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Arenal Nayara

Our rating

8/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Large, upscale resort
- Family friendly, great range of activities
- Award-winning property
- Excellent variety of activities

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Overview

Arenal Nayara is a large, high-end resort nestled on a hill overlooking the impressive, 5,300 foot high Arenal Volcano in northern Costa Rica. Thanks to its outstanding customer service, its superb offering of activities and cuisine, and its stylish yet supremely comfortable accommodation, this family-friendly property has won a string of prestigious awards over the last few years and has been listed among the top ten hotels in the world by the likes of TripAdvisor, Travel+Leisure and Business Insider. Despite its large proportions, the resort hides its size well amidst beautiful gardens, but that said, no matter how attractive the surroundings, it is a still a large resort with an international feel and will suit travellers at the higher end of the budget spectrum.

There are several levels of accommodation to choose from, from the Casitas Deluxe, to the Rainforest Villas and the 3-bedroom Arenal Villas. All villas are stylish and air conditioned and afford plenty of peace and privacy; they’re designed to complement their natural surroundings and offer captivating views of either the lush rainforest or the volcano itself. Each has its own private balcony and garden area complete with outdoor shower and there’s an indoor en-suite bathroom as well. Amenities include complimentary, environmentally-friendly toiletries, as well as a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. A daily buffet breakfast, a twice-daily maid service, national and international calls, and daily yoga sessions are also included.

The line-up of activities and excursions is both extensive and diverse, with plenty of choice to cater for all age groups. Some of the many options include walking along suspension bridges through the amazing rainforest canopy, trekking over dried lava fields from the volcano’s 1968 eruption, a visit to a nearby wildlife rescue centre, a night-time frog spotting walk and a white-water rafting expedition to name but a few. Note that for reasons of health and safety, there are age restrictions on some activities.

The hotel has some fantastic on-site facilities to make use of when not out and about exploring the area. The spa is set on a cliff overlooking the rainforest below and makes for a particularly peaceful place to enjoy soothing treatments. There’s also a good range of high-quality gym equipment. There are around half a dozen eateries from the family favourite, Altamira Restaurant, which hosts various themed nights throughout the week, to the lively Asia Luna with its gourmet Asian delicacies, and the casual coffee shop Mi Cafecito. The hotel also has a lovely pool to lounge about in and some scenic walking trails to explore.

Children are welcome, though note that they are not permitted to visit the adjacent adults-only sister property, Nayara Springs. While this is a particularly family-friendly resort, parents are reminded to keep their children under constant adult supervision.

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What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 545 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • It really was absolutely amazing. Faisal was wonderful (our driver for the majority of the trip) – such a lovely person and made everything feel so easy and relaxed. The whole experience was incredibly well put together and completely seamless from start to finish. The Sahara Desert was definitely the highlight for me – truly unforgettable – but honestly every part of the trip was special.

    MissingMandy S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 05 May 2026

  • I just wanted to say thank you so much for organising such an amazing holiday.
    We absolutely loved it, even though Jessica was ready to give up walking for good ????
    Our guide, Mustafa, was great. Really helpful, friendly and informative.
    We loved all the accommodation, and especially the first night and the Riad.
    All of the staff at every location were so friendly and helpful.
    Thanks again for organising such a great trip.

    MissingRebecca H reviewing Marrakech & Mountains Family Holiday on 09 April 2026

  • Thank you yet again for another meticulously organised and executed holiday (our 5th with you). Every aspect worked perfectly.
    Please could you pass on our sincere thanks to your agent in Sri Lanka; Lakshita, our driver and guide, absolutely made the trip for us - he was so keen for us to have the best experience possible. He was organised, kind, interested, punctual, the car was always spotless, and he was an excellent driver. His extensive knowledge was really appreciated by us and was exactly what we had hoped for in a guide. I think the highlight for us was our day in Anuradhapura (7 hours of absorbing history and culture), but there was so much to learn and absorb every day. He also made several suggestions for things that he thought we might like that weren't in our itinerary, and then booked them for us. These included an ayurvedic massage after climbing Sigiriya, a cultural show (an hour of touristy fun!), reef snorkelling with turtles (a real highlight for me - I wish we could have stayed all day), a lagoon boat trip and visit to a cinnamon island, a turtle sanctuary visit, and a gemstone factory visit. He also managed to get us a private tour of Lunanguga, which Peter thoroughly enjoyed. We also really enjoyed the tea factory tour.
    Our guide for the hike was also really excellent, and he and Lakshita made sure that our day was perfectly tailored to our (my) ability.
    All our accommodation was also perfectly selected. Our favourite was the Ceylon tea trails bungalow (just perfect!), but The Villa Bentota came a close second as a perfect way to relax at the end of the trip. Our villa and the grounds at Uga at Ulagalla were also beautiful.
    (Our only slightly disappointing day was the whale watching - no whales wanted to be seen on that particular day, plus I was very sea-sick despite taking meds! The tour organisers offered us a repeat day the following day, which we declined! Having said that, being out on the water was still enjoyable, up to a point...).
    I'm sure I've missed out something - we basically loved it all and felt that the balance of the itinerary was perfect for us (we used the 'rest' day in Galle to do the snorkelling, lagoon, and turtles)
    Thank you very, very much.

    Missingfiona g reviewing Sri Lanka Highlights - Classic on 27 March 2026

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