Ara Ambigua Lodge

The grounds of Ara Ambigua are very nice and the staff were friendly. Food was average to good. The wifi was not great and the room was dated. Our bathroom (room 48) had a high small screened opening so it is not air conditioned like the bedroom. It smelled a little and they have a plug-in air freshener to mask any smell. There was no shampoo, conditioner or bar soap so bring your own. The AC worked great but was not on when we arrived so the room was hot and musty smelling. They had a coffeemaker in the room which was good but I had to request coffee pellets and extra towels at the front desk. Pool towels are also at the front desk. The lower pool was nice but there is only a small covered area if you want to sit in the shade. There is a 6’. wide raised ledge around the pool where the longe chairs are and the end of the lounge chairs go right to the edge of the ledge. One has to be careful and conscious so you don’t fall. Oh the toilet seat in our room was broken on one side at the hinge and the shower was difficult to moderate the temperature. The room was very clean. I’d stay elsewhere if given the chance again. The no ac in the bathroom seemed weird and we didn’t want to leave the bathroom door open and lose ac.

Surely the location is good for visitors willing to discover the beauties of Sarapiqui / Puerto Viejo, but neither the food nor the room (ours was terribly dark, humid with dirty curtains and mildew one the wall). Again a nice and smiling team, but surely not enough to consider it as an experience to positively remember.

The grounds for this hotel are absolutely beautiful. We saw a lot of birds that we hadn't seen yet on our trip! The pool was nice and big for the large group of students that we had. Food was good, service was good. There was a bar attached to the restaurant.

Rooms, staff and service were basic. There was not much happening at the lodge. The front desk lady was very friendly but the other staff did not show much enthusiasm that we were there. The pool did not look attractive to swim in at all. They stated they have a hiking trail. I was excited to go into the forest as we could hear the monkeys from our hotel room. Unfortunately the hiking trail was really unclear of where to go and it had multiple paths going different ways so we got lost. Thankfully after a while and using the GPS on our phones we found the way back. This is definitely something they should work on as soon as possible.

This lodge was wonderful! The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The grounds were very well taken care of and had lots of paths to explore. The buffet was also delicious. If I were to visit again then this lodge would definitely be added to our trip.

The lodge is situated a 5/10 minute drive outside town. In its own gardens set back from the road . It’s set out in bungalows around the grounds with a central admin area which contains a large dining area and bar overlooking a frog pond and short trail. It is open to the elements. The rooms are ok , perfectly adequate for overnight stays - we were there three nights. They are not super comfortable and quite a few people we spoke to described it as a backpackers lodge. It’s a matter of opinion. The bathrooms are small and cramped and are quite old, the rooms do not have modern facilities - electrical wiring is slightly suspect and they tend to be a little dark. So not for spending much time in. The good we found was adequate - reasonable breakfast with everything we needed. Lunches and dinners were actually very good. A good variety and nicely presented . Also well priced by comparison. If you are moving with your then they will come and collect you - if not and you have to get from A to B you need to allow $5 or local equivalent to get into town and the same back - they do not provide local drop offs. Wi Fi seemed to work well in reception and dining area and we did have some sporadic coverage in the room. What makes this place work and work quite well is the family that own and run it, so very helpful, happy to book things for you such as restaurants, taxis and activities . I also had a medical issue on arrival and without their help would have been on difficulty, they directed me to a facility which assisted and resolved the issue. They asked every day how we were doing and liaised with the clinic as we don’t speak English and we’re just so helpful. So overall if it’s somewhere to lay your head, have a decent breakfast and dinner after a trail walk is great. But don’t expect a spa. Excellent value for money.

We stayed here as a stopover between La Fortuna and Tortuguero and it's a decent if basic hotel. Our room was spacious but a bit dated, furniture a bit old fashioned but perfectly serviceable. The bathroom is very basic. The communal area/restaurant is nice and welcoming and the pizza was excellent and very good value. We had to leave early in the morning and they kindly packed us a breakfast to go.

We had an enjoyable stay at the Ara Ambigua as a family of 5. The rooms were spacious but relatively basic, though the outside seating areas were a bonus. The restaurant offered a wide selection of food at a reasonable prices (Family pizzas are big, though the restaurant saved what we didn’t eat and put it in their fridge for us to enjoy the next day). If they have live music in the restaurant it’s very (very) loud! There’s a bit of an 80s vibe in the bar area. All the staff were super friendly and we’d certainly stay there again if in the area.

Was booked into Ara Ambigua as part of a birding tour. Overall, the lodge lives up to its billing, offering rustic but adequate accommodations in a wonderful jungle setting, with birds galore and trails of its own, convenient to La Selva and surrounding attractions. My room was surprisingly spacious, but weirdly and sparsely furnished with odd-looking and uncomfortable stuff. The balcony outside the room was spacious and equipped with a small table and chair, offering a peaceful and private view of the landscaping. I did not use the pool, but it looked good as a family diversion, not a"destination" to lounge, cocktail in hand. The AC needed some repairs (the blades for air direction were missing) but it was functional and cooled the room. Bathroom was adequate, but hot water was a) a bit weak, and b) not plumbed to the sink, only the shower. There were an adequate number of outlets for charging devices. Communal areas - the restaurant, bar, and general hanging out area were pleasant, with views of the bird feeder and its traffic. Food was good, and service was excellent. I agree with other reviewers that it would be nice to have Internet extended to the rooms, but in this rustic setting, it was not a burden to walk to the common areas. They were accommodating to my requests for take-away breakfasts when I had to leave before breakfast for a birding trips. I am puzzled by one reviewer's comments that they were terrible - they were a basic assortment of pastries and fruit, not fancy, but adequate. This is not a destination for a premium resort experience, so adjust your expectations accordingly. Worth mention is the staff. Overall, very accomodating, pleasant and helpful. More than willing to give you a short tour of the grounds, and help you find the famous "ranis de ojos rojos" (red-eyed frogs) in their ponds. Again, this is a rustic eco lodge in the middle of the jungle, with early morning Howler Monkey chorus included whether you like it or not, not a destination resort. If I had my druthers, I would advise them to refinish some of the painted walkways, which get very slippery in the rain, of which there is a copious supply, and have them improve the hot water and extend Internet access to the rooms, but if I had to travel to this area again, I would book again here without hesitation.