Toucanet Lodge

I highly recommend the Toucanet Lodge. I stayed four nights in one of the Cabins and would certainly go back and will recommend El Toucanet to friends and family. The cabin in which I stayed was clean and comfortable. Local Costa Rica. Coffee on the porch in the morning was a great way to start the day. The Lodge and dining room were spacious and well appointed. I love the pictures on the wall of the local attraction, the Quetzal. I also appreciated having wildlife guides and birding books to help me know what I had seen during the day. The grounds were well kept with plenty of flowers that attract hummingbirds. The grounds include an extensive trail that went up to much higher elevations. I was able to walk more than a mile and found a forested section with large cedar trees and eventually found a spot to see the entire valley. I took several photos. The food was excellent with many choices. I especially enjoyed the trout fillet and the two different ceviche appetizers. The amount of care taken in the meal preparation, local natural ingredients used and the table service were outstanding. Jonathan, the chef, has excellent skills and showed creativity in every meal he prepared. Taking a few minutes to share a conversation with me after each meal made the experience more personal, warm and friendly. Michael did an excellent job as host and manager. Each morning Michael was available and constantly checked in on how I was doing. From my initial contact with the lodge, Michael was able to answer my questions, make some suggestions and always handled my requests with care. I was able to have the best of vacations because of Michael’s assistance. I wanted to see birds and other wildlife. Michael was able to arrange local guides to assist. Both guides that were arranged were great. Both knew the places to go and when to be there. I was able to see six Quetzals, a couple of Capuchin Monkeys and the Costa Rican Pigmy owl. In addition to these highlights, I saw many more birds and have some of the best coffee Costa Rica has to offer. The guides made the experience seem effortless and I am now left with great memories. Both Michael and Jonathan are excellent ambassadors of the fine country of Costa Rica and the Dota region. I highly recommend El Toucanet Lodge.

This was a great birding location and we saw many species sitting outside our cabin. We chose one of the two suites and it was very cozy! Staff are wonderful and always helpful. Michael, the manager and Lourdes, always checked on us! . The food was decent. Michael arranged a bird guide and we happily met some new people as well. Walking into town, was great! It is a very peaceful setting and gorgeous views of the valley!

The view from our room was absolutely amazing! The sounds of the wildlife and river was amazing from our terrace. Our room was great and a cool rustic feel with beautiful wood, the bed was comfortable and warm, Also the shower was hot as can be which was great as it was very cold out. Breakfast was great and the coffee was phenomenal. Highly recommend staying here.

My wife and I own a small birding tour company called Epic Nature Tours. We have brought several tours to El Toucanet Lodge in the last few years and every stay has been fantastic. They have an incredible variety of hummingbirds coming to their feeders (we saw 9 species at the feeders on theost recent trip) as well as spotted wood-quail calling every morning around the lodge and lots of song birds in the trees. A drive up the road gave us close to 70 species of birds, and a Quetzal tour in the Copey Valley is just you and the guide and the Quetzals, not the hundred + bird enthusiasts clogging the road for a look at a Quetzal in San Gerardo de Dota. The food is also amazing!

We loved our cabin with plenty of space, a balcony overlooking the mountains and garden. The chef-patron cooked the best trout I've ever eaten. The location is great for quetzal watching, which the hotel manager, Diego, will arrange for you. In fact, it was Diego's service and attention to detail, his willingness to help with everything we asked, from arranging the quetzals tour to booking us taxis, helping with advice on where to visit, to getting our laundry done for us and then, on the last morning to opening up early so we could have a 6am breakfast before we left. The fact that he speaks English as though it's his first language also helps enormously.

This little boutique get-a-way lodge is nestled in the valley of Copey, Dota. It has the most exquisite views of both Sunsets and morning mountains that surround it. It lies quiet next to the sounds of flowing quebrada flowing though the mountains. The rooms offer a variety of experiences. It is recommended that when traveling here that you prepare for very cool temperatures at night. While the rooms provide the extra blankets you will need they do not come with a heater except for two of the cabins that have fireplaces. Warm slippers and Pajamas are a must. The lodge is simply beautiful and offers all the comforts and amenities one desires in a scenic mountain lodge. The hosts are very amenable to your needs. The local town of Santa Maria is only about 8km and has the flair of a warm and inviting touristy touch with little shops and cafes. The Toucanet Lodge is a sure "visit again" destination for us. Pura Vida