Surrounded by serene natural beauty, this property offers a warm and inviting atmosphere with well-designed outdoor spaces for wildlife viewing. Delight in homemade meals, a refreshing pool, and the soothing sounds of the river and wildlife at night.
Located in La Tigra, San Rafael Ecolodge is in a rural area and on the waterfront. While the natural beauty of La Fortuna Waterfall and Arenal Volcano National Park can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can explore Costa Rica Chocolate Tour. Travelling with kids? Don't miss Arenal Adventure World. Kayaking and rafting offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking and ecotours nearby. Visit our La Tigra travel guide
La Tigra, San Carlos, La Tigra, Alajuela
What's nearby
La Altura Viewpoint
17 min drive - 7.1 km
Children's Eternal Rainforest
18 min drive - 6.7 km
Proyecto Asis
30 min drive - 10.9 km
Quesada City Park
54 min drive - 32.9 km
Camara de Ganaderos de San Carlos
56 min drive - 36.7 km
Getting around
San José (SJO-Juan Santamaría Intl.)
123 min drive
Restaurants
Restaurante Ross
17 min drive
Soda Idaly
11 min drive
Restaurante del Finca Luna Nueva Lodge
15 min drive
Restaurante Típico Mi Pueblo
17 min drive
Termales Del Valle
18 min drive
About this property
San Rafael Ecolodge
Luxury family-friendly hotel near Proyecto Asis
At San Rafael Ecolodge, you can look forward to free continental breakfast, a poolside bar and a terrace. Active travellers can enjoy cycling at this hotel. For some rest and relaxation, visit the outdoor treatment areas, and indulge in a facial, a massage or a body wrap. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Colibrí Restaurant, the on-site family restaurant. In addition to an art gallery on-site and a garden, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy the following perks during your stay:
An outdoor pool, along with sunloungers
Free self-parking
Bike hire, a round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge) and a front desk safe
Barbecues, a gift shop and a computer station
Room features
All guest rooms are individually furnished, and offer comforts, such as private pools and premium bedding, as well as perks, such as laptop-friendly workspaces and air conditioning.
Extra amenities include:
Reusable coffee/tea filters and recycling
17 bathrooms with rainfall showers and free toiletries
32-inch Smart TVs with cable channels
Private gardens, wardrobes/cupboards and electric kettles
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool access is from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
How much does it cost to stay at San Rafael Ecolodge?
As of 25 Oct 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at San Rafael Ecolodge on 26 Oct 2026 start from HK$635, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is San Rafael Ecolodge pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at San Rafael Ecolodge?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at San Rafael Ecolodge?
Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Late check-in is available from 7:30 PM to
10:30 PM for a fee of USD 45.
What time is check-out at San Rafael Ecolodge?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Does San Rafael Ecolodge provide a shuttle to the airport?
Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 170 per vehicle applies.
Where is San Rafael Ecolodge located?
This family-friendly La Tigra hotel is located on the riverwalk, 5.4 mi (8.7 km) from Proyecto Asis, and within 16 mi (25 km) of Arenal Adventure World and Costa Rica Chocolate Tour. La Fortuna Waterfall and Arenal Volcano National Park are also within 25 mi (40 km).
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Reviews
San Rafael Ecolodge Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
Giovanni and Luis are great hosts, very helpful, welcoming and accomodating throughout my stay. Excellent service, clean rooms and beautiful views all around. Would highly recommend and visit again!
This is a charming resort. Luis and Giovanni were gracious, welcoming, and helpful! They pointed out several attractions. We very much enjoyed our stay and recommend this location.
This place is worth going to. It was absolutely beautiful and very clean. It deserves a 5 stars! The owners were very friendly and I’m glad I stayed there.
Clean rooms and friendly staff. La Fortuna is about a 30 min drive. The friendly (Giovanni and Louis) make the drive worth it. We were able to spot sloth from the facility (guess we were lucky). I would definitely recommend it if you are on a budget.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Matthew
4 Jan 2026
Giovanni and Luis were fantastic, warm and welcoming hosts. Their attention to our needs was second to none, and the breakfasts were excellent! I recommend anyone traveling to the Fortuna area, looking to get a bit more into nature, consider their ecolodge the first choice. You won’t be disappointed!
The property was in the forest saw a sloth, frogs, toucan.
Giovani and Louis were just outstanding with everything helping with where to go great breakfast and lunch showing us all the critters at night it was one of the best experiences so far on our trip
Little gem in the forest! The property is very clean and well maintained. Very relaxing. Our room had no space for clothes, but we managed.
We had dinner there and the food was great.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Peter
30 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It was a true pleasure staying at San Rafael Ecolodge. We enjoyed the homemade food, natural environment (where we spotted a baby sloth), pool, and proximity to La Tigra and surrounding sights. Giovanni's hospitality, as well as all the hotel staff, including Luis and the talented chef, was above and beyond what we could have expected. We stayed for two nights as apart of our honeymoon—our only regret was not staying longer.
