Nepenthe B&B
El Castillo de La Fortuna, El Castillo, Arenal Volcano National Park 21007 Costa Rica
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About
#1 of 3 B&Bs in El Castillo
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Nepenthe Bed and Breakfast is Beautifull piece of paradise located in the little town of El Castillo of La Fortuna in Costa Rica. Surrounded by the rain forest and exuberant wild life, you can appreciate the magnificent Arenal Volcano and the mistic Arenal Lake, enjoy beautifull sunsets from our infinity edge pool or relax in the jacuzzi after a day of adventures and fun in the area. ** Also, the Phoenix Restaurant at Nepenthe is located on the grounds of Nepenthe and serve a daily dinner menu with handmade food and fresh local ingredients.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Free breakfast
Hiking
Horseback riding
Car hire
Massage
Wifi
Hot bath
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Wine / champagne
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Sun terrace
Laundry service
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Room features
Desk
Housekeeping
Safe
Iron
Coffee / tea maker
Refrigerator
Cable / satellite TV
Bath / shower
Private bathrooms
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Mountain view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Smoking rooms available
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
41Car recommended
Grade: 41 out of 100
33Restaurantswithin 10 km
21Attractionswithin 10 km
El Castillo de La Fortuna, El Castillo, Arenal Volcano National Park 21007 Costa Rica
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My boyfriend and I came here for a night, we are digital nomads so just wanted to change a bit our workplace and enjoy the views. And this was the right place for that! The room is very comfy, even has a desk on it. The food was delicious, the pool & jacuzzi are very nice! We highly recommend it!!!
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Nepenthe was beautiful! The views are just beyond explanation, you have to see it to know! The staff are so friendly and so helpful I was going to walk down to the shop and the one took me down on the quad, so kind. I had a massage here, firstly the therapist is a amazing man so kind and friendly. But his skills for a massage where beyond amazing, one one the best massages I have had around the world and I get a lot of massages! If you go here you have to book a massage he is the best, and actually very cheap!! The only thing that I found annoying about this hotel was the hot water I honestly had to turn the shower on 10 minutes before I wanted to shower and leave it running because the hot water was just not coming through. Such a waste of water. I hope this gets sorted but other than that what a amazing place amazing staff and amazing views! Thank you so much! Pura vida…
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
First, forget the old reviews. The owners have updated things. Hot water works, there is wifi, etc. Yes, the drive is up a rural road in a third world country, but what did you expect? Florida? It's completely driveable. Second, there is a decent chance you will not want to leave when you see the views and how peaceful this place is. Unit 7 is magical. Third, you might get a chance to meet the charming owners who are happy to engage you in conversation and tell more stories than you find on the menu. Last, the restaurant is fine. The drinks are cheap and large - just like the portions. We will be returning!
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Date of stay: March 2023
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
We stayed at Nepenthe for 5 days and it was truly a magical experience! The views were amazing and the staff was so friendly and helpful! There is nothing like going for a dip in the pool and taking in the views and nature. We loved starting our mornings at The Phoenix with a wonderful breakfast before we headed out for our adventure for the day. By the end of our stay we felt like family ❤️ we were truly sad to leave and will definitely be planning another trip!
