Nepenthe B&B

One of the highlights of your stay at Nepenthe B&B is undoubtedly the delicious breakfast served each morning. With fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a variety of dishes to choose from, it's the perfect way to start your day before heading out to explore the wonders of La Fortuna and its surrounding areas. The staff is friendly and attentive, always ready to help you with any needs or queries you may have. Whether you're looking for recommendations on nearby attractions or arranging transportation, they go above and beyond to ensure a memorable stay for every guest.

This place was exactly what we were looking for in a home base for a first trip to Costa Rica. We stayed here in November 2023. First of all, it is way up a winding hill, but that's the reason it has such an incredible view of all of Lake Arenal, and sometimes the volcano. This is probably also why the food prices are a little steep, having to bring everything up a large hill can't be easy. That being said, the food was soooo good. The chef, Luiza (If I remember correctly) is so good. Every dish we had was great, the typical Costa Rican breakfast was so good and hardy before a day of hiking. The pool was so lovely to sit in and enjoy the view. There's also this lovely porch next to the pool that has its own seating area that was amazing day and night (so many fireflies and hummingbirds). The staff was lovely and very helpful and so so nice. The rooms were honestly great, it's not extremely fancy but we didn't want that. The shower was great and spacious, the bed was comfy, and the sound of rain at night was like a giant white noise machine. I would definitely stay here again if we didn't want to explore the rest of the country! Perfect location for hiking and exploring the Arenal area.

Nepenthe was beautiful! The views are just beyond explanation, you have to see it to know! The staff are so friendly and so helpful I was going to walk down to the shop and the one took me down on the quad, so kind. I had a massage here, firstly the therapist is a amazing man so kind and friendly. But his skills for a massage where beyond amazing, one one the best massages I have had around the world and I get a lot of massages! If you go here you have to book a massage he is the best, and actually very cheap!! The only thing that I found annoying about this hotel was the hot water I honestly had to turn the shower on 10 minutes before I wanted to shower and leave it running because the hot water was just not coming through. Such a waste of water. I hope this gets sorted but other than that what a amazing place amazing staff and amazing views! Thank you so much! Pura vida

We had a great stay at Nepenthe!! The location is on the southwest side of Arenal so it's closer to the hiking trails (1968, Observatory Lodge, etc) than it is the town of La Fortuna, but you still get to all the main activities including the hot springs within 30 minutes. We stayed in Villa 7 which is nicknamed the "Hidden Villa" and it has amazing views! If you can stay in this one, it is highly recommended. the views of Arenal Lake and the surrounding hills are amazing. We saw all sorts of different birds and animals every time we looked. The restaurant onsite, The Phoenix, is really great! Breakfast is included in the room price and there are a few options to choose from. We didn't eat lunch there, but did eat dinner there every night and we were not disappointed. A good mix of local Costa Rican dishes as well as some more "kid friendly" options like pizza and pasta. We really didn't have anything bad to say about the stay, but the only thing to be aware of is the drive up the hill to get to the hotel is not for the faint of heart. Once you do it once, it gets easier, but the first time up it's highly recommended to do in daylight. We did not have a 4x4 and made it up with no issue, but our rental car did have fairly high clearance which came in handy. There are a few spots where some concrete tracks were laid down to make things easier. Use those, take the turns wide, and don't be afraid to accelerate uphill and you'll be good to go!

We stayed at Nepenthe for 5 days and it was truly a magical experience! The views were amazing and the staff was so friendly and helpful! There is nothing like going for a dip in the pool and taking in the views and nature. We loved starting our mornings at The Phoenix with a wonderful breakfast before we headed out for our adventure for the day. By the end of our stay we felt like family ❤️ we were truly sad to leave and will definitely be planning another trip!