What a find! I stumbled open this place when searching for accommodation near MA to break our 4 days in the area. How lucky we were to find this stunning place! The lodges were huge with the most beautiful vantage point with fantastic views over the valley into the mountains and onward to the coast. Hugo met us and immediately made us feel at home away from home with everyone there greeting us with kindness and hospitality! The food is local home cooked Costa Rican dishes cooked by Julio and staff. With two beautiful waterfalls within their grounds it’s the perfect place to unwind and explore. We spent a day just swimming in the waterfalls and exploring the trails surrounded by wildlife. This place is just beautiful and the people who run it too from the local community make it so special. We cannot recommend it enough! It’s feels like a secret place that we feel lucky to have found.

We wished we could have stayed longer! Totally love this place

Santa Juana Lodge & Nature Reserve is truly a Gem find. People who are looking for Peace & Serenity, Santa Juana is the place to be. The people are kind, welcome you with hearty smiles. The authentic Costa Rican cuisine is simply the best. It’s not for people who are going to look for variety of food & to just eat & complain. This place is really to heal your soul & soak yourself into Nature, its pure beauty, the mesmerizing sound of the birds & wildlife. Me & my kids stayed here 8/1/2025 to 8/4/2025 and we are so glad we took the time to stay at this heavenly place. The waterfall there was better than Rio Celeste to us. We swam in the waterfall for 2 hrs & it was a dream come true for me & my kids. You definitely need a 4x4 suv or jeep & yes Santa Juana is tucked up in the mountain away from the hustle & bustle that’s what was best about it. I would recommend trying to get to the lodge during day time, we drove from San Jose & by the time we reached there it was night 815pm, me & my kids laugh, we were drove in the dark,which now to us, is an adventure but definitely not for the faint of a heart. My advice is try to get there during day time. Santa Juana Lodge & Nature Reserve is truly a must visit & see once you are in 🇨🇷 Costa Rica. Pura Vida! P.S: I would recommend getting a car, so u are able to get around & enjoy more.

None that I could find.

The personal service provided every member of staff who are either family or from the local community makes you feel like a like a VIP! There genuine passion for the lodge and the surrounding nature was obvious. The whole experience started with an amazing off road drive up into the mountains. We had a tropical downpour on the drive up and the lovely staff greeted us at the top with large umbrellas. Sadly this was our final stop in Costa Rica and we only stayed for a couple of nights but do hope to be lucky enough to return! The views from the lodge balconies are breathtaking from a perfect elevated position above the forest. The lodges are spacious and very comfortable. The balconies are large with comfortable seating and a hammock to relax and enjoy the amazing views. Some hotels have great pools and wild ponds but this one tops them all with its own private waterfall with amazing little swimming pools! We enjoyed a lovely breakfast watching the many different birds from the restaurant balcony, where we spotted Toucans, Scarlet Macaws and many different Humming Birds and then wandered down the hill to swim at the waterfall where we had the pools all to ourselves! Just sitting watching the birds in the evening was a perfect way to end the day at this beautiful lodge up in the hills! It was the perfect place to end our memorable holiday in Costa Rica

Nothing

I am so so thankful Booking recommended me this hotel when I was searching for places where to stay in Costa Rica! I'm a seasoned traveler and I usually never leave reviews, but for Santa Juana Lodge I had to. I can't say without a doubt that this is one of the best place I've ever stayed at in my life. Everything felt so absolutely perfect, from the everyone in the staff who made you feel like you were (Alan especially!), to the food, the rooms and the location... (wow the view!!) I am even amazed that it's only sitting at 9.6 on Booking, it should be higher. So if you are looking to go to Costa Rica next, do yourself a favor and book this place, you won't regret it! (Oh and don't forget to book activities with them. The birdwatching tour and the Santa Juana mountain tour are absolutely dreamy!) I can't wait to be back...

Nothing, everything felt so peaceful and charming.

