Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking to hike up to the volcano or are someone looking for a calm safari float through the rivers, La Fortuna, Costa Rica has got you covered.
From the calm and soothing Lake Arenal to the dark and thrilling Venado Caves, there’s a lot for you to do here.
That said, you also need an excellent place to stay during your trip. We get it, riffling through the dozens of hotel options isn’t fun — and it’s time-consuming too. Plus, you don’t always know which hotels are best for families with kids.
To help, we’ve put together a list of the best hotels in Arenal Costa Rica.
Related post: 15 Top Arenal Costa Rica Activities (For Families)
The Best Hotels in Arenal Costa Rica
Volcano Lodge & Springs
Volcano Lodge and Springs is my absolute top family hotel recommendation in the La Fortuna area. It’s the best place for families in the area.
Reasons to stay:
- The restaurant is adjacent to the main outdoor pool and a great playground for kids, so mom and dad can linger over their meal while the kids play.
- The junior suite rooms, (which don’t cost much more) come with their own hot spring pools (like a hot tub) on a private terrace in each room, and they are shaped like a mini volcano. Add that to flat-screen tv with cable in the rooms, well, everyone can relax at the same time.
- There is a great hiking trail through the property which includes great signage for the endemic plants of the area. It’s a great, free stroll of the property.
It’s located at the base of the Arenal Volcano, giving you easy and quick access to most of the activities you do in Arenal; horseback riding, canopy tours, visits to hot springs and waterfalls — you name it. And of course, how can you miss the ever-popular Arenal Volcano itself. It’s also across the street from Baldi Hot Springs and next to Kalambu hot springs water park, two of our favorite places in the area.
There are tons of facilities to make your stay comfortable and fun at the same time. Swimming pools to take a dive in, gardens to sit back & rest in, playground for your kids to have fun, restaurant & room service for food — and much more. This hotel has fast free wifi.
Renting a car? Check out our car rental guide.
Tabacón Thermal Resort and Grand Spa
This is one of the luxury hotels in Costa Rica that you can book with Hyatt points, making it popular with US visitors. This is the best luxury hotel in the area.
Surrounded by lush-green forestation, warmed by the natural heat of Tabacon hot springs, and decorated with locally-crafted furniture — that’s Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort for you.
It’s a perfect blend of natural views, subtle luxury, and all the necessary amenities.
This resort is well-known for its eco-spa, along with the other services which are all based on eco-friendly practices.
Hot spring-fed swimming and soaking pools add up to the unique experience even more. These pools are the most photographed in the country, and a visit to the hot springs park (just down the street form the hotel itself) is included in the price of your stay.
Hotel guests can also enjoy the large outdoor swimming pool in the middle of the property near the hotel rooms themselves.
All the amenities you could long for, like AC, air fans, restaurant & bar, room service, hot tubs, TV, DVD, and WiFi — it’s all here.
We love this resort, but it’s definitely more of a splurge than the other hotels on this list. Another cool thing about this hotel is that you can plant a tree in the on-site forest to help offset your carbon footprint.
Related post: Top 5 Volcanoes You Must Visit in Costa Rica
The Springs Resort and Spa
The Springs Resort is probably the perfect mix of comfort and accessibility in the area.
It’s located right between the town of La Fortuna and Tabacon Hot Springs, giving you some of the best views of the Arenal Volcano in the area. This hotel was featured years ago on one of the popular Bachelor shows, and since then has continued to grown in reputation as one of the top 5 star hotels and luxury resorts in the area.
The volcano can be seen in its full glory from the front door. Plus, the entire resort is surrounded by green forestation which sets the mood even higher. Water features surround the pools, and the hotel incorporates the natural beauty of the landscape, and has spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano.
There are a number of activities you can take part in from this hotel, including spa treatments, hiking through Arenal National Park, fishing on Lake Arenal, and much more. There’s no shortage of activities for you to get yourself involved in.
Every facility which you could possibly wish for is here in this resort. Alongside big swimming pools for adults, kid pools are also present. Gardens, outdoor activities, trails, spa, mini gym, and tons more.
All essential amenities, like room service, laundry, and WiFi are also available. I haven’t stayed here yet, but I have seen reports that there aren’t a ton of kids and families here- it seems to be more the perfect place for a honeymoon.
Arenal Springs Resort
This hotel is also located on the main road between the laguna and La Fortuna, and it’s a gem for families.
Each room is a bungalow/free-standing cabin with amazing volcano views.
there is a big main pool at the base of all of the rooms, and then hot springs meander up to the top of the hill in little private springs.
The breakfast buffet is not to be missed, and the restaurant provides large picture windows for views of the volcano while you eat.
We love that this hotel is also wheelchair accessible- from the beds to the showers to the pools. Lots of Costa Rican families visit here, so you know it’s gotta be good!
If you want a Costa Rican farm experience make sure to check out Rancho Margot in the area.
Hotel Lomas Del Volcan
We recently stayed at this hotel because there was a special rate for locals, and we adored it. It’s really kid-friendly and popular with locals and European tourists- I think we were the only tourists with US ties on the property when we stayed.
There are 40 spacious and beautiful bungalows for you to reside in. Each bungalow has two dedicated terraces from which where you can enjoy the views. The bungalows are free-standing, giving lots of privacy, and we were able to see a ton of bird and plant species from the room of our hotel- plus
It’s only about 4km away from the town of La Fortuna and is a perfect mix of intimate, cozy, and nature-filled comfort.
There are tons of activities you could immerse yourself in, waterfall rappelling, windsurfing, canopy tours, and much more. Even if you just want to lay back and relax, Lomas Del Volcan still offers a lot.
Plus, all the necessities you could need, like private parking, restaurant, room service, air conditioning, laundry, WiFi, and much more, are all here.
The crown jewel of this hotel is the on-site restaurant. They serve a wide variety of traditional Costa Rican food with sweeping volcano views at a great price. Even though I love to eat in La Fortuna, when we stayed here we didn’t eat anywhere else. As an added bonus, traditional Costa Rican breakfast is included in the room price.
Check out our guide to the top hot springs in Costa Rica.
This is a newer hotel that has gained popularity from its phenomenal views of the volcano. They have a different view of the volcano given their location a little bit farther west of the main road.
They have a wide variety of international cuisine and local food, and the main pool has gorgeous views of the volcano.
They don’t have many hot springs though- just two pools, so it would be wise to go to another hot springs pool for a more traditional soaking experience.
You’ll also like these related posts:
- A Foodie’s Restaurant Guide To La Fortuna, Costa Rica
- Best Ziplining In Costa Rica for Families
- Hanging Bridges Costa Rica: Family Travel Guide
If you would like to talk to me about a customized itinerary or specific Costa Rica travel advice for your family, (zero sales- just advice!) check out my “Ask Christa” page for more information on custom Costa Rica trip planning geared towards families.
