Entire home

Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!

Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!

Photo gallery for Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!

2 bedrooms, WiFi, bed sheets
Property grounds
Exterior
Dining
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop

Overview of Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!

Reviews
9.8

Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor space
  • Mountain view

Explore the area

La Fortuna, Alajuela Province
  • Popular LocationCosta Rica Sky Adventures15 min drive
  • Popular LocationArenal Volcano22 min drive
  • Popular LocationArenal Volcano National Park27 min drive
  • AirportLa Fortuna (FON-Arenal)57 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!

A roofed terrace wraps this contemporary home with amazing views of Arenal Lake, Arenal Volcano, jungles & on-site tropical gardens. 2 bedroom, one with a King Size bed and the other with a Queen Size bed, 3 full baths, full kitchen, living & dining room. Rural and close to zip lines, hiking trails, private waterfall, horseback riding, good restaurants, butterfly conservancy, art gallery and more.

When we bought this house, we described the view as “The most beautiful view I had ever seen.” The Arenal Volcano dominated the landscape. And in the same view, there was Arenal Lake, the largest inland lake in Costa Rica. Running alongside of our property, just out of sight, but not out of sound, is a river, singing it's song 24/7.

This is a beautiful contemporary home, with what you would expect in an American built home...On demand hot water in every room, American plumbing where you can actually flush the toilet paper, screens on the windows and fans on the ceilings. The bedroom is air conditioned, although in the many years we have been here we have never needed it. Fresh air is welcomed into the house so inside or out you can take advantage of the amazing Costa Rica weather. Come along on a verbal tour.

After you park your car in the carport, you will walk through the first of 7 hand carved doors (all designed from photos the previous owner has taken.) You will be astounded by the view provided by the floor to ceiling glass walls that let you be a part of nature. Your dining room table is hand made locally from a tree trunk slab as the top and a root section as the base. The kitchen features a gas stove with 2 ovens, a large refrigerator/freezer, a walk-in pantry, coffee maker, rice maker, blender, mixer, toaster and most every other gadget you will need to cook absolutely fabulous meals. Your flat screen TV (with a satellite connection and some English programming) can be watched from the leather couch or from two comfortable chairs with ottomans. The chairs swivel 180 degrees to let you look outside through the floor to ceiling tinted windows while reading or relaxing. Your terrace wraps around the house giving you perfect views of Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal, Arenal National Park and the Children's Eternal Rainforest. A stairway leads to a private tropical garden with walking paths for you to enjoy the plantings and fauna. There you will find banana trees, wonderful eatable red hibiscus you can pick for your salads or tea, many flowering tropical plants, hummingbirds, flycatchers as well as tanagers, often the toucans visit...a wonderful place to linger.

The Master bedroom with a large en-suite bathroom is located in the first floor has a comfortable King Size bed from where you can enjoy magnificent views of the Arenal Volcano and the surrounding rain forest. The bedroom has direct access to the wrap around terrace, a perfect place for sunrise and sunset, as well as a cup of coffee,or tea, or a glass of wine, and also a small private walk out balcony. Wake to the sunrise lighting the volcano with amazing colors. Watch the clouds rise from the forest floor (we are at the 2400 foot elevation dividing line between the rainforest and cloud forest). Heading upstairs you will find the guests bedroom, you will find a Queen size bed. Your bedroom has a walk out covered terrace, Your view from the upstairs terrace takes in the jungle, lake and volcano. Both baths have wonderful walk-in showers that blesses your body with spring water, heated by an on-demand water heater. There is a walk-in closet for your use as well.

Without even starting your car, you will be able to walk to our private waterfall, (we even have boots you can wear) go horseback riding right up the hill at Parrot Hill and/or walk to supper at a wonderful restaurant , Nepenthe Phoenix, hike and watch the wildlife. We are regularly visited by three kinds of toucans, howler monkeys as well as the spider monkeys, and have our "white hawks" circling. Many birds and insects can be found if you take the time to look. Otherwise a snuggle on the terrace, catch a quiet moment of serenity, or catch up on that book you have wanted to read. The air is fresh and clean, the water is tasty, and the setting is amazing.

