La Baula Lodge

This was my favourite hotel on my recent trip to Costa Rica. It takes over three hours to arrive at the Aninga Lodge from San Jose via a long bus journey and boat ride after negotiating a frenetic embarkation, but once you arrive it’s very enjoyable. The arrival and departure are the low points of staying at the Lodge, the transfer guides were not very friendly, in fact the return guide who came from a sister property, the Evergreen Lodge, was really rude and bossy. You also spend the first hour of transfer just driving around San Jose hotels picking people up, the embarkation point where you transfer from the bus to boat is chaotic, has limited facilities and you have to do all your own portering. I loved how you could only get around the local area by river boat so whenever you left the property that was a treat in itself.
We had a very nice welcome at the Aninga Lodge from Barbie with a welcome drink. Our chalet was comfortable, we knew there was no air conditioning or TV, but the Wi-Fi was very good, and the fan was sufficient to keep the room relatively cool. There was no wardrobe but lots of shelves and rails. The bathroom was large, and I think recently renovated, with a new shower but the pressure was low at times. There is no internal ceiling in the bathroom so you need to be comfortable with whoever you are rooming with because you can hear everything in the bedroom. Housekeeping was superb despite the tricky conditions (only netting for window covers, surrounded by forest so lots of leaves, seeds etc floating about), the room was always spotless, and nothing was too much trouble for the chambermaids, every day when we returned to the rooms there was a new towel sculpture! The staff are all very pleasant and keen to help, most only speak Spanish but they always have a smile, from the bartender to the kitchen staff. Meals are buffet style at the three mealtimes, the choices are sufficient and the food fresh, well cooked and everyone I could see staying was more than happy with what they were served. As we stayed three nights rather than the usual two, we were cooked steak on our last day as a thank you which was a very nice surprise. A fellow guest seemed to have food allergies and the kitchen staff went out of their way to prepare a separate meal to his satisfaction. There was a small amount of maintenance work going on at the hotel, but this did not affect us in any way, and it seemed to be mainly retiling the bar area. The Aninga Lodge is not a place for light sleepers. On a regular basis fruit or nuts would drop out of the tree above our chalet and with a loud crack hit our roof as they fell to the ground. The jungle makes a constant noise, the howler monkeys howl pre-dawn and the rain when it happens is thunderous. I would take ear plugs if you are worried about noise. I would also think long and hard about going if you don’t like bugs. They get everywhere, inside and outside of your room.

The hotel is surrounded by flora and fauna, you can see all sorts of creatures from howler and spider monkeys, armadillos, basilisk lizards, crabs, a whole variety of bird and insect life. On our first afternoon we were taken on a nature walk to the sister property next door, the Pachira Lodge (you can use their facilities as well) and walked the nature trails. The Aninga Lodge has a very strong ecological focus that chimes with the work of the local people and the Tortuguero National Park. We also went on two boat trips around the National Park, where we saw a whole range of wildlife from caiman to turtles and had a visit to Tortuguero Village to do some shopping. We also took an optional extra trip to look at the view from Tortuguero Hill. All these excursions were expertly guided and worthwhile. The pool area is very nice with a bar and nature all around you. If you want to go to the village independently a water taxi can be booked. The Lodge was very quiet at the start of our stay and got progressively busier towards the weekend. Lots of tour groups seem to stay. I really enjoyed my time at the Aninga Lodge and would recommend the experience of staying. It won’t be the most comfortable or luxurious place you might stay but the people and nature more than make up for it. Once you arrive you’ll be surrounded by a great natural experience. The whole Lodge seemed to exemplify the Pura Vida ethos that Costa Rica tries to project.

Hola! Thank you for sharing your detailed review of our Lodge. We are happy to know you had a unique and adventurous experience surrounded by nature and wildlife. The lodge's ecological focus and proximity to Tortuguero National Park are definitely highlights. We appreciate the insight you provided on the accommodations, meals, staff, and excursions. Your review is highly informative for future guests seeking an authentic Costa Rican experience.

Travelers looking for a nature-filled and culturally enriching stay will find Aninga Lodge to be a fitting choice.

Moreover, we apologize for the inconvenience with the guide from Evergreen Lodge. We do our best to have the nicest staff always, we really apologize for this!

