Where to Stay in Costa Rica: Arenal Springs Resort Review

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As we walked into the lobby, we were greeted by a valet holding a silver tray with tropical drinks and cooling towels. We were invited to sit and relax in the spacious reception area before checking in. Welcome to Pura Vida!

A visit to Costa Rica should include a stop at its famed Arenal Volcano. There are soooo many hotels in the Arenal region, most featuring incredible views of the Arenal volcano. So how do you pick where to stay? I selected the Arenal Springs Resort & Spa for our three-person trip. Before choosing my ultimate resort, I made a list of what I wanted:

• A fabulous view of the volcano
• Hot springs on site
• Great service
• Swim-up bar
• Breakfast included

I found all of these and more at the Arenal Springs Resort & Spa.

This article is a review of the Arenal Springs Resort, its amenities, services, and people. It has all: the good and the bad.

I received no compensation or exchanges in return for this review. I paid for my own expenses and based this review on my own stay and experience at this hotel.

This review of the Arenal Springs Resort includes the following:

Location of the Arenal Springs Resort

The Resort is almost equidistant from San Jose and Liberia. It takes about two and a half hours to drive from either the Juan Santamaria International Airport (San Jose) (SJO) or the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (Liberia) (LIB). 

Transportation can be arranged through the hotel, which costs around $170-$180 per group of 1-5 people, each way, or through other transportation providers.

We rented a 4-wheel drive vehicle in San Jose and drove ourselves. While the fog and twisty roads made for a thrilling ride (to say the least!), I do recommend having the option to self-drive so that you can explore a bit on your own (and discover your inner rally driver!).

What’s Included in a Stay at the Arenal Springs Resort

Room reservations include a magnificent view of the Arenal volcano (they all face the volcano). Each room also has a small refrigerator including small sodas, water, and beer. A delicious breakfast buffet is included. Guests enjoy access to all of the property, including on-site hot springs. Golf carts take guests who prefer not to drive or walk from one location to another. Due to the rainy nature of this area, the Arenal Springs Resort even offers its guests large umbrellas during their stay, in case they didn’t pack one.

Checking In

Upon checking in, each guest is given a bracelet to wear during their entire stay with their room number written on it. This is to assure that no one else can charge items to your room. The bracelet also acts as your room key, so there is nothing to hide or put away while enjoying the springs.

Property

The property grounds are HUGE! While I had read this in the reviews, I didn’t understand how truly spread out the hotel was until I arrived. Each bungalow features two rooms. Parking is available directly outside each lodge. 

The good news about the property is that the grounds feature lots of spaces for quiet relaxation. From sitting areas under tropical trees, hammocks, on-site hot springs, and a gorgeous terrace, you’ll find everything you need to slip into the Pura Vida frame of mind.

Expectations

As a first-timer in Costa Rica, I wasn’t sure what to expect for a mid-to-high range hotel facility. Having read reviews online, I understood that I was opting for a large facility. However, the attraction of on-site hot springs and beautiful views of the Arenal volcano seemed worth it.

The hotel also prides itself on its environmental program. The hotel has its own Vegetable Farm, which guests can tour. The flora is designed to attract birds, so bird-watchers will be happy. Every effort is made to make the hotel environmentally friendly, which made me think it would not be comfortable – I was so wrong! 

Restaurants and Bars

The hotel boasts three on-site restaurants featuring Italian, Japanese, and International cuisines. Unfortunately, the Italian cuisine restaurant was closed due to COVID restrictions, though Italian meals could still be ordered at the Ti-Cain International restaurant. Sakana Japanese is located adjacent to the hot springs. Seating included both dry tables and at the swim-up bar.  

Ti-Cain hosts the breakfast buffet, which features fabulous views of the hot springs and the volcano. If you order from the swim-up bar (which we did), the food comes from this restaurant. The swim-up bar also includes food items from the Japanese restaurant and more traditional bar foods.

The food was a bit hit or miss. While it was generally okay, we encountered much better food at our other Costa Rica resorts (Punta Islita Hotel and Tamarindo Diria Resort).

Arenal Springs Resort’s Swimming Pools & Hot Springs

Hot springs are one of the main attractions of the Arenal area. The underground water is heated by the volcano, creating little pools and rivers of heaven on earth. If you’re traveling to Arenal, you have two options for enjoying hot springs: visit hot springs open to the public or choose a hotel with its own hot springs.

Arenal Springs Resort’s hot springs were one of the two main reasons I chose this hotel (the other being the view of the volcano). However, unlike other resorts such as Baldi Resort & Spa and Tabacon Resort and Hot Springs, Arenal Springs Resort does not sell day passes. Therefore, I liked that the springs would only have hotel guests and not become overcrowded with day-passers. 

The resort’s pools are filled 100% with natural underground mineral water. The minerals refresh and soften your skin while you relax in a pool that maintains between 93-104℉ (34-39℃). Featuring multiple pools, you’re likely to find one perfect for you and your group – from secluded to more public. 