It is unlikely we will be nearby while you are here, but you can reach us anytime by email if there are problems or something is not to your satisfaction. You can make reservations for any activities you want to participate in...Zip lining, hanging bridges, rafting, kayaking, hiking, eating, hot springs and much more. You will find a red binder in the house when you arrive. Inside you will find everything you need, telephone numbers, locations, names, information on how the house works, lists of our favorite places to eat, play and visit. You can spend a lot of time in this area and still have more to see and do.

We strongly recommend NOT making a lot of arrangements for activities or specific plans until you arrive, EXCEPT for reservations for Zip Lining and Rafting. Both of these are often sold out. When you get here, look in the red binder with tons of information on the house, the TV's, the trail to the waterfall, specific restaurants we love both here in El Castillo and La Fortuna. We will share some of our favorite places for hanging bridges walks, hot springs (our favorite has many pools of varying temperatures, water slides, peaceful places, swim-up bar, lets you be there all day and includes either lunch or dinner for $28-$50 per person, depending on the season). We will tell you about our most loved walks in the National Park area, a great restaurant for lunch if you choose to drive around Lake Arenal. This is rural Costa Rica, so you will be in a small town that mostly speaks Spanish, except for the various tourist all speak English as well.

You will have lots of room to do as you wish. There are no shades on any of the windows, so we tend to go to bed early and rise early. The views are just too magnificent to cover with cloth. And no one is near you to see in anyway. Please consider a 4WD vehicle. the 12KM road to the Arenal National Park entrance has many pot holes. On this road you will pass the park entrance and drive about 8KM almost to El Castillo. The 1.2KM drive to our house is gravel and often rutted and if raining it will be muddy. That road is up hill and and can be challenging. Can it be done with a small car, yes, but you will be a lot happier with a 4WD vehicle.

Your drive, either from San Jose or Liberia airport, will take approx. 3 hours to arrive at our house. YOU DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IN COSTA RICA AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO COSTA RICA BEFORE. So plan to arrive at the airport by Noon. We know, looking at a map, you believe you can get here a lot faster. But we have made the trip many times and it takes us about 3 hours to get here. Let us know your flight plans as soon as you can. If you cannot arrive by 6PM. plan to spend a night near the airport.

Property manager

Explore El Castillo

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Pool/Spa

  • Massages

Internet

  • WiFi available

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking options include a garage
  • On-site parking
  • Car required

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils
  • Toaster
  • Spices

Dining

  • Chef service

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 3 bathrooms
  • Hairdryer
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue
  • Garden

Comfort

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Chef

Location highlights

  • On the lake
  • In the mountains
  • In a rural location

Things to do

  • Swimming nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Wildlife and game walks nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby

Safety features

  • Fire extinguisher
  • Smoke detector

Similar properties

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

Property is also known as

360307

About the area

La Fortuna

Located in La Fortuna, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a lake. Tabacon Hot Springs and Los Lagos Hot Springs are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Arenal and Arenal Volcano. Arenal Eco Zoo and Butterfly Conservatory are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

What's nearby

  • Costa Rica Sky Adventures - 15 min drive
  • Arenal Volcano - 22 min drive
  • Arenal Volcano National Park - 27 min drive
  • Tabacon Hot Springs - 27 min drive
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park - 33 min drive

Getting around

  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • Restaurante Río Lounge - 44 min drive
  • Agua Ardiente Pool Bar - 26 min drive
  • Ave Restaurant - 26 min drive
  • Tucanes - 27 min drive
  • Restaurante El Jilguero - 23 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Romantic Retreat Volcano View! Waterfall Trail! located?

