El Remanso Rainforest Lodge

“Luxury and adventure with top-notch food and service in the wildest part of Costa Rica.”

El Remanso is an oasis deep in the wild rainforest of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. This is not a place for the faint of heart. Places like El Remanso are designed for the bold and curious traveler who wants to go where others don't, who isn't afraid to dive deeper and who can see the beauty whe… more

El Remanso is an oasis deep in the wild rainforest of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. This is not a place for the faint of heart. Places like El Remanso are designed for the bold and curious traveler who wants to go where others don't, who isn't afraid to dive deeper and who can see the beauty where others look away. El Remanso is an ideal base when you are ready to explore the wildest parts of the rainforest and you don't want to sacrifice too much comfort in the process. This was my 6th trip to the country and my second time visiting the Osa Peninsula. Before I booked with El Remanso I also researched the well-known neighbor property. Everything I found told me I would get as much or more of an experience at El Remanso for rates that were 30% to 50% less. I had friends that stayed at the other property many years ago and raved about it, but it has since been purchased by a corporate management company while El Remanso is family-owned and run. If you are looking to experience this part of Costa Rica, El Remanso has not only made it seamless, they've tamed it just enough that you can enjoy a few days immersed in a truly wild place while being able to feel completely safe and cared for, if not pampered. You can search for reviews of El Remanso and find my detailed review online for more info. Summary: Accommodations: Very large and spotlessly clean rainforest villas, note that there is no A/C but the fans and natural breezes keep it comfortable, outdoor showers, get the plunge pool. Plenty of places to hang clothes. Good lighting, plenty of 110 outlets. I did not see the rooms, only bungalows and villas. Food: All-inclusive except alcohol, food was way above par for a remote location, tons of choices for plant-based eaters, coffee by 5am and snacks all day, ceviche is delicious, don't miss the churros and banana bread. Service: The service was overall excellent but often above-and-beyond. Attentive, friendly and personalized without being intrusive. A family-owned lodge! Excursions: A daily excursion is included. Due to the wild nature of the area, I recommend sticking to the guided tours and not trying to do it yourself (they do provide a map of some trails on the property but I was warned about going alone). I was given a private guide for my entire stay as the lodge was not totally full. They also surprised me with a specially curated tour that isn't typically offered and which went far longer than a typical tour - I was totally impressed and it was one of the best experiences of my trip. Wildlife: I am a bird photographer and my total count for 5 days at El Remando was over 100 species, 70% being new lifers for me. I also saw 2 tapirs, 3 anteaters, 2 tayras, wild boars, coatis, agoutis, all 4 species of monkeys and too many fer de lance :) Know before you go: El Remanso has a beach but it is not swimmable. The hike down just to take a look is worth it but it is a fitness challenge on the way back up. At minimum, hike as far as the lookout point Mirablau. They will make arrangements to take you to a swimmable beach just 15 minutes away on the gulf side if you want to swim. Bugs - I kept my sliding doors shut at all times and had very minimal problems with bugs or critters in my room. No A/C: The ceiling fans were sufficient for cooling things down enough to sleep at night. I actually used the thick blanket provided. Open-air but fully screened in rooms that are well-sealed means you get a faint sound of the ocean depending on location of your room and the sounds of the morning jungle wake you bright and early without dealing with mosquitos and other creepy-crawlies. Packing list: I recommend lightweight, quick-dry long pants. I wore capri hiking pants and my ankles are pretty torn up from bug bites. Same with tops - I wore tanks and my shoulders show the marks - I purchased the MozzieStyle shrug bug zip up and it was super effective, should have worn it more often. Closed toed shoes are a must - I recommend a pair of light hiking shoes (each room has it's own water faucet and scrub brush for cleaning them daily) and one pair of water shoes plus a lightweight pair of sneakers or sandals for coming/going to dinner when you don't want to put hiking shoes back on. Bring a small flashlight or battery powered headlamp. You are near the equator so it is full dark by 630 when you walk to dinner. Your cell phone flashlight is not ideal. Think ultra-minimal hot weather hiking - no makeup, no heels, no sundresses. After a long day in the rainforest, you will want a shower and something comfy to wear to dinner. You will look silly if you dress up. Tips: USD are fine for tips. Use AI to build yourself a chart in advance and plan to tip your guides daily. If you purchase alcohol at dinner, you will sign and have an option to leave tips. Otherwise they will give you a sheet at the end of your stay to allow you to tip by department. Puerto Jimenez: Your typical Costa Rica town, not geared toward tourists (shops and restaurants are more local) but close enough with groceries and a pharmacy if needed. Fly in, don't drive. I would like to say a special thank you to the El Remanso Family for hosting me and making my trip so special. There are many people I will remember from this trip: Shout out to Rinaldo for the high-level of personalized service and for giving the team the greenlight to go above and beyond with my surprise tour - I was blown away. Karol with a "K" - it was a highlight of my day to see your smiling face and to hear your laugh. Gracias para su servicio. Steiffer - La misma, gracias para su servicio. Lauren - thank you for being the best real estate guide ever and getting me into Ajo for my last 3 days (and for the banana bread recipe). Rosa/Lauren - Thanks for the girl talk on my last morning ;) Bryan - great job, the restaurant is amazing Daniel - muchas gracias for mi lecciones Espanol Joshua - muchas gracias para econtrar el white coquette y para sacar las fotos Ronald - thank you for stopping the car when I yelled, can you believe how lucky we were to see that anteater!! Julio - Mucho gusto en cococer lo senor, Espero que te conviertas en guía. Tony - No many people can survive three full days with me. Thank you for saving me from the fer de lance and for the long day we spent going to La Sirena. You still owe me 3 tapirs. Hasta la proxima amigo. Edgar - Mi amigo, fue un placer pasar tiempo contigo. Aprecio tu pasión por las aves. Sigue tomando fotos! My sincere thank you to the housekeeping team for your immaculate service and to the entire maintenance/gardening team for making this property so beautiful. My gratitude to the kitchen team. The food was excellent. Mucho gusto en conocerlos todo, mucho suerte todo.

less