Mawamba Lodge is located on a strip of land a stone's throw from the Tortuguero River and the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean). It is only accessible by boat. Be prepared: The rooms are better than primitive - very clean - with no air conditioning (only a ceiling fan), screens instead of windows, thin walls, a tiled shower, no phone, TV, in-room safe, or clock. Each unit has 2 rocking chairs, so it's a delight to sit outside and the setting is beautiful. Having said that, it's cool in the evenings and usually rains during the night, so you don't need A/C! From each room, you could hear the ocean waves. The pool is beautiful, service and food are great, and wait staff at the bar is good. Take the happy hour cruise to see the sunset - worth the $$. There's a nature center on the property (don't miss it) and you can walk the beach or into the town of Tortuguero (no sidewalks or streetlights, so bring a flashlight). The town itself is a cultural experience - poor, but friendly people. I would definitely stay there again and recommend it to others. My only wish is that the litter was picked up from the beach, perhaps by volunteer groups or school children.

We stayed at Mawamba as part of a lage package tour, so it's hard for me to comment on the value, but this place provided an awesome experience for our whole group. The boat trips to & from the Lodge were enjoyable & our guides took care to point out howler monkeys in the trees - apparently it's a bit uncommon to see them like that, but it was a great way to start off the visit. The rooms were small & basic but comfortable... Despite the lack of A/C, I slept fine. The showers were tricky - we had no hot water on day one, but that may have been a result of "operator error"! Ask for help if you're struggling - it's easy enough to spot Lodge employees (in uniforms) roaming the grounds. Beware - if you're not fond of camping, this may not be the place for you... We had a small gecko in our room & a thin snake on our porch, plus there are (huge!) ants everywhere, including the restaurant area. Still, I had no concerns about sanitation and everything was neat & clean. The structured meals were reminiscent of summer camp, but the food was good. We had no trouble getting chairs at the pool or bar, although the Lodge seemed a bit empty while we were there. I would highly recommend the boat trips for the flora & fauna; a walk into town via the beach; napping or reading in a hammock; and touring the butterfly & frog gardens. Overall, a lovely experience, and unlike any others I've had!

Stayed 2 nights at this lovely lodge in November, 2011. We had a lot of rain but that's what to expect in a rainforest area. The highlights are the boat safaris on the canals of the Tortuguero National Park and the flora and fauna of the Lodge itself. The accommodation is very well appointed with spacious clean rooms. The food, at the buffet style restaurant, was excellent. Saw lots of different wildlife such as : iguana, otters, sloths, monkeys, herons ( 4 species ), colourful frogs and butterfiles as well as spiders and lizards on the night walk. Alas no turtles when we were there.

This lodge is set between the canal and sea with lovely views, great tropical gardens and fantastic sunsets. Travel to the lodge is either by boat or plane. The local wildlife especially birds, monkeys and sloths as well as iguanas are well worth seeing. The hotel organises 2 hr canal trips and garden walks. The nearby village is about a 10 minute walk away