Reviews of Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga 3 stars

The food was phenomenal! This place really feels like a retreat from the world-- but is also close to activities, so you can opt in or out, choose your own adventure.

Nothing!

Super great hotel complex, with a view of the volcano. We could see more animals from our room than on the hike in the national park! The staff were super nice and helpful, the food was awesome and everything was very clean👍

Breakfast was excellent. The staff was very attentive and nice, very personable. They were great in answering questions and organizing activities. The location is just beautiful, with a wonderful view at the volcano and in the midst of the rainforest. The farm is very unique.

The room could have a couple more hooks to hang our wet towels or clothes. Also the walls were very thin. We could hear a phone conversation of our next door neighbor very well. Overall not a big deal. We could still sleep very well

Essence Arenal is very authentic and genuinely beautiful! It is far from Fortuna and it’s ugly restaurants and stores. Very quiet! Great view on the volcano! The park and farm around are amazing. You live very close to the forest and can observe the birds and insects quietly. The yoga classes are excellent and very inspiring in this gorgeous surrounding. The food is delicious, cooked mostly from the products of the eco farm. The personnel is absolutely dedicated and adorable !! I recommend for people in search of simplicity and beauty! Better with a car even though I didn’t have one and managed a few excursions ( taxis are expensive and scarce !)

Food was good, and great options for veggies. Nice to be so near the lake and town . Had a wonderful massage and joined in with yoga one morning

The room was quite small for 4 of us and no air con.

The staff is very friendly, proactive, and helpful. The property is a yoga retreat and bio farm. Meals are prepared with ingredients from the farm. Spa, massage, and other services are available. Dinner was vegetarian and delicious every time, and I haven't yet attained to the height of vegetarianism. The location was in close proximity to Lake Arenal with the volcano just on the other side, Sky Adventures ziplining and hanging bridges, the waterfalls and hot springs. La Fortuna is a bit further away. Views from here are great. Several paths to walk and sight see directly on property.

There's nothing that I didn't like and there were no negative surprises. My only regret is not having more time to explore the property's trails and take advantage of the spa circuit. Also, the butterfly conservatory just a short walk down the hill also features a frog sanctuary. My schedule didn't allow for me to visit, but another guest at Essence reported really enjoying her visit.

This place is amazing! This was my forth trip to Costa Rica, I stayed at Essence Arenal for two full weeks. From the service to the farm, the food, the trails, the trees… I could go on forever! Howler monkey troupe near or on property, red eyed tree frogs galore. Having the Butterfly Conservatory within walking distance was so incredible! I went there a total of 3 times and each time was better than the first! Miguel in reception was always on point and on top of booking any excursions or scheduling transportation. Aurelio absolutely blew my mind with his knowledge and passion for Cacao and the ecology of both the property itself and the rainforest in general. I just can’t say enough about how this place is a one stop full emersion into the Costa Rican experience!

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Breakfast, lunch and dinner was excellent, healthy, well balanced and delicious. The view from property captures the volcano, the lake and the beautiful green and lush mountainous landscapes. The environment is paradise at its best - stress free, healing and comforting.

I loved everything at Essence Arenal: The staff is amazing, a feeling of being with your own loving family who genuinely cares about your every comfort. There are activities to educate and keeps you busy. Essence Arenal is a happy place.

I had a wonderful time at this location. Super friendly, willing to help with every request and super nice people. A special shout out to Nicola who was super helpful. Perfect place to relax and rejuvenate.

It is a beautiful property at a great location so peaceful and the hosts are also very kind and helpful. Super cosy and nice accommodation that I would highly recommend.

It’s so beautiful; incredible nature immersive experience; loved the fresh, healthy food; friendly staff; enjoyed the hiking; and had a great massage!

Really beautiful; stunning views; great design.

Essence was great. Right in the middle of the jungle with the volcano towering over. Keep in mind, this is more of a budget resort. That being said, it’s a 5 star budget option. The staff are amazing. Miguel helped us out with everything and helped book a 4 hour horseback tour with a local to a private waterfall. There are private rooms, but we stayed in the tents for a more wild-like experience and it was incredible.

The sauna and jacuzzi were nice, but not nice enough they should charge for it. Would be a nice add on to the stay.

Sounds of the birds/insects in the forest at dusk

The property is in a beautiful location on a hill surrounded by nature. It is really quiet and you can hear the birds and monkeys from your room. We stayed in the tent which was really comfortable with a shared bathroom. Everything was very clean. The food was amazing and there are so many activities such as massage, spa and tours. The staff was really friendly and helpful. We would definitely recommend staying here if you are looking for a peaceful place.

I stayed in the Bonita Vista cabin, and wow… that view of the Arenal volcano was next level. No neighbors, just pure peace and quiet in the middle of nature, with a private little plunge pool to cool off. The cabin came with a small kitchen and a fridge, so I could cook my own meals — not that I was ever in a rush to leave paradise. I spotted birds, a toucan (!!), and wandered the lovely forest trails around the property… I loved everything.

Now, full disclosure: to reach the cabin, you have to drive across a ravine and tackle a driveway that is very very VERY steep — like, hold-your-breath-and-pray steep. It’s totally doable, but mildly terrifying. Inside the cabin, it would’ve been great to have a real dining table with chairs — right now it’s more of a lounge setup with low sofas and a coffee table, which isn’t ideal for meals. Also, no outdoor chairs by the cabin, so I may or may not have “borrowed” a couple from the pool area. Worth it.

The whole Resort invites for walks through the Djungle, very good breakfast and vegetarian Lunch and Dinner, very nice staff and owner! Wonderful view from the casita and the bed into the jungle.

The Casita could be equiped better, the sleeping room was smelling moldy.

What an amazing location and place to learn about Costa Rica. The food was wonderful and the people even better. The nature tours here with Aurelio were incredible. He is so knowledgeable and passionate about the land, I learned so much, and he has such a wonderful personality, we went on all 3 tours. It's nice to see where your money goes- to the PEOPLE- and not big resorts and tour operators. Incredible place!

Hated leaving!!

I loved this place! Great hospitality. Loved all the nature closeby. I also loved the cozy/family vibe with the kitchen/food they would make. Every meal was delicious! Especially the set-menu dinners. The yoga was great and so were the on-site services.

The rooms were not the best, a bit run down but clean nonetheless. The rest of the amenities and the nature make up for it. I also got dirty vibes from the pool and didn’t go in. Not sure if it is cleaned properly/maintained. During the night tour we saw frogs in there. Also, be prepared that this is about 30-40 minutes away from La Fortuna downtown. You can book a shuttle into the city from the hotel but it might be pricey if you are going alone more than once. You can find other people who are staying there to split the shuttle with. They also open up a tab for people who don’t book through the retreat websites which could have miscalculations so be sure to keep track of what you are purchasing there so the numbers align.

The Nature around was beautiful, and the food in the restaurant was nice.

We felt very isolated, and it was very difficult to get around, without spending a lot of money, so I really don’t recommend going there without a car. We ended up leaving 3 days early, because we felt so isolated. The room was lacking some amenities, space to hang your clothes, a trash can and it would have been nice with a little fridge. Besides that the pool was sooo dirty and it took 15-20 min to get to the pool.

Beautiful nature

Electricity system was not stable