Recommended duration
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Recommended duration
Price per night per adult
Named after the ‘River of Scarlet Macaws’: Lapa (meaning scarlet macaw) Rios (river), bears witness to the beautiful birds that stream across the rainforest canopy between the lodge and the ocean, affording stunning views.
Lapa Rios is a 930 acre private nature reserve located at the southern-most tip of the Osa Peninsula, Central America’s last remaining lowland dense tropical rainforest. On the western Pacific coast of Costa Rica, it acts as a wildlife corridor to Corcovado National Park. It is home to 2.5% of the biodiversity of the whole world, probably – it is not even known exactly how many unidentified species there may be, the primary forest being so dense. Costa Rica is certainly known for its living laboratory of nature with its 850 species of birds (319 in Lapa Rios!), 200 mammal species, reptiles, trees and plants.
“Visit the local community, take incredible tours with reserve guides, or neighbouring excursions, kayaking in the ocean mangroves, surfing on the local beach, or dolphin and whale watching in the huge bay where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific Ocean.”
Lapa Rios is an iconic ecolodge, built by pioneering founders and opened in 1993 – when eco-tourism existed in few travellers’ minds.
Costa Rica’s first ecolodge to gain a coveted 5 Leaf rating for Sustainable Tourism.
Luxurious bungalows have stunning views over the rainforest and ocean.
Immerse in a private nature reserve of precious primary rainforest ecosystem.
Supports conservation, education and local community extensively.
Incredible tours, activities & wildlife to experience including on-site sustainability.
Restaurant dishes up sustainably sourced seafood and tropical ingredients grown on-site
The Lapa Rios Reserve (all primary forest) is exclusive to registered guests, with amazing wildlife-watching from its bungalow balconies, restaurant terrace and incredible canopy rooftop look-out gallery, and even from the paths, where you might spot monkeys, toucans and sloths.
Kick back and relax in a hammock, the natural spa or swimming pool, take a yoga class or massage, or choose an active experience that supports Lapa Rios’ original and ongoing vision of education and exploration. Take a hike along the miles of trails and absorb spectacular waterfalls, or embark on an expert staff naturalist-led interpretive guided tour, showcasing not just rainforest species but also the interrelatedness of all the biodiversity, or enjoy a visit to the local community.
The 17 private luxurious bungalows and shared areas are all designed in harmony with surrounding forest and beaches, and built with locally harvested materials. Open-air, but protective, screens allow you to be immersed in the sounds, sights and smells of the primary rainforest and the ocean from the moment you wake until you fall asleep. Morning coffee, tea or hot chocolate delivery and afternoon cocktail delivery with prime sunrise and wildlife watching from your balcony.
All rooms are non-smoking.
Check out the “Options you can book” for details on different room types below.
A US$25 conservation fee per person supports the lodge’s environment and educational initiatives.
Due to the fragile eco-system, Lapa Rios ask that you use the biodegradable, locally-made products provided, or bring your own biodegradable soap, shampoo and conditioner.
NB. With limited capacity, accommodations tends to be booked up 2-6 months in advance. Please book or register interest as soon as possible.
Internet: High speed Wifi throughout the lodge
Full board includes 3 meals a day and non-alcoholic drinks, excludes alcoholic drinks.
An incredible local culinary gourmet experience is on offer, made from local and sustainable produce including sustainably sourced seafood and ingredients grown on-site.
Community and staff plant and promote Central American endemic fruits and vegetables, and recipes are developed based on cultural tastes and local and home grown produce.
Complimentary local coffee is delivered to your bungalow in the morning, and the evening turndown service will make you smile!
Recently, a new menu and a new bar facing out over the ocean and from its expansive terrace, and a wine cellar with a wide selection of vintages from around the world have been added.
On-property guided tours are included in your stay, as well as yoga classes, which help to support ongoing maintenance and land preservation of the Osa Peninsula biodiversity and local community employment.
Four full-time experienced naturalist guides give authentic local interpretation of the natural beauty of the rainforest reserve making sure you get the most out of your experience and learn about the rainforest interconnectedness. Provided are:
Sustainability tours: Unusually, the lodge takes pride in transparently showing guests the ‘back of the house’ systems and operations to demonstrate and teach about their sustainability. The Twigs, Pigs and Garbage tour of the lodge premises is not to be missed, to witness the commitment to a more sustainable way of life, a unique experience highly praised by guests with suggestions of how guests’ own ways of living could be enhanced. You can also plant a tree and contribute to reforestation.
Walking: With easy-to-challenging guided hikes, you can immerse yourself in the hidden treasures of pristine primary and secondary forest, see breath-taking views of the coast, enjoy three stunning beaches and experience the magic of the rainforest at night uncovering nocturnal creatures and habitats. Alternatively, go at your own pace following the marked trail accompanied by a biologist’s guide book.
Off-Property
Located in the tropics and close to the equator, you’ll find warm temperatures and sunshine throughout the year.
There are two well-defined seasons:
Temperatures vary little year-round:
Be aware the climate in capital San Jose is often very different to coastal regions with cooler nights: A fleece jacket is recommended.
From conception, it has always been about local people and community as stewards of the land.
Authentic, cultural, participatory experiences, as tourism is also about people.
Opportunities for guests to participate with the local community are encouraged and promoted, such as visits to an employee’s farm, being taught typical dancing, supporting the school, beach cleaning and meeting local artisans selling crafts and other products.
When travellers encounter the local community their experience becomes real.
As a result of the lodge’s sustainability purpose and actions, locals are beginning to value their pristine land and materials. They know how to use best practices, providing ongoing sustainability to the region.
