Name: Chateau Arenal
Address: El Castillo, PeÃ±as Blancas, CR

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2026

Nallely

We stayed here for three nights and my boys 14 and 10 loved the pool. The smoothies and swing at the restaurant.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2026

miguel

Best restaurant in town hands down and great customer service.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2026

evany

I stayed here with my parents and boyfriend and just had the most pleasant time ever. The workers were extremely accommodating to every single plan and idea or question we had. It’s the rainforest, the drive to nearby things is not troublesome in the slightest either.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2026

Holly

This stay was truly magical. The views were the best in the area and the restaurant had the best food we had all trip

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

08 Apr 2026

Tania

Great location with incredible staff. The pool and hot tub are beautiful. Rooms cleaned daily and the property is well maintained. Would definitely stay here again.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2026

Amanda

Beautiful Property!! Stunning pool views and hot tub. Amazing on site restaurant and made-to-order breakfast (included in stay). Shout out to our incredible waiter, Robert. Property is 20 mins from Tabacon Hot Springs (recommend the free local ones) and 40mins from La Fortuna. recommend staying here based on location, property, on-site restaurant, and staffing.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

31 Mar 2026

Elizabeth

We really loved the restaurant food options for dinner and the included breakfast was also very good. We loved the wait staff (and the receptionist!). Everyone was very accommodating and pleasant. They have seating outside overlooking the beautiful view and have a few swings there, as well, that our teenage girls used non-stop while we were there. Really beautiful quiet area, away from the hustle and bustle of the more tourist filled La fortuna close by. We borrowed a TV and watched a movie together a couple of nights and enjoyed the hot tub and pool, as well! We really enjoyed our stay.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

Jeffrey

Everything was great, no complaints, staff, room and food was fantastic, would most certainly stay here again. The views are fantastic and we saw so many different birds right from our deck.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Catherine or Kevin

A delicious breakfast was included. The pool and hot tub area is lovely. Great location.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2026

Lucas

Great stay.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Mar 2026

Kira

Wonderfully kind staff, wonderful view, good view, felt nice to be a little away from main La Fortuna. El Castillo is quaint but amazing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2026

Assata

Room could’ve used more cleaning but other than that I’d stay here 10x over! Staff was friendly, location was beautiful!! You are about 30 min from town, but it’s worth It

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2026

Nate

Great staff, a family feel type of hotel. They have a restaurant on location which makes meals convenient. Uber does not operate in this town so transportation is a little tricky if you don’t rent a vehicle. Best night sleep in Costa Rica! Plus the views of the Arenal Volcano are unbelievable!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2026

Curtis

We enjoyed a wonderful 4 night stay in a family room. Comfortable beds with sleeping space for 5. Beautiful views of Arenal Volcano.
We enjoyed the beautiful pool and hot tub. And our kids loved the hammock chairs outside our
little building.
Robert in the restaurant was a wonderful host every morning at the included breakfast that was delicious and so plentiful. The drinks and suppers we had there were also delicious. Drink service to the pool was a fun bonus, as Robert really treated us and our kids like we were friends.
The hotel grounds were well taken care of. A little nature trail on site. We felt 100% safe with the bit of walking in town we did. Was nice staying away from the hustle and bustle of La Fortuna. Would probably not be the best place to stay if you did not have a car.
A charming town and hotel we hopefully can visit again someday

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2026

Curtis

Chira was nothing short of amazing. Ihe view.
The amenities. The staff. It was all phenomenal.
We stayed for 3 nights as a family of 5 in the family dome. And wish we could have stayed longer. The beds were comfy. Our kids (5,8,11) enjoyed the rock climbing wall, slide and piano.
The private hot tub on the deck was the perfect way to watch the sun go down.
Breakfast was plentiful and delicious. And the breakfast staff were kind and attentive.
Emel at the front desk/concierge was welcoming and so helpful.
Would love to stay at this amazing property again some day.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jan 2026

Paula

Nice spot close to Fortuna. Not the easiest to find. Fantastic service and would recommend staying on site for dinner, the food was fantastic. Pool and hot tub were great.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jan 2026

William

Breakfast was amazing. Staff was all nice and welcoming

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2025

Ritobrato

Clean room with great views of Arenal volcano. The front staff was very courteous. We also enjoyed the company of a lot of birds right from our room who visited the trees in the property.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2025

