Hotel La Pradera del Arenal
A family-run hotel in the pastures outside La Fortuna, with Arenal Volcano straight across the pool
Hotel La Pradera del Arenal, in the pastures outside La Fortuna
La Pradera sits on Route 142, 2 km west of the church in La Fortuna, with Arenal Volcano filling the view across open pasture. It began over 30 years ago as a handful of rustic cabins for the first backpackers in town, grew up alongside La Fortuna, and the same family still runs it. We send families here, and anyone who wants the volcano from a rocking chair without the scale of a resort.
Why we choose it
- The volcano from the pool. The main pool has a rock waterfall and looks straight at Arenal across the fields, with nothing built in between.
- Built for families. A separate children's pool, and a Standard Family Room that is two rooms joined by an internal door, parents on one side and children on the other.
- Five minutes from town, and not in it. La Fortuna's square and the tour pick-ups are 5 minutes away, and at night you hear the garden, not the road.
Rooms and views
The Standard Double Rooms run along one long single-storey block, each with a furnished terrace facing the gardens, and the hotel promises volcano views from them. The bungalows stand apart among the trees: the Standard Bungalow has two double beds and takes up to 4, the Deluxe Bungalow has one king bed and is meant for a couple. Every room has air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a minibar, a safe and Wi-Fi. The Family Room sits right in front of the pool.
On the property
Two pools, one for adults and one for children, and two jacuzzis, one covered and one under the sky, with thatched ranchos beside them. The open-air restaurant cooks Costa Rican dishes a la carte, and breakfast comes with the stay, from a continental plate to a full Costa Rican one. Massages are done in your room. There are walking trails through the gardens, a large handicraft market and souvenir shop on site, and a tour desk, though we will have the volcano hike, the hanging bridges and the sloth walk on your itinerary before you land.
The hotel recycles and keeps its gardens, and calls that its commitment to sustainability. No certificate, just the habit.
Location and getting there
La Pradera is 2 km from downtown La Fortuna on the road out toward the volcano and Lake Arenal, 15 km further on. San José is about 2 hours by road, and we stop at La Paz Waterfall Gardens on the way if you land in the morning. Check-in is from 2:00 PM and check-out by 12:00 PM. Read more about Arenal Volcano.
Hotels we book in Arenal
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Hotel La Pradera del Arenal | Los Lagos Resort | Arenal Paraiso Resort | Baldi Resort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Natural hot springs | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Volcano setting | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Private jacuzzi in room | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Spa | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Check availability | See hotel | See hotel | See hotel |
Where it is
Your Costa Rican driver waits at arrivals and stops whenever you like on the way: fruit stands, a sloth in a tree, a bathroom.
If this hotel is full, we would look at
Your Costa Rica, starting in Arenal
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. A Specialist who lives here checks this hotel and builds the rest around it.