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Reviews of El Sabanero Eco Lodge

3 out of 5
El Sabanero Eco Lodge
between Santa Cruz and Tamarindo, Tamarindo, Guanacaste

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 43 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 14 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 87 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

6.0/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
We stayed here in 2013 and it had a completely different vibe. This time we weren't greeted upon arrival, we weren't explained about the food and dining, the state of the property had suffered over 5 years and the road that went by the property had changed from a dirt road with little traffic to a paved road with traffic and traffic noise up considerably. That said, the people who stayed there for the yoga appeared to enjoy their stay although they may not have previously stayed there.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ashley, S

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great lodge set outside of Tamarindo.
Great little cabins. A quiet getaway from busy Tamarindo. Close enough to taxi to the beaches and the action, but quaint and lovely to enjoy Costa Rica at its finest. The owners are lovely and the food and property are amazing too. We had a wonderful time there and even made some good friends too. Highly recommend if you want something a little bit different.
The pool
The pool
Our porch
View from breakfast table

10/10 Excellent

Ray

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome place and owners
Wonderful! So relaxing!

10/10 Excellent

Dawn n David, Laguna Beach, California USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Shhh.... Secret place
The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly, and couldn't be better. Whether there as a family, on a surf trip/ and/or for an adventurer or romance, the lodge is remote but at the fingertips of it all, .... And the chef is the best (best price also) with his special dishes for you! Don't pass it up.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
dislike their hidden charge of extra $25 / night !
Pros: Cozy 10 cabin lodge, loved waking up to the sound of bird song. Friendly fellow travelers with whom to share breakfast conversations in the common area. It was hot, so the pool is welcome. Cons: The lodge is isolated, it's 15 driving minutes from the nearest town and beach. I almost didn't book it because it has a hidden charge. Just as you're near the end of booking a room at the stated price, it says that El Sabanero will charge your credit card with an additional amount which added on about $25 extra dollars per night to the price of our room. I really dislike this trick and wouldn't have booked it except they're almost everything else was already booked.
Response from Harold on Aug 19, 2021
We have never had hidden charges and we are not even able to charge extra since we do not get credit card info from the agent. If you paid here with credit card then it was for something you ordered which was not included like food or drinks. Thank you! Harold El Sabanero Team

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Excellent staff, nice location
Awesome stay at this lodge/hotel. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Kids loved the pool and lodge area for hanging out. The food was awesome, above anything we have ever experienced. Very relaxed atmosphere.

10/10 Excellent

Marcello, New York, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautifully Rustic and Tranquil Oasis
We really enjoyed our stay at El Sabanero. The rooms are actually beautiful and private little cabins set in the foothills of Canafistula. It is just a 10 minute drive to Tamarindo! The manager Harold and all of the staff were wonderful and It felt like home. We look forward to returning to this very special and unique Oasis in beautiful Guanacaste, Costa Rica!

10/10 Excellent

Michael, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Thumbs up
Really nice staff and owners! Beautiful place

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Was a bit over priced.
Great owner, cool place, clean, everything you need. A bit hard to find and overpriced.

10/10 Excellent

JP, Ashland, Oregon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Hidden Gem
We stayed here for four nights at the end of a three week trip with our four and seven year old boys. The cabinas are rustic, tasteful and spacious and the grounds are beautiful. The infinity pool offers sweeping views of the valley and has a generous shallow end, which our boys enjoyed. Harold, the proprietor, was welcoming and helpful. We heard Howler Monkeys at night. This place is a gem.

8/10 Good

Marie, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This place is a PARADISE!
El Sabanero is a gorgeous place surrounded by nature. Harold is fantastic and very accommodating and the staffs too. The place is so peaceful and relaxing and that's what we needed. I would recommend 100% to stay on this place. There are no enough words can describe El Sabanero and to Harold. We will be definitely be back.

