other hotels in Costa Rica where this price would have given us access to a much better standard of rooms. I don't know why the rooms we were given looked so different from the pictures on the website, especially as the hotel was virtually empty with only another couple staying there those 2 nights. It's a real shame as the settings are really nice and this place would be great if the rooms were renovated as the pictures would lead you to believe.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Dec 2025

Alexandra

Wonderful staff. Excellent location with great birding opportunities right outside the door. Clean room. Pool was being renovated but we were notified beforehand and provided with a complimentary drink and snack. Would return.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Oct 2025

Robert

The hotel is nice. They stay was good. I could not see nor enjoy much but, I had a good night. However, the breakfast was expensive and extremely poor. It is not worth at all. Unfortunately!

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2025

Amanda

Our flight was diverted due to weather, causing a 5 hour delay so we were not actually able to stay overnight but staff kindly let us hang out in the morning and enjoy our breakfast. The breakfast was super tasty and filling. Two scarlet macaws ate bananas at the feeders while we had our breakfast. Such a cool experience!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Oct 2025

Heather

Friendly helpful staff. Room was small but clean. Perfect for a short stay

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2025

Sam

Excellent for wildlife

I had a fantastic stay at Cerro Lodge. There’s so much wildlife around and the staff are all very friendly. They even showed me where I could spot an elusive Pacific Owl.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2025

Stephen

Stunning! Macaws, monkeys, sweet staff, incredible area

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2025

Cynthia

Property was amazing! Wildlife was naturally maintained and cabins were in the midst. Well groomed plants. Quiet. Peaceful. Beautiful. Cabins were very large and lovely. Cabins further away had internet connectivity problems but worked very well closer to front desk.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2025

Cynthia

The most amazing place; in the forest!! So well groomed, beautifully landscaped, peaceful, remote, quiet. Suites are very large, spacious cabins with outdoor space. Our bathroom actually had trees which are part of the forest! Food was very tasty. Customer service excellent.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2025

Sonja

We loved our stay at the Cerro Lodge. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained, and wonderful for bird watching. Our room was very clean and comfortable, and the staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. The restaurant was a very comfortable place to be, and the pizza was delicious! Between birdwatching, floating in the pool, and enjoying the restaurant/observation deck, we were able to fully relax at Cerro Lodge!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2025

Nerijus

Perfect place to see macaw's! Nice staff!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2025

eric

Proximité des singes et des oiseaux .

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

14 Jul 2025

Alexa

SOLO TRAVELERS AND BACK PACKERS BEWARE!!!!!
Please do not come here this place is every back packer and solo travelers nightmare it is dirty and all the facilities to use are outdated and a safety hazard and the front desk provides no use or care the restaurant food is overpriced and the security for your “dorm” is a rock and log the showers are outside and there is faulty wiring please save yourself from being stranded like I was! There was mold everywhere and dead insects and animals and what look like bed bugs on the mattresses and sheets they provide the views may be worth it but not for the risk you take there are cheaper places I promise you!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2025

Andrea

Excelente lugar

Excelente servicio, el personal increíble, la alimentación exquisita, las habitaciones muy comoda, el ambiente natural muy respetable

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2025

Grace

Best dining, pool and rainforest view at an unbelievable rate.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2025

Connie Marie

Fantastic stay. Hates to leave.

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2025

James

Rooms were ok, very interesting bathroom. Shower opened to a garden area. We had no hot water. Batteries in tv remotes didn’t work.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2025

Ann

Treasure off the beaten path

Jungle surroundings, with lots of butterflies, birds, and monkies. A memorable relaxing spot.

Self

8/10

Excellent

04 May 2025

Jonas

Needs new beds, but monkeys!

This was a brief one night stay. The grounds are natural/immaculately beautiful. Upon arrival, we were greeted by howler monkeys in the trees directly above, macaws and parrots. This place is a rustic nature lovers dream. The rooms are VERY basic and the bed was not comfortable (dip in the middle that makes it difficult for two people to share), mold in the shower and a ill-fitting door that lets in small bugs are what dropped this rating down. Pool is beautiful and relaxing, the wonderful food from the restaurant, the overall environment and the staff were great- 5 stars for those things.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2025

Kristina

What a beautiful place! The staff were great, the room was clean and comfortable, and the restaurant was super. Great place to enjoy nature and relax.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2025

Maureen

Great stay

Excellent stay, room rustic but good liked the outside shower.
Food very good but very big portions so should have ordered one between the 2 of us. Great views of birds from the deck.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Apr 2025

