This hostel is located on a cenic ridge in the jungle above Lake Arenal, so plan on hearing the howler monkeys woofing around sunrise. We stayed in a large platform tent with a Queen size bunk bed, storage locker, and tables. The shared showers and bathrooms work well, but be sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp so you don't... More

We stayed here for 3 nights and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We had expected to be closer to La Fortuna, but fortunately we weren't as the location of this hotel in El Castillo is superb. Rooms were good, the food was excellent, and the advice and help from the management was invaluable. They also offer reasonably priced shuttle transfers to... More

We haven't stayed in the hotel, but went one night for dinner. We loved the idea and the kind of people we met there also contributed that we had a wonderful evening. The food was very good, although nothing really special, but 13 USD for a three-course-dinner is more than fair. The next time we are in this area we... More

Essence Arenal was the absolute highlight of our stay in Costa Rica. The staff (Nico, Kelly and Vanessa) were absolutely incredible, helping us with our daily activities and not hesitating to give us tips as to places we should see at the lowest cost possible. We had one of the new private rooms, and although basic, it was just perfect.... More

We only stayed here for one night as we had prebooked everything but would have loved to stay longer. Amazing views, great food (we are not vegetarians) and very helpful service. We stayed in a double room with a private bath and it was great. Power points to charge up our phones and free WiFi. A little noisy in the... More

We were a little disappointed in the Essence experience. The grounds were cool, with the agricultural endeavors they are undertaking and the area on the hill they have a short yet beautiful walk away, and the people who worked there were very friendly. We just personally had problems with the space or lack thereof. We were stuck in our rooms... More

Stayed here recently and it was decent. The people were definitely friendly and the morning breakfasts were excellent. They were also helpful in providing guidance about things to do in the area. The big drawback for us was that the walls were really thin (we stayed in one of the private rooms) so one night we had some loud people... More

I stayed with my partner at Essence Arenal 2 years ago so apologies for the delay in reviewing. We stayed Christmas Eve to Boxing Day and enjoyed our time there. The staff and the other guests were all friendly. The accomodation was quite basic but very comfortable. The bathroom facilities were just across a couple of metres of grass from... More

My husband and I are in our late 50s and had a delightful time at Essence Arenal. The food was fantastic, we laughed and shared stories with fellow travelers (who were our daughter's age but we all bonded!), the room was spartan but clean, the area was beautiful and we wished we had planned on 2 nights here. If we... More