8/10 Good

THOMAS, NEW YORK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Will Visit Again!
RESORT: Excellent! Based on previous Trip Advisor reviews we were not disappointed. The manager, Harold, went above and beyond to meet our expectations. His staff was equally as courteous and friendly. The grounds are immaculate and the rooms are well maintained. We felt safe and secure. This location is laid back, perfect for romantic couples and mature adults. If you are looking for a relaxing tranquil environment this location offers that type of ambiance. Families with young children may also find this location suitable because it’s subdued. The pool is just enough to wear them out and give parents plenty of quiet time at the end of the night. The rooms do not have micro waves. If you find yourself craving to heat up a left over snack or meal, the resort will allow you to utilize the micro wave in the main kitchen. However, you will have to do so before the resort kitchen closes which is usually around 8pm. FOOD: The food was excellent and prepared fresh each day. Typically, we ate breakfast at the resort with no complaints. Definitely plan on simplifying a few meal decisions and enjoy a few meals at the resort. It’s economical and tastes better than some of the places we ate at outside of the resort.

10/10 Excellent

Arkoman

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
A different experience..
This hotel/eco lodge is about 10 minutes. from Tamarindo. Tamarindo is a beautiful beach town but kind of loud and touristy. If you want to visit the beach but not experience the artificial surroundings, the El-Sabanero Eco-lodge is a GREAT choice. This lodge is completely in the country side. Each unit is a separately detached cabin with porch. In the evenings you can sit outside of your cabin and be serenaded by the sounds of dozens of different animals (including howler monkeys). What an experience!!! The whole complex (cabins, main buildings, pool) seem to all be build to a very high standard (a lot of stone used in construction). The surrounding land is also extremely well landscaped. My 4 day stay here was the highlight of my 2 week Costican adventure!!!

8/10 Good

Keeley, New Jersey

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Santa Cruz
We had a great time! The lodge is located very close to Santa Cruz and Playa Tamarindo.

10/10 Excellent

Megan, Dublin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Secluded hotel with beach close drive/bus journey
We stayed here at the end of August for 4 nights and had a great time. Harold looked after us. He booked us excursions and suggested day trips when we were unsure of what to do. We were so delighted with our stay! We ate at the hotel restaurant one night and we were both so happy with our meals. The continental breakfast that is included with your room was also amazing.

10/10 Excellent

christine, new york

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel, peaceful
Unique experience in the mountains. Private cabin. Bus stop right down the hill, close to tamarindo. About 40 minutes from liberia airport. Supermarket 10 minutes away

8/10 Good

Dil & Wil, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not too close - not too far from the beach
We enjoyed our stay here. The staff was great. Unfortunately I became a tad ill and we had to end our stay here a bit early, but we loved the location that was just outside of busy Tamarindo, yet close enough to the beach whenever you wanted it :)

8/10 Good

Tired of the Bustle

Liked: Staff & service
Where to get away from it all
A perfect place to chill, a hilltop tropical setting with sparse guest population, pleasant staff and home cooked Costa Rican dishes. Lovely

6/10 Okay

Jaime, New Jersey

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
This is not a Beach Hotel but a well located inland option, very convenient if you want to visit any or all of the many options around the area covered from Playa Grande and Tamarindo, down to Playa Negra and Junquillal. This off course, without having to pay for more expensive, less comfortable places at any of the beaches. Best is the deck with the pool. Worst is clearly, they have not placed much money in maintaining or renewing the facilities. Overall is good for the price, run on a clearly tight budget and owners need to think on investing.

