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Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga

3.0 star property
Hostal with free parking, a quick walk to Lake Arenal

Photo gallery for Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga

Casa Bella Vista | Exterior
View from room
Lake
Free toiletries, towels, soap
Outdoor pool

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Spa
  • Pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast available
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
The current price is NZ$68
includes taxes & fees
28 May - 29 May

Explore the area

Map
1 Km Sur Escuela del Castillo, Arenal Volcano National Park, Peñas Blancas, 1230
  • Costa Rica Sky Adventures
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Arenal Volcano
    ‪15 min drive‬
  • Tabacon Hot Springs
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal)
    ‪35 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Superior Room, 1 Double Bed

Superior Room, 1 Double Bed

Superior Room, 1 Double Bed

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Single Bunk Bed

View all photos for Casitas nomadas

Casitas nomadas

Casitas nomadas

Highlights

Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room, Shared Bathroom

Standard Quadruple Room, Shared Bathroom

Standard Quadruple Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Balcony
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Single Bunk Beds

View all photos for Casa Bella Vista

Casa Bella Vista | Exterior

Casa Bella Vista

Highlights

Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Double Bunk Bed

View all photos for Superior Quadruple Room, Private Bathroom

Superior Quadruple Room, Private Bathroom

Superior Quadruple Room, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Balcony
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

About the area

Peñas Blancas

At Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga you'll be 0.4 km (0.2 mi) from Lake Arenal and 4 km (2.5 mi) from Costa Rica Sky Adventures. Highlights at this hostal include a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and free self-parking. .A pampering day can include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages and reflexology. The restaurant, No aplica, serves vegetarian cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy the Turkish bath/hammam along with access to hiking/biking trails and volleyball. Additionally, you'll find free Wi-Fi in public areas, coffee/tea in a common area and laundry facilities. Full breakfast is available daily between 7 AM and 9 AM. There's also the convenience of an airport shuttle. .Sights within a 20-minute drive of this 3-property class Peñas Blancas hostal include Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs.

What's nearby

  • Costa Rica Sky Adventures - 8 min drive - 4.1 km
  • Arenal Volcano - 15 min drive - 8.4 km
  • Tabacon Hot Springs - 18 min drive - 11.5 km
  • Arenal Volcano National Park - 20 min drive - 12.0 km
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park - 25 min drive - 15.0 km

Getting around

  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal) - 35 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Restaurante Río Lounge - ‬36 min drive
  • ‪Agua Ardiente Pool Bar - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Fusión Arenal Mirador. - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Soda La Palma - ‬20 min drive
  • ‪Restaurante Las Palmas - ‬25 min drive

About this property

Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga

Hostal with free parking, a quick walk to Lake Arenal
There's a restaurant on site. Public spaces have free WiFi. An outdoor pool, spa services, and a terrace are also featured at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga. Self parking is free.

This 3-star Peñas Blancas hostal is smoke free.

  • 15 guestrooms or units
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Coffee in lobby
  • Dry cleaning
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Outdoor picnic space
  • No smoking on site
  • Dining venue
Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga offers 15 shared accommodations with free toiletries. Housekeeping is provided on a daily basis.
Guests can pamper themselves by indulging in the on-site spa services. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, sports massages and Swedish massages. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including reflexology. The spa is equipped with Turkish bath/hammam. There are hot springs open between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

Languages

English, French, German, Spanish

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  • Breakfast included
  • Spa
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4.2 out of 5, Very good, 568 reviews
Arenal Waterfall Lodge

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Internet access
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Daily full breakfast available 7 AM to 9 AM for a fee: USD 10 for adults and USD 8 for children
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

  • No aplica

Things to do

  • Books
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Hot spring
  • Outdoor pool
  • Volleyball
  • Yoga classes

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In the mountains
  • Picnic area
  • Terrace

Spa

  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Hot spring
  • Hot springs open from 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Hot springs water temperature - 32 ºC
  • Hot stone massages
  • Reflexology
  • Sports massages
  • Swedish massages
  • Thai massages
  • Turkish bath

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Eco-friendly cleaning products used
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Private or shared bathroom
  • Soap
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Room service

More

  • LED lighting
  • Recycling
  • Shared accommodation

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 1:00 PM; check-in end time: 7:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 9:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for full breakfast: from approximately USD 10 for adults and from USD 8 for children

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, debit cards and cash. This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products.

