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Reviewed 28 December 2017

Golfo Dulce Retreat is a charming, secluded place, set in the rainforest on the edge of Golfo Dulce. It can only be reached by boat. You leave your car at Golfito and will be collected by the Retreat’s boat for a 30 minute trip across the bay. There is no jetty, so it is a ‘wet landing’ at the Retreat. There are only 3 cabins which adds to the feeling of seclusion. There are lovely trails through the rainforest, one leading to a waterfall. All meals are truly excellent.

This is a wonderful place to stay if you want a degree of seclusion and enjoy the rainforest and it’s wildlife.

Date of stay: November 2017
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Thank peterpP4358YJ
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.
Reviewed 19 December 2017

It's hard to express in words how perfect the Golfo Dulce Retreat is. It won't be a hidden gem for long once word gets out that it is AMAZING. Traveling with toddlers (a 2 year old and 4 year old) is never easy, but at the Golfo Dulce Retreat our family was able to relax and enjoy every second of being in the rainforest. Simon, Chantelle, their children, and staff welcomed us with open arms; they cooked special (and delicious) meals for the children (they emailed before we arrived and asked what the kids liked to eat), provided toys for them to play with (their eating area/lounge was perfect for the kids to play legos while my husband and I enjoyed our delicious adult meals at the table), and modified the guided tours to fit our family's needs. They went so far as to construct a wooden fence around the plunge pool that was in our cabin (for child safety), and build high chairs for the kids so they were comfortable at the dining table. One night my little one was so tired I had to take him to bed in the middle of dinner. The staff brought the rest of my meal to the cabin. They had coffee and tea delivered to our porch every morning at 6:30am as they knew our children woke up early. 4pm tea and cake was a favorite for all of us. Chantelle always welcomed the children to stop by the kitchen for snacks if they needed them (almost never- they kept us so full!) They were just incredible, and knew exactly how to support our family in order to have an idyllic vacation. We couldn't have asked for more.

The actual retreat was stunning- by far the most luxurious stay we have ever had. Every morning we woke up and couldn't believe what a beautiful place we were in. We stayed in the cabin with two rooms. They put two twin beds together in the kids' room with railings on the sides (perfect), and our king bed was so comfortable. The cabin was full of light, so very clean, and the rustic, light wood was beautiful. It was a very calming ambiance. We all enjoyed the outdoor shower! There is a lot to see just walking around the beautiful grounds- we spotted monkeys, toucans, scarlet macaws (they actually came right up to us!), leaf-cutter aunts, and tree frogs.

Our favorite tours were to the waterfall and mangroves (the wild dolphins jumping up all around our boat was a highlight of the trip). We learned so much from our guides (both the local experts and Cambridge biologists). One of our guides, Rodolfo, knew we wanted to see crocodiles, and because we didn't see one on a tour, he took us out one night on a crocodile hunt to the lagoons where we spotted them! The beach at the retreat is rocky, but we kayaked a ways down the shore and found a great place to swim. The water is warm and perfect for the kids as the waves are small.

The entire staff at the retreat didn't miss a beat; they were so detail oriented, kind, and helpful. There is so much more I could write about this little piece of heaven, but you should go see it for yourselves. Worth every penny and then some!

We will be back someday!!!

Date of stay: November 2017
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Location
    • Rooms
    • Service
Thank Francesca V
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.
Reviewed 26 October 2017

My mum and I stayed here for a week at the end of September. The retreat is a real oasis in the rainforest where Simon and Chantelle, the owners, have clearly worked very hard to create the most welcoming and beautiful place in a very remote and beautiful area. The cabin we stayed in was spacious and bright, we loved sitting in the porch listening to the rain or reading a book on the hammock while nature is singing all its melodies. Food was delicious, real Italian cooking made with fresh ingredients. They also fish their own fish in the afternoon so dinner couldn't be any fresher. In the afternoons Chantelle would make some delicious cakes or biscuits and serve them in the upper floor of the restaurant at sun setting with singing toucans, it's a real unique atmosphere. The fresh water swimming pool is gourgeous, we lied on its wooden deck immersed in the jungle. We also did lots of activities. We went to the mangroves with a short boat ride and we walked through the primary forest to reach the waterfal where their visiting biologist Chris explained all the various trees and how the rainforest system works. Very interesting to see how everything works in perfect armony there. We also visited the botanical garden at the end of the beach where the retreat is located. we went there by kajaks and were able to admire the forest from the sea, at our own pace. The beach is a bit rocky but we were given some beach shoes and we took walks at sunset when the tide is low and you can walk on both sides of the golfo and once we saw dolphins swimming very close to the shore! If you love wild nature like we do, this is the place where you need to go!

Date of stay: September 2017
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
Thank 826micaelab
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.
Reviewed 22 September 2017 via mobile

We had an amazing experience at Golfo Dulce Retreat!! My husband and I , our 3 kids (17, 16, 10) and my mum loved our time there and cannot recomend it enough!! It is the perfect place to truely grasp the tropical forest of Costa Rica. We loved the hike to the waterfall in the property , riding their boat to the amazing mangroves near them and the secluded paradisíac beach in the area. The kids also really enjoyed their time there, learning artesanal fishing and spotting lots and lots of dolphins!!
We will never forget our sunset by their beach, drinking wine and hearing Scarlet macaws around us!!
I believe this is the place I most relaxed and completelly forgot the stress from living in a big city!!
Also, besides all that, we had some of the best Italian food we've ever had, with home made breads, ice cream and pasta!!
It was amazing!!!

Date of stay: September 2017
Trip type: Travelled with family
Thank Inspire44651
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.
Reviewed 21 September 2017 via mobile

If you want to go to an amazing place, close to nature, no cars and with very confortable cabins, that is the place. The property area is comparable to Central Park NY! It's an environmetal reserve, with waterfall, a lot of trees, small monkeys and scaralet macaws flying aroud. In the Sea, warm waters, dolphins, and an amazing mangroove. Tours to those activities are avaiable. Also, there are a lot of space and activities for children. Chantelle, the host, is a fantastic person, always thinking about our confort.

Date of stay: September 2017
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
1  Thank Alisson_Raposo
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.
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