Lapa Rios Lodge (Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica)

By Admin

September 8, 2022

0

2

Wednesday newsletters at all times characteristic a lodge or flight overview.

I lately loved a terrific vacation in Miami & Costa Rica. You’ll be able to learn my journey reviews right here:

Evaluation: Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Enterprise Class from Frankfurt to Miami
Evaluation: Acqualina Resort on the Seaside, Miami, USA
Evaluation: Nayara Tented Camp, Arenal Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Evaluation: Nayara Springs & Backyard, Arenal Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Evaluation: Lapa Rios Lodge, Corcovado Nationwide Park, Costa Rica (at this time)
Evaluation: Los Altos Resort, Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park, Costa Rica
Evaluation: Andaz Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Evaluation: 4 Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Evaluation: Edeweiss Air Airbus A340 Enterprise Class from Liberia to Zurich

At this time: Evaluation of Lapa Rios Lodge (Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica)

Costa Rica’s pristine Osa Peninsula is blanketed by a few of the final remaining lowland tropical rainforest in Central America and edged by seashores wealthy with marine life. At its tip is Lapa Rios, a exceptional lodge surrounded by a 1,000-acre reserve, which helps to buffer the Osa Peninsula’s Corcovado Nationwide Park – dwelling to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and a daily characteristic on Nationwide Geographic’s nature documentaries. It could be arduous to discover a extra genuine rainforest expertise than this. You awaken to the mesmerizing sounds of the jungle, watch scarlet macaws glide by out of your non-public outside bathe, and set off into the bushes to discover with native guides whose information of the realm’s ecosystems runs deep. And but the expertise is stress-free too – there’s a secluded seaside, pleasant meals served al fresco, and an expensive bungalow awaiting you on the finish of the day.

Lapa Rios options in my prime 10 lists of the finest inns & resorts in Costa Rica, the finest issues to see & do in Costa Rica, and the most effective jungle lodges on the planet.

Have you ever ever stayed at Lapa Rios? In that case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

On this overview (extra data and images under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Lapa Rios is the most effective eco-lodge on the world-famous Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica’s most luxurious and distant rainforest vacation spot. Positioned on the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is dubbed some of the biologically intense locations on earth by Nationwide Geographic. The pristine peninsula is sure on the northwest by Drake Bay, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Golfo Dulce. The realm affords untouched pure surroundings, secluded wild seashores, and ample tropical wildlife encompassing lush major rainforest and a fancy system of freshwater and marine sources. Most vacationers will arrive on the Osa Peninsula by aircraft from San Jose (a one hour flight), and the journey from the airfield at Puerto Jiminez (the principle city on the peninsula) to the lodge is roughly 40 minutes (street switch is included within the room fee).

The prime purpose why friends select keep at Lapa Rios is its proximity to Corcovado Nationwide Park on the western aspect of the peninsula. Corcovado Nationwide Park covers practically half of the complete peninsula and encompasses 13 main ecosystems together with lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove swamps, in addition to coastal marine and seaside habitats. The park has one of many largest populations of scarlet macaws, monkeys and sloths in Costa Rica (and they’re often noticed). Different wildlife adventures embody encounters with tapirs on the seaside, watching herds of peccaries (sainos) within the jungle, and observing the fins of bull sharks within the river mouths. Much less generally seen species of the park embody the endangered jaguar and the puma. Almost all the lodges within the area -including Lapa Rios – supply day excursions to the park, though in a single day excursions are doable as nicely (and extremely suggest to permit extra time for wildlife recognizing).

Lapa Rios is ready in a large non-public reserve, whose objective is to completely shield 1,000 acres of Central America’s final remaining tropical lowland rainforest and act as a protecting barrier and wildlife hall for the 100,000-acre, mega-biodiverse Corcovado Nationwide Park. Solely a small a part of the reserve has been developed for the lodge, which – with out query – enjoys a spectacular, off–the–crushed–path location. Surrounded by the luxurious rainforest cover, the lodge is assortment of a number of pavilions which can be unfold alongside three excessive forest ridges, providing unobstructed ocean views of the Golfo Dulce (and the dawn). Attributable to its distant and eco-conscious location, friends don’t want to go away the property to identify an incredible array of wildlife: toucans, scarlet macaws, sloths, poison dart frogs and monkey frequent the lodge each day (quite a few privately guided strolling excursions are scheduled to extend your probabilities of recognizing wildlife).