Great stay about 30 min drive from busy and touristy La Fortuna town. The hosts were phenomenal: accommodating, friendly, everything was taken care of. Great homemade food! What a wonderful stay, will return in the future for sure.
Such a quiet place where you can really enjoy nature. Staff was wonderful, all of them were very friendly and kind. Delicious food. With no doubt I recommend this place.
Giovanni and Luis are super welcoming, helpful and flexible. Their place is really unique in the region, quiet and confortable. We truly enjoyed our stay at San Rafael.
This is the best possible place to stay in Costa Rica! Not only because of the great location in the rainforest, all the sloths on the property, and great facilities, but mostly because the hosts Giovanni and Luis run the best lodge in the country. They will go the extra mile to make sure you are comfortable and treat you like family! They also cook the best food I’ve ever had in Costa Rica. 11/10!
Wonderful staff, extremely hospitable and helpful. Great food; we ate breakfast and dinner there. So nice to hear the river and the wildlife at night, just outside the hotel. A little far removed from the main town of La Fortuna (took about half an hour to get there) but that suited us fine.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Damodar
26 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
We had great time. Giovani and luise are very caring. We were lucky enough to see armadillo from our patio. It is an Ecolodge and is surrounded by woods. It is in La tiagra and is about 30 min drive to get in to La Fortuna.
In San Rafael the breakfast area is ery nice with pool and wood view. It itself looks like a bird and animal sanctuary.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review
8/10 Good
Shankar
28 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Nice quiet offbeat location, away from the hustle bustle of La Fortuna. The downside being, u r 40-45min away from most activities. Rooms we were nice & clean with each cilla/apartment having a nice private outdoor sitting space. The staff was extremely courteous treating you more like family than guest. There us a small strwam running through the property. So the sound of running water amidst the dense green canopy gives the full feel of rainforest.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Amy
30 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at San Rafael Ecolodge. The 2 bedroom villa we stayed in was perfect for us and was accessible. We could park right by our door. We saw toucans, lots of birds, blue jeans dart frogs, a baby sloth, and more on the property. We felt comfortable and at home. It is a peaceful place. It was really perfect for us. The sofa on our back porch overlooking the jungle was a highlight of our trip. We sat there each morning looking and listening for birds. The food was good. The location is central to many activities/places. We look forward to returning!
Hospitality is a top priority here. All our wishes were immediately fulfilled by Giovanni and his staff, whether it was about eating or laundry. The apartment had everything it needed, everything was very clean and the beds were comfortable. The location is quiet, the garden beautiful and supermarkets are nearby. Me and my daughters would come back any time.
Hosts were super nice and helpful, the area was beautiful and very clean. They have the cutest dog who is super friendly well trained and loves to play. The pool was very clean. House was nice, but the bathroom door in the house we stayed at was very hard to close. There was also a hole where a lizard crawled through. Didn’t both us much though because besides that the place and hosts were lovely and we had a great stay!
It is difficult to put my seven days at San Rafael Ecolodge into words, because even now reflecting on this experience brings tears to my eyes. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, this place truly felt like heaven on earth.
From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed by Giovanni, Luis, and Thor, the sweetest dog imaginable. Their warmth, kindness, and sense of humor immediately made me feel at home. This is not an ordinary hotel stay—it feels more like coming home to family.
As a solo female traveler, feeling safe is incredibly important, and I cannot recommend San Rafael Ecolodge highly enough to other women traveling alone. I felt completely safe, cared for, and genuinely welcomed throughout my stay.
The room was beautiful, the food delicious, and the property itself peaceful and lovingly maintained. Giovanni arranged unforgettable adventures and shared the incredible wildlife, including a family of sloths living on the property. Luis kept everything immaculate and made sure I always had everything I needed.
Costa Rica captured my soul, and San Rafael Ecolodge captured my heart. I arrived as a guest, but I left feeling like family. Without a doubt, this has become my second home.
Until we meet again… Pura Vida. ❤️🇨🇷
Peaceful retreat in La Tigra. Giovanni and Luis are the nicest people you are likely to meet. Even when we had a middle of the night emergency, they handled it with such grace and care. Their lodge is clean, quiet and the restaurant serves fresh delicious local food. Each morning staff would take the time to show us where the local sloth was hanging out in the property trees. La Tigra is small and quiet, and a bit of a drive from La Fortuna, but the roads are good and we felt it worth it to stay in such a peaceful area. There are also several local sights very close by that are also worth visiting. We had a well appointed suite with twin beds for the children, double for us and a kitchen/lounge area. Very comfortable stay. We'd love to visit again.