La Carolina Lodge
San Miguel Bijagua, Bijagua de Upala 21301 Costa Rica
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#1 of 7 hotels in Bijagua de Upala
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Hot bath
Free breakfast
Hiking
Horseback riding
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Full body massage
Restaurant
Fishing
Massage
Mosquito net
Non-smoking hotel
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Room features
Private balcony
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Green
Languages Spoken
Spanish
Location
Contact
San Miguel Bijagua, Bijagua de Upala 21301 Costa Rica
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Rental CarsSee all Bijagua de Upala car hire
538Reviews15Q+A95Room tips
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This was my fifth visit at the lodge with friends. It has always surpassed my expectations when bringing friends. The staff is wonderful, so welcoming, helpful, and they made us feel right at home. Food is fantastic, cannot say enough about it! See you next year! Kate
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
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We are a couple in our mid-40s and spent 3 nights here (Heliconias room) during Christmas. We had an excellent time and would highly recommend it. --Rooms (Heliconias): Photos are accurate, but the room felt nicer than I expected. Bed was super comfortable. No A/C but several fans, so we were never hot. Lots of light in the morning, so my eye mask was very necessary. Rain is quite loud on the tin roof and there are lots of other sounds (the rushing river, birds, monkeys), so I also used my earplugs for sleeping. The Heliconias is a good location (deck overlooks the river, room in central to everything; only downside is it's adjacent to parking lot, but that didn't end up bothering us) --Mosquitos: This was a concern of mine because my boyfriend always gets attacked. I don't really think it was a problem at the lodge. He DID end up getting a bunch of bites, but I think most of them came from evening nature walks. I never actually saw a mosquito at the lodge. But I'd certainly recommend bug spray throughout costa rica if bugs like you. --BYOB: We stocked up on beer and wine on our drive in. The lodge provided us with a cooler. We were confused about the ice situation at first (seemed like a hassle to get it from the kitchen staff), but housekeeping ended up refilling the ice in our cooler each day. --Staff: Extremely friendly. Most didn't speak much English, but that was fine, as it allowed us to practice our Spanish. The main host who gave us a tour the first day did it in English. --Guests: Despite the availability of communal dining, folks tended to keep to themselves. Maybe because it was Christmas and a lot of people were on family trips. We didn't really end up talking to people as much as I thought we would. I think it would be a great idea if the lodge did some kind of "happy hour" or other activity to encourage people to interact if they want to. --Wildlife: Tons and tons of birds that you get to see up close. I'm not much of a bird person but I loved watching them with my coffee every morning. Other than that, there was a surprising lack of wildlife (both in terms of good stuff like monkeys/sloths, but also bad stuff like bugs) --Meals: Really delicious, all typical local fare, prepared by locals, and all (reportedly) grown/raised on the premises. We were totally happy with our meals for the 3 days, but I think if we were staying longer, it would feel a bit repetitive and we'd need to seek out nearby restaurants. --WiFi: There are two rocking chairs near the office where the WiFi is best. The lack of good WiFi was nice, as it encouraged us to stay off our phones. --Activities on-site: 1) hiking loop--through the fields and then the jungle; recommended but wear pants or long socks, as you'll be wearing boots provided by the lodge. 2) cow milking; highly recommended for kids and adults...harder than it looks! This also includes a tour around the property so you can see the pigs, chickens, gardens, etc. Also in lodge-provided boots. 3) hot tub; extremely recommended. So fun and just an amazing experience right by the rushing river. 4) nearby lake property; highly recommended. they have a funky old boat and oars. really peaceful and fun to go out and paddle around. 5) fireplaces: there are several around the property and it's great to just sit in rocking chairs and drink wine and play cards. 5) facial/massage: highly highly recommended; This was by far one of the best massages I've ever had, as well as the least expensive. A truly unique experience, right by the river. --Activities off-site: We did 1) Rio Celeste Aventuras tubing; highly recommended as a way of seeing the aqua waters and actually getting to swim in it. 2) Tapir Valley night walk; recommended (although this is probably where the mosquito bites came from, so wear long pants/sleeves and insect repellent). We saw a tapir up close and it was awesome. 3) Rio Celeste Waterfall; this is about 15 mins away and is a huge tourist attraction. Somewhat recommended, but after swimming/tubing in the aqua water, it wasn't as exciting to just see more of the pools and take pics with hundreds of other people. But as a half-day hike, it's a beautiful location. Once you get past the waterfall, the crowds thin. Ideally, we would have had 4 nights here. You want to have a couple days to go on excursions, but also there's plenty to do on-site at the lodge.…
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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To experience the real lovely Costa Rica, this is the place. Very comfortable, quiet and rustic. Food is amazing, the river is gorgeous and so relaxing. The orchids and the birds are incredible. Staff are all very friendly and helpful.
