La Cusinga Lodge

Since it is the beginning of the rainy season , we were greeted at our car by Veronica with umbrellas in hand! Escorted to the main check in , which is NOT the building that has Reception on it. Another gentleman was waiting with the juice as mentioned in many other’s reviews. Was given a quick rundown on the property - had to take picture on phone , was not provided hand held map- and then escorted to room. The room was gorgeous ! Large , warm tones , awesome view with private balcony over looking the jungle with views of the Whales tail. The bathroom was quite large with noted “flintstone” decor . Basically rocks - which feel good on the bottom of you feet. Had a very hard time figuring out the hot water - in our room - The Trogon - the trick is down down on handles . But you will have to wait a while for the water to get warm . CR does like their rain shower heads …… Note no AC at this property . Every room had high ceiling fans and then extra fans that you could place directly on you at night - yet every things ends up a little damp. Slept okay with fan directly on me. Full Breakfast included with many choices . Dinner a little on pricey side -$80 for 2 persons with only one drink. Went for hike on property - 1.4 hour . A few places to stop and look at view , takes you down near the water’s edge. You can walk to beach or waterhole , but did not have time to do that. Wi-Fi in rooms and common areas . Large overlook with rocking chairs - I think this was my favorite part of this location. The location has a pool, but feels remote from the rooms although it really is close .

This was the last hotel in our Costa Rica adventure - and kept up the high standards The staff were all very friendly and helpful, and our room was perfect for what we needed. The design made us feel like we were living IN the rainforest We went to sleep at night to the sound of crickets and cicadas and woke to the sounds of toucans and howler monkeys!!! We really never knew what we were going to see next (tortoise, HUGE iguana, green tree snake and so many different birds (including Cusingas!) So many memories to take home

Had lunch at the restaurant. Excellent service and food. I had a great hamburger with fries. Very good. Had a table with stunning views of the Pacific. Would definitely eat here again. Reasonably priced. The menu has a variety of different cuisines.

Amazing place, super comfortable. Very unique and confortable. It's a place I would come back for sure. Even the hikes from the hotel are fantastic. It's not a luxurious place but the feeling of been there it's unforgetable. Don't look for services , the restaurant is good quality of traditional cooking. We ate very well there as well.

This place is beautiful and/but simple - not ‘luxury’. The location is lovely - and what makes is stand out are the walks around their grounds and into the national park beach below. The rooms vary so be clear on what you book - some have shared walls and some are stand alone. The room have partial open (with good mossy netting) windows and a ceiling fan and standing fan. These are both needed as warm at night but far from unbearable. The bed was comfortable. Some slight noise from traffic during the day (those pesky motorbikes or heavy lorries) from the coast road a good few hundred meters away. WiFi good. Very good reception - Hazel was efficient and was on top of everything. We booked a local bird walk with Bahia Adventures and enjoyed that - down in the bizarre town of Bahia/Uvita and then in the forest behind the beach. The walks in their ground were truly lovely and this is what you likely go for. The swimming pool on one day was quiet, delightful and a pleasure to use. On the other (Easter Saturday) it was too full! The restaurant was wholesome and nice. Its location and the bar in reception both has beautiful uninterrupted views of the sea and forests.

The staff are all so cheerful and helpful, and we saw more wildlife in the hotel grounds that we did in most other areas of Costa Rica. There are several well-marked trails, plus a beautiful deck overlooking the ocean to watch sunsets and sip great cocktails. We regretted not having a car as taxis aren’t common and Uvita isn’t an easy place to walk around. Our room (Colibri 1) suffered from some traffic noise, but other than that everything was excellent. It was a truly relaxing experience.

After reading some of the dissatisfied reviews about Cusinga Lodge, I feel compelled to comment. I have to admit that I do like AC and ice cold water when it’s 90 degrees as well as easy access to a lounge chair on a beach. I also like to not have my morning juice splash on the table from a deposit from an overhead bird( the waiter good naturedly said that this is considered good luck before bringing me a new glass of fresh squeezed juice. No offense meant or taken. Cusinga Lodge is an ecolodge where I didn’t get some of the above niceties but I knew beforehand what I would and wouldn’t get at an ecolodge and chose to return to Cusinga Lodge to experience again the beautiful cabanas in a jungle setting with magnificent views of the Pacific, great food, and a friendly, helpful staff. The beach is only accessible when the tide is low but is picturesque and well worth the efforts to get to and from. People considering coming here should be aware that it’s not the Ritz and that the trails for hiking and to the beach are challenging, the solar heated water is somewhat inconsistent, and the open air dining opportunities may also have “downfalls” so Cusinga may not be the right choice for some. Though I’m feeling tired and my legs are sore from the hot weather activities, neither I nor my partner are regretting planning our return to Costa Rica around the 5 days that Cusinga had available during the Winter months when we most wanted a break from Vermont.

We called in on the off chance as we were passing and the location looked interesting. The views out to sea and the whales tail are well worth the visit. Unfortunately, the attitude of some of the staff was not good, they gave the impression of resenting having to be there. It certainly stopped us from considering staying here in the future or even staying for lunch

One of my favorite lodges- great setting, views, birds, food and service. I love delicious breakfast, beautiful sunset from deck, deserted playa Arco and relaxing by the pool. Michael, Hazel and Manuel make it a friendly and authentic experience.