Essence Arenal Hotel, Spa & Bio Farm

From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and at home. Staff are exceptional - very helpful and well informed. The vegetarian food served is delicious and imaginative, grown on their farm. Beautiful surroundings and places to walk and relax with yoga, massage and a spa. Excellent, informative and thought provoking tours on site. It seems to attract very nice guests and meal times were a great opportunity to talk together. We felt very relaxed and were sorry to leave

Essence Arenal provided a fantastic experience for me during my solo long weekend getaway to relax and recharge. I tried every activity available and enjoyed each one immensely. The staff were incredibly kind and pleasant, the food was fantastic, and the location is stunningly gorgeous. I absolutely recommend Essence Arenal.

This was my second stay at Essence Arenal. It is a wonderful center with absolutely lovely grounds, caring and attentive staff and excellent vegetarian food. They offer 1-2 yoga sessions a day, options for massage and other healing therapies, tours and a laid back spa and overall comfortable atmosphere. The rooms are basic and the tent rooms lovely. Ideal for individuals/couples who are not seeking a luxury setting. The one downside was the sound proofing between some rooms is quite poor. While the grounds are substantial and include beautiful trails across the property, the number of guests are kept small enough that the staff get to know each guest and provide a strong sense of welcome. There are opportunities for guests to get to know one another (if desired) so it is also good for a lone traveler who wishes some companionship. The town of El Castillo is laid back, small and with a few restaurants and small food markets. It is somewhat out of the way and without the touristy vibe that is increasingly present in many other Costa Rica communities. The area is absolutely stunning.

I am very glad to discover Essence Arenal BioFarm and Spa as a place where I can "retreat". I came this February 2024, this is peak season for Costa Rica and yet they offer reasonable Yoga Retreat Packages which includes 02 yoga sessions per day, 01 massage, 01 hour private Spa Circuit that provides a breath taking view of the Arenal Lake and Arenal Volcano ; PermaCulture Farm Tour; Cacao Familiarization Tour and full board delicious, artistically crafted Vegetarian Meals. The culinary expertise of Chef Maria and Chef Gabriel is truly exceptional. They create delicious 03 course vegetarian meals using local ingredients and provides international flavors to it. Their plating and presentation skills are of a Fine Dining Restaurant. On top of this, their serving seems to have been carefully thought of. The portioning is just perfect to fill one's hunger. From my arrival experience that is with their Transportation Partner - Luis Angel and Stephanie who transports their guests safely to and from various airports across the main island of Costa Rica that is San Jose and Liberia. The transportation service they provide is also exceptional. The whole team of Essence Arenal headed by Jairo and from Wendy, Lena, Deborah, Mauricio (Front of House Team) ; Resident Tour Guide - Aurelio ; Yoga and Meditation Facilitators - Inna and Alejandro ; Resident Masseuse Johanna - they all have been A-MAZING at what they do. They provide affordable laundry services as well as housekeeping service on a daily basis. The team at Essence Arenal is a group of warm hearted people who are passionate at what they do. The "Luxury" that is expected from a 05 star hotel, I have experienced at Essence Arenal and even more. The concept of the CEO - Niko Boutifer is really great. He is a "promoter" of Sustainable Tourism. He preserved the rainforest and also created an organic farm and so they offer a "Farm to Table" dining experience. The dishes they serve are all freshly picked from their organic farm which is also inside the Eco Resort. I am very glad to discover Essence Arenal BioFarm and Spa as a place where I can "retreat". I came this February 2024, this is peak season for Costa Rica and yet they offer reasonable Yoga Retreat Packages which includes 02 yoga sessions per day, 01 massage, 01 hour private Spa Circuit that provides a breath taking view of the Arenal Lake and Arenal Volcano ; PermaCulture Farm Tour; Cacao Familiarization Tour and full board delicious, artistically crafted Vegetarian Meals. The culinary expertise of Chef Maria and Chef Gabriel is truly exceptional. They create delicious 03 course vegetarian meals using local ingredients and provides international flavors to it. Their plating and presentation skills are of a Fine Dining Restaurant. On top of this, their serving seems to have been carefully thought of. The portioning is just perfect to fill one's hunger. From my arrival experience that is with their Transportation Partner - Luis Ange

I found this gem of a place by accident, and keep coming back. The owner and staff are excellent, friendly, kind souls who love what they do, and always make me feel special. The organic vegetarian meals in the restaurant are a big draw for me. But mostly the nature snd positive energy of the entire hotel and farm is healing and regenerating. There are many fun activities within walking distance such as horseback riding up the mountains to a waterfall, paddle boarding and kayaking, and of course the spa, massages, and temazcal. I will return again and again and highly recommend.

Great stay at the Arenal Volcano area, with amazing food with veggie and vegan options, multiple daily yoga classes with Thomas and different massage options. The Spa is cozy and with a beautiful view of the Volcano. We had also the chance to experience the Mezcal ritual and the Night Jungle Tour with very passionate and knowledgeable guide Aurelio, highly recommended!