Warm regards,
Aninga Lodge

Acceso al hotel en barca por los canales. El personal es amable y las habitaciones son bungalows comodos y están limpios, aunque fué un poco inconveniente el uso del WC sin poder echar el papel. En el restaurante la oferta fue justa. Mosquitos molestos en la zona de piscina.

Estimado Jorge,

¡Gracias por compartir tu experiencia en el Hotel Aninga & Spa en Tortuguero!

Nos alegra saber que disfrutó de su estadía en nuestro hotel, lamentamos por los inconvenientes presentados, esperamos que nos pueda visitar nuevamente en el futuro.

Cordialmente,

Aninga Lodge

We loved Aninga Lodge, albeit staying for only two nights. Yes, the last bit of the journey from San Jose was bumpy and dusty, but the boat ride to the lodge is terrific. The whole lodge is surrounded by tropical flora and fauna, with raised walkways around the property - it is so green! Bungalows are spacious, although quite hot during the day, even with the ceiling fan on - but you just go down to the pool to cool down and have a swim. (It was very hot and humid when we were there).
Food in the restaurant (buffet style) was local cuisine and I thought it was very good indeed. Delicious fresh fruit for breakfast!
The various tours were excellent. Brando led the walking tour around the gardens and local area, and also the early morning boat tour which was terrific for seeing all sorts of birds, monkeys, crocodiles, terrapins etc. Valentine took us over to Tortuguero Village and told us all about the sea turtles, leaving us time to explore the vibrant little village with its gift shops, bars and restaurants. Yes, it is quite busy and touristy, but great fun.
Highlights were seeing toucans from the hotel swimming pool, the howler monkey “dawn chorus” (something which will live with me forever!) and the Basilisk Lizard (plus loads of other birds)
It was our 30th Wedding Anniversary and the staff really pulled out the stops to make it a special occasion - thank you to all involved :-)

Thank you for your detailed review of Aninga Lodge and your 30th Wedding Anniversary celebration there.
We are glad to know that you had a wonderful time enjoying the tropical flora and fauna, the bungalows, delicious local cuisine, and the various tours. We are delighted to hear that the staff made your anniversary special.

Warm regards,
Aninga Lodge

After a long transfer from San Jose (and that road through the Banana plantations!) your boat trip to the lodge gives you a taste of the wildlife extravaganza to come!

I'll echo earlier reviews, rooms are comfortable, spacious and do the job admirably. I liked the concept of just insect grills and no windows, no a/c & and a ceiling fan. Good functional bathroom. Very helpful & professional staff
Bearing in mind, there were three tour groups of 20/25 people there were never any real issues. Pool area with a bar was a great place to relax after all the wildlife watching.
Our guide, Harvey for our two night stay was outstanding, degrees in Botany & Ornithology his depth of knowledge was unbelievable. If I were to come back I would defiantly book an extra night, loved it! Thanks folks.
No need for an alarm clock, just wait for the dawn chorus courtesy of the local population of Howler Monkeys!
Highly Recommended.

Thank you for sharing your detailed review of your stay at Aninga Hotel & Spa.
Your feedback on the rooms, staff, pool area, and the guide Harvey is much appreciated.

We hope you have the chance to return and enjoy another night at the lodge.

Warm regards,
Aninga Lodge

Excellent hôtel, magnifique! Amis de la nature bienvenue! Les lodges sont au coeur de la jungle. Il sont spacieux et confortables. Ils ne disposent pas de fenêtres mais d’ouvertures avec moustiquaires pour vivre au rythme de la nature. Nous sommes réveillés par les singes hurleurs et le chant des oiseaux, un vrai paradis. Une promenade autour de l’hôtel nous a permis de rencontrer des toucans, singes, tatoo,...

Cher Melieval, merci pour votre avis positif sur l'Aninga Hotel & Spa. C'est un plaisir de savoir que vous avez apprécié votre séjour au cœur de la jungle et que vous avez pu vivre pleinement en harmonie avec la nature. Nous vous remercions pour vos aimables mots et espérons vous accueillir de nouveau bientôt.

