Mikado Natural Lodge

We throughly enjoyed our stay here. It was the most intimate and personalized hotel experience we have ever had. The grounds are very peaceful and the pictures accurately depict the rooms in a good way. Lolo was a wonderful host and makes excellent breakfast. Highly recommend if you are looking for a more relaxed, peaceful stay in Guanacaste. Playa Avellanas is a great beach and is about 18 minutes down the road.

My family rented three bungalows at Mikado for three nights. It was the best place to finish our Costa Rican vacation! Luxurious accommodations include very clean rooms with comfortable king-sized beds and a lovely terrace overlooking the jungle. The bathrooms are spacious with beautiful showers, all the towels you need, screened in but open air so you feel like you are outside. Common areas include a comfortable sitting area with games and books available, a spacious dining area, the pool, a hot tub, a nature trail that circles the property. The property itself is amazing but what made it truly special for our family was the way Lolo made us feel welcome and cared for. She opened up her kitchen to us on our first night so we could cook some fish we had caught. We really appreciated that! Lolo and her helpful assistant Lia prepared and served a beautiful breakfast each morning that included fresh homemade yogurt, granola, and bread, fresh fruit, eggs to order, juice, coffee and tea! We prearranged dinner to celebrate a birthday and Lolo didn't disappoint, serving a wonderful fish dinner and a beautiful birthday cake! We had a great time hanging around the pool, enjoying the natural beauty, the birds, monkeys, very large grasshoppers and toads. It was so great to share this place of beauty with my family and our new friends at Mikado!!

We went to three hotels during our trip with three teenagers. The other hotels were on the beach. And yet, Mikado Natural Lodge, set into the hills near Pinilla, was by far our favourite stop. There are a few great reasons for this: First you are greeted by Lolo as the lodge's wonderful hostess and founder along with family and staff. She has a natural way of making us feel at home and became an immediate friend. Second is the lodge itself. Simple with 6 cabins on a 7 acre lot surrounded my trees and open sky. There is one dining area which starts the day off with a great breakfast. Then the pool area is as stunning as you see in the pictures. Makado is a perfect place for those wanting a simple, uncomplicated setting to unwind and chill out. Don't come if you need all sorts of services and additional amenities like at a Four Seasons. Come here only if you seek NOT to have a complicated stay. Third are the rooms. Details, details, details. Each room is beautifully designed and laid out. Airco is in place and yes, there are TV's that emerge from the bed-end. Mattresses are firm but not too firm. You feel like you are in a well-kept surrounding. Fourth, being set in nature means you do end up leaving to go to the local town of Pinilla which gives you a very authentic experience. Even our teenagers commented how much they loved the 'real' soda's compared to the restaurants at the other hotels. You have to check out Cactus if you go. This left us with a real authentic Costa Rican experience. I can't say enough about this place. But I'll end this review with my truth that what you see online is what you get. Unlike other hotels that try and photoshop out imperfections, this place has very few imperfections and it gives you a great feeling being a guest there.

What an amazing experience! This place is a hidden gem! Lolo was the very best host! My husband and visited the area and split our bookings out to explore a bit... I only wish I had more time to stay here. Everything was super clean. The room was beautiful and what an amazing view. We even had the pleasure of a monkey visit!! Thank you, Lolo! Oh and your homemade yogurt and crepes were de-li-cous!!

You should stay here! My wife and I spent four lovely nights at Mikado. It is a beautiful and unique place to relax, even in the rainy season. Our room was gorgeous and Lolo is an amazing chef! Don’t pass up a chance to eat dinner with her. We highly recommend!

We stayed at Mikado in April of 2024 for four nights. Lolo, the owner and host, greeted us on check-in and immediately made us feel welcome and at ease. Our bungalow overlooked the surrounding hills and forest and we could see the ocean over the hills. The view was spectacular, especially in the morning and at sunset. We heard and saw a family of howler monkeys in the morning and sometimes in the evenings. Lolo is a great chef and the meals were excellent. Breakfast is available every morning and we had dinner at the lodge on two nights and each was incredible. We wanted to check out beaches and attractions in the area and Lolo gave us tips on when to go, where to park, which restaurants to eat which proved invaluable for a couple of first time Costa Rica travelers. The onsite facilities including the pool, lounge, restaurant area, and grounds are very comfortable and we felt as if we had the entire facility to ourselves at times. Sitting by the pool enjoying a Lolo made cocktail looking up at the stars after a long day of exploring was a wonderful way to end each day. I can't recommend Mikado highly enough, an amazing experience!