Situated on a lake, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Lake Arenal, Arenal Eco Zoo and Butterfly Conservatory. Arenal Volcano and Costa Rica Sky Adventures are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 72 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 78 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 78 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

4.0/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

James D.

Liked: Cleanliness
What a view
To say it has a great view is an understatement. Obviously, it has a great view from the living room, and master bedroom but it also has a great view from the kitchen, and shower. The kicker is the view from the toilet room, and even the carport! Then you step onto the massive wrap around porch and the view opens up even wider. WOW! Once you meet the on-site staff you'll realize the view of El Castillo is only surpassed by its people.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sheila F., Mentor MN

Liked: Cleanliness
Gorgeous view!!
We stayed here for 5 days and the house and views were amazing! We loved the serenity and beauty of the property even with the mile drive from the main road, which was very rough. Would recommend a 4 wheel drive vehicle. We ate breakfast at the Phoenix down the road, ventured out for dinner and drove to La Fortuna for a day to see sloths. Sky’s Adventures is just down the road to zip line and we took a horseback riding adventure to a hidden waterfall. This was a perfect location!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Thomas C.

Liked: Cleanliness
What a great place
The pictures do not do this home justice. Very clean, comfortable, great views, flowers everywhere. We would like to return next year. Convenient to many activities yet very quiet and private
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

G. Steven O.

Liked: Cleanliness
Heaven based at El Castillo
The nearly 180 degree view of Arenal Volcano and Arenal Lake are unsurpassed! With screens on windows and doors utilized - you can hear the birds and river below in the rain forest. The back of the house is basically glass - floors to ceilings. If we had this view in Indiana - could make a fortune !! The home and location make an indelible impression ! Thank you for the opportunity to stay here .
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Julie B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Incredible views!
This house was truly amazing. Absolutely fantastic views, and so peaceful (especially when the weather was clear!). Amenities were fantastic with everything basic we needed. The only drawback at all (if you can call it that) was that the wifi did not reach either of the bedrooms (a definite "concern" for our teenagers!). Although some may find this attractive! ;)
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Garry W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Remote Location
This house had the most amazing views from the deck, great room and bedrooms. We could see Lake Arenal, Arenal Volcano and an amazing rain forest. The views were worth the 1 mile bumpy road to get there. The caretakers were great and attended to our every need.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Thomas G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Peaceful Stay
We enjoyed our stay and the quietness of the area! We would stay here again. The birding is fantastic on the property.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Leigh W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing volcano and lake views!!
The White Hawk was truly amazing! The lush gardens, the multitude of birds, one visit from a few white faced monkeys, one coati, the comfy wraparound porches with various angles of views of the Volcano, all made it quite spectacular. We enjoyed a walk down to the Phoenix every morning for breakfast and made friends with sweet Juan and his wife Juliana. Their little dog Luna had a new litter of puppies which Juan allowed me to meet. Good people! The property manager Augustin was quick to respond to a few water issues and his daughter Juli came up our last afternoon for lovely massages on the porch. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting to check out the Arenal area. As others have said, the road up from El Castillo necessitates a 4 WD vehicle but just take your time and it is quite doable. And well worth it!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Teresa W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Breathtaking views
Me and my husband stayed here for 3 nights it is definitely a beautiful place the views from every room are amazing plenty of seating areas to enjoy nature ,saw many hummingbirds and butterflies a couple of Tucan birds on the trees the place is in great condition just the sliding doors had an issue one was very loose and one was hard to open felt pretty secure you definitely need a 4 wheel drive to get to the property didn’t get to walk down to the river as it had rained a lot and made it pretty muddy also my husband jus had shoulder surgery and didn’t want to take a chance of him slipping and falling but I would’ve love to go down to the river overall I would definitely stay here again if I get to this are .
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Great views, great home
We enjoyed watching the birds, private gardens, private hiking trails, and the private waterfalls. Oh, and the views were spectacular.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023