We should mention

  • Hot springs access available from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
  • Reservations are needed for massage services. For reservations, contact the hostal before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Property is also known as

Essence Arenal Hostel El Castillo
Essence Arenal El Castillo
Essence Arenal Spa
Essence Arenal Hostel
Essence Arenal Spa Yoga
Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga Hostal
Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga Peñas Blancas
Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga Hostal Peñas Blancas

Frequently asked questions

What is the cancellation policy at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga offers free cancellation on select room rates. Check out the cancellation policy for more info.

How much does it cost to stay at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

As of 15 May 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga on 28 May 2025 start from NZ$68.20, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is parking available at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

Yep, Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga has a free self car park.

Is there a spa on site at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

There's no onsite spa, but this property does offer services like Thai massages.

Does Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga have a pool?

Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga has an outdoor pool.

Does Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga serve breakfast?

Yep, full breakfast is available daily from 7 AM to 9 AM.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

No, but there's an airport shuttle for a fee.

Is there a bar or restaurant at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

Yep, you can grab a meal at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga's onsite restaurant that serves vegetarian cuisine.

What time are check-in & check-out at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

Check-in begins at 1:00 PM. Check-out time is 11 AM.

Are pets allowed at Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga?

No, pets and service animals are not allowed.

Essence Arenal Spa & Yoga Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 41 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 14 out of 41 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 41 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 41 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 41 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Isabelmarie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Me encantó la experiencia, el equipo de trabajo a otro nivel con su dedicación. Definitivamente volveré a reservar cuando vuelva a Costa Rica
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

6/10 Okay

Andrea

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The property is little dated but ok, it’s surrendered by nature, so it would be nice if cabins had some outdoor sitting furniture. The area has some beautiful views on the lake and volcano, it’s hard to beat!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property was a true sanctuary. Nestled in the jungle with various short walking trails, daily yoga and a spa circuit. The hosts were just amazing and kind and the property was pure heaven. If you want snacks or coffee, there’s no refrigerator or coffee in the room so just plan accordingly. :)
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kimberley

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Loved this stay so much!!!! Highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Heidi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Caroline

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing gem of a hotel.

Absolutely beautiful hotel with incredibly friendly service and amazing food. I would highly recommend it. The chocolate tour was a highlight.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

Franka

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We had a wonderful time. The grounds are beautiful. We saw monkeys lots of birds and other wildlife right from our window. The staff is incredibly nice and helpful. The restaurant is cute and offers good food at a reasonable price. We had lots of rain while there and it does creep into the casitas. Our towels never really dried and the bed felt clammy too. So be aware of this and decide if that works for you before booking. The kitchen is also only sparsely equipped. It would've been nice to have a chopping board and a sharp knife as we did cook a few times. If you like to cook extravagant meals at home this is not your place but we did make pasta, tacos and other simple dishes without any problems. There is much to explore in the area and it's helpful to have a car, preferably even a 4x4. Overall, we very much enjoyed our time at Essence and would come back. Bring a raincoat and change of shoes and don't miss the Night Jungle Tour. It was a highlight!
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Janice

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing

Essence is a wonderful place to stay…. The property is well thought out for you to enjoy nature and has a variety of accommodation options. The Glamping tents are surrounded by bamboo trees and very peaceful. (Shared bathrooms, but that was no problem for us….expected with Glamping) They have their own farm and I would recommend taking a walk through it. There are also a number of hiking trails, which makes it feel like you are not only staying at a hotel, but also a nature park. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Gabriel is an amazing chef and wonderful person. We enjoyed our stay tremendously and will recommend Essence to friends.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jose Manuel

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff, eco friendly hotel
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The most wonderful place to relax, detox, and recharge. The staff is full of genuine love and kindness. Beautiful views and excellent heathy food.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Jeff, Prince George bc