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We had a great stay at Nepenthe!! The location is on the southwest side of Arenal so it's closer to the hiking trails (1968, Observatory Lodge, etc) than it is the town of La Fortuna, but you still get to all the main activities including the hot springs within 30 minutes. We stayed in Villa 7 which is nicknamed the "Hidden Villa" and it has amazing views! If you can stay in this one, it is highly recommended. the views of Arenal Lake and the surrounding hills are amazing. We saw all sorts of different birds and animals every time we looked. The restaurant onsite, The Phoenix, is really great! Breakfast is included in the room price and there are a few options to choose from. We didn't eat lunch there, but did eat dinner there every night and we were not disappointed. A good mix of local Costa Rican dishes as well as some more "kid friendly" options like pizza and pasta. We really didn't have anything bad to say about the stay, but the only thing to be aware of is the drive up the hill to get to the hotel is not for the faint of heart. Once you do it once, it gets easier, but the first time up it's highly recommended to do in daylight. We did not have a 4x4 and made it up with no issue, but our rental car did have fairly high clearance which came in handy. There are a few spots where some concrete tracks were laid down to make things easier. Use those, take the turns wide, and don't be afraid to accelerate uphill and you'll be good to go!…
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We had a lovely stay at Nepenthe. The staff were incredibly helpful and hospitable. The breakfast provided every morning was wonderful. The views truly cannot be captured in photos (we tried but nothing is quite the same). The staff arranged some tours for us upon arrival. In retrospect I regretted doing this. I don't feel that the details of the arrangements were clearly communicated to me. As a result we rushed to things that in truth had no time restrictions/time scheduled but were late to other activities that had hard and fast start times. The value for money was great. We had a hard time finding places in this area that had a separate bedroom from living space that didn't cost a fortune. Nepenthe provided ample space and comfort a very reasonable price. We stayed in family room which worked well for us (we were traveling with our baby and toddler). The set up was a bit odd, there was a queen sized bed right as you walk in the door next to the kitchen and the first bathroom. There is a dividing curtain you can pull across to separate the bed from the living room. The living room is a decent size with a small futon couch that could sleep a child or very small adult in a pinch. Past the living room is the separate bedroom (this one has a door) with its own bathroom. There is a small wrap around patio with hanging chairs and amazing views of the mountain side. Somethings to note: 1) No AC only ceiling and pillar fans (we were comfortable when we stayed in May but I think in hotter months this might be a deal breaker for some people.) 2) Some of the screens at small holes that allowed insects in. This meant we couldn't open up the windows for more ventilation. 3) You need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to access this place. It is really up on a hillside and the paving leaves something to be desired. It was unseasonably dry when we were there so we had no problems but if it were really raining hard I don't know if we could have gotten up there.…
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
What a beautifull place with beautifull people this is! We stayed longer than expected. The views are stunning, the room and the whirlpool is very nice and the crew very sweet and helpfull. The restaurant from this place, everybody should try! Luisa and juan are great and Luisa makes the most delicious fish with mangosauce. It's open right now!
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
This place was the highlight of our Monteverde/Arenal trip. We stayed there for 3 nights and the view is just spectacular. Not to mention you are surrounded by so much wildlife—it's great for birdwatching. We opted to spend quite a bit of time just hanging out here as it was that kind of tranquillity and beauty that we craved for our trip. The staff were also so eager to please, it felt like a big family. We will definitely be back!
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Date of stay: December 2019
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: We had a room at the very top and it had amazing views
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We stayed at Nepenthe one night and had a wonderful time. Joel and crew were so friendly and helpful during our stay. The Phoenix restaurant was an absolute pleasure to be at. Juan and Louisa were so sweet, and the food was outstanding. I would suggest a bit of updating in the rooms, some screens on the windows (it can get hot in there) and some warmer lighting. Overall it was a fantastic stay.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: The rooms facing the pool seemed like the best ones.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
My husband and I stayed here for 4 nights. It is out of the city and up a dirt road, but we thought that was one of the best parts! It was like an oasis up in a Costa Rican mountain. The view was amazing! Pictures don’t even do it justice. The workers here were seriously AMAZING! First they got us amazing deals on tours we wanted to do, like $10 to $15 dollars less then what other people were paying. Second they truly made us feel like people rather then customers. When the lights went out due to a pole going down in the town they first made sure every single person was okay. Then realizing they couldn’t do anything, do to it being a city problem, they made it a very enjoyable time for us by taking us on an animal hunt around the grounds. We had such a blast and saw all sorts of animals. Lastly, they over heard that my husband and I’s wedding anniversary was the next day, and the next day we walked into our bed decorated! We did not ask for this they just did it! This has been the most amazing B&B we have ever stayed at, and honestly I don’t think any will compare. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity to stay here! We will be back!…
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2 Helpful votes
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PRICE RANGE
$64 - $113 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of AlajuelaArenal Volcano National ParkEl Castillo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
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Frequently Asked Questions about Nepenthe B&B
What are some of the property amenities at Nepenthe B&B?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Nepenthe B&B?
Top room amenities include a refrigerator, a desk, and a view of the mountains.
What food & drink options are available at Nepenthe B&B?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast and an on-site restaurant during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Nepenthe B&B?
Conveniently located restaurants include Essence Arenal Restaurant, La Ventanita, and La Mesa de Mama.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Nepenthe B&B?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Nepenthe B&B?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Does Nepenthe B&B have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.