Lapa Rios Lodge (Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica)

September 7, 2022

38

Wednesday newsletters at all times function a lodge or flight assessment.

I not too long ago loved a fantastic vacation in Miami & Costa Rica. You possibly can learn my journey reviews right here:

Assessment: Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Enterprise Class from Frankfurt to Miami
Assessment: Acqualina Resort on the Seaside, Miami, USA
Assessment: Nayara Tented Camp, Arenal Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Assessment: Nayara Springs & Backyard, Arenal Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Assessment: Lapa Rios Lodge, Corcovado Nationwide Park, Costa Rica (at the moment)
Assessment: Los Altos Resort, Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Assessment: Andaz Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Assessment: 4 Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Assessment: Edeweiss Air Airbus A340 Enterprise Class from Liberia to Zurich

At the moment: Assessment of Lapa Rios Lodge (Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica)

Costa Rica’s pristine Osa Peninsula is blanketed by a few of the final remaining lowland tropical rainforest in Central America and edged by seashores wealthy with marine life. At its tip is Lapa Rios, a outstanding lodge surrounded by a 1,000-acre reserve, which helps to buffer the Osa Peninsula’s Corcovado Nationwide Park – dwelling to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and a daily function on Nationwide Geographic’s nature documentaries. It might be laborious to discover a extra genuine rainforest expertise than this. You awaken to the mesmerizing sounds of the jungle, watch scarlet macaws glide by out of your non-public out of doors bathe, and set off into the timber to discover with native guides whose data of the world’s ecosystems runs deep. And but the expertise is stress-free too – there’s a secluded seashore, pleasant meals served al fresco, and an opulent bungalow awaiting you on the finish of the day.

Lapa Rios options in my high 10 lists of the greatest resorts & resorts in Costa Rica, the greatest issues to see & do in Costa Rica, and the very best jungle lodges on this planet.

Have you ever ever stayed at Lapa Rios? In that case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

On this assessment (extra information and photographs beneath my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Lapa Rios is the very best eco-lodge on the world-famous Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica’s most opulent and distant rainforest vacation spot. Positioned on the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is dubbed one of the biologically intense locations on earth by Nationwide Geographic. The pristine peninsula is sure on the northwest by Drake Bay, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Golfo Dulce. The world presents untouched pure surroundings, secluded wild seashores, and ample tropical wildlife encompassing lush main rainforest and a posh system of freshwater and marine sources. Most vacationers will arrive on the Osa Peninsula by aircraft from San Jose (a one hour flight), and the journey from the airfield at Puerto Jiminez (the primary city on the peninsula) to the lodge is roughly 40 minutes (street switch is included within the room charge).

The prime cause why company select keep at Lapa Rios is its proximity to Corcovado Nationwide Park on the western facet of the peninsula. Corcovado Nationwide Park covers practically half of all the peninsula and encompasses 13 main ecosystems together with lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove swamps, in addition to coastal marine and seashore habitats. The park has one of many largest populations of scarlet macaws, monkeys and sloths in Costa Rica (and they’re often noticed). Different wildlife adventures embody encounters with tapirs on the seashore, watching herds of peccaries (sainos) within the jungle, and observing the fins of bull sharks within the river mouths. Much less generally seen species of the park embody the endangered jaguar and the puma. Almost the entire lodges within the area -including Lapa Rios – supply day excursions to the park, though in a single day excursions are attainable as nicely (and extremely suggest to permit extra time for wildlife recognizing).

Lapa Rios is about in an enormous non-public reserve, whose function is to completely shield 1,000 acres of Central America’s final remaining tropical lowland rainforest and act as a protecting barrier and wildlife hall for the 100,000-acre, mega-biodiverse Corcovado Nationwide Park. Solely a small a part of the reserve has been developed for the lodge, which – with out query – enjoys a spectacular, off–the–crushed–path location. Surrounded by the luxurious rainforest cover, the lodge is assortment of a number of pavilions which can be unfold alongside three excessive forest ridges, providing unobstructed ocean views of the Golfo Dulce (and the dawn). Because of its distant and eco-conscious location, company don’t want to depart the property to identify an incredible array of wildlife: toucans, scarlet macaws, sloths, poison dart frogs and monkey frequent the lodge each day (quite a few privately guided strolling excursions are scheduled to extend your probabilities of recognizing wildlife).

