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Reviews of La Leona Eco Lodge

2.5 out of 5
La Leona Eco Lodge
Playa Carate, Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 53 out of 70 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 70 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 70 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 70 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 70 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Brett, Mercer Island

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very difficult to get to - hour and a half of bumpy roads to Carate, then a 3.5k hike. The logistics were not well communicated, but worked out fine. Hot (mid-April visit). The grounds are pretty special with spider monkeys frolicking in the trees right above the tents and ocean waves supplying 24-7 white noise. The guided hike into the National Park was underwhelming - the wildlife was superb, but you only skirt the periphery of the park and don't get to really explore the old growth.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mare

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I just finished my third stay at La Leona Eco Lodge. The location, right next to the sea, and La Leona entrance to Corcovado National Park is utterly captivating! The cabinas are immaculate and lovely. The staff are hardworking, helpful and kind. Great food, and spectacular location, make La Leona the ultimate tropical paradise!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

6/10 Okay

Nathalie

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carl

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff and guides were awesome. Staff go out of their way to make your stay amazing. The setting is fabulous and off the beaten track from the other touristy areas in the country. The food was very good. Surrounded by wildlife.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mario

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Food was great and the wildlife just within walking distance was amazing
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

victoria

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We spent three memorable days here. I would definitely recommend this for those who don't mind missing a few comforts of home (at night there is no electricity in the cabins, the bathrooms are outdoors, you don't get a choice of what to eat). We knew basically what to expect so had a great time. The staff go out of their way to make people feel comfortable and taken care of. My only suggestions to the owners would be 1) offer a few dining options; 2) perhaps give everyone a flashlight or solar lamp for nighttime (there are candles but those burn out quickly); 3) maintain the property's trails a bit better, since the rainforest is spectacular but the trails aren't clearly marked or maintained. There is a beautiful lagoon next to the property that was great for swimming on the hot afternoons, and the proximity to Corcovado Park can't be beat. The grounds are lovely with hammocks, a bar/juice bar open all day, and awesome ocean views.

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Aviv

Traveled with partner, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Once in a lifetime spot! The most beautiful place on earth and incredible staff!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

Bruce

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The location is amazing! Ocean view fro everywhere!! Such a friendly staff with excellent service! I loved glamping!!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Petr

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Amazing experience. Read the description of how to get there carefully.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

kelley

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the tent ocean view “cabin”. It was wonderful to hear and see the surf rolling in. The place was super clean and the staff awesome. Phillippe was an excellent host, always warm and welcoming!! We had some problems transporting our luggage ahead of us to Drake Bay and they were more than helpful in solving our problems. The meals were good and portions more than enough. Can’t think of a negative thing to say. Great place to stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

2/10 Terrible

Diego

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful magical place. The tent cabins were very clean and comfortable. Food was amazing. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. Takes a little work to get to but it is well worth it.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Martin

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nature pure
Great place to stay directly at the border of Corcovado NP. A bit simple tented lodge, but great people and very helpful. Full board included, as no other opportunities around. No electricity or hot water, but nature everywhere. Wifi and charging opportunities in the main building.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
If you appreciate nature,want to be immersed in it, this is your stay. The chef was so sweet,we could not have had a nicer time. Way more than we ever expected. Somewhat of a glancing experience in the mist divine setting.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
La Leona is am amazing space just off the beach, nestled into the jungle, totally cut off from the rest of the world as there is no cell signal and no wifi. We loved it, and the two guys running it while we were there were fab. Food was tasty (although certainly not cheap, and there are no other options), and they helped us organise a guided tour into Corcovado which we would definitely recommend (going with a guide also helps support the local economy on the peninsula which has been really suffering with COVID, but even without that it was totally worthwhile). It does take some getting used to sleeping so close to the crashing waves of the pacific, but we had a wonderful time.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

