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A magical eco-retreat offering luxurious tents, stellar service, jungle adventures, and private pools in Costa Rica’s Arena Volcano National Park.
Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
2019
year opened
37
rooms
$
900
starting rate
3 hours
from airport
key features
Sleep
Animal encounters
Hiking
Outdoor pool
Babysitting
2-4 bedroom residences
Door separating kid & adult sleeping areas
Food available before 7am
Kitchen in room
Outside space
Crib fits in closet or extra bathroom
Coffee shop
2+ restaurants on site
Eat
Animal encounters
Hiking
Outdoor pool
Babysitting
2-4 bedroom residences
Door separating kid & adult sleeping areas
Food available before 7am
Kitchen in room
Outside space
Crib fits in closet or extra bathroom
Coffee shop
2+ restaurants on site
Play (on land)
Animal encounters
Hiking
Outdoor pool
Babysitting
2-4 bedroom residences
Door separating kid & adult sleeping areas
Food available before 7am
Kitchen in room
Outside space
Crib fits in closet or extra bathroom
Coffee shop
2+ restaurants on site
Play (in the water)
Animal encounters
Hiking
Outdoor pool
Babysitting
2-4 bedroom residences
Door separating kid & adult sleeping areas
Food available before 7am
Kitchen in room
Outside space
Crib fits in closet or extra bathroom
Coffee shop
2+ restaurants on site
Experience it
See what a stay really looks like with kids.
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sleep
- 37 total tents: 29 standard, 6 family, and 2 private residences. All are well spaced and private.
- Tents feel more like villas, with substantial construction and design.
- All rooms feature a private hot springs plunge pool (can be cooled), indoor/outdoor showers, A/C, electricity, and volcano views. Each has a walk-in closet large enough for a crib, closed by a curtain.
- Nayara Tents (1,700 sq ft): King bed + 2 daybeds in one room. Best for families of 4 or those with young kids who don’t need separate spaces.
- Family Tents (2,860 sq ft): Two connected tents — one with a king bed, one with 2 queens — linked by a covered walkway. Located higher on the property with excellent views, but farther from central amenities. Plunge pool is only accessible through the main tent.
- Two 4-bedroom residences (Casa Paloma & Casa Dana): Each combines 2 Family Tents with a non-tented villa (kitchen, living room, dining room). Sleeps up to 12, with private hot springs pools and an infinity pool.
- The Grand Tent: A smaller version of the residences, with 1 Family Tent plus the villa.
- Parents value the free laundry service — especially helpful after outdoor adventures.
- Guests appreciate the nightly turndown service.
- Beds have mosquito nets, though rarely needed thanks to screened doors and provided bug spray. Despite the rainforest setting, most guests report very few insects inside.
- Volcano views are often spectacular but can be clouded over.
- Nayara Gardens is a good alternative if Tented Camp is out of budget, offering similar amenities with less dramatic views.
play
- Service is top-notch — staff go above and beyond to make sure you have a great stay. Many guests rate this as one of the best places they’ve ever stayed.
- Activities are available for kids of all ages, though some of the more adventurous options have age minimums.
- Free daily activities include looking for sloths (guides map the location of their 18+ resident sloths), birdwatching, and frog tours.
- Paid activities include visiting the nearby hanging bridges, ziplining, canyoning, rafting, and horseback riding.
- There is no kids club, but babysitting can be arranged. There’s also a fun mixology class for adults.
- Four nights is generally a good amount of time to stay here — pair it with a beach stay for a weeklong trip.
- The resort feels secluded but is only a 10-minute drive from the town of La Fortuna.
- Six mineral hot spring pools (at varying temperatures) and an infinity pool with volcano views are a highlight.
- Parents say this resort works well for infants and kids as young as 4–5. Toddlers are welcome too, though activity options are more limited.
- Kids also enjoy simply exploring the property and walking across the bridges connecting the three resorts.
eat
- Food is considered very good to excellent, though on the expensive side.
- Rooms are stocked daily with fresh fruit, snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks — all included.
- Breakfast is included and opens at 6:30am. You can also fill out a card the night before to have it delivered to your room — a popular option for families.
- Coffee is excellent, as expected.
- Nayara Tented Camp has one restaurant and three bars. Guests also have access to dining at Nayara Gardens (family-friendly) and Nayara Springs (adults-only), a short golf cart ride away.
- Restaurants accommodate dietary restrictions and picky eaters.
- Most guests dine on property, but you can also head into La Fortuna for more options.
The details
What room setup does your family need, at minimum?
We're having you search by beds, rather than number and age of kids, because every family sleeps differently.
King/queen bed includes pullout sofas
Kid-size bed includes sofas (not pullout), twin beds, or rollaway beds
Results show rooms that meet or exceed your minimum.
If you move forward with booking, we'll make sure the hotel has an accurate guest count,
King/queen bed includes pullout sofas
Kid-size bed includes sofas (not pullout), twin beds, or rollaway beds
Results show rooms that meet or exceed your minimum.
If you move forward with booking, we'll make sure the hotel has an accurate guest count,
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Must haves
No items found.
Kids Club
Pools
Beach
Babysitting
Activities
Travel & transportation
- This hotel isn’t easy to get to (but most guests say it’s worth it). The road is windy and bumpy, tough for those prone to motion sickness.
- About a 3-hour drive from both San José (SJO) and Liberia (LIR) airports.
- Private transportation through the hotel is recommended. Drivers are flexible if you need breaks along the way.
- Alternatively, you can charter a flight to a local airstrip (about 45 minutes from the hotel).
- On property, most guests rely on the hotel’s golf carts to get around — the grounds are steep and hilly, but on-demand rides are usually quick.
Leave it at home - they have it!
- Cribs
- Highchairs
Ready to Book Your Stay?
Book through us (no additional cost) for access to perks like resort credit, free breakfast, priority for upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, and price-drop tracking. Plus, we'll manage all the communication with the hotel, so all you have to do is show up.
Still have questions about this hotel?
If so, we bet other parents do too. Email amy@hotelswithkids.com and we'll get them answered!
If you're a hotel employee and would like us to update any information on this property, email help@hotelswithkids.com
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