Aninga Lodge

Die Organisation ist perfekt. Wir bekamen trotz Anreise kurz vor 14 Uhr ein Mittagessen. Beim wellcome drink wurden wir gut über das Hotel informiert. Die Bungalows sind sehr gepflegt. Gerne hätten wir einen Haartrockner gehabt,aber sonst haben wir nichts vermisst. Die Lodge hat ein ausgezeichnetes Hygienekonzept.Waschbecken vor dem Restaurant. Am Buffet gibt es keine Selbstbedienung alles ist hinter Plexiglasscheiben und man wird bedient. Das junge Team im Restaurant macht einen sehr guten Job. Es hat Spaß an der Arbeit und ist höflich und aufmerksam. Insgesamt haben wir uns in der Lodge absolut wohl gefühlt und viele Tiere gesehen.
Ausgezeichnet auch die Bereitstellung von kaltem Wasser und Kaffee an der Rezeption.

Wir sind im Rahmen unserer Costa Rica Rundreise für 2 Nächte hier gewesen. Wir wurden freundlich empfangen und uns wurde eine schöne gemütliche Lodge zugewiesen. Alles war sauber und das Bad war auch gut. Das Essen hatte für Vegetarier leider nicht so viel Auswahl zu bieten. Das Frühstück wiederum war super. Man könnte sich etwas mehr Mühe mit der Tischdeko geben. Aber ist natürlich Geschmacksache. Unser Guide Diego war klasse. Wir hatten eine kleine Dschungel Tour die direkt im Hotel beginnt. Dauer ca 30-45 min. Wir haben auch viel Tiere gesehen. Abend sind wird zu der Eiablage der Schildkröten gefahren was ein tolles Highlight war. Alles in allem hat es uns gut gefallen. Nachts war es ab und zu etwas lauter durch herabfallende Äste auf das Dach, oder weil Affen darauf gelaufen sind und es laut geregnet hat. Aber so ist es nunmal im Dschungel. Kann den Aufenthalt bedenkenlos empfehlen.

We appreciate you gave us a good review, we’re glad you got to experience Tortuguero’s nature. All your comments will be taken in consideration in order to improve the service we offer.

Un lugar completamente en medio de la naturaleza. Todo el tiempo ves algún animal en el lodge que es su hábitat, una verdadera experiencia.
La comida es fenomenal, y la atención del personal, ni se diga! Todos son muy amables.
Un lugar que si vas a Costa Rica, no puedes dejar de visitar.

Agradecemos que nos hayas compartido acerca de tu experiencia con nosotros y por la maravillosa calificación. Para nosotros fue un placer brindarte hospedaje. Todas tus opiniones van a ser tomadas en consideración para así poder mejorar nuestro servicio.

Desde la llegada en barca es una experiencia ya que durante el trayecto ( 1 hora) puedes observar mucha fauna y estás navigando en canales rodeados de vegetación.
Aninga Lodge es un lugar rodeado de un bosque tropical increíble.
Te reciben con un coktail frutal muy rico de bienvenida.
Los bungalows individuales son espectaculares, acogedores, espaciosos y con muchos detalles.
El bungalow tiene grandes ventanales con telas mosquiteras sin cristales lo que te hace sentir muy cerca de toda esta naturaleza.
Por las mañanas te despiertan los monos aulladores y parajos.
Aninga Lodge dispone también de una piscina muy agradable.
Todas las comidas son tipo buffet, variadas y muy buenas.
Todo el personal fue de primera!!! Amable y atentó.
Pero quiero dar un agradecimiento muy muy especial a Anselmo, mi guía. Un gran profesional que vive por su trabajo y con el único fin de transmitirte todos sus conocimientos para dejarte una huella imborrable de este lugar.
Milllll gracias Anselmo.
Si quiere vivir una experiencia única le recomiendo al 1000% ANINGA LODGE.

Agradecemos que nos hayas compartido acerca de tu experiencia con nosotros y por la maravillosa calificación. Para nosotros fue un placer brindarte hospedaje. Todas tus opiniones van a ser tomadas en consideración para así poder mejorar nuestro servicio.