Kelly

Typical breakfast plus a variety of fruit, coffee, and juice. The view from the dining area was gorgeous. Robert and the desk staff were so kind and welcoming. The hotel was easy to find and they helped us set up an amazing horseback riding tour. Dinner had many super delicious options.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Dec 2025

nathalie

Excellent 👍

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Nov 2025

Shefali

The place was nice and so close to the volcano. The front staff is also amazing and very helpful. I noticed in some spots the wifi was spotty so we had to switch rooms, the staff was accommodating and let us do our laundry too as a nice gesture. We also borrowed a tv from the front desk but theres no table is the room so we had to awkwardly put it on the bed. The breakfast was filling and good, there are about 3 options to choose from. I would be careful with some of the tables and cuterly because there were some bugs crawling around. Overall a great stay and would recommend.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Oct 2025

Janet

Breakfast was healthy and good

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2025

Ada

Traveling to Costa Rica was a wonderful experience and the Chateau Hotel is located in a very nice place. The staff was magnificent.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Jul 2025

Serban

PROS : good for the value, clean, VERY friendly, pleasant, a gorgeous restaurant terrace with a superb view.

CONS : Rooms & bathroom are outdated, they need a lot of love.

OVERALLL : Think more of a cabin lodge than a 'Chateau'. Cheapest in the area, so it is good for the value.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

20 Apr 2025

RANDY

Nice hotel with good breakfast. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Nice pool and jacuzzi. Quiet, neighborhood area with views of the lake, volcano and mountains. We went for a walk and it's very close to the Butterfly Conservatory and a local restaurant. About a 30 min drive from the La Fortuna town center.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2025

Sarina

Really enjoyed our stay here. The staff were kind and helpful. Location is lovely, and rooms are super clean. Would absolutely stay here again if we return.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2025

BRYAN K

My. Family and I stayed here a week. The staff was very friendly and we enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and excellent small hotel. The view was beautiful and they staff was very friendly and always greeted us with a friendly smile and always went above to make our visit pleasant. If you would like to experience small local Costa Rica I highly recommend this small quiet friendly clean hotel.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

08 Mar 2025

Sandra

We enjoyed the Chateau Arenal very much. If I could add a 1/2 star I would do so. It has a beautiful view, the pool and hot tub are lovely, the food is good and interesting, the drinks are delicious and the people are all amazingly friendly, helpful and kind. My only slightly negative comment is the remote location. While we enjoyed ourselves and loved the view, it was quite a drive to get anywhere.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2025

Anna

Gorgeous location!! Delicious food 👍

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2025

Justin

Great location with relaxing pool and great views of the lake and volcano.
Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2025

Elijah

Great low-key place to stay in La Fortuna. Amazing view of Volcan Arenal. Zero complaints. Highly recommend.

6/10

Pleasant

11 Feb 2025

Eugene

Dogs barking, every night,... motorcycles and 4 wheel ATV's running up and down road in front of hotel.... until late at night....and very early every morning...staff friendly and helpful... would not go back because of the noise.....and lack of sleep...

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

31 Dec 2024

James

The staff were awesome as well as the views. The pool was nice too. Water was cold, and the toilet seat was broken.

Business_and_leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

25 Dec 2024

Erica

Great breakfast and staff

We enjoyed our stay. The staff were very nice and helpful. Gave suggestions on where to go. The room is small with no tv. The bathroom is shower only and no counter space. There is a very tiny sink. It was raining the whole time we were there, but if not it would have been a great view of the volcano. Most rooms had 1-2 hammock chairs in the back. The breakfast was great and loved the coffee. The sound of the river was very soothing. The pool was nice with beautiful view and hot tub too.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2024

Brian

1st Costa Rica visit & 1st Hotel stay - wonderful!

This was our first hotel for our first ever visit to Costa Rica. We absolutely loved the room (#15). We had a spectacular view of the the Arenal Volcano and got to see Tucans & humming birds. We visited Baldi Hot Springs and Mistico Swinging Bridges during our stay, both within about a 25 minute drive from the hotel. The staff was superb in customer service and a filling breakfast each morning. While it is a 3+ hour drive from SJO airport, we were so glad to have stayed here as it set a positive vibe for our trip. We even got to see a Coatimundi while driving in to town the first morning of our visit. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to stay here!
TIP: When WAZE shows you at the end, drive about another 500' up the hill, past the Butterfly sign, to the hotel entrance on the right.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Dec 2024