Lapa Rios incorporates a easy but elegant design, herey placing the concentrate on the spectacular surrounding fauna & flora as a substitute of the inside. The primary constructing is a thatched, semi-open pavilion, which homes a small reception space, boutique, eating room with wine cellar (referred to as Brisa Azul Restuarant), and an expansive terrace providing a beautiful view of the rainforest cover and the Gulfo Dulce within the distance. A brief stroll from the primary lodge is a second, smaller thatched pavilion, dwelling to the lodge’s solely bar which additionally doubles as an al fresco breakfast or eating space (climate allowing). The bar overlooks the pool deck, comprised of a solar terrace with some loungers and a big & deep swimming pool. Elevated walkways join the lodge’s foremost buildings with the rooms additional down the hill. The entire lodge’s pavilions have been constructed utilizing wooden from fallen timber and the thatch roofs have been created from regionally sourced palm fronds.

Lapa Rios options 17 rainforest villas, which are available in 4 classes: Deluxe Bungalows, Matapalo Suites, Premier Villas, and Lapas Villas. Pemier Villas and Lapas Villas are the lodge’s latest lodging, that includes hardwood flooring and stylish furnishings. These six new villas (4 of which have non-public swimming swimming pools) can accommodate as much as 6 company (superb for households) and in some circumstances may be configured as “adjoining“ for {couples} or mates touring collectively. Throughout my vacation, I stad in a Premier Villa, which featured a non-public wraparound terrace with comfy lounge seating plus a refreshing out of doors rain bathe. Indoors, there was a spacious bed room with kingbed and sitting space, and an ensuite lavatory with double self-importance, a photo voltaic heated indoor bathe, and and natural facilities. Flooring-to-ceiling screens let within the ocean breezes, and an air-cooling system over the mattress in addition to environment friendly eco-fans guarantee a cushty sleep, even on heat nights.

Lapa Rios was acquired by Boena Wilderness Lodges in 2019 and underwent an enormous renovation. Boena Wilderness Lodges is 100% Costa Rican owned and operated and has two different wonderful lodges in Costa Rica: Pacuare Lodge and Tortuga Lodge. Through the renovation, the lodge’s meals choices have been redesigned by Boena Wilderness Lodges’ Greece-born Chef, George Belesis, who put the culinary concentrate on responsibly-caught seafoods, grass-fed beef, hormone-free rooster and contemporary native veggies. All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are served à la carte within the property’s solely restaurant, Brisa Azul. The menus – which rotate each three days – function dishes like sea bass fillet with herbs crust, served on high of citrus flavored cassava with grilled corn and broccoli cream. A plant primarily based menu is availalble as nicely with dishes like chilly mango and ginger soup, or falawel wrap with chickpeas, grilled zucchini, bell pepper, roasted eggplant, cucumber, carrot and guacamole

The shut proximity to the tender sand, mild swimmable waters of Playa Pan Dulce units Lapa Rios other than most different rainforest lodges within the space. Up to now, company of the lodge primarily reached the seashore (positioned on the backside of the hill) on foot and lacked the facilities to take pleasure in a full seashore day in consolation. However since its takeover by Boena Wilderness Lodges, Lapa Rios began providing every day on-demand complimentary seashore switch to close by Playa Pan Dulce (solely a 5 min drive within the lodge’s personal 4WD autos). In additio, the lodge put some lounge chairs & refreshments on the seashore to create a distant & non-public “seashore membership” expertise for its company (though there isn’t a workers close by, so don’t anticipate an excessive amount of). The gray sand seashore itself is attractive and feels distant (because you received’t encounter different vacationers, apart from different company of Lapa Rios). Browsing may be organized by means of an area clothing store on the far finish of the seashore, which presents wonderful gear and nice instructors.