Joseph

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great Experience
La Leona Eco Lodge is difficult to get to, but it's well worth the effort. The cliffside ocean view is stunning and the area is buzzing with wildlife: four species of monkeys, macaws, toucans and dart frogs. The tents have no electricity, but you are able to charge devices in the dining area. Highly recommend 4x4 due to water crossings.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The most beautiful place we've ever visited. An amazing experience
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Peaceful Paradise
LaLeona is an amazing place to stay for the peace and adventure. The people working there are friendly and so helpful. The journey there is part of the appeal for the adventurous persons. Bring your things in a backpack and leave heavy luggage at the office. Bring Benadryl, there are bugs that bite and cause itching in the jungle and on the beach - and comfortable hiking shoes-plenty of socks and extra shirts. Wear light colored clothes so you can see the very small bugs and just brush them off before they have a chance to bite you. The bugs seem to be attracted to some people and not others - quite random. Despite the bugs - the place is truly magical. I highly recommend it if you enjoy hiking and adventure. Not for the HM crowd. 😊 **No stores, or medical within hours.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Bridget

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Finger?
Overall amazing place to stay, but a few notes 1. Bring lots if snacks, I repeat they do not have snacks 2. The food thay they do have is seriously lacking. If I am paying 25 bucks a plate, it better be a nice meal. I'm all down for the everyone gets the same thing everynight. But this stuff was inedible on occasion. Wayyyy too much salt, and I was not the only person saying this. One night both me and my partner got really sick. Like explosive, it didnt help that we did the night hike right after dinner either. Not pretty. If its lasanga night, I'd pass if I were you. 3. Don't do the rainforest hike, its just the same trail you can walk by yourself and the time of day they schedule it you wont see any wildlife 4. What's with the finger?
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Holly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Can’t wait to go back!
The accommodations exceeded our expectations !
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Christopher

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay. Be prepared for the walk in and high humidity, depending on season. Tent cabin was comfortable, Shower excellent, pathways well made, food very good, Did day tour to Corcovado, night walk, and early morning birding walk, all led by Alvaro, excellent guide, very knowledgeable. Saw lots of wildlife. Other staff were friendly, helpful and considerate. Special thanks to Yassi (spelling?) who went above and beyond in helping us get a replacement for a flat tire. All in all a great place, in a spectacular location.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Margaret

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise
This place should not be missed if you are in the area and want to get rustic and away from it all. The food, drinks, and hospitality were great.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A private slice of paradise
We were drawn to La Leona due to its remoteness and access to Corcovado National Park. We had great wildlife sightings and loved our mountain view tent. It was amazing to wake up in the middle of the night, surrounded by the rain forest sounds. To note - the mountain view tents are quite a trek up the hill, it's not easy to pop up and down! The tents and outside bathrooms are great and very comfortable. The meals are very simple and not worth the money they charge. However the staff at La Leona are fantastic and take a lot of pride in their lodge. Be prepared to pay quite a fee for a 4x4 taxi to Carate ($90 one way per vehicle).
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is an opportunity take escape the urbanized world an experience nature with wonderful people ( families , young children, all ages), without having to deal with cooking and housekeeping responsibilities . The place is a true piece of paradise in today’s world . I try to think of something to complain about, and the only thing that comes to mind is the generarator noise for a scheduled period in the early evening so they can charge the batteries for the next 21 hours; In 5 years they will have figured out how to set up even more solar power than they already have. The place is 2.5 kilometers from the nearest road, and several people use motorcycles and an ATV daily for transportation and hailing supplies, which interferes slightly with the paradise aesthetic. I really can’t think of anything else to complain about as this place, the service, the food, the wildlife, are about as clise as most of will ever get to heaven.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kate

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely brilliant! The Lodge, the staff, the treks - everything, was just fantastic.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Linda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful get away! A little over priced but really enjoyable.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

mirella, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Stay
As written in the hotel website La Leona is not for everyone but if you like nature and do not mind not having electricity after 8 will be rewarded by a beautiful experience. Stay in the first row if you like to hear the sea waves and in second row if you enjoy listening the breathing of the forest and his inhabitants. Very close to Corcovado entrance, you can see beautiful sunsets, monkey and birds on the La Leona grounds
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Erika, Seattle, WA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Rustic Beachfront Lodge
Love the location & the staff - everyone was knowledgeable and friendly. It was definitely hot with no relief until late in the evening in mid March - not really sure how this could be improved upon though. The tent we were in had some structural damage that looked concerning - but seemed overall fairly sturdy. Food was good & the staff did their best to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Rob, London and SW France

