Dominical · ★★★
Hacienda Barú Lodge
A Superb Lodge with Eco-Excellent Ethos in a Natural Reserve
BirdingNatureSustainable Ecolodge
Hacienda Barú Lodge, inside a wildlife refuge near Dominical
Hacienda Barú is a lodge inside the Barú National Wildlife Refuge, 330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove, wetland and beachfront on the Pacific coast near Dominical. It is one of our team's favourites for anyone who travels to see animals.
Birders, families with curious kids and couples who would rather hear toucans than traffic will all feel at home.
Why we choose it
- A refuge, not a garden. Forest, mangrove and beach are all part of the same protected land, so wildlife walks start at your door.
- Made for bird watchers. There is a bird watching tower on the property, and macaws, toucans and many smaller species are seen close up.
- Cottages for families. The two and three bedroom cottages give families room to spread out, with the forest a few steps away.
Rooms and views
There are three kinds of places to stay. The Two Bedroom Cottages have a king, a double and a single bed, and the Three Bedroom Cottages have two doubles and a single. The Pool View Rooms have a king and two singles, and look over the pool with the jungle about 25 m away.
None of them have air conditioning, TV or a minibar. That is deliberate: the sounds outside are the point.
On the property
Meals are in the open-air restaurant under a thatched roof, with the birds for company. There is a pool, an orchid garden, the bird watching tower and well-kept trails. The lodge runs 11 ecological tours, including the Flight of the Toucan zipline over the reserve, plus mangrove walks and a night tour, and it can arrange a rental car.
It is also a working conservation project: solar heats the water, organic waste is composted, and the refuge is part of the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor.
Location and getting there
Hacienda Barú is on the coast road just north of Dominical, the surf town of this part of the Pacific. From here we can add whale watching at Marino Ballena, waterfall hikes and a beach day in town. Read more about Dominical.
Rooms & suites
Our favourite rooms, and why
Three Bedroom Cottages
Pool View Rooms
How it compares
Hotels we book in Dominical
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Hacienda Barú Lodge | La Cusinga Lodge | Villas Rio Mar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Spa | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Team favourite | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Check availability | See hotel | See hotel |
On the property
What you will find there
Getting there
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.
Your Costa Rica, starting in Dominical
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. A Specialist who lives here checks this hotel and builds the rest around it.
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