Great for Birds, etc.
I was fortunate that they had a room available on short notice when I decided to leave another place that I didn't like because it had no birds. This place is quite the opposite and I was able to add quite a few to my lifer list. The main building itself is showing its age and is a bit musty from the high humidity over the years, but I guess that's expected. The rooms are sort of scattered around in buildings in which some are more accessible than others. The one I had was good, with 2 fans and a small sitting area in the back to watch "things" go by. I love taking pictures & the moths and bugs in the evening and mornings were interesting. The pool looked fine, but I did not use it. The restaurant is vegan and I thought it might be an interesting experience, but while the food was ample and very well prepared I was happy to get back to my regular routine again after 4 days. Service was OK, but sometimes being the only one there, I had to knock on the kitchen door to get attention, which was better when more folks were around. There is only a one way road in & out so driving around the property is not too easy. There are lots of trails, only a few of which I explored because I found the lagoon to be the best and easiest place to photograph birds, and I saw many that I had not seen before, like Laughing Falcons and Green Ibis for example. I guess the only issue I had was with the very narrow access roads to the rooms. On one occasion I had to get some people to guide me past a parked truck, but to their credit the staff got the owner to move it shortly after I complained. I guess the roads were made when everyone had smaller cars.
Sarah A
2025-04-20
Verified
Convenient and affordable vegan hideaway
The photos online don't do this place justice. It's GORGEOUS. The interor decor is eclectic and artsy and the exterior gives the impression that the rainforest is trying to take it back. It was an easy hour drive to La Fortuna which made attractions there accessible but far enough to be truly peaceful. We sat multiple afternoons just in lounge chairs watching birds in the valley right outside our room. The attractions like canyoning on site were VERY reasonably priced and convenient with excellent staff across the board. The food was great and allowed us to truly relax as vegans on holiday. They were very busy while we were there and served buffet style meals which allowed us to try a bit of everything they make. We'll be back with the whole family!
Rob D
2025-04-12
Verified
Amazing stay in the rain forest
What can I say about this place. It was absolutely amazing! The resort arranged for a van to pick us up at the airport and transfer us to the resort (about a 2 hour drive). The chef (Nama) was warm and welcoming. She made an effort to get to know our whole family, joked with us, and offered recommendations for things to do/see while there. The menu does not look vegan, but I assure you it is fully vegan, and some of the most amazing food (vegan or non) I have ever had. I wish we would have done the full meal package (we just did the breakfast package but ended up eating almost every meal there). They do a buffet on the weekends... that wasn't my favorite, but this was mostly because there were specific items we loved and wanted to order. However, the buffet was still delicious! The rooms were perfect, quite, and secluded. We did several excursions through the resort including the night tour, ATV tour, and white water rafting. Definitely recommend the white water rafting. We also went exploring in the rain forest and saw one of the most venomous snakes in central/south America. The resort is pretty secluded, which has it's pros and cons. The main con is that we were a fair distance from some of the things we wanted to see. Not to worry though, Alon (who runs the resort) arranged for us to have a private driver and tour guide for a day (which was very reasonable) and they took us to the Arenal volcano, hanging bridges, and the La Fortuna waterfall (an amazing but exhausting day). Overall my whole family (my wife and I, with 4 teenagers) really enjoyed the stay and will definitely plan to go back.
Amelia R
2025-03-09
Verified
Beautiful Resort
Stayed here with my boyfriend for a week! Beautiful resort. Tons of acreage and nature. Tons of animals to look at and a beautiful pond as well. We did a bunch of excursions - canyon repelling, ziplining, ATV riding, superman zip line, tarzan swing and a nature hike. All on the property. The rooms and lobby are outdated as far as decor but still fairly clean and comfortable. They provide fans which is also nice. The food was decent and probably even better if you’re into vegan food. We aren’t huge vegan fans but the chef was adamant to try her food. Lots of good options. Everyone was extremely friendly at the front desk and super helpful. The guides for activities were also super fun and everyone spoke decent english. Overall, a lovely experience and super cool resort.
Jen P
2025-02-10
Verified
An underrated birding destination!
Lands In Love ended up being one of the most successful birding trips we've ever taken. As others have likely said in their reviews, this place is first and foremost an animal rescue. With hundreds of dogs, there is constant (yes, constant) excited barking, and there is an "animal shelter" smell around the dog buildings. The income here goes first and foremost to animal care, and it shows in the status of the rooms. Our room was dated and small, and didn't match the photos online, but was clean and bug-free (which is more than I can say for some other jungle lodging!), with daily housekeeping. We had hot water, a mini fridge, and a coffee maker (which actually had to be moved to the floor, as the cord wouldn't reach the outlet). Most places we've stayed have no AC, but this room had a wall mounted oscillating fan which was much better at keeping us cool than the ceiling fans we got in other places. The wifi was very easy to connect to, and had a good signal in all buildings for us. If you are looking for a reason to complain about your accommodations, you will likely find one, but we are low-key and relaxed travelers who don't mind dealing with things that are different than we're used to at home. We enjoyed our room just fine. The wonderful food cannot be understated. Despite the menu listing foods with their normal names, all of the offerings are completely plant-based and vegan (even menu items like ham or egg!). We got the breakfast only plan, so the charges for lunch and dinner just got added to our room bill to pay at check-out. We weren't sure if the full meal plan would've given us access to the entire menu, but it seems like it would've, so we will do that if we return. Most of the servers did not speak English, but for those travelers with no Spanish there was always someone available in the kitchen if needed. Our only complaint about the restaurant was that two times during our stay there was a "buffet" setup rather than a menu, and it wasn't available until a certain time. We arrived hungry and ready to order dinner at 6:30, and got told that tonight's dinner was buffet at 7. If you like to eat early, it's worth checking ahead of time, as there wasn't communication about that. The buffet nights were the most delicious! We did not bring enough small bills to tip each night, and were told that we could give the chef the tip for the whole stay and they would divide it between the staff, which worked out well. We asked for a trail map at reception, but found the map inaccurate, and came across several forks in the path that were not indicated, and decided to turn back before getting lost. The trail we went on was extremely steep and difficult, which isn't mentioned on the map. We ended up not utilizing the trails, as so many birds were visible from the main roads. The highlight of our trip was birdwatching. We saw over 80 species in two days, with no guide. We only birded on the main roads, the lake, and our porch at Casa Rosada. Besides all of the usual suspects, we saw some amazing unexpected birds that had not been reported there. If you are traveling for birds or bird photography, don't let the lack of reports deter you from staying at Lands in Love. We saw a Yellow-Eared Toucanet in our yard, a Lesson's Motmot on our patio each morning, and an Olivaceous Piculet right along the main road. The birds were close enough to get wonderful pictures with our 600mm bridge camera. To my surprise, the birds were not even slightly deterred by the dog commotion. There were even Rails foraging in the open by the dog shelter! If you bird by ear or rely heavily on sound ID, you may get frustrated. We mainly watch for movement and see what we come across. If you are looking for tranquil, luxury, resort-style lodging, this isn't the place to book. However, if you are a relaxed traveler who enjoys new experiences and loves supporting a good cause, and especially if you enjoy plant-based food and birding, this place will make it onto your "must visit again" list.
Happiness32029411857
2025-02-08
Verified
Amazing place and planning of unforgettable trip
I would like to highly recommend Lior Esh who organized our trip to Costa Rica. Lior planned an amazing trip for us, chose excellent hotels and charming professional guides. Every evening she explained to us the plan for the next day, what to wear and how to get there and she was available and attentive to our every request. We stayed at LANDS IN LOVE and were happy to get to know her and the friends who founded this paradise and discovered how delicious and rich the vegan food is. Many thanks Lior for a perfect trip that we wouldn't have been able to do without you!!!
Go02877161236
2025-01-08
Verified
לכל הטסים לקוסטה ריקה / גוואטאמלה - המלצה חמה מכל הלב
לכל הטסים לקוסטה ריקה וגוואטמלה, אני רוצה להמליץ בחום ומניסיון אישי (בקוסטה ריקה) על מארגנת הטיולים ליאור אש מ-Lands in love. טסנו לקוסטה ריקה, כבר הייתה לנו תכנית עם רשימת אתרים שרצינו לבקר בהם, אבל מחוסר זמן לחפש ולתאם הכל החלטנו לפנות לליאור, לאחר שראינו הרבה המלצות חמות לגביה. כתבנו לליאור מה היינו רוצים לחוות בטיול וליאור בנתה לנו חבילה מדהימה שכללה את המלונות הטובים, השכרת הרכב, מדריכים מעולים (שעם חלקם ממש התחברנו ונמשיך להיות בקשר), וכללה גם את מה שתכננו וגם מקומות שלא ידענו עליהם ומאוד נהנינו בהם. ליאור דאגה להיות בקשר צמוד לכל אורך הדרך, להזכיר לנו בכל ערב מה התכנית למחר, מה לקחת ואיך להתארגן מבחינת לבוש ונתנה מענה מהיר לכל שאלה ועניין, כשהיא לא שמעה מאיתנו היא ביקשה שנעדכן, כשיצאנו באיחור ליעד מסויים והיה חשש שלא נספיק להגיע בזמן ליעד נוסף שתוכנן לאותו היום ליאור שינתה את התכנון ותיאמה הכל כך שלא נפסיד כלום והדבר החשוב ביותר – כשהסתבר לנו שיש בעיה לא צפוייה עם הרכב השכור, שמונעת מאיתנו להשתמש בו, דרשנו להחליף אותו עוד באותו הבוקר על מנת שלא להפסיד את היום, בחברת ההשכרה טענו שאין אפשרות אלא רק ביום שלמחרת – ליאור אמרה שעדיף שהיא תטפל בעניין כמי שמכירה את סגנון הדיבור והאנשים, לקחה את הטיפול על עצמה ואכן הרכב הוחלף כבר באותו הבוקר. יש לציין שביחד עם ליאור נמצאים גם רונה ואלון שנותנים מענה מיידי בעת הצורך. את הלילה האחרון העברנו במתחם של Lands in love – מקום יפייפה שממוקם בלב יער גשם ועננים, שמחנו לפגוש את צוות הישראלים שהקים את המקום ועוד יותר שמחנו לראות ולדעת שכל ההכנסות מוקדשות להצלת בעלי חיים ולטיפול בהם – כולם שם טבעוניים, ומאוד נהנינו מהמטעמים שנעמה הבשלנית המוכשרת הכינה, לנו היה ממש טעים, גם המנות ללא גלוטן שטעמנו, בקיצור - היה מדהים! ליאור היקרה, שמחנו מאוד להכיר אותך ונשמח להמשיך את הקשר גם מהארץ וכמובן שאם נטוס לגוואטמלה נשמח לעבוד איתכם שוב.