Ludger

The room was very basic. 2 beds no chairs small bathroom without shelves
However with great view of the Vulcano and proximity to the national park trails
Infinity swimming pool and hot tub
Excellent dinner choice with red snapper and great sides. Very friendly staff

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2024

Samantha

This property is the cutest. Tucked away on the top of a mountain. Waking up each morning with the sunrise over Arenal was amazing. The humming birds all around were magical. Thank you for a fabulous relaxed stay closest enough to all but far enough for quiet.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2024

malcolm

The staff was by far the was the best I’ve been around in my 25 years of traveling the globe.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2024

WILLIAM

Quaint Hilltop Oasis

Felt like a place off the beaten path. Small and cozy facility with great views of Arenal Volcano and the surrounding hills. The location is walkable to a convenient store, restaurant, and bakery at the bottom of the hill. And a restaurant at the top of the hill.

The room is equipped with AC. Towels and bed turnover service was provided daily. The included breakfast was sufficient enough to get my day started. Flavorful enough to eat each of the 3 mornings that I was there.

Staff was very cordial and accommodating and helped me arrange rides to sky Adventures and La Fortuna. I even had my laundry done at a great price.

Self

2/10

Poor

12 Mar 2024

Ravi

We arrived around 9pm on a stormy, rainy night. The propwrty has no outside lighting to tell you where the reception desk is. In any case it was pitch dark, with rain and nobody in sight, could've find our room. Found out that they peft the keys with our friends who had checked in earlier without any agreement from us! Somehow we found the room with our cellphone flashlights and it was horrendous. There was water everywhere on the floor, the bedspread on one of the beds was soaked in water. Toilet paper roll in bathroom was on its last breath. We called property number, texted byt no response and no one to help us. We weren't expecting luxurious stay, but this was below a basic hotel stay. Ants ran rampant in the room. When we informed the front desk in the morning, they simply shrugged and said you booked through expedia, you talk to them. We cancelled further nights at the hotel and found another hotel. It is in a remote location, sub par standard and cheap lodgings. Front desk closes early at night and management clearly doesn't care. By the way they never refunded us for the nights we canceled. Beware!

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

24 Feb 2024

Mario

Everything was great! Food was world class! The only thing that could have been better was the bad smell coming from the bathroom, something to consider/remodel!!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Feb 2024

James

Chateau Arenal is a great little strip of modest bungalows allowing a view of the volcano and the main strip of El Castillo below. These aren't luxury accommodations, but the staff are attentive, friendly and kind (like seemingly everyone in Costa Rica). Breakfast was tasty and if the materials are available, they'll cook anything for you. We especially enjoyed being able to walk down through El Castillo to tiendas and \"sodas\" to feel the town. You're on a slope, so expect to burn some calories. One of the most annoying things is the whine of noisy motorcycles in the area, but that's simply Costa Rica. Parts of the hotel are closer to the road than others. Expect occasional windy conditions, because the hotel is on a ridge. We generally felt secure, but you'll have to choose between closing your window at night and running the AC or leaving it open. The bathroom was dark, making things like putting in contact lenses challenging. We recommend walking up and down the hill and trying different eateries. We especially enjoyed a day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and Trails (only 18 minutes away). Well worth the $18 per person (at the time of this review). Special thanks to Richard, Sophia and Julia. Great people!!!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2024

Gregory

Well run property and staff was very helpful

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jan 2024

Yoseline

Staff was friendly, typical breakfast included (tasty), lake and volcano view, soothing to hear the rain on the roof. Our room didn't have but fan was enough.

They can do your laundry if needed, wifi was good as well

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

11 Jan 2024

Ronen

No air conditioner

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

07 Jan 2024

Mark

Pass on this place if you want to be able to sleep

Stay in town and avoid this place on the outskirts of town.
First of all they advertise ac and internet and 2 beds in room and then try and give you a different room with none of the above.

The room ultimately given had 2 worn out crap mattresses with sink holes in them.

If you stay here be prepared to drive a distance near nothing and also get no sleep due to poor quality accommodations. Don’t bring your valuables because the back sliding door doesn’t lock either.

We stayed one miserable night and checked into another hotel in town and was treated to a good nights sleep.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

07 Jan 2024

Michael

Great location overlooking lake Arenal and Arenal. Beautiful grounds and view. Friendly staff. Very basic room with uncomfortable beds.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

02 Jan 2024

Vaibhav

No hot water. No air conditioning.
Staff was very friendly.