Lapa Rios includes a easy but elegant design, herey placing the give attention to the spectacular surrounding fauna & flora as an alternative of the inside. The principle constructing is a thatched, semi-open pavilion, which homes a small reception space, boutique, eating room with wine cellar (referred to as Brisa Azul Restuarant), and an expansive terrace providing a stunning view of the rainforest cover and the Gulfo Dulce within the distance. A brief stroll from the principle lodge is a second, smaller thatched pavilion, dwelling to the lodge’s solely bar which additionally doubles as an al fresco breakfast or eating space (climate allowing). The bar overlooks the pool deck, comprised of a solar terrace with some loungers and a big & deep swimming pool. Elevated walkways join the lodge’s predominant buildings with the rooms additional down the hill. The entire lodge’s pavilions had been constructed utilizing wooden from fallen bushes and the thatch roofs had been comprised of domestically sourced palm fronds.

Lapa Rios options 17 rainforest villas, which are available 4 classes: Deluxe Bungalows, Matapalo Suites, Premier Villas, and Lapas Villas. Pemier Villas and Lapas Villas are the lodge’s latest lodging, that includes hardwood flooring and chic furnishings. These six new villas (4 of which have non-public swimming swimming pools) can accommodate as much as 6 friends (splendid for households) and in some circumstances may be configured as “adjoining“ for {couples} or mates touring collectively. Throughout my vacation, I stad in a Premier Villa, which featured a non-public wraparound terrace with snug lounge seating plus a refreshing outside rain bathe. Indoors, there was a spacious bed room with kingbed and sitting space, and an ensuite rest room with double vainness, a photo voltaic heated indoor bathe, and and natural facilities. Ground-to-ceiling screens let within the ocean breezes, and an air-cooling system over the mattress in addition to environment friendly eco-fans guarantee a cushty sleep, even on heat nights.

Lapa Rios was acquired by Boena Wilderness Lodges in 2019 and underwent a large renovation. Boena Wilderness Lodges is 100% Costa Rican owned and operated and has two different glorious lodges in Costa Rica: Pacuare Lodge and Tortuga Lodge. Through the renovation, the lodge’s meals choices had been redesigned by Boena Wilderness Lodges’ Greece-born Chef, George Belesis, who put the culinary give attention to responsibly-caught seafoods, grass-fed beef, hormone-free rooster and recent native veggies. All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are served à la carte within the property’s solely restaurant, Brisa Azul. The menus – which rotate each three days – characteristic dishes like sea bass fillet with herbs crust, served on prime of citrus flavored cassava with grilled corn and broccoli cream. A plant primarily based menu is availalble as nicely with dishes like chilly mango and ginger soup, or falawel wrap with chickpeas, grilled zucchini, bell pepper, roasted eggplant, cucumber, carrot and guacamole

The shut proximity to the tender sand, light swimmable waters of Playa Pan Dulce units Lapa Rios aside from most different rainforest lodges within the space. Prior to now, friends of the lodge primarily reached the seaside (positioned on the backside of the hill) on foot and lacked the facilities to take pleasure in a full seaside day in consolation. However since its takeover by Boena Wilderness Lodges, Lapa Rios began providing day by day on-demand complimentary seaside switch to close by Playa Pan Dulce (solely a 5 min drive within the lodge’s personal 4WD autos). In additio, the lodge put some lounge chairs & refreshments on the seaside to create a distant & non-public “seaside membership” expertise for its friends (though there is no such thing as a workers close by, so don’t count on an excessive amount of). The gray sand seaside itself is attractive and feels distant (because you gained’t encounter different vacationers, aside from different friends of Lapa Rios). Browsing may be organized via a neighborhood clothes shop on the far finish of the seaside, which affords glorious gear and nice instructors.

