Lapa Rios Ecolodge
Senderos Soul
The Osa Peninsula holds great mystique for many travellers - possibly considered the last frontier of Costa Rica; difficult to get to and home to some of the wildest terrain and most incredible wildlife and birdlife in the country. My arrival at Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge, after a short plane journey and car ride, set the tone for the rest of the stay. Before even shedding my luggage, I headed straight for the viewing platform just in front of the restaurant and felt completely immersed in the forest while still floating above most of the canopy and spotted some extraordinary birdlife and wildlife all around me. I was overwhelmed, and that memory has had a lasting impact. Throughout my stay there, never have I spotted so many toucans in the skyline - with their distinctively shaped bills silhouetted against the light, while the buzz of hummingbirds was interspersed with the constant squawks of macaws flying overhead in pairs. Not to mention the families of howler, squirrel, capuchin and spider monkeys leaping from tree to tree past the more sedate sloths. A veritable tropical paradise!
- Nicola, Senderos
Key Facts
No. of rooms: 17, all with bathrobes, hairdryer, organic cotton linens, biodegradable toiletries, ceiling fans, Air cooling canopies in Premier and Lapa Villas, morning tea delivery and turndown service
Room Categories:
Deluxe Bungalow (9) (79m²) Open-air netted room with king or 2 queen beds, ensuite shower bathroom, private deck with sunloungers, hammock and ocean views, and alfresco shower garden
Matapalo Suites (2) (slightly larger than the Deluxe Bungalows) The suites closest to the main reception area and restaurant have brick walls, glass windows and sliding doors. They have Air Conditioning and very spacious bathrooms, for an extra comfortable stay. They are particularly designed for guests with less mobility.
Premier Villa (2) (139m²) Standalone villa with king or 2 queen beds, ensuite shower bathroom, living area, reading nook, wraparound deck with sunloungers, hammock and ocean views, and alfresco shower garden
Lapa Villa (4) (156.5m²) Standalone villa with king or 2 queen beds, ensuite shower bathroom, living area, reading nook, wraparound deck with plunge pool, sunloungers, hammock, outdoor lounge and ocean views, and alfresco shower garden
Package basis: Full board (includes 3 meals a day, non-alcoholic drinks, on-site guided tours, yoga classes, transfers to and from Puerto Jimenez; excludes alcoholic drinks)
Excursion detail: On-site guided nature walks are included in the price. Guests can also opt to surf, horse ride, zipline, go whale watching and sport fishing, and visit Corcovado National Park. Private guides available for extra fee if requested in advance.
From Price: (2024) USD$634 per person per night in a Deluxe Bungalow Double (Green Season) + $25 Conservation Fee
For full rates see the links in Gallery and Resources box below
Min age: 6
Dates of operation: All year
Facilities: Open-air Brisa Azul restaurant and bar, saltwater pool, spa, evening talks with naturalists
Internet: Throughout the lodge
Minimum stay: 1 nights (4 nights in holiday season, 22.12.24 – 03.1.25)
Senderos recommends: 4 nights, to take advantage of the fabulous excursions and have some downtime at the hotel, just sitting, watching the wildlife around you.
Stories:
Senderos stories celebrate the positive impact that sustainable and regenerative tourism can bring to destinations, communities and the environment.
- Click here to discover the insightful interview with Priscilla Murillo, Lapa Rios’s sustainability manager (see below).
“We have a responsibility to make sure that the locations we are in not only remain ‘pristine paradises’ but become even better through the work we do. It’s about far more than just doing less harm, it’s about creating a net-positive impact.”
Sustainability
Lapa Rios is a world-famous model for eco-tourism and has won many awards for its sustainability initiatives.
- Set in a private reserve, whose purpose is to permanently protect 1,000 acres of Central America’s last remaining tropical lowland rainforest and act as a protective barrier and wildlife corridor for the 100,000-acre, mega-biodiverse Corcovado National Park.
- Practises include solar energy, biomass boilers, fully biodegradable cleaning products, no single-use plastics (reusable water bottles), and the imaginative production of biogas (using their pigs!) to power the kitchen. Guests can take a ‘Twigs, Pigs and Garbage’ tour of the various Green initiatives, and can each plant a primary rainforest seedling as part of the hotel’s reforestation project.
- Since its inception, the lodge has worked in close harmony with the local communities, setting up the Carbonera school to educate children, and teaching adults about conservation practises and alternative ways of feeding a family other than ‘slashing and burning’ the rainforest. Their latest project is to encourage remote villages to grow organic produce, which the hotel can then buy for the restaurant, thus encouraging their sustainable development.
- Lapa Rios is a GER (Global Ecosphere Retreat) of the The Long Run – having undergone a vigorous recognition process
- More information here
Need to know:
- Costa Rica’s most authentic and immersive rainforest experience, bringing guests face-to-face with 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity.
- Excellent excursions (rainforest walks, night walks, local medicine hikes, wild waterfall experience, Osa trail and sunset and sunrise birding), all with world-class nature guides.
- Guest experiences on the beach, curated by the lodge
- Luxurious open-air bungalows perched atop a ridge and enveloped by the jungle. Delicious imaginative organic food in the restaurant, made from local and sustainable produce.
- The lodge is a global pioneer in eco tourism. Sustainability is ingrained in the guest experience.
- Part of the Boena Group which also includes Pacuare Lodge, Tortuga Lodge and Monteverde Lodge
Perfect for:
Wildlife and eco enthusiasts – this is the place to stay in Costa Rica.
Getting there
Lapa Rios sits on the Osa Peninsula, on the south west coast of Costa Rica, overlooking the point at which the Pacific Ocean meets the Golfo Dulce.
By Road
It’s a 7-hour drive from San Jose International Airport; transfers can be arranged.
By Air
Guests can also take a hopper flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez air strip, from where it’s a 45-minute transfer to the hotel.
Gallery & Resources
Follow this link to the Senderos Resources for Lapa Rios to access:
- Images, our selection
- Fact sheets
- Presentations
- Rack rates
- Excursion lists
- And other useful information.
Boena also has its own Media Kit with more photos and material.
Weather
With a tropical climate the weather is generally hot and sunny
Green Season (May-October): a few hours of rain, generally in the afternoon. Temperatures range from 21-31 degrees C.
Dry Season (November-April): temperatures range from 23-34 degrees C.