Surrounded by nature, with all it’s sounds and smells to trigger all ones senses was truly out of this world The lovely trails nearby are breathtaking and there are wonders everywhere to be seen Views of the amazing landscapes and animals, reptiles and birds galore are vast and everlasting Breakfast with humming birds and toucans was a memory to never be forgotten but be warned 🫣 the steep roads will be very hard going on the way back in the heat to some 🥵

Getting around was very expensive External tours very expensive Hire a car and shop around for an excursion The local people are lovely and willing to help you if you reach out as we did on Google To quote…A Taxi to quepos would have cost us $200 return 😮 until we asked around

Wow what an amazing place! We had the best stay in Santa Juana Lodge for 3 nights and already want to go back. The views are breathtaking as you're elevated above the forest and completely surrounded by nature. The lodges are large and very comfortable. Our favourite things about the lodges were the view from the balcony and waking up to the jungle view in the morning. The trails around the area were beautiful and we loved swimming in the waterfall. What made our trip really special were the staff at Santa Juana and the wildlife. We spent most of our time just watching the birds and relaxing as the immediate area is so beautiful. Every staff member was fantastic and went above and beyond for us. They all lived nearby to the lodge and knew a lot about the area and the flora and fauna. It's clear how much everyone cares about the wildlife and has a clear ethos to protect it. Thank you everyone at Santa Juana for a fantastic stay!

Nothing, everything was perfect

Property is gorgeous and well-kept, like a pristine Jurassic Park view. All staff are great, local from the immediate community and have a vested interest in the community’s well-being. Property has all the amenities you’d need. For the drive up there, a 4x4 would be great, although we managed to do it with a 2 wheel drive crossover (think small SUV) although a few of the inclines at the end were a bit tenuous…. Tours are well-done and food is yummy…..

We loved everything about the property. One suggestion would be to have maps of local hiking trails routes on the property - there’s a few trails with markers but without maps it’s a bit difficult to plan your route out.

This is the most magical place I have ever stayed. This place is a work of art. The folks that work here are all local. They know the land, the birds, the fauna, etc so well. Every meal - delicious. Every tour - amazing. We stayed for 5 nights and could have stayed much longer. It’s quiet, peaceful, and stunning. I’m so grateful I braved the scary mountain road, because it is absolutely worth it! I’m anxious in the car, and the other reviews are right. The road is intense and a bit frightening. However, we hired our driver through Santa Juana Lodge, which I highly recommend unless you love 4x4 mountain driving. The driver knew the road so well. I would not have been comfortable driving myself, but lots of guests do. I’m so grateful to Allan, Andres, Allison, and the entire team for making us feel so welcome. I can’t remember a trip where I felt such deep kindness and hospitality. This place is SPECIAL. I will be back.

This lodge far exceeded our expectations and will be the highlight of our travels in Costa Rica. Our three night stay provided time for guided tours and relaxation at the top of a mountain. We saw over 60 different birds and the cicadas were deafening! We enjoyed traditional Costa Rican meals and learned so much about the culture, flora and fauna from the hosts. The hosts respect for and commitment to protecting the environment shines! Highly recommend this experience!

Nothing!

Santa Juana Lodge was the highlight of our 17 days in Costa Rica. The lodge is isolated, but that is a big part of the appeal. If you love nature and want to enjoy it in a tranquil and authentic setting, this is your place. But the staff is the true highlight. The entire staff is very friendly and treat you like family. Allan, in particular, is extremely knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna, especially the birds. His family, including his wife, mother and aunt, do a lot of the cooking, which is traditional Costa Rican cuisine (and very delicious). As far as accommodations, we had a two bedroom house that was decked out traditionally and had incredible views of the surrounding countryside. Don't come here expecting a modern hotel, because that's not the intent. The individual units, which are separated for privacy, are constructed and decorated traditionally. All have screens instead of windows and no AC (but plenty of fans). But this is by design and part of the immersive experience. Since the location is up in the mountains, it is cooler than the lowlands and the lack of AC isn't really an issue. You will be surprised and amazed at the night sounds, that you never would have experienced if your room had traditional windows. Because the lodge is remote, transportation to and from needs to be considered. The last 4 km of road is pretty rough and will require a 4WD or higher clearance 2WD vehicle for access. We didn't feel comfortable taking our rental vehicle the last 4 km, so the staff graciously arranged for our vehicle to be left in a safe place and picked us up.

Accessibility to the lodge could be an issue if you have a low clearance 2WD vehicle