10/10 Excellent

Renia, Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cabins with Ambiance
We loved the cabins that had rocking chairs on the porches. The rooms had large bathrooms with lots of shelf space and large showerheads. The beds were firm but not uncomfortable. The rooms came with desks, but no wifi. The wifi was located only in the lobby area. The breakfast was unsubstantial, as it was only fruit and toast. You had to pay extra for an omelette, which cost $5. There was a freezer filled with drinks, which you could take on the honour system and sign it on a sheet at the lobby. There was also a fridge in each room. We liked the pool as it was relaxing and clean. The location was far out of town, and we had to pay $20 each way both into and out of the town of Tamarindo in order to get something to eat. There was no food on the premises aside from the breakfast I have just mentioned. The jungle sounds were great around our cabin and really livened things up, especially when we had something thump onto our roof in the middle of the night. The birds were really loud and sounded like car alarms or something like it. There were horses down below our cabin also because a ranch was there. The dirt road leading to the hotel was really dusty and unpleasant. Apparently this is a government road which is slowly being paved, but may be years in the making. Overall, we enjoyed this hotel for the ambiance.

8/10 Good

Trina L, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice alternative to Tamarindo
We had a really lovely stay. The hotel was really relaxing, nice pool and bar area and being small we got to meet other hotel guests. The rooms were a really good size. Although the locations is not close to much we found it a nice alternative to staying in Tamarindo, much quieter, much cheaper and still an easy drive to get the beach. The hotel will also cook dinner for you, you just tell them what you want and they will organise.

10/10 Excellent

TY, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it!
Beautiful lodge. Very friendly and helpful staff. Quiet and relaxing. Conveniently located. Would definitely stay again.

6/10 Okay

Nathan, Vancouver, wa

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Room comfort
Meh. Good but not Great...
It started out well but after hanging out there the first night we left the day after. It was very very humid in the room. The blankets were damp and my papers got wet by just laying on the bed. The lights also randomly went out at 2am when coincidentally I had to go to the bathroom. It was pitch black and the lights came back on all of a sudden. Other than that, breakfast was good and the place is actually kinda cool. Hear the monkeys during the day and night. A bit aways from anything and was a bit hard to find.

8/10 Good

Mitch, San Francisco

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really nice and friendly hotel
Loved it... beautiful place. A wee bit far out and VERY hard to find. The owners are very sweet and accommodating people. The view and and surrounding area are fabulous. The rooms are simple and comfortable!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great getaway
My friend and I had stayed in the JW Marriott just a few days before for a work event and were very happy for the change to the Sabanero. With our own cabin, we loved having the view of the rolling green hills and the local cows right outside our door on the porch as well as feeling a bit secluded from the other guests. The common area was large with 2 pools and plenty of lawn chairs to relax on. While about 10 minutes out of Tamarindo, it was very easy to go to town or to other locations around the area and was a perfect spot to come 'home' to and enjoy some peace and quiet.

8/10 Good

JCJ, Montreal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unique and picturesque
Very nice place indeed, with a great pool. If you like a full-service hotel this may not be the place for you, but if you want a unique, laid-back and picturesque place to stay then this is it. A must for an authentic Costa Rican experience. One note: a car is a must as the lodge is several miles inland from the main beaches and town.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best place we've stayed this trip!
We just spent 3 nights at el sabanero and fully enjoyed our stay! The lodge was located just far enough from tamarindo to feel out of the tourist bustle but close enough To go in for excursions or catch the sunset or for dinner. We were in tamarindo 20 years ago and couldn't believe how touristy it had become. we couldnt wait to get back to el sabanero. I would recommend the food there over the restaurants in tamarindo. The biggest treat at this location if u are willing to take an early morning walk is that you are likely to run into a family or two of howler monkeys. During our 3 day stay we found them at least 4-5 times and could hear them all through the night. The pool is awesome and we basically felt like we had the place to ourselves most of the time even though there were other families there. I give this lodge my highest recommendation! Totally worth going out of the way for, especially if you tire quickly of the whole tourist trap scene.
View from poolside Early morning
Sunset in tamarindo

10/10 Excellent

Steph, Salt Lake City, UT

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel!
It seems to be out of the way, but In our opinion this hotel was in a great location. It's about 20 minutes to Playa Avellanas and 25 minutes to Tamarindo. We spent our mornings & days surfing in Avellanas and our nights in Tamarindo. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. The rooms were very clean and the housekeeping did an excellent job everyday. The grounds are beautiful with a nice pool. Your cabina feels very private. The beds weren't the most comfortable, but they weren't bad either. For the price we couldn't ask for more.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Room comfort
ok stay if the weather was better.
too windy to sleep during the days i was there. breakfast included but not very good. nice pool. nice staff. road to the hotel is dirt road.

