Laguna Lodge

We enjoyed our stay at Laguna Lodge, the grounds were beautiful and the gorgeous beach was just a stone's throw away. The room was quite basic, it was very hot and we struggled a bit with just a fan, however the pools, bars and restaurant were very good. The bars served the best Pina Coladas we've ever had! Be prepared for some geckos in your room (they are harmless and they'll help keep the mozzie numbers down!) and possibly a creepy crawly or two. Take a walk around the grounds after dark with a torch (don't forget to top up your mozzie repellent before you do!), you will find loads of toads by the pool, hear frogs in the trees, and if you walk through the butterfly garden you might spot a red eyed tree frog! Being in the rainforest, it is very loud during the night, I would recommend bringing ear plugs if you're a light sleeper. I cannot begin to explain how fantastic the boat tours are, I got up for the 5.30am tour and also the 8.30am tour and had what I would consider to be one of the best days of my life! The amount of birds and animals we saw was unreal, it was such a magical experience. Our boat driver (I can't remember his real name, I want to say Jacan but we all called him Eagle Eyes!) was brilliant, he spotted so much wildlife and was so lovely. Our tour guide during our stay at Laguna Lodge was Sebastian, he was so helpful and was such a great guy!

The environment here is second to none. We were boated in from the inland port which is a little hectic but falls neatly under the category of organised chaos. Our guide Mario was excellent throughout our stay. Always on top of things and always positive in his outlook and approach to concerns that guests had. The accommodation falls short of modern standards. Basic yet comfortable. I struggle to sleep in the heat but actually the fan was sufficient during our stay and the beds were comfortable if lacking in pillows. The tours are great because you’re in a great environment. We did both the 5.30am tour and the 8.30am tour. The 8.30am was included in our package but the 5.30am was an extra and cost us around $90 as a couple. Given they’re basically the exact same tour it was rather expensive and unnecessary as an extra cost. I enjoyed the buffet style meals but it might not be for everyone. Given the amount of people on site, and the group tour style set up, it would be prohibitive to feed the masses in any other way. The food was always tasty, fresh and varied enough. Thought the pasta station was a nice touch. Being veggie we had no problems with the food here. Sunset at the bar was really nice and the beach behind was enjoyable too and quiet. Really good spot to see some stars on a clear night. Wildlife is phenomenal, so many birds, lizards, monkeys just on site let alone the surrounding jungle. The flora on site is immaculate and really well looked after. Credit to the staff. Only reason it’s 4 not 5 stars is the basic rooms and I felt the “extra” tours were over-priced. Would still thoroughly recommend.

The grounds around the hotel were beautiful and there was always something interesting to look at. We saw toucans, oropendulas, hawks and hummingbirds just around the gardens and toads, frogs and a Mexican hairy nosed porcupine at night. There are a lot of guests at the hotel but you are only really aware of this at mealtimes. The rest of the time the gardens, bar and pools were quiet.