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

Wonderful staff wonderful food wonderful people and so many birds to watch. Tucans come to the lodge everyday. The lodge is beautiful and a luxury in the mountains. The lodge provides jobs to the villages in this mountain. The lodge is beautiful and comfy.

45 minutes drive, 19km on dirt road and mountain road, not for the faint hearted and even with a 4x4 I found it very challenging to go up and down everyday for tours in quepos or manuel Antonio, but I saw more rare birds and real wildlife at this lodge than in manuel Antonio park.

It was simply the best place to stay during our 6 week trip to Costa Rica. Hugo (the owner) told us from the very beginning that their aim is to make us feel at home with family - and oh we did! Our bungalow was just gorgeous, bright, modern, clean and this absolutely great view! When visibility was good we saw the sea, when it rained we felt like we were in the clouds. We could practically pick litchis from the balcony and watch toucans and other birds flying by or sitting in the trees. The food in the restaurant prepared by Roxanas and Julia's was delicious, we felt like being "at grandma's" - it was cooked with a lot of love, it always tasted excellent and we were more than full. In addition, the view from the restaurant over the surrounding mountains is simply magical. Alan & Andres made our stay such a wonderful experience, they were so accommodating, incredibly friendly and you could tell they just wanted us to have a great time with them. Our 2 year old son still talks about them and we fondly remember our times together! A wonderful destination nearby are the waterfalls, about a 10-minute drive from the lodge. We had the place all to ourselves, walked to the big waterfall and then bathed at the small waterfall in the middle of the jungle - what a dream! I also highly recommend the massage that you can book through the lodge, the masseuse comes directly to the room, the massage is wonderful and rounds off the experience there. We will recommend this accommodation to any of our friends who go to Costa Rica, it would be a shame to miss it! Note for drivers: We were unsure when booking because of the many reports about the difficult journey - which turned out to be much more harmless. We were on the road in the rainy season but if you choose the route described by the property you don't have to cross a river. It's a long gravel road, so you have to drive slowly, but that's all.

Everything was amazing.