The Peace Lodge

​

Sitting 5200 feet above sea level, this lovely boutique hotel inhabits the elevation where cloud forest and rainforest comingle. Imagine swimming in a heated swimming pool at that altitude in the middle of so much beauty! It’s a thrilling experience. As is stepping out onto the large balcony of your room, sitting in a rocking chair, and drinking in the views of the Poás Volcano and the La Paz River Valley. 

​

Its 18 rooms come in a variety of sizes: Standard, Deluxe, and Monarch. Sophisticated and elegant, each one features a Jacuzzi, a striking river stone fireplace, and a shower that actually turns into a waterfall by just turning a knob. The air coming in through the windows is always crisp and clean – perfect for sleeping. 

​

For large families and groups, Villa Largo, an exclusive home unit, is the perfect choice. It boasts three bedrooms (a room with a king-size bed, a guest room, and a small bedroom with two single beds); two bathrooms, each with Jacuzzis; and a kitchen, as well as a washer and dryer. Plus, the view from the balcony of Lower Trout Lake is lovely.

Guests are encouraged to visit the Ventanas Verdes Spa for hot rock and chocolate massages, as well as other amazing packages, or treat themselves to an in-room massage in front of their fireplace.

​

For dining, I enjoyed the cozy Vista Poás restaurant with its traditional locally inspired flavors featuring grilled meats, homemade pastas, delicious fresh seafood, and range chicken. The staff is warm and friendly and always ready to recommend the perfect wine for pairing with your meal. There is also Las Tucas Bar if you’re interested in a cocktail, playing backgammon, or borrowing a book from the lending library. For breakfast, I began my day at Tortillas restaurant, which always had aromatic local coffee, fresh seasonal tropical fruit, tasty breads, and made-to-order omelettes, pancakes, and French toast on offer. 

​

One of the perks of staying at the lodge is having unlimited access to the park hiking trails, waterfalls, Trout Lake, and animal sanctuary exhibits. Guests also have the park to themselves before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m., the best times for observing the animals.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park

This beautiful park, the only privately owned park to be nominated by the readers of Costa Rica’s largest newspaper, La Nacion, as one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of Costa Rica,” sprawls across 70 magnificent acres. Everywhere you look, it is a sea of green intermingled with exotic gardens featuring a variety of tropical plants.

​

Within its natural setting, are two miles of hiking trails, some of which will take you into the cloud forest, and five magnificent waterfalls, my favorite feature of the park. The trail to the waterfalls is a bit rugged, but the reward is great. Once there, it was a delight to feel the spray from the falls on my skin, hear the water rushing down the rockface, and feast my eyes on the beauty of the scene. Anyone who is unable to walk to the falls can take a bus from the Peace Lodge and back. Tours of the waterfalls are also available.

​

Along with the must-see waterfalls and hiking trails, there is an aviary, a butterfly observatory, a hummingbird garden, a serpentarium, a jungle cat exhibit, a frog habitat, a sloth habitat, an insect exhibit, and an orchid exhibit. A variety of other exotic animals, including spider monkeys, are also housed in the park. They are all rescues, placed there by the Costa Rican Wildlife Ministry because they can’t be released back into the wild. There is even an education program about rescued jungle cats you can take part in.

​

The park is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Park officials recommend a stay of at least two hours to fully explore everything it has to offer. I concur with that. Any less time spent, and I don’t think you get the total experience. All-access day passes can be used any time during regular opening hours and provide access to all the exhibits.

​

Off-site Activities

Because you’re in the area, there are some fun off-site activities nearby you might like to take part in to further enhance your visit. For instance, you can spend a day horseback riding, canopy zip-lining, and/or whitewater rafting at Hacienda Poso Azul. You can also take a tour of Poás Volcano that includes a hike to enjoy the natural flora and fauna and walk up to the crater. Another interesting tour is visiting the Doka Coffee Plantation. If you’re a coffee lover like me, you’ll appreciate sipping a cup while looking out over the expansive plantation where it is grown. You can also learn about how important coffee is to the Costa Rican culture.