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Rustic. Beautiful views. Staff was amazing. Beds were not so comfortable. Food was great. Right in the jungle so lots of wildlife.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing stay! Beautiful view of Lake Arenal and good vibes
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I absolutly loved staying here. It was a great setting, a nice break out of town, with a wonderful view of the volcano. The staff were amazing and extreamly helpful. I loved the daily yoga classes out in nature with amazing teachers. There were lots of walking trails around the property and you could go walk around the farm where they grow a lot of the fruit used in the kitched for vegitarian meals. Also the massages were super relaxing. I will definitely be coming here again!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

8/10 Good

Carrie, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing view, beautiful property and trails, delicious meals with the lovely Lillian. If you want some time away from the tourism and to be in nature, this is the place! The staff are so helpful and kind, and I highly recommend you get a tour of the area with Lilander in horseback... will blow your mind!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018

8/10 Good

Cameron

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful place to stay

The rooms are small but nice, service is great and the views are amazing!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018

8/10 Good

erin, Tacoma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Family fun time

We took our three young kids, agreed 6, 8, and 10. Our room was very small, but doable. If the kids were a little older, we would have gotten 2 rooms. The service was fantastic. My kids didn't want to leave. The pool wasn't a pool, but more of a mosquito pond children's pool. The food was fantastic. I'd like to see maybe another light out brighter light brought into the room. It was a bit darker than I prefer..
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

8/10 Good

Yann, Philadelphia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very nice hotel next to the Volcano Arenal

Very nice place, easy to find, the staff is nice and very welcoming. If you stay more than a night you will be able to enjoy the swimming pool and the jacuzzi. Waking up and taking a very good breakfast while looking to the Volcano is priceless!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing place with amazing staff
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017

8/10 Good

Núria , London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great location to feel close to nature

We stayed 3 nights in a troom-tent and it was very clean and nicely done. We really liked the location and the lovely walks around!, specially the horse riding journey to the nearby waterfall. Very convenient they have a communal area with a small fridge where you can keep stuff. We had shared bathroom and I wouldn't say that is the highlight of the place... Very basic and impossible to get a decent warm shower from it, I'm afraid that you can only freeze or burn on it... The upside is definitely the almost isolated location away from the tourist crowds but the downside is that you're far away from town / amenities and the "road" is quite a pain to drive! It's a good 30 min drive through road with the most potholes I ever seen...be ready!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice secluded hotel in the jungle

Hotel staff were friendly and accommodating. It's far from out of town but there were ahuttlea that went to the main town if needed or to arenal observatory. It was nice to go into to town for the day by sleep in the jungle. During our stay we were able to see howler monkeys on the trail. Lillian's meals were worth coming back for everyday.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice, but not a Hostel

This place was nice and the food was great, however, it is not a hostel. There was no available area to cook or prep your own food and barely an area to store food. Due to the location, your options are to pay to eat at the hotel (which would really add up) or stash non-perishables in your room. This is not ideal for a person on a budget! Also, there were a lot of drop offs and I didn't really feel like my kids would be safe wandering the property. It is also one heck of a drive up. This place would be ideal for a romantic getaway or for adults only. Again, the food was great, the property was beautiful and the staff was so accommodating - it just wasn't what I had expected or planned for.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2017

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing views from the property! Friendly and helpful staff. Incredible value!

10/10 Excellent

Raphaëlle, Montreal, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very comfy & relaxing Hostel

It was a great experience, we were recommended this Hostel by a friend. When we arrived we were very excited to spend some time there and we wished we could've stayed longer. The room was clean and comfortable, they had hot water in the showers, and the meals were very complete and tasty. It was very easy getting around thanks to the shuttle driver Luis, and the view from the Hostel is magical.

10/10 Excellent

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Salvador

Travelled with family

Basica hotel with great views to the arenal vulcan

Basic hotel with great views to the arenal vulcano, our room with private bathroom was simple but clean. Nice property with great walks in nature, 30 mins away from fortuna but a car would solve all.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025