Clayton

There were howler monkeys outside in our first morning when we arrived. We also saw scarlet macaws both mornings we were there and the breakfast was nice and convenient to start the day with. The staff were very friendly and very helpful in planning tours for the days.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2025

gary

Excellent food and birds.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2025

Kenneth A

The facility was great, the bird guide was fantastic and the setting was quiet and peaceful. We could easily have spent more time in the area.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

26 Feb 2025

Scott

Good lodge close to Carara

I enjoyed my two days at Cerro. The cabin was spacious and the outdoor (screened) shower tres cool. Staff were friendly and helpful.
Guides and tours can be arranged at the

hotel. I wouldn’t recommend the river tour.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2025

Richard

Nice

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Feb 2025

Richard

Pods were great, nice place

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2025

Allan

Lots of birds and monkeys. Good stop over for a night in the jungle

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Jan 2025

Pamela

Lots of birds!

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2025

Kenneth

nature setting. good bird feeder. Excited to found oout that a pair of macaw eating at next table

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Jan 2025

Timothy

It is a rocky road for a few miles to get there, and limited dining/food options once you're there, (so take the prepaid option), but you are in nature, with birds and monkeys. My wife is a birder and absolutely loved it. Be sure to confirm whether your bathroom is inside or outside.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2025

Lorene

Beautiful spot. Love the patio to eat and watch birds.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2025

Tousif

8/10

Excellent

12 Jan 2025

Noel

The property and surrounding area was beautiful with a lot of birds. The staff was great. The food was really good even the pizza! My only complaint is the the walls were very thin and we could hear practically every word our neighbors said.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2025

Victor

A place to see macaws!

We were celebrating my sister’s birthday day with a family trip. This hotel was close to our destination and price was good (through Hotels.com, it was way more expensive when I called the hotel). They had a delicious breakfast and the scarlet macaws came to eat fruit, it was beautiful

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jan 2025

Andrew

Was very nice and clean, breakfast was poor, rooms very small, but nice place

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2025

Shengjia

Everything is excellent. The only thing I don't like is the transportation.

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jan 2025

Holly

The grounds were spectacular, with birds and monkeys right at the restaurant in the morning. Having said that, there were bugs all over the hotel room floor, termite dust all over the beds, no bedcovers (only sheets), three towels for four people, a big spider in the open air bathroom, a toilet that did not flush, a shower curtain coming off the hooks, and dirt all over the shower.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2024

Erin

Wonderful stay!

We had a wonderful stay at Hotel Cerró Lodge. The staff were amazing and made sure that we enjoyed our time. They booked us on a bird and crocodile tour on the Rio Tárcoles that I would certainly recommend. The pizza we had for dinner was delicious. Rooms very clean and comfortable. The surroundings are beautiful and peaceful. I look forward to visiting again!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2024

Michelle

An unexpected gem well off the beaten path. We booked this the day of arrival. The road to the hotel is a gravel rough road but the premises were absolutely great! The food was delicious. We ate both dinner and breakfast there and both were fantastic. The wildlife in the morning was the cherry on top!
Be aware, the bathroom facilities is outdoors (covered but no wall closing the bathroom in). It was definitely an experience! We had the deluxe suite.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Sep 2024

Gustavoadolfo

Place is good an convenient, the premises are good too, you can see animals around, breakfast is good, the staff need to improve.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Aug 2024

Nazilya

Road to get there was very hard to drive on and full of rocks and potholes. Bathroom was a separate room that was outdoors, covered by a wall of thin tarp and trees. It was a cool concept but I feel like people can hear you use the bathroom and flush the toilet. Also there was wildlife and bugs since it was outdoors. Restaurant was pretty good and staff was nice!

10/10

Exceptional

15 Aug 2024

Jose Alfredo

Excelente lugar, definitivamente recomendado una experiencia, gratificante el personal muy amable

Regresaría sin duda

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

09 Aug 2024

James Todd

Beautiful with a friendly staff and pretty macaws

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jul 2024

Sarah

At check in, they took a photo of everyone's passport, which seems sketchy. Even children under 18. With a cell phone. I understand they need to write down the passport number of everyone, but taking a photo was weird.
We found a scorpion in the bathroom, so be careful. Beautiful grounds and animals around.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jul 2024

Jimmy

Advertised to have good internet connectivity.

Internet connectivity is terrible and disconnected intermittently

Business_and_leisure Pet

8/10

Excellent

15 Jul 2024

Pablo

Tuvimos una buena estancia de 1 noche.

La comida es espectacular, la atención es muy muy buena.