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise
La Leona Eco Lodge is a hidden slice of nirvana on earth. If you have ever wanted to stay in a wild paradise, watch Scarlet Macaws flying overhead, metallic blue Morpho butterflies the size of plates flapping past and families of Spider Monkey’s peering down at you from the tress, all with a cold beer in hand and from the relative comfort of your own veranda then look no further. Joel, the hotel manager, and Horhey, the bar manager, are two of the most friendly and hospitable people you will ever meet. The freshly cooked food is restaurant quality, healthy and, whilst not the kind of super-sized portions you might expect on a cruise ship to Barbados, is more than ample to set you up for a five-hour hike in the Corcovado National Park. What makes this destination even more special is its remoteness. For the best experience I would recommend travelling to the office in Puerto Jiménez by the usual means and then taking the local colectivo for the two-hour drive to the end of the road in Carate. It’s not comfortable but that’s the whole point. Forging rivers in the back of a converted lorry with locals and young foreign researchers, studying Poison Dart Frogs or some other exotic creature, is all part of the once in a life-time experience. Then, at the end of the road, it’s a 20-30-minute walk along a tropical beach or jungle track to reach the lodge. Don’t be put off by this, the walk is beautiful and it’s this remoteness that makes the lodge so extra special. It’s also right n
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017

6/10 Okay

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Rustic jungle ocean front lodging
Basic, non-electrified rustic tent cabins, perched above continual crashing ocean surf. Bugs were almost non existent except at night. Bug screens around tent did a good job except they also stopped any breezes. Our tent had an ensuite outdoor toliet and cold water shower. If sleeping at 90 degrees with 90% humidity, without a fan or ac, is okay for you, then you'll sleep well. Breakfast was included, but lunches at $20 pp and diners at $25 pp are extra. Food quality and quanity basic. Was expecting a better experience based on their website, unfortunately that didn't occur, although I must add the tours I booked there were excellent, but not included in basic price, and the entire facility staff was friendly and attentive to your needs. For $230 a night (including dinner and lunch) the stay didn't justify the price.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jeff, Pennsylvania

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Secluded spot next to Corcovado National Park
Paradise, right off the beach with a jungle backdrop. A true get away with a friendly staff and great meals.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An absolutely fantastic experience
An absolutely fantastic experience. The accomodations are supberb. The surroundings stunning. The staff some of the friendliest, most attentive I've ever encountered. Food was great with portions more than ample. I highly recomend experiencing a stay here.

10/10 Excellent

Neil, Silver Spring, Maryland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A pleasant surprise in an ecological preserve
We were pleasantly surprised to find that our "room" was actually half of a duplex lodge on a delightful site in the middle of a beautiful ecological area. Our only issue was trying to find the lodge after dark. Costa Rica does not do a good job with street signs, so good, detailed directions are essential, especially after dark.

10/10 Excellent

Darrell, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A very special place
You are in a remote lodge where you hike in for 45 min to 3 hours depending on how many animals( monkeys, anteaters, scarlet macaws) you stop to watch. A horse cart brings in your luggage. There is no air conditioning, hot water or wifi but the food is fantastic and the smoothies delicious. There several activities available including a tour of Corcavado NP, night hikes and turtle hikes in season. If you can't stand the heat and humidity don't go. If you like being in a special place and seeing a wide range of animals and plants then this is where you need to visit.

10/10 Excellent

Andrea

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
tolle Lage direkt am Nationalpark! Wir hatten einen Bungalow mit Meerblick. Traumhaft schöner einsamer Strand! Viele Tiere auch direkt in der Anlage. Das Personal war sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit! Die Anreise war viel besser als erwartet. Leider ist das Meer schon sehr laut und ich konnte schlecht schlafen! Das ist aber wirklich ein Luxusproblem, genau wie der fehlende Ventilator!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Tomas

