Property
Tucked at the base of the very active Arenal Volcano, Arenal Observatory Lodge offers guests incredible first hand views of a volcano in action! Hear thundering explosions and watch glowing lava crackle down the side of the crater. We stayed here while filming Travel With Kids: Costa Rica and the kids thoroughly enjoyed watching the pyrotechnic show and exploring the tropical forest around the hotel!

Location
The hotel has walking paths radiating out through the tropical forest and past hardened lava formations. Further abroad, there are rafting trips out of La Fortuna, where we saw sloths and monkeys and the kids loved visiting Proyecto Asis, an animal rescue center where they got to hold a kinkajou!

Sleeps
Our room had two bedrooms, each with a double/queen bed.

Highlights
The highlight is definitely the volcano! Many places say they have active volcanoes, but I have never seen and heard one so close up before!

Good to know
It is a bit rustic (which I actually liked) and the drive to La Fortuna town is about 20 min. over a dirt road.

Contact
http://www.youtube.com/travelwithkids#p/u/2/JljXc3MzKuQ

Written by Carrie Simmons

Property
Arco Iris Lodge offers 12 cabins set in nicely landscaped gardens only a short walk to downtown Santa Elena. Each cabin has a private bathroom with hot water (some with cool volcanic stone shower walls) and a balcony or terrace. The cabins vary from the more luxurious “house” to budget rooms with 2 sets of bunk beds. The German owners are helpful and professional and set out a European-style breakfast with Costa Rican accents ($7) and can make reservations for area attractions.

Location
Santa Elena is a small village high in the mountains about half way between the Santa Elena and Monteverde Cloud Forest reserves. Most vistors to Monteverde stay in Santa Elena, as there are very few lodges closer to the reserve. The lodge is about a 10-minute walk from the town center (just behind the new bank) that has a many good restaurants, a big grocery store, laundromat, pharmacy and other small shops. 3 hours from La Fortuna (home of Arenal Volcano) by Jeep-Boat-Jeep and 4-5 hours from the San Jose airport.

Sleeps
2-5. All rooms/cabins sleep 4. Many can sleep 5 with the addition of a cot.

Highlights
The property is up a little hill from town which helps it escape the evening music from the few bars in town. Easy walk to restaurants. Lots of wildlife and cloudforest viewing activities in the area including the two reserves, frog zoo (popular with kids- come back after dark with your ticket and find the frogs with flashlights- fun!), ziplines, horseback riding, canopy walk, etc.

Good to know
The lodge can arrange lodge-to-lodge transport which is very convenient and comfortable. Be sure to ask for the kids’ discount- kids under a certain age are free. The Santa Elena and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserves are basically the same forest but the Monteverde side is often packed with tourists while the less famous Santa Elena is quieter (and has a lower entrance fee). Bring a fleece jacket and a rain coat- it’s cool in the higher elevations and liable to rain or at least mist nearly year-round.

Contact
http://www.arcoirislodge.com/

Written by Jenny Jensen

Property
La Catarata EcoLodge has great views of Arenal Volcano on those rare days when it isn’t shrouded in clouds.  The beds are comfy and the rooms are roomy with excellent hot showers (sometimes a rarity in Costa Rica).  The included breakfast is delicious: pancakes, eggs, rice and beans, fruit, etc.

Location
La Fortuna de San Carlos (usually called just La Fortuna) is a small touristy town at the base of Arenal Volcano.  It has a very cute park downtown in front of the church which is worth visiting for the flowers and people-watching.  The lodge is a few km outside of town (perfectly quiet at night!) in the eruption safe zone and is about a 10 minute taxi ride to the town center that has a several of restaurants, a big grocery store, pharmacy and other small shops.  3 hours by Jeep-Boat-Jeep to Monteverde.

Sleeps
2-4.

Highlights
The pool is very nice- we even saw a toucan fly over while we swam.  The restaurant was pretty good for dinners too and they had a few kid-friendly options that were appreciated.  The lodge is near the Fortuna waterfall (La Catarata) which is worth a visit.  You can arrange horseback riding there from the lodge if your kids are old enough.  Baldi Hot Springs (volcano heated) is also a hit with kids- go during the day with the entrance+lunch package to avoid the big tour groups that come around dinner time.

Good to know
The restaurant has free wireless internet so if you brought your laptop you can hang out there and email away- no need to buy anything!  The open air restaurant is also a nice spot to hang out and play a board game or read between meal times.  If it’s getting towards late afternoon and you have a clear view of the volcano (no clouds), ask the front desk to arrange a night tour of the volcano- a guide will drive you around to the lava flow side of the volcano for a view of red sparks in the night sky- spectacular!

Contact
www.cataratalodge.com

Written by Jenny Jensen