Frequently Asked Questions

The entrance is at 3:00 p.m. and the exit at 12:00 p.m. If you arrive at our hotel before the check-in time, you can store your belongings with us and you can enjoy the restaurant, the pool, the spa and the trails while we prepare your room. For security reasons, the hotel closes its main gate at 11:00 pm.

At Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails you can pay with your Visa, Amex, Master Card, Discovery and JCB credit cards, you can also pay in cash. There are no additional charges for paying with your credit cards.

The Arenal Volcano, which had been dormant for centuries, suddenly erupted in 1968 and was the most active volcano in Costa Rica for decades. In 2010, it entered a passive stage with very little activity as part of its natural evolution. Experts from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) believe that there has been no recent seismic activity recorded in the volcano, and it could continue its dormancy for hundreds of more years.

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails was originally built in 1987 as a research center and exploration base for scientists from the US Smithsonian Institution. Unlike other hotels in La Fortuna, Costa Rica Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails is the only Hotel located inside the Arenal Volcano National Park, protected from any danger by the deep gorge of the Agua Caliente River.

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails is located in a safe area about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) from the southeastern part of the Arenal Volcano. The hotel is located on a hill between the Agua Caliente and Quebrada Danta rivers that rises some 120 meters (394 feet) above Lake Arenal, this topographic feature is of essential importance because the river canyons would eventually not allow the flows affect our hotel. Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails is located within “ZONE D” (Low Danger Area) near the Arenal Volcano. In addition, as the prevailing winds generally blow from the east, our hotel would rarely be affected by eventual ash falls, or other precipitation from any eruption.

The main difference between these rooms is that the Smithsonian rooms are more spacious and have a direct view of the Arenal Volcano from the bed in the room; while the Standard rooms have views of the volcano from the terrace / balcony.

A maximum of 4 people can share the Standard, Smithsonian, Junior Suites, and La Casona rooms. Villa White Hawk accommodates up to 8 people and Villa Phil up to 10 people in total.

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails offers shuttle service to nearby areas, as well as transportation to and from the Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, and the local airport in La Fortuna. Please ask our reservation agents, or at the hotel reception, for prices. The hotel offers free shuttle service within the property for our guests.

The weather at Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna, Costa Rica is best described as unpredictable – one minute the area is hot and sunny, and the next it’s covered in clouds and you’d swear the volcano doesn’t exist because it’s not visible. That can happen several times a day, leading to the popular phrase in Costa Rica: “If you want the weather to change, just wait five minutes!”

The area of ​​La Fortuna and Arenal are known to be rainy; however, the rain often leaves as soon as it comes. Brief periods of rain (from little rain to torrential downpours) are frequent throughout the year.

Arenal Volcano’s location is affected by both Caribbean and Pacific weather patterns, although sunny weather is more frequent during Costa Rica’s dry season. Average daytime temperatures in Arenal, during the dry season (summer) range between 28°C and 32°C (82-90°F), with little rainfall. Temperatures drop a bit during the rainy season, averaging 19°C to 28°C (66-82°F).

The lodging rates do not include the entrance to the national park. The entrance to the park is located 7 km from our property and the cost is $15.00 per person.