Manatus Hotel

From the moment that we got of the boat at Manatus Hotel, I knew that we were in good hands. We were greeted with a cold fruit drink and a "pura vida". The food was fantastic and included. John was our server and was very very good and made us feel welcome. There were sloths and monkeys in the trees near the pool and we saw dolphins playing in the lagoon in front of the resort. We took the night tour and got to experience nature that was almost primordial. Great place and thanks to Rachel at Costa Rican Vacations for setting this trip up.

We loved everything about this hotel and Tortuguero. We got the boat from La Pavona and had a fantastic ride through the rivers and canals to Manatus. We were met by Bony our guide for the trip, and Ronnie our skilled boatswain/captain - they were friendly, knowledgable, and expert wildlife spotters. The room at Manatus was clean, comfortable, with firm mattresses which we prefer. Lovely products in the bathroom and good fans/air conditioning in the bedroom. There is a short nature trail on sight which we walked early evening and saw lots of strawberry poison dart frogs. The Manatus restaurant staff were so friendly, encouraged our attempts at speaking Spanish, and were attentive but not intrusive. We really enjoyed the food - portions weren’t too big which allowