Tree House Lodge

This is a piece of paradise! Short walk to beach with very few people. Protected forest strip (I’m told the first 50 meters from water) means this feels like a hidden gem even if there are quite a few cabins along this stretch. Good eating options close by (try the Argentinian restaurant across the street). Don’t come for high quality architecture and craftsmanship (sorry) but do come for atmosphere and environment. It is beautiful (and much better than puerto viejo itself)

We booked the Tree House for two nights. It was everything we'd hoped it would be. Relaxing, spacious, and having a room with AC to escape to when needed was a great bonus. The AC can really chill that room down. On the downside, the beds in that room are very small (twin size) which could pose a problem for taller visitors who want to use it. A short walk takes you to the private beach. The owners indicated that the water at that portion of the beach is too shallow for swimming, though it's good for wading (wading out too far is not recommended due to the reef). More standard swimming can be had by walking a few minutes down the beach. We did not make use of the kitchen resources other than the refrigerator, so we can't speak to the functionality of the various appliances in it. Based on a cursory investigation they seemed to be in decent repair. Staff kept the area tidy. We came back in the middle of the day and found them busy at work raking up leaves, cleaning surfaces, emptying trash, etc. They must also work hard keeping spiders at bay because despite numerous species being found all over the area, we didn't find any of them making homes in the living areas. The outdoor bathroom was an interesting experience (there's a standard toilet/shower in the upstairs room as well), but it got the job done. Now, venturing into a more delicate realm: One thing to note is--like other more "rustic" lodging options in the area--the toilet paper is not meant to go in the toilet. Many of the septic systems in the area are more basic/eco-friendly, and as such don't handle toilet paper too well. Because of this, visitors are asked to put the paper in the nearby basket (which is emptied by staff each day). This in itself is not an issue, but many of these places also will use a very thin single-ply tissue that's designed to more easily work in a septic system due to quickly breaking down in water. The unfortunate side effect of this is they also practically disintegrate upon contact with wet (read: sweaty) skin. I'd have preferred a more sturdy tissue since they're not going in the toilet anyway, but I understand that there are many visitors that may not follow instructions, and it's probably safer to have the more delicate tissue for those circumstances vs having a thicker tissue that could gum up the works when users don't follow instructions. Maybe grab some at a local market and use that--just remember to use the trash bin!

We spent 9nights in the tree house. It is unique and very enjoyable. The staff were very helpful and very friendly. We spent time walking the beach, looking for animals, and relaxing. We had a great time! The beach goes for miles. Tree frogs right outside our door

The experience of the treehouse is unique. In the place we stayed we were half outside -- so there was an abundant amount of animals all around you and you really feel that -- and half inside (sleeping). There was a nice big fridge, kitchen with everything we needed to cook a meal, and easy access to a FANTASTIC beach. We were never bothered by the staff, they kept their distance and at the same kept it very clean and safe. This place has it figured out. There is a lot of attention to fun little creative details that make it worth the price. Be ready for howler monkeys in the trees waking you up at 5:30 a.m. Wow!

We stayed at the Beach Suite and Beach House. They are both quirky and beautiful. They were designed and built by the owner, Edsart, who is passionate about ecology. It was very clean and the staff was extremely helpful. They hooked us up with activities, transportation, and advised on anything we asked about. Sonya and Mary were wonderful. It is very close to the beach and the sound of the waves at night put you to sleep. I had a massage by Clarissa and it was magical. The only caveat for Americans is that only the Beach Suite has air conditioning and only in one room. It was my birthday trip and they left me flowers, wine, and a card, so sweet! I would definitely go back!

What an adventure… We arrived earlier this afternoon at a pre-determined time with the hotel during the midst of our HONEYMOON. The hotel was aware of this, and we had paid extra for champagne. Check in was between 2:00 and 4:00 and we let them know we would be there at 3:00. We arrived several minutes after 3:00pm. You would have expected the room to be cleaned and checked… When we arrived, the exceptionally kind front desk lady led us to our room. Once she left, we walked up the stairs, checked out the top floor, and checked out the beautiful, tiled bathroom. Once these areas were appreciated, we laid down in the bed and pulled out our Kindles for a rest before we were planning to walk to the beach. Each bed has a mosquito/bug net covering the entirety of the outer section of the four-poster bed. After about 10 minutes of laying down, and within half an hour of arrival, with my wife laying in the bed next to me, I looked down to my left, where one’s feet would go the FIRST time you would stand up. There was a DEAD spider, with the body the size of an American silver dollar coin. For non-Americans, about two inches side to side. Legs were extra. (According to a google search, the spider was likely a Brazilian wandering spider or a Brown recluse, neither are one that you want to bite you, let alone your child) I wish I could add a photo to this review, but we promptly packed our bags and ran to the car. We pulled up to the front desk to explain our situation, incredible frustration, and disappointment with the supposed exceptional “beach” house within the Treehouse complex. I was then introduced to the owner of the resort. Not only was the owner fairly dismissive of our concerns, he explained that we are indeed in Costa Rica (we know). However, our concern was the absolute lack of cleaning, awareness of our arrival, and the giant dead spider within the confines of the supposed safe mosquito net. As this was our very first day on the property, and within 30 minutes of arrival, the owner offered to switch us to another unit for which he explained “would not have spiders”. However, our trust was broken. They did not offer any type of compensation, and likely a response to this will be about how “accommodating” they were. That is a lie. Also, we are aware that there are spiders in the jungle of Costa Rica. We expected this. We were not expected DEAD spiders within our mosquito protected sleeping area. We have since gone down the road to Le Chameleon, which is not only clean, but has the air of an enterprise which has basic cleaning policies. I cannot imagine having children touch or come into contact with dead giant spiders within the confines of a mosquito net, let alone on our honeymoon. What a disappointing and pathetic location. I would have expected this in the outback of the Serengeti (where my wife and I have camped on a safari), not a $300+ a night hotel on the beach coast of Costa Rica. We will be disputing this with our credit card as th