Hinsichtlich der Lage und der Bungalows schließen wir uns den vorherigen Rezensionen an. Auch der Spaziergang mit dem Guide im "Garten" war sehr spannend und informativ. Wir haben im Bungalow 31 gewohnt. Dieser Bungalow liegt direkt hinter der Rezeption, die bereits sehr früh am Morgen bis spät in den Abend besetzt war. Hier waren ununterbrochen Gespräche, akustische Geräusche eingehender der WhatsApp Meldungen, Telefonate usw. zu hören. Das hat uns in der Schlafphase sehr eingeschränkt Der Speisesaal hat eher Kantinencharakter. Das Essen war nicht besonders abwechslungsreich. Wir hatten den Eindruck, dass das Essen bereits vorgefertigt war und nur warm gemacht wurde. Das Personal war bei der Essensausgabe eher zurückhaltend. Das hat uns nicht gefallen.

Thank you for sharing your opinion and experience, all your comments will be taken into account in order to improve our service.

Eine sehr schöne und sehr gepflegte große Anlage. Die Häuschen sind absolut liebevoll und herzig eingerichtet. Es gibt keine Klimaanlage ( nur Ventilator) aber für uns war es nachts angenehm temperiert und mit Ohropax lässt es sich sehr gut schlafen! ( Brüllaffen wecke einen in der Früh) Zimmer sind sehr sauber, alle Mitarbeiter sind sehr freundlich.
An sieht sehr viel Tiere schon auf dem Gelände.
Das Essen war zwar einfach aber lecker, uns hat alles geschmeckt und wir sind sonst sehr verwöhnt was das Essen betrifft!
Wir würden wiederkommen!
Für 2-3 Nächte absolut empfehlenswert!

Thank you for sharing your opinion and experience and for your positive review, all your comments will be taken into account in order to improve our service.

Schöne Hotelanlage mitten im tropischem Garten. Die Unterkunft (Holzhütten) haben uns sehr gefallen. Es gibt keine Fenster sondern nur „Mückengitter“, aber dies ist so perfekt. Man hört in der Nacht die vielen Geräusche und kann entspannen.
Die Anlage ist gut und man kann gemütlich spazieren und viele Tiere sehen.
Das Personal war sehr freundlich, hilfsbereit und entspannt. Ein sehr schöner Start in unsere Ferien.
Einziger Kritikpunkt: Das Essen ist nicht sonderlich speziell, ist „OK“.

We appreciate you gave us a good review, we’re glad you got to experience Tortuguero’s nature. All your comments will be taken in consideration in order to improve the service we offer.

Ho soggiornato in questo hotel per due notti per poter visitare il parco nazionale Tortughero. Consiglio vivamente questo hotel. Camere spaziose, pulite e sono tutti dei lodge indipendenti immersi nella natura. Cucina locale, pochi piatti ma tutto veramente di qualità e sempre scelta tra carne,pesce e verdure. Staff sempre gentile e disponibile. Piscina immersa in un contesto stupendo con un bar fornitissimo. Abbiamo avuto anche la visita di un iguana! La struttura dispone anche di una spa.Ho provato anche il massaggio di mezz'ora che consiglio vivamente Dal molo è possibile prendete dei taxi boat per raggiungere il paesino.

We appreciate you gave us a good review, we’re glad you got to experience Tortuguero’s nature. All your comments will be taken in consideration in order to improve the service we offer.

Magnifique hotel en pleine jungle avec bruits de la faune pour vous bercer. Belle chambre familiale au calme. Personnel charmant et attentionné.
PDJ correct sans plus, repas costaricien, ne pas s'attendre a beaucoup de choix comme 80% des hotels au Costa Rica.
Un bémol : pas de navette pour se rendre a l'hôtel depuis l'embarcadère de Tortugero (hotel situe sur la rive opposée) mais c'est ce qui fait le charme car hotel en pleine jungle, au calme. Prevoir 4000 colones max le trajet aller (ne pas donner plus et ne pas payer en USD).

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're glad that you got to experience Tortuguero's nature at its fullest, it was an honour to assist you during your stay. All your comments will be taken into account in order to improve our service.