8/10 Good

MJ, CNY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Delightfully relaxing!
Delightfully relaxing. The owner's and management's approach is " Make yourself at home." The individual cabins yield privacy. Great area for beaches, birds, listening to the wild and ranch animals, especially at sunset. Would definitely recommend!

10/10 Excellent

Openvada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Two friends a traveling...
Perfect way to start our trip in Costa Rica. Booked a two night stay on-line and was able to take care of a few logistics ahead of time thanks to Donald via email. He made arrangements for a driver to pick us up at the Liberia airport (11pm arrival time - not a problem). $80 plus tip. The place was asleep when we arrived but the nightwatchman got us settled in. Awoke early to what sounded like tropical sounds being pumped into our cute cabana (habitacion #7). Looked out the window to a beautiful tropical vista overlooking the valley. Unreal. Other details - the pictures are not deceiving! The pool and grounds and buildings are gorgeous. Solid well crafted wood structures. Great free continental breakfast - good coffee, toast, fruit, smoothies. Can beef it up for $3-$5 with eggs to order. Though lunch wasn't officially offered, Donald fixed us a few sandwiches. Can't recall how much $ exactly but it was definitely reasonable. So nice. Had a superb fish dinner for around $15 ea. Had beer/wine to choose from but no cocktails unfortunately. We had only one full day there and spent it all on the grounds - poolside mainly. Wish we had a few more days to lounge but had another destination to get to. Will hopefully return someday. Highly recommend a stay at El Sab!

6/10 Okay

stephane, Montreal, QC, Canada

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
far from the beach
about the breakfeast theys cover me extra for gallo pinto with eggs 25$ why thats was included

8/10 Good

k

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great views
Nice cabina style hotel. The views from the pool are fantastic - rolling hills and farmers fields. The cabina had a nice outdoor sitting area/porch. Easy to get back & forth to the beach if you have a car. We were disappointed that the included breakfast was small continental style - you can order eggs etc but it costs extra.

8/10 Good

Teresa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Secluded retreat
Beautiful main lodge with infinity pool overlooking green hills. Very welcoming staff. Overall relaxed atmosphere.

8/10 Good

Tom and Vita, Spain

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
remote hotel out in the wilderness
it is very remote, 10 km on an unpaved road. nothing in the nearness.

8/10 Good

wendy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
really beautiful little ecolodge. great service.
really beautiful hotel. great service. everything fabulous. location just not OPTIMAL. However, it is very very close to all of the great beaches (Playa Grande, Playa Dante, Tamarindo) very good value.

10/10 Excellent

cynthia, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect getaway!
My boyfriend and I stayed in this hotel in August, if your looking for a perfect hideaway spot this is it! Beautiful, peaceful and tucked away into a perfect getaway! Around 6:30 there is a lady who comes and starts setting up breakfest so you can enjoy a nice up of offee while staring at the mountains and mist covering the trees. Its about a 15 minute drive to the town of tarmindo. I strongly recommend renting a car even tho the roads to the hotel are very bumby and unpaved the driving wasn't bad at all... it was the most gorgeous hotel I ever stayed at. !

10/10 Excellent

Ken & Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Honeymoon
We lucked out traveling to this boutique hotel on the off season as were the only guests for the first three days of our stay. What a way to start a honeymoon! Total privacy with our own resort. Very nice secluded hotel with 10 individual cabins around main lodge. Great place for peace and quite and 'US' time.

