La Leona Eco Lodge

This is an incredible location. We saw so much wildlife just around the lodge, and really enjoyed the trails. The crew at La Leona Eco Lodge is a group of wonderful people, who took time to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and had what we needed. They were super friendly and always available if we had questions, and helped us arrange tours and accommodations to work for our group. We enjoyed getting to know people there. For anyone interested in this region, this is an excellent place to stay.

From Quepos/Manuel Antonio to Carate on the OSO peninsula next to Corcovado park entrance it is about a 5-hour drive. Three of the 5 hours are spent driving on pavement and the other 2 hours are on a well-maintained dirt road. A 4x4 is a good idea but not necessary unless. The drive from Manuel Antonio is beautiful once you get off the main highways. Incredible mountainous country roads through the jungle and fincas. It is truly stunning so don’t be in a huge rush. We saw Coatimundi, Toucans, and neat tropical forest birds like the Great Curassow. Never saw that before! You will also see an awesome display of every finca animal you can think of. Once you get to Carate, La Leona has a base camp where you can securely park your car as you set out for about an hour-long hike to the beautiful La Leona Eco Lodge. You need to get there by 3 or 4 pm. I would not suggest walking in the jungle at night. If you get there early enough or perhaps decide ahead of time, they can bring your stuff to the Lodge via a very charming horse carriage (see pic) that they use to bring supplies, weary travelers, and heavy bags. Nevertheless, if they know you are on your way, and it gets late, they will collect you to ensure you safely arrive. Normally, this would be no different from arriving at your campsite, but La Leona is so much more than that. My expectations were high and I was not disappointed. They have wonderful cabinas that provide what you need. For me, that was a beautiful view, with no Wi-Fi, street noise, and unlimited opportunities to see animals and nature and just get away and relax. There is no electricity in the cabin or WIFI. But you do get a lot of candles and the walkways are well-lit. I used my phone flashlight. A regular flashlight would be better. Also, maybe an easy-to-carry stationary light for the cabin. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner but there is no menu. We had breakfast and dinner and had smoothies in between. If you give them enough notice, they can probably accommodate any reasonable diet restrictions. The staff is truly fantastic. It was great to see everyone working well together. Sometimes, the restaurant was at full capacity, other times, it was maybe half full. Regardless. we received fabulous service. Felipe came and got us on your first day, Frank and Hidekel were like the ambassadors for the lodge. Always on hand to answer all our questions about the lodge, trails, the park, and animals. One of the best things about staying there was the Coconut Spa. They have 3 different types of body treatments (Chocolate, Coffee, and Coconut) that combines fabulous exfoliating and hydrating creams and serums. Plus, they have a full range of massage options. I got the Coffee therapy; my friend got the Chocolate. There is something wonderful about getting a message in the middle of the Jungle. We stayed for a long weekend so arrived on a Friday and left on Monday morning. When you get there, you will find fabulous trails, p

It is for sure a bit of a trek to get to La Leona, but we found it well worth the effort. The location is stunning...right next to the beach, and to the entrance to Corcovado National Park. The (tented) cabins are spacious, comfortable and clean, with the novelty of an open air shower. The beach is long and lovely and seems pretty much for the exclusive use of La Leona. Great sunsets at the western end, and sunrises at the eastern end. It's a family run enterprise, and Felipe the manager was a very helpful and gracious host. We took a guided walk in the Corcovado park, but there are also nice jungle walks within the extensive grounds of La Leona as well. If you value special experiences, somewhat off the beaten track, but still with a friendly and comfortable base, this is a place which is well worth considering.

If you don't mind the ~hour long hike in, along the beach, this is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Osa Peninsula! Candlelit pathways, screened in rooms, outdoor showers...all add to the feeling of escape! We wish we could have stayed longer! (As recommended by the very gracious and kind owner, don't leave valuables unattended as the cabins aren't secure - no locks.)

We returned ten years from our first magical visit delighted to find the magic remained, the family and staff were as warm and helpful, and the three meals a day even more delicious! Our tent cabin was very comfortable with its en suite including the outdoor garden shower. The staff were helpful arranging our hikes in Corcovado National Park, for bird watching and anything else we desired. Playing in the surf, reading in a hammock, enjoying a relaxing massage, sipping fresh fruit smoothies, watching the glorious sunrises and sunsets, it was the perfect eco lodge vacation yet again! The office staff made all of our arrangements including the transportation from and to Porto Jimenez for the week at La Leona plus a week at Saladero Ecolodge. The two weeks were a very special way to celebrate our 51st anniversary.

This trip was our first to Costa Rica and this place was amazing. The trek there gave us a little pause but once there we fell in love with everything. We stayed in tent 1 on the beach and after walking up to see the Monkey Cabins I am glad we opted for the beach ones! The howler monkeys were our very early alarm clock but this is why we were there right? We did the half day tour in the park with Alvarro and found the whole experience delightful even with it being so hot for us northern folks. If you are looking for a unique and off the beaten path experience come here!! We’ll certainly be back