With the wider community, Lapa Rios helps raise awareness and support for positive social and cultural impacts and empowerment of local people, such as:
Environmental awareness, construction and job training has given confidence to people to imagine a better future in the remote area where there were few skilled tradesmen but where ranching, subsistence farming and mining were the only opportunities back in 1990.
“A tree left standing is worth more than one cut down”
This mission intends to help decision-making.
Being sustainable equates to honouring the Earth by enabling people.
Experiences and insights create sustainability and prove the mission real, doable and accomplished.
Certification adds a third party authenticating voice to facilitating measurement, monitoring and improvement against standards.
Numerous initiatives support positive social and environmental impacts, build cultural awareness and respect, create funds for conservation and empower local people, all while providing incredible experiences for visitors and hosts.
“In 2010, a study conducted by Stanford University published in the Journal of Ecotourism, confirmed that Lapa Rios not only fulfills its promise of ecotourism, delivering social, economic and environmental benefits in the region, but makes a substantial contribution to local livelihoods and environmental conservation, including the highest rates of reforestation of all areas studied in the Osa Peninsula.”
SDG 1 No Poverty: Encourages guests to contribute to local development funds (also SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities).
SDG 2 Zero Hunger: Is working on developing a rainforest organic kitchen garden.
SDG 4 Quality Education: Constructed local school and supports with funds and equipment.
SDG 6 Clean Water & Sanitation: Over 10 water turbines provide naturally purified water.
SDG 7 Clean Energy: Approximately 240 solar panels and 48 highly efficient energy storage units provide 100% renewable energy.
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth: Employs 100% local staff; Provides direct and indirect employment opportunities to several communities
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Assists with improvements to local infrastructure like school and road work
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production: Uses organic, biodegradable cleaning products, Sources food locally and organically, eliminated single-use plastics.
SDG 13 Climate Action: Solar energy heat water for guest and staff rooms; Investment in green technology to reduce carbon emissions
SDG 14 Life Below Water: Supports Dock to Dish sustainable fishing.
SDG 15 Life on Land: Protects 1,000 acres of primary rainforest;
Placed a permanent conservation easement in 2013;
Conducts reforestation including guest “Plant-A-Tree” tours.
SDG17 Partnerships: Partners with the local community, local businesses and supply chain, university, NGOs, certification and national certified sustainable businesses to improve sustainability for all.
Once in Costa Rica, to reach Lapa Rios, fly Sansa or Nature Air to Puerto Jimenez (1 hour).
Lapa Rios staff will welcome you and take you to the office, next to the airstrip, for a cool beverage, restrooms and wi-fi should you require.
To Lapa Rios it’s then a – albeit bumpy! – 50 minute trip in a comfortable 4×4 vehicle. Your drivers will point out birds, monkeys and other wildlife along the way.
Included:
– Lodging in an ocean-view bungalow sited atop a forest ridge with housekeeping service twice/day
– 3 served meals per day plus non-alcoholic & non-mixed drinks
– Arrival and departure day transfers: Puerto Jimenez – Lapa Rios – Puerto Jimenez
– Selection of on-site guided tours such as: Early & Sunset Bird tours, Wild Waterfall, Local Medicine hike, Rain Forest Ridge Walk, Osa Trail, Matapalo Tour, Night Walk, and “Twigs, Pigs and Garbage”.
A magical rainforest ecolodge with knowledgeable staff and gorgeous views A truly special place for us to celebrate our honeymoon!! Everything about our 6 days at Lapa Rios exceeded our expectations. From the pickup at the airstrip in Puerto Jimenez that included fresh coconut water, to the insanely knowledgeable staff -everyone from the drivers to the servers to the guides seemed to know everything about the nature reserve - to the gorgeous canopy treetop settings with views of the sea (including from the pool), the food!!! the luxurious but still natural-feeling villa.....just an incredible experience. Do not miss the night hike, as you will get to see all kinds of wildlife that you would miss in daytime (red eyed frog, we saw a sloth up close!).
Incredible experience with birds and wildlife: Lapa Rios is fantastic. We stayed in the Matapalo suite for four nights in May, took several onsite hikes/tours, went to the beach on our own, and did the Corcovado by land trip for most of a day. Everything was topnotch and the birds and wildlife are incredible. The lodge is on protected land including primary forest and we saw scarlet macaws close up every day, toucans, four species of monkeys, poison dart frogs...and plenty more. The guides were fantastic. The sustainability tour was an unexpected highlight for me, interesting to anyone who wants to know how a place like lapa rios operates. We were in one of the two suites with air conditioning. We didn't use it at night because we wanted to hear the forest, but we cooled the room during the day. There is a good breeze so I don't consider A/C necessary, but it was nice to have. One thing to be aware as noted in some other reviews is that some rooms are quite a few steps down from the main lodge/dining area. If you have mobility issues that's worth taking into account and getting a closer room. The food was excellent, very well prepared, creative. The staff is very friendly and helpful. If you're looking for the best nature experience in Costa Rica I don't think you can do better that Lapa Rios, particularly if you go into Corcovado.
2018 Winner, People Award, World Travel & Tourism Council Tourism for Tomorrow Awards: (& Jicaro Island Nicaragua, Cayuga Collection)
2014 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List
2014 Conde Nast Traveler – Readers’ Choice Awards: Best Hotels in the World
2013 Conservation Easement: a first for Central American business
2013 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence
2011 1000 Places to See Before You Die
2008 National Geographic – Top 50 Ecolodges
2007 Rainforest Alliance – Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setters
2005 USA Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) to Founder Karen Lewis.
2003 5 Leaf Rating Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) – the first lodge to attain the Costa Rica programme distinction.
2000 4 Leaf Rating Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST)
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