8/10 Good

Lorraine, Costa Rica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Peaceful and rustic
Nice little wooden cabins. Peaceful and beautiful gardens. Monkeys all around. Very clean. Large clean pool and lots of spaces to read, talk or just enjoy the view. Breakfast was limited but fresh and good. Very nice staff. We will go back for sure!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfection!
The owner and manager are both very nice and helpful. The cabins are clean and comfortable. We wanted a relaxing vacation, and could not have selected a better spot! Reading on the porch of the cabin while listening to the sounds of nature was absolutely perfect.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Just perfect !
Kurt & Donald were really nice ! We arrived late when the restaurant was closed, but they re-opened it for us. The room was very comfortable & we enjoyed our stay a lot. Will definitely stay there again.

10/10 Excellent

epac, Elkhart, IN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The staff makes you feel like Family
We have been to El Sabanero 6 times already and would not consider another location to stay. Harold, Susi, Kurt and Donald make you feel like part of the family and we always leave El Sabanero with new friends with whom we have interacted. The serenity of the lodge in the hills and the proximity of the beaches and activities make this an ideal place to stay when in Costa Rica.

6/10 Okay

take it easy

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
our first trip to Costa Rica
It might be our fault but we were expecting more access to food, drinks and shuttles. It is a lodge of the main roads so yes you are there for quite, to relax, and not expect action. The staff was nice but very casual, easy going. They are not available all the time and do not expect room service.Be happy with the laid back and also the same breakfast every morning.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great, non-touristy, Costa Rican getaway
what an incredible getaway! beautiful surroundings, great staff, good breakfast, cooked to order dinner... that said, you must be prepared for less is more, no TV, no phone in the room, internet in the common area only. decent drive down a gravel road to get there, (not any worse, and far better than many of the other roads we traveled). We'd go back in a heartbeat

10/10 Excellent

Running

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Absolutely perfect!
My family of 6 stayed here and could not have had a better time. It was remote and quiet, yet close to beautiful beaches and fun activities. The owner and staff were nothing but delightful and the food was fantastic. If you are looking for a special experience away from it all, no bells or whistles, this is it.

6/10 Okay

slickrock wanderer

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
El Sabanero Eco Lodge
Great owner and good staff. Cleanliness of room could have been improved. Bugs, ants and cobwebs were common. Breakfast showed little imagination. Day to day the same and we were there 8 days. Setting is very nice, but, wow, difficult to find and nealy impossible at night. A good sign on the hill, if you know it's there, but no signage leading up to the location.

8/10 Good

George, Waterloo, ON, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Rustic Feel
Enjoyed most things about the hotel except the beds in our room. If you have any back issues you may have to check and see if they have different beds available.

10/10 Excellent

CarmelaCocoa, Brooklyn, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Secluded Hotel
El Sabanero is a wonderful hotel. If you are choosing to drive, it is a little hard to find from the main road. It is located behind a horse ranch. I would recommend it to couples or singles looking to relax and don't mind seclusion. There is no beach access and there are no stores or shops located near the hotel. In order to visit the beach or shops you will have to pay $40.00 round trip to take a taxi into the nearby town of Tamarindo. My friend and I went scheduled this vacation together and we cancelled our reservation at El Sabanero and stayed in Tamarindo. Tamarindo is a surfer town that has everything you could think of including a supermarket and disco. Come prepared to spend as I found basic things like food and water to be expensive. We spent a minimum of $20 per person per meal everyday during our stay. Overall, El Sabanero is beautiful and I cant wait to return on a future trip to Costa Rica with my husband.

10/10 Excellent

Pat & Larry, Seattle, WA, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Peaceful Costa Rica
El Sabanero is a great way to experience the peace and nature of the Pacific side of Costa Rica....no telephone or TV in the cabins and a nice porch to sit and listen to the sounds of Canafistula Valley...the hospitality is wonderful. The manager, Donald, is great fun and can arrange almost anything you would like to do. We definitely recommend them!!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great, Car needed.
Great hotel, You need to have a car.. it is far from most things...