El Pelicano is a fabulous lodge operated by a wonderful Family. Son Omar is the general manager and speaks very good English. Younger brother David has a fantastic personality and assists his older brother. Sister Stephanie does much of the cooking, which is wonderful, the best we had during our two week stay in Costa Rica and very inexpensive too.

We rented one of the two new cabins just recently completed. It had a queen sized bed and bunk beds, all framed from bamboo that worked perfect for my family of four. The cabins are roomy, have satellite TV, Jacuzzi tubs, small fridge and nice tiled floors with beautiful solid wood doors and wood rafters and ceilings. They are not equipped with A/C but you don't need it this high up in the mountains, it actually gets a little chilly at night if you leave the windows open. They have a covered porch with two chairs which was wonderful for bird watching and drinking the in room coffee in the mornings.

The pool area is beautiful and the lobby is extremely nice as well. As mentioned by the first reviewer, the lobby contains a large number of hand carved pieces that Omar's father has created. I am a woodworker and let me tell you these are amazing to see and enjoy. Many are done from area tree roots. The lobby contains a free wireless connection if you bring your laptop and they will let you use their computer to write home or check emails for a small fee. The bar is well stocked and they just run a tab until you are ready to check out. Breakfast is cooked to order by sister Stephanie and included in the rate. The Best Gallo Pinto in Costa Rica! Many of the veggies they use in their food preparation are grown organically in their very own greenhouse. Try their Typical plates with grilled chicken breast or pork chop, you will not be disappointed.

The area the lodge is located in is simply breathtaking. It sits on the side of a mountain surrounded by other mountains including Mount Chirripo, which one of the highest peaks in Central America. You almost feel like you are in Switzerland surrounded by the Swiss Alps. The small town seems to be built to accommodate adventurous backpackers who do the 2-3 day hike to the summit of Mount Chirripo. There is a reserve named Cloudbridge Reserve located a short drive from the lodge that you can drive your 4wd (a must) up to a small parking lot at 5,500' elevation and enjoy miles of trails that will give you a feel of what the backpackers are experiencing.. A wonderful waterfall is located a short walk from the parking lot which is a must see. There is no cost to enter but you can leave a donation at the research center which was unmanned the day we visited. Words almost cannot describe what an amazing experience this is. Omar or David will provide you with a map to find the reserve and the road will almost scare you into turning back because of the steepness at spots but DON'T!

Omar's little brother David, 20, a spectacular young man, took me and my son rainbow trout fishing in the beautiful clear water river that meanders through the town. It was a beautiful experience and he provided the gear. We caught two small trout which they offered to cook for dinner. David is a great young guide and I recommend you do this if you love to fish as we do. We tipped him later for his services and he was so excited.

Another area attraction is the Hot Springs, Omar told me he did not recommend driving the road to their parking lot and to walk to the entrance was better but I drove it anyway and it was STEEP but doable with a 4wd. We paid the fee to a young lady who lives up there and runs the place and walked to the concrete pools/natural combination swimming area and enjoyed the place all to ourselves. It's a short walk from the office and the water is not really hot but nice and warm and very enjoyable. There are restrooms at the pools but didn't see toilet paper so bring your own.

San Gerardo de Rivas is dotted with several small hotels most having restaurants. We stopped in the Roca Dura, "Hard Rock Cafe" for a few beers and enjoyed the ambiance of the solid wood bar and dining room. Down the main street a little further is Robino's Pizza which is a beautiful newly constructed small Pizza/Italian restaurant with a balcony with 4 or 5 tables that overlook the river valley. We didn't care for the Pizza crust or even the cheese, very unusual to us, but the Pasta dishes were outstanding. Manager Jose, is a very friendly and amicable person. His wife makes homemade muffins and cookies which they sell at the restaurant, that are delicious.

The town also contains a small but well stocked grocery store with the friendliest husband/wife owners we met on this entire trip. They seemed very honest and had no problem accepting large US bills from us and giving us the change back in CR currency. They sell homemade pound cakes which are to die for.

As we drove around San Gerardo de Rivas, we encountered many large and beautiful exotic birds along the roads which seemed to sit and pose for our pictures. The seemed to be tamed.

We spent two weeks this time in Costa Rica, visiting many places and this was my favorite. It's hard to explain the tranquility that exists here. Horses and ATV's are available to rent in San Gerardo de Rivas.

We spent a glorious month in Costa Rica and the very best experience we had was at the Hotel Pelicano!!

The accomodations were great with a choice between a little cabin or rooms with a either a shared or private bath. We chose a cabin with a view Mt. Chirripo thru the window. It had a little front porch and was very clean and nicely decorated.

There is a swimming pool and jacuzzi and lovely tropical gardens. The property was a coffee plantation and the lush grounds overlook plantations, rivers, mountains, waterfalls, and is buzzing with beautiful birds. The family still lives on the property and takes great pride in successfully surviving the transition from farm to resort. The patriarch of the family is a wood carver and his sculptures are placed throughout the property along with some fun rock sculptures. The wood carving of a motorcycle is not to be missed!!

Two of the adult sons of the family manage the land. They speak English and are happy to assist you with local information. They provided us with a map to some hidden spectacular waterfalls and a jungle hotsprings where we lounged in the water completly alone to take in the butterflys and birds. This is paradise. I almost hate to write a review because this is such a special spot I would like to keep it a secret, but these truly special people deserve success.