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Date of stay: December 2022
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WAHOU!! We spent three days in this amazing location during our Honey Moon. Everything was perfect! The people there are lovely and taking care of everything feel like home. Every evening when you reach your own house, the fire has been light on and you can enjoy a rest on the leather rocking chair. The food is cook by some people who do this with passion and everything is really tasty! There are plenty of activities to do around the location. We even spot Blue jeans frog on the hike.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Everything was perfect! We totally wanted to stay here! :) The staff was friendly and the lodge was lovely! It's realy off the beaten track and so relaxing. The accommodation is really one of a kind. We saw a lot of animal and I even got a cake for my birthday. It was everything we needed and much more.
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Date of stay: December 2022
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This is a great place and a true Costa Rican experience. The food is amazing and they feed you well. The activities around the grounds are fun...I recommend checking out the farm and milking the cows.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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this lodge was lovely. very nice staff, simple accommodations but had everything you need. no internet in some areas, but that was a nice break for me. We had a great hike to see Rio Celeste. Everything was great. simple costarican food and plenty of it. I loved the touch of the fireplaces being lit at each cabin each night. the hot tub on the river was ...hot, unique, the most hot tub ever.
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Date of stay: July 2022
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Room Tip: if you can get a cabin on the river, that is wonderful. but they are all very nice.
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+1
This is one of those properties that truly is memorable in every way. We could not have asked for a better introduction to Costa Rica - from the candlelight evening meals to the beautiful patio/common area for reading and playing cards to the wood fired hot tub. It more than exceeded our expectations. We appreciated that it had much of what the more touristy areas of Costa Rica have - wildlife viewing, swimming, access to half day trips in area, and hiking in the forest - without all the people. Food was excellent as was the service. We hope to someday bring our kids back and will definitely recommend this to friends planning trips to CR!
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Date of stay: July 2022
Value
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Had the most amazing time with friends and family. The wood burning spa and candles were magical. They have farm-to-table food and it was delicious. The price was very reasonable which includes all meals. There are hiking trails along a river and we saw toucans, sloth and many butterflies. If you want relaxation and raw nature with super nice staff its heaven. We will go back!
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Date of stay: July 2022
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+1
Wow! What a fantastic stay! We only stayed two days and our kids cried when we left. About 1.5hr easy drive from Liberia airport, is a little slice of Costa Rican paradise. We are a family of 4 and stayed in the toucan room which overlooks the river, has a wood fired hot tub and large hammock on the balcony..it’s the best cabin if you can get it. They brought in a second twin size bed and it fit our family (6 and 7yo kids) just fine. They loved sleeping with the mosquito nets covering them too. Meeting new friends, playing soccer, catching fish, swimming in the river, hiking (we saw a sloth and toucans) horse back riding, milking cows, relaxing in the large hot tub..endless hot chocolate and fresh juices. The food was phenomenal..3 meals a day served family style..fried tilapia, bbq chicken, ribs, etc served with mashed potatoes, pinto, salad, fresh fruits..every meal was wonderful and was by far the best food we had in Costa Rica. The cabins did not have AC, it was fine at night with a ceiling and floor fan but did get warm during the day. We spent most of our down time on the patio which was breezy and fine so this wasn’t really an issue as we were only there a few nights. They don’t serve alcohol but we had a small refrigerator and we had grabbed beer and wine at the duty free shop at the airport. Wehad planned to see the area but our kids didn’t want to leave as there was so much for them to do. We did stop at Rio Celeste on our way to La Fortuna (20 minute drive..a little scary), then two more hours to get to La Fortuna…The staff was wonderful. If you really want a true feel for Costa Rica, make a stop here on your journey..memories of a lifetime.…
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Toucan room, bring your own alcohol
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ALSO KNOWN AS
la carolina hotel province of guanacaste, hotel la carolina
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of AlajuelaBijagua de Upala
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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Claim Your ListingLa Carolina Lodge - UPDATED 2023 Prices, Reviews & Photos (Costa Rica/Bijagua de Upala) - Hotel - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about La Carolina Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to La Carolina Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Tapir Valley Nature Reserve (4.2 km), Spring Paradise Bijagua Tours (6.6 km), and Tenorio National Park (5.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at La Carolina Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at La Carolina Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast and an on-site restaurant during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to La Carolina Lodge?
Conveniently located restaurants include Restaurante y Pizzeria El Barrigon, The Hummingbird Cafe, and Soda El Sabor de Doña Carmen.
Does La Carolina Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the river view available here.