Arenal Observatory Lodge

Our very comfortable eco-lodge is perfectly positioned directly between the massive Arenal Volcano and deep blue Lake Arenal. No other hotel in La Fortuna, Costa Rica and the Arenal area is so close to the famous volcano and its lovely lake.

Arenal Observatory Lodge is safely located 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) from the south side of Arenal Volcano, but the live volcano seems so close that you could reach out and touch it. The perfectly shaped volcanic cone commands nearly every view at the hotel – from the panoramic windows of the Arenal Observatory restaurant to the main buildings and most of the guest rooms. Beautiful Lake Arenal with its many little islands stretches west into the sunset.

Resting on a ridge amid tall pine trees and luxuriant rainforest, Arenal Observatory Lodge is the only hotel that is located inside the Arenal Volcano National Park.

Eleven kilometers (7 miles) of well-maintained hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails wind through the Arenal Volcano hotel’s 870-acre (352-hectare) property, through the primary and secondary rainforest, past waterfalls and across verdant pastures. Plenty of wildlife lives in the area, including three kinds of monkeys, anteaters, coatis, raccoons, deer, and more than 500 species of birds – making Arenal Observatory Lodge a preferred destination for bird watching in Costa Rica.

In addition to all of the activities you can enjoy at Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa, our Arenal hotel serves as a great base camp for adventure tours in Arenal like the Sky Trek zip lines, Sky Tram, Arenal Hanging Bridges, hot springs, whitewater rafting and more.

We invite you to stay with us, enjoy our trails and tours, hanging bridges, a refreshing swim in our pool, and relax with a massage in our Spa. Everything you want in one unique place!

Arenal Volcano / La Fortuna Village

After having lain dormant for over 400 years, Arenal Volcano erupted violently on July 29, 1968, wreaking havoc on the local population and creating a “lava-scape” for miles around its base.

At the Observatory Lodge, nature is bursting at the seams. Tropical flora and fauna abound about the Arenal lodge, while the majestic volcano and its fiery outbursts reflect off the mirror lake at her feet – all this right outside your Arenal hotel room at the Observatory Lodge.