La chambre est top. L'emplacement est super au milieu de la jungle et de l'eau. Des singes, des toucans devant son bungalow.
Boissons au bar un peu cher.
Nourriture des repas tres moyen mais acceptable. Salle de restaurant un peu triste (très sombre).
Le guide Noël était très sympa et plein d'explication, en tout cas il d'une l'impression d'aimer ce qu'il fait et c'est très agréable. Bravo à lui.
Il y a une piscine (trop froide à mon goût, dommage) mais ça fait un coin sympa :-)
Il n'est pas possible de séjourner ici sans package. On est dans la réserve de Tortuguero et rien n'est accessible à pied. Ce qui est plutôt reposant.
Package complet avec transport depuis san José, très pratique. Dépôt sur le chemin du retour sur la ville étape de Guápiles ou on peut prendre sa voiture de location pour continuer vers le nord plutôt que de retourner à san José.
Je mets la note de 4 car il faut revoir la qualité des repas et le prix du bar.
La photo du toucan et du singe ont été prise dans les chemins de l'hôtel

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're glad that you got to experience Tortuguero's nature at its fullest, it was an honour to assist you during your stay. All your comments will be taken into account in order to improve our service.

Le lodge est très bien entretenu, et depayse vraiment.
C'est bien organisé car nous n'avons pas senti le monde. C'était reposant !

Les buffets sont simples et le personnel agréable

La piscine est top.

Visite de tortuguero petit village à côté à faire ainsi qu'un tour en pirogue pour observer les animaux.

Hello

Thank you for your comments, we're happy to know you had a great stay and got to know the wonders of Tortuguero.

We wish you the best in your future endeavours .

Restare due giorni in questo lodge ,in questa natura esplosiva , è stata una delle esperienze migliori in Costarica. Le casette sono molto confortevoli ma....le grandi finestre sono senza vetri, solo zanzariere. La natura ti circonda, sembra avvolgerti, senti ogni rumore, ogni sussurro, dalle gocce di pioggia che cade dargli alberi ai versi dei vari animali. La mattina ti svegliano le scimmie urlatrici, tu sei lì rannicchiata nel letto e cerchi di capire e interpretare tutti i rumori che sentì.... è un’esperienza speciale.
Buono il ristorante, soprattutto considerando dove si trova, scelta dei piatti relativa, ma di buona qualità. Bella la piscina e funzionale il bar accanto.

Hello, annahydra

We hope you are well.

We're very pleased to know about your wonderful adventure and we want to thank you for an amazing review.

Best regards

Abbiamo passato due notti all'Aninga Lodge e ci siamo trovati benissimo. Le casette sono confortevoli, ma non aspettatevi la TV in camera perché l'idea è quella di stare due giorni immersi nella natura. La sera infatti è decisamente più bello ascoltare uccelli, insetti e anche qualche scimmia... gli stessi animali che potete incontrare di giorno gironzolando per la proprietà. Il prezzo del soggiorno include il prelievo da e per il vostro hotel a San Jose, 2 notti, i pasti, 1 tour in barca nel parco, 1 tour a piedi nella proprietà e 1 visita al vicino villaggio. Tutto funziona alla perfezione, il personale è attento e premuroso, la cucina di buona qualità, i tour ben gestiti (la natura è unica in questo angolo di paradiso). Una menzione speciale alla nostra guida Juan e al gentilissimo Rafael che ci ha coccolati e fatti sentire a casa.

Hello!!

Thank you for such a marvelous review and comment on the hotel. Also for sharing everything that our packages have to offer. We're glad that you has a splendid time and got the full experience of adventuring in the jungle.

We wish you the best in your future

Sono le piccole casette in mezzo la natura. Sono semplici ma puliti. Abbiamo fatto 2 notti e pioveva sempre. Quando ce vento fa ben un po di paura la notte direi che avventuorosa. Oltre le casette ci sono 2 sale dove si mangia una picola saletta dove ce anche una televisore. E un bar con una piscina carina. Che i nostri bimbi nonostante la pioggia hanno provato. E stato comumqve molto bello.

Hello

On behalf of Aninga Lodge I want to thank you for the positive review and your wonderful comments.

We wish you the best on your future endeavors

Io mio marito e mia figlia di 8 anni abbiamo soggiornato in questo lodge. Bella la location e bello il bungalow,pulito e spazioso.
Non ci sono le finestre perciò l umidita gia altissima fuori si sente molto anche dentro. Non dormirete granchè perche essendo immerso nella foresta vi faranno compagnia nella notte tutti i rumori degl