El lugar es súper bonito, con vistas extraordinarias, se pueden ver lapas rojas al alcance de la mano.

La habitación que nos tocó es vieja y estaba descuidada.

Además el baño tiene un espacio abierto que da a afuera de la habitación, lo cual me parece riesgoso, ya que se puede meter un animal y causar daño al visitante.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2024

Mckenzie

Beautiful place to stay! In the jungle, bedrooms have AC. Pool is small but everyone was cool and respected each other’s space. Restaurant was really good and had so many options. Got to see some monkeys and tucans as I ate.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jul 2024

Jeffrey

I had a really good experience here. The location secluded and is great for wildlife viewing. The food was good and they kept the facilities clean. I thought the staff was outstanding. Ceasar was very good and arranged transportation and coordinating some activities for me in Jaco.

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2024

Susan

Fourth time at Cerro Lodge. Always a pleasure.

Always amazing. Our fourth time there.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2024

Daria

A wonderful place to stay

This place is a hidden gem! Located in Tarcoles, about 30 minutes from Jaco, this property is surrounded by the lush jungle and has gorgeous macaws coming over frequently to snack on fruits and seeds at the restaurant patio.

The on-site restaurant serves a delicious breakfast and dinner and there’s also a nice pool where you can cool off on a hot sunny day. Staff is very friendly and welcoming.

I couldn’t recommend this place enough!

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2024

GRACE

Staff are very welcoming and helpful.

We saw a lot of wildlife around the property more than in Carara Nacional Park. Around 4:45am howler monkey starts making noise and then tons of birds. We saw about 15 Scarlet macaws nearby the lodge.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2024

Maria Lucille

Grateful for the staff very accommodating

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2024

Brayan

Nice place to enjoy nature.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 Apr 2024

Honorine

Nice lodge

Great place in the middle of nature. We enjoyed the pool after a very hot day.
The room is very comfy with a nice outdoor bathroom.
The buffet breakfast was a good surprise.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

07 Apr 2024

Uladzimir

Cons: 1) Our bungalow was full with red ants - hotel just shared with us chemical spray and we spent a few hours spraying all areas with ants in our bungalow. And still at night they comes to our beds. Very inconvenient. 2) The road to the hotel from the main highway is too bumpy and hard to pass if you have small car. 3) Bathroom is included to the bungalow but technically it is open for outside and you are taking a shower and doing all other things outside with insects.

Pros: 1) Friendly staff. 2) Good breakfast with nice views. 3) Very natural experience and good quality beds and rooms equipment.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2024

Noelia

It was an excellent choice! Rooms are nice, beds are comfortable. Hotel is located 10min from Carara park. They offered us the Tarcoles cocodrile tour and it was amazing!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2024

Grandma

Quiet, clean, easy, reasonably priced

6/10

Pleasant

22 Mar 2024

Janice

Some atttention needed

The facility needs some refreshing. Pool chairs were mismatched and broken or missing pads, condiments at the restaurant were empty for the whole time we were there, and towels were thin. On the plus side, the bungalos had comfortable beds and the outdoor showers were an interesting surprise.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Feb 2024

Donna

Awesome rustic cabins a unique experience

Clean comfy bed and stunning views. Macaws and monkeys visit the dining area in the morning. So comical when a monkey stole the bird’s breakfast right in front of us.Staff told us about a shortcut to The crocodile bridge so we took that easy walk and saw these amazing creatures too. Very interesting shower set up water could have been a bit hotter but wasn’t too cold and I know it’s better for environment. It’s fairly far from Jaco but that suited us found Jaco too busy.

Partner

2/10

Poor

08 Feb 2024

Pei Hong

Reserved a two beds room and got a 1 bed room.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2024

nancy

A safe location off the road near Tarcoles. The area was high and dry when we visited in February. They arranged a guide for tour in nearby Carrara NP.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

02 Feb 2024

Craig

Our stay was ok.

I have to say that like other reviews the pizza at restaurant was good, but that was about it. Though the server was trying, she forgot almost every item we ordered and had to ask for each thing multiple times.

The room was fine, and the private but outdoor shower and toilet was a unique feature. If the shower was not freezing and only dribbling out I might have enjoyed it.

