Guest reviews Nayara Hotel Spa & Gardens, Arenal

by elioray San Mateo, California

Great Service and Food

This hotel is probably tied with the Peace Lodge as being our favorite hotel in our two week stay in Costa Rica. They staff are super helpful and friendly. The dining was fantastic. The swim up bar made for great lazy afternoons. Perfect stay all around.

by Lexy B

PERFECT!

This resort is absolutely amazing! My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and we couldn’t have dreamed of a better place! We were upgraded rooms because it was our honeymoon! The views and wild life here are indescribable. The service is outstanding. Everyone is extremely personable and knowledgeable! Theres a wide variety of restaurants.Highly highly recommend! Will definitely be back

by Chris G Florida

Magical

My husband and I stayed at the Nayara Gardens for our honeymoon. The entire stay was magical! The manager, Luis, made sure that every detail of our stay was handled with such style and attention. We also went on several private tours through Nayara Gardens and we highly reccomend you do the same! Our guide, Pablo, was highly knowledgeable of each site we visited and he made our trip so memorable! Also, the food was spectacular. We had a private dinner with Chef Nicolas and it was like something out of the movies!!! We were so impressed with the entire experience and each of the restaurants we visited on site were each magnificent. I cannot say enough good things about Nayara Gardens! We cannot wait to visit Nayara Gardens again!!! It was fabulous!

by anchoba Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France

WOW !!!

It is probably the best hotel we have ever been... The rooms are equipped with all the facilities you can imagine, including an incredible private jacuzzi on the terrace. The main infrastructure is shared with neighbouring Nayara Springs, so you have 3 swimming pools to choose, plenty of jacuzzis surrounded by astonishing tropical vegetation, wonderful ponds inhabited by several species of frogs, internal tracks that allow a short walk and watch plenty of animals... everything without stepping outside... Although I had read mixed reviews with regard to cuisine, I can confirm that today it is top-level for both breakfast (buffet + à la carte) & dinner, and can compete with top European restaurants despite some lack of organization concerning with table service. In addition to the wonderful surrounding environment and luxurious rooms, everything is done to give satisfaction and make your experience unforgettable... For example, as soon as the Manager knew that we were very interested in watching the sloths that live inside the hotel, he organised everything and mobilised the staff in order to be accompanied, letting us to have one of the best experiences of our trip to Cost Rica. Very interesting optional activities like coffee tasting and nature watching inside the hotel. To cut short, if you are a nature or coffee lover, you are exigent with food and want to be treated like a king don't hesitate to stay in Nayara... you will never forget the experience...

by a123nt Indianapolis, Indiana

Nayara Resort Spa & Gardens = Magical!

So much to love about Nayara! It starts as soon as they welcome you to the resort and continues until you sadly must depart, happy you decided to choose Nayara. The staff at Nayara is incredible! Several times during our stay staff members would stop what they were doing to ask if they could be of service and even offered to take us to see some wildlife they had recently seen. Very refreshing! They made it seem like they were there just for you – their guest. The resort itself is incredible. They have created the illusion of privacy in and around your villa even though the units are actually fairly close together and pathways wind throughout the complex. It is the clear departure from the standard resort hotel (with shared walls) that I was expecting. We selected a Rainforest Villa to ensure a king bed, and it definitely delivered. Having separate vanities was a big plus, though they are quite far apart with the shower in between. The outdoor shower with dual shower heads was a fun experience. Even got to experience a true rain shower. Grounds were fabulous and it was fun to explore and see the wildlife and amazing variety of plants that they have incorporated. Lots of dining choices are available. Altamira was our favorite, though Mis Amores and Asia Luna were good as well. Mi Cafecito was a fun place to grab an afternoon snack. Go to the wine tasting! Great opportunity to meet other guests as well as interact with the staff at the wine bar. Everyone was so friendly! We always enjoyed Alex’s enthusiastic welcome when we chose Altamira! As perfect as it was, there are some opportunities for improvement. The air conditioning unit in our villa was pointed directly at the bed. Even with the bed drapes closed, we were still kept awake by the blowing air. The bed was overly firm and pillows lacking. So sleep quality was not good. The chairs on the deck are lovely, but unfortunately not very comfortable. Also, the bath products were not up to the overall standards of the resort as they left our hair dry and brittle. Loved the ever-present rack of big orange umbrellas. Good idea to take one along as you explore the resort as showers arise without warning. Would definitely return to Nayara if our travels take us back to La Fortuna! And would highly recommend to anyone planning a visit.