The springs are surrounded by lounge chairs and tables, making them the perfect spot to relax with a good book. The pools are drained every night at 10 pm to scrub the bottoms to avoid algae growth. By 8 am, the pools are ready to use again.

Guests can pick up clean pool towels at the nearby desk, where lockers are also available for their valuables. You truly don’t need anything to enjoy, though, so leave all your valuables in your room safe. Remember that you can order at the bar using your bracelet and charge to your room.

Sports and Wellness

A gym is available daily with basic equipment. However, you’ll probably get plenty of exercise with all the activities in the surrounding area. 

The spa offers plenty of services, including a free yoga class on Sunday mornings on their yoga deck. In addition, the open-air pavilion is surrounded by plants and another incredible view of the Arenal – making it feel completely relaxing.

Accessibility

The hotel is entirely wheelchair accessible. Great effort was taken to ensure that there are no steps into each room, as well as a trail from the parking areas to each room door. Even the principal springs area includes a ramp and rail.

Those with asthma or allergies may wish to book one of four second-story bedrooms. The distance from the flora and the better ventilation helps those who have a more challenging time breathing. 

Our Arenal Springs Resort Room

Arenal Springs Resort features two types of rooms: Junior and Master Suites. Guests of the Junior Suites can choose to have a king-size bed or two queen beds. One and two-bedroom Master Suites include a jacuzzi tub and are almost the size of a home and accommodate four to ten guests.

Our Junior Suite was perfect. The room featured two comfy queen-sized beds, a tv, a small closet, and a mini-fridge. Items in the mini-fridge were complimentary.

Each roomy bathroom includes a spacious shower featuring a rainfall showerhead. In addition, a small tropical garden gives the feeling of an outdoor shower.

Relax on the patio, where you’ll get beautiful views of the Arenal Volcano (unless it is overcast!). Sit on the wrought iron and granite furniture while sipping your morning coffee or evening cocktail. 

Security

To enter the hotel grounds, visitors must provide their names to a guard at the gate. Only registered or registering guests are allowed to enter the property. Hotel personnel patrol the grounds, looking for natural dangers (snakes, etc.) as well as outsiders. An extra security guard is on duty at night. We felt very safe.

Rooms can only be accessed by staff or by swiping the bracelet provided upon check-in. Each room has a safe that fits several electronics (like iPads, etc.) and can be programmed so that you are the only one with access. Of course, if you lock yourself out (as happened to someone in our group), a front desk staff member can assist.

Internet

Arenal Springs Resort guests have free Wi-Fi at their disposal at all times. The Wi-Fi worked well whether we were in the hot springs, our rooms, or any other common area. It was a pleasure to know that we had stable connectivity. 

Cash

Since you can charge everything to your room, you’ll only need a small amount of cash (a few colones or dollars) for tips to porters and at breakfast. You can add a gratuity to any room charges, though remember that a 10% service charge is generally included in Costa Rica, and additional tipping is not expected (though appreciated).

The resort does not have an on-site ATM, so be sure to bring all the cash you need with you. However, dollars are readily accepted throughout the country, so no need to exchange your money ahead of time.

5 Things to do Around Arenal Springs Resort

The Arenal Volcano area is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica. This means that there is plenty to do in the area — both enjoying nature and exploring. The hotel will send a list of tours available through their tour desk, which includes pick up from the hotel. We arranged our own since we had a rental car.

Not to miss activities around Arenal Volcano include:

• Climbing down to La Fortuna Waterfall
• Visiting the Hanging Bridges
• Zip-lining
• Hiking the Arenal volcano
• Water activities (SUP, kayaking, etc.) on Lake Arenal

Several parks include several activities as packages, including zip-lining, rappelling waterfalls, etc. We used Arenal Mundo Aventura for our zip-line adventure as they’re the only ones with two lines with views of the La Fortuna waterfall.

Honest Feedback on the Arenal Springs Resort

This hotel was everything that I hoped for and more. The seclusion and quiet environment were exactly what we needed to relax after our trip and outdoor activities. I recommend the Arenal Springs Resort & Spa whether you’re a group of adults, a family, or a large group traveling together.

What I didn’t know beforehand was that viewing the volcano is a hit-or-miss opportunity. My visions of waking up to a view of the volcano did not materialize due to the almost constant mist/clouds. Only on our drive out of town did we finally get the perfect unobstructed view of this elusive volcano. We stopped for lunch at the Arenal Observatory Hotel to enjoy the view.  

Check out these other Costa Rica posts:

• 15 Things to Know Before You Travel to Costa Rica
• Best Free Apps to Use When Traveling to Costa Rica
• Best Souvenirs from Costa Rica
• Review of Punta Islita Hotel
• Is the La Fortuna Waterfall worth the climb?

Happy travels,
Annick, The Common Traveler

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