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
personal unglaublich freundlich & hilfsbereit. essen hervorragend. natur einfach genisl.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing location, private and secluded. Great tents/rooms. Be prepared however that the rooms dont have electricity or Wi-Fi so bring torch, books and Good company :) Some improvements Could be Done regarding the food quality. We had dinner once during our stay (bring snacks!), and it was not so tasty and We expected a bit more cause everything else is so amazing. The night We skipped dinner the staff came to our room and asked Why We are not at the dinner area so it felt a little pushy to eat all the meals there. Some miscommunication with the information center in puerto jimenez. Hotel info Said We Could store the luggage that We dont Need there, however staff that greeted us with ”What do you want?” And Said to leave our luggage at the Carate parking area. Note! Luggage cannot be stored there and luggage to la Leona is weight limited when using their service (4km from hotel). Had to leave our luggage in the car. All in all though the location is amazing and We would come back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Melanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Natur pur! Wunderbare Unterkunft
Die Anreise zur La Leona Eco Lodge war nicht ganz einfach, aber wir standen ständig in Kontakt zum Personal die uns bei der Organisation halfen! Die Anfahrt erfolgt entweder mit dem Taxi (100USD) oder mit dem Bus/ Collectivo (fährt nur Mo/Mi/Fr! Für Ich glaube 10USD p.P.)- danach folgt ein 45-minütiger Spaziergang zur Lodge. Die kleinen Bungalows sind Zelt-ähnlich aber wunderschön. Die Dusche ist unter freiem Himmel und das Wasser kommt direkt aus dem Berg. Beim Einschlafen hört man das Meeresrauschen. Der Strand ist quasi Menschenleer und man kann Aras auf den Palmen beobachten. Von der Anlage aus geht ein Rundweg (7,5km), den Berg hinauf und zu einem Aussichtspunkt - auch hier hat man die Möglichkeit Affen, Ameisenbären etc. zu sehen. Das Essen war lecker! Eine Mischung aus typischen Costa-ricanischen-Gerichten, aber auch etwas europäisch angehaucht. Der Koch war sehr nett. Fragte jedes Mal, ob alles in Ordnung sei und erklärte uns, was wir auf dem Teller finden ;-) Die Touren von der Lodge waren auch spitze! Mit Álvaro loszuziehen kann ich nur empfehlen! Man sieht so viel mehr Tiere und kann durch das Fernglas Bilder machen. Alles in allem hatten wir eine sehr schön entspannte Zeit in der La Leona Eco Lodge! Das Personal war sehr bemüht, das Essen gut, der Strand einsam, die Touren klasse, viele Tiere gesehen ..was will man mehr?! Ich kann es nur weiter empfehlen :-)
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Simon

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Merci à nos hôtes Monica et Samuel, ainsi qu’au fabuleux chef de cuisine Agustin!! Nous avons adorés notre expérience.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

marie

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Ausgezeichnete Eco Lodge
Wir haben insgesamt 4 Nächte in dem Lodge verbracht und es war eine einmalige Erlebnis. Die Lodge ist paar Gehminuten von La Leona Ranger Station und ist mitten der Wildnis. Man erreicht die Lodge über eine 2,5 km Fußweg aus Carate Airstrip, über dem Strand oder Forstweg. Schon auf dem Weg haben wir zaehlige Macaws, Nasenbären und andre Vogelarten gesehen. Wir wurden sehr herzlich empfangen und über unsere gesamte Aufenthalt vom Jorje mit leckerem Essen verwöhnt. Wir haben auch eine Nachtstour und ein Corcovado Tour gemacht und beide waren sehr informativ und interessant. Der Felipe hat sich auch sehr gut um uns gekümmert und wir haben uns jederzeit sehr gut aufgenommen gefühlt. Wir würden diese Lodge jedes Mal wieder besuchen und ich hoffe wir werden bald die Gelegenheit dazu bald wieder haben.
Die Aussicht aus unserem Zelt
Der Weg zur Lodge - eine traumhafte Menschenleere Strand
Wenn man während in einem Haengesessel chillt von einem Neugierigem Greifvogel besucht wird :)
Eine ganz normale Sonnenuntergang vor der Lodge
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect jungle stay
We traveled as a family of 5 and had an amazing time. We stayed 3 nights and even got a upgrade so we slept directly in the tents at the beachfront. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent and our tours very interesting. I would immediately go again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021