Lapa Rios has sustainability in its DNA. The lodge’s working philosophy has at all times been that accountable tourism ought to profit and respect native communities, and supply native individuals with viable financial alternatives that prioritize conservation over extraction. For instance, a compulsory conservation payment of $25 USD per visitor is charged, which helps Corcovado Nationwide Park by means of the hiring of two administrative personnel. This retains park rangers away from the workplace desks and out on patrol by means of the park the place they will greatest tackle the fixed threats of unlawful searching, unlawful logging and unlawful gold mining. The lodge has additionally partnered with the Wildlife Division on the Nationwide College of Costa Rica to finance an in depth research of the Osa Peninsula’s peccary & jaguar populations by means of the usage of digicam traps (30 digicam traps have already been donated to the workforce of researchers). Lapa Rios additionally boasts a sturdy system of 220 photo voltaic panels and 10 nano generators that present the property with 100% of its vitality wants.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Lapa Rios’s 17 rainforest villas are linked to the primary lodge by an extended elevated walkway, which tumbles down a hill with many steps alongside the best way. When you’ve got difficulties strolling, staying at Lapa Rios could be an actual problem. However even for match vacationers, the stroll up the steps to the primary lodge generally is a problem (particularly given the humidity of the Osa Peninsula). When you don’t prefer to climb stairs, request a villa near the primary lodge. The Premier Villas and Lapa Villas are positioned within the lowest a part of the resort, thus fartest away from the primary lodge, however they’ve benefit that they are often reached by automobile (and on-request, complimentary shuttle service is supplied).

Most villas are constructed as duplex villas, whereby two villas are hooked up to 1 different. In consequence, you could hear the company on the terrace within the villa subsequent to you. It’s nothing too dangerous and the villas are 100% non-public, however it may distract somewhat from being completely emerged within the surrounding rainforest.

Lapa Rios is positioned within the coronary heart of a jungle reserve, and is dwelling to many animals, together with huge spiders, snakes, scorpions and different forest dwellers. If their presence close by freaks you out (though chances are high very small you’d encounter one contained in the villa), then Costa Rica may not be the very best vacation spot for you. For many visitor although, exploring the jungle and its magical wildlife is the primary cause to remain at Lapa Rios (depend me in).

Lapa Rios presents complimentary shuttle service (5 min) to close by Playa Pan Dulce, lovely, rugged, abandoned seashore with crashing surf and great tide swimming pools to chill off in. As talked about above, the lodge put some lounge chairs on the seashore to create a “seashore membership” expertise for its company however there isn’t a workers close by (or at the very least, that was not the case after I visited the seashore on two separate events), so don’t anticipate an excessive amount of. Additionally, there should not sufficient seashore chairs; for instance, throughout considered one of my two visits, a big household had taken all of the loungers, leaving the opposite company with no different possibility than strolling alongside the seashore (which was not obligatory a foul factor).

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 8/10
Rooms: 8/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Worth for cash: 8/10
General expertise: superb 8,4/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Get monetary savings: learn right here my ideas for getting the very best deal at a luxurious lodge like Lapa Rios (and/or obtain many free perks).

Get monetary savings: get complimentary VIP perks when reserving through Virtuoso (e.g. improve, every day breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD meals & beverage credit score).

Learn my ideas for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The most effective time to go to Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula is the dry season, which lasts from mid-December to mid-April, as there’s a smaller probability of being drenched within the rain. The wet season (or “inexperienced” season) is mostly from Might to November: it could rain for a number of days in a row and torrential rains are frequent (the Osa Peninsula is likely one of the nation’s wettests spots). I like to recommend towards touring to the Osa Pensinsula within the wet season as roads could be inaccessible due to flooding and mountain climbing trails in Corcovado Park could be closed with out discover (trapping vacationers for days).

HOW TO GET THERE

The simplest & quickest strategy to attain Lapa Rios is by flight (50 min) from the capital metropolis, San Jose, to the Puerto Jimenez airstrip. Sansa Airways supply every day flights from San Jose. As soon as in Puerto Jimenez, it’s a forty five min drive to Lapa Rios (switch is supplied by the lodge).

PHOTOS

Beneath is a choice of my photographs of Lapa Rios. To view extra photographs of the resort (together with breakfast and dinner), click on right here.