Lapa Rios has sustainability in its DNA. The lodge’s working philosophy has at all times been that accountable tourism ought to profit and respect native communities, and supply native individuals with viable financial alternatives that prioritize conservation over extraction. For instance, a compulsory conservation payment of $25 USD per visitor is charged, which helps Corcovado Nationwide Park via the hiring of two administrative personnel. This retains park rangers away from the workplace desks and out on patrol via the park the place they will finest handle the fixed threats of unlawful looking, unlawful logging and unlawful gold mining. The lodge has additionally partnered with the Wildlife Division on the Nationwide College of Costa Rica to finance an intensive examine of the Osa Peninsula’s peccary & jaguar populations via the usage of digicam traps (30 digicam traps have already been donated to the group of researchers). Lapa Rios additionally boasts a sturdy system of 220 photo voltaic panels and 10 nano generators that present the property with 100% of its power wants.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Lapa Rios’s 17 rainforest villas are linked to the principle lodge by an extended elevated walkway, which tumbles down a hill with many steps alongside the way in which. In case you have difficulties strolling, staying at Lapa Rios could be an actual problem. However even for match vacationers, the stroll up the steps to the principle lodge could be a problem (particularly given the humidity of the Osa Peninsula). For those who don’t prefer to climb stairs, request a villa near the principle lodge. The Premier Villas and Lapa Villas are positioned within the lowest a part of the resort, thus fartest away from the principle lodge, however they’ve benefit that they are often reached by automotive (and on-request, complimentary shuttle service is offered).

Most villas are constructed as duplex villas, whereby two villas are hooked up to 1 different. Because of this, you might hear the friends on the terrace within the villa subsequent to you. It’s nothing too unhealthy and the villas are 100% non-public, however it could actually distract slightly from being completely emerged within the surrounding rainforest.

Lapa Rios is positioned within the coronary heart of a jungle reserve, and is dwelling to many animals, together with huge spiders, snakes, scorpions and different forest dwellers. If their presence close by freaks you out (though chances are high very small you’d encounter one contained in the villa), then Costa Rica won’t be the most effective vacation spot for you. For many visitor although, exploring the jungle and its magical wildlife is the principle purpose to remain at Lapa Rios (depend me in).

Lapa Rios affords complimentary shuttle service (5 min) to close by Playa Pan Dulce, stunning, rugged, abandoned seaside with crashing surf and great tide swimming pools to chill off in. As talked about above, the lodge put some lounge chairs on the seaside to create a “seaside membership” expertise for its friends however there is no such thing as a workers close by (or at the very least, that was not the case once I visited the seaside on two separate events), so don’t count on an excessive amount of. Additionally, there are usually not sufficient seaside chairs; for instance, throughout certainly one of my two visits, a big household had taken all of the loungers, leaving the opposite friends with no different choice than strolling alongside the seaside (which was not vital a foul factor).

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 8/10
Rooms: 8/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Worth for cash: 8/10
Total expertise: superb 8,4/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Lower your expenses: learn right here my ideas for getting the most effective deal at a luxurious lodge like Lapa Rios (and/or obtain many free perks).

Lower your expenses: get complimentary VIP perks when reserving through Virtuoso (e.g. improve, day by day breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD meals & beverage credit score).

Learn my ideas for making ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The perfect time to go to Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula is the dry season, which lasts from mid-December to mid-April, as there’s a smaller probability of being drenched within the rain. The wet season (or “inexperienced” season) is usually from Could to November: it might rain for a number of days in a row and torrential rains are frequent (the Osa Peninsula is without doubt one of the nation’s wettests spots). I like to recommend towards touring to the Osa Pensinsula within the wet season as roads could be inaccessible due to flooding and mountaineering trails in Corcovado Park could be closed with out discover (trapping vacationers for days).

HOW TO GET THERE

The simplest & quickest option to attain Lapa Rios is by flight (50 min) from the capital metropolis, San Jose, to the Puerto Jimenez airstrip. Sansa Airways supply day by day flights from San Jose. As soon as in Puerto Jimenez, it’s a forty five min drive to Lapa Rios (switch is offered by the lodge).