With nothing to do in the area after dark we attempted to watch the tv, but it did not work. We did see macaws and monkeys up close around the restaurant which was a highlight.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2024

Thomas

The room was super comfortable. The food is delicious. Most of the staff were great too. It did have some downsides for me.
-very difficult without a private car. Shuttle buses dont go there, no local buses, no local taxis, hotel wont organise one. Hard to get to.
-Dominated by tour groups.
-They feed the scarlet macaws by hand and also the capuchin monkeys with great heaps of fruit each morning encouraging them to come within 1 meter of visitors. It clearly alters their behaviour. I don't think this is ethical and is very different to what I experienced everywhere else in Costa Rica where people go to great lengths to keep wildlife wild. It made me embarrassed to be a tourist.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2024

sulaksh

Amazing property especially for birders. For foodies, best Italian pizza in town.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2023

Poh

On arrival at check in, the property and surrounding area had no electricity so it was a disappointment. Hotel offered free breakfast to compensate. Other than this, it was a pleasant stay especially we can to see many birds including 3 large macaws feeding at breakfast place

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Dec 2023

Denis

This was our second stay at Cerro Lodge. We appreciated the availability of having breakfast, lunch and dinner on site. Restaurant has a good selection of pizzas and pastas.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Dec 2023

Teresa

Beautiful property in the middle of no where but close enough to the main road that goes to Jaco. Breakfast was really good and rooms are clean and we'll mantained.

2/10

Poor

08 Jul 2023

Alejandro

Don’t ever consider this hotel… it’s an extremely basic option for the price, the service has nothing special and last but not least neither the TV works properly at the room; last but not least… you don’t have anything to do at the hotel.

8/10

Excellent

18 May 2023

Deborah

The staff is awesome.

The hotel is definitely a different experience.
Each area has cabins our room was good size to not crowd 3 people. No fridge or microwave (which was fine).

Be warned... if you book a Deluxe Quadruple Room, your bathroom (toilet, shower and sink) are outside and not in the room. It is camouflaged by the the screen and some bushes around the garden area, but it is still outside. I did not see this on any other reviews, so I figured I'd mention it.

If you are looking for 5 start resort, find somewhere else. This is not a 5 start resort, but a unique experience, and great for bird watchers.
If you're looking for birds, this is the perfect place. We had birds waking us every morning with their beauty.

There is a restaurant on site, but the dining options are limited nearby.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2023

jason

Excellent customer service. Pool was great. Clean and incredible birds and monkeys to wake up to.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2023

Ashley

This is a beautiful place with excellent birding all around. It is outside of town so you’ll need a shuttle or rental car. Very relaxing and helpful staff.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

21 Mar 2023

We loved watching the birds and monkees at breakfast!

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2023

William

Unique and pleasant experience. Good food!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Mar 2023

Philip

Second time staying here, wonder place to relax surrounded by wildlife.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Feb 2023

Celeste

Perfect location

Beautiful location with wonderful bird and wildlife sitings.
Hotel was clean and comfortable, restaurant good and staff friendly. A great value!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2023

Sue

The restaurante served good food - nothing special but good. Staff fed the birds everyday which meant birders had brilliant chance of photographing macaws etc nearby. Not sure the feeding programme was good for the wildlife but we all loved viewing it.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2023

marvin

It was a clean property, friendly staff, excellent food. the wildlife around the property was thrilling. The only room for improvement might be an ice machine, but the staff was kind enough to fill our ice bag from the kitchen.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2023

Stephen

Beautiful

Amazing and beautiful place. Staff were very helpful and nice. Food at the restaurant was delicious. Surrounded by nature, especially the monkeys, was really cool.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

29 Dec 2022

Eric

Every good with exception of food and water

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Dec 2022

kenneth

Wonderful experience, loved the birds and monkeys!

We really enjoyed our stay there. Room was large, basic but clean with a large bathroom. Watching the macaws, monkeys and other birds from restaurant patio was delightful. The only recommendation is to have better description of room's location. We were given an air-conditioned bungalow with a semi-outdoor bathroom. It was tiled, but one wall was tall bushes, rock foundation with shade cloth around bushes and no air conditioning. They were gracious when I explained that was not what I had booked, I expected an indoor bathroom. We were changed to a regular room. Room was large, basic, clean, with a large bathroom. All had good lighting. beds were comfortable, but pillows could be a bit better. Two parking areas so have to carry your bags to you room but on paved walkway. Not difficult to find, area around has very nice upscale homes, but road has potholes/ruts. There are restaurants close by on main road, but we didn't go out because of bumpy road. Pizza, large salad and banana split were very good in restaurant. Overall, it was a very good experience. Staff was great esp. in restaurant. Would recommend so long as you know what room you are booking if you don't want a bungalow with semi-outdoor bath.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Aug 2022

orlando

Great place right in the mountains.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2022

John

Beautiful property and very attentive staff. Our room was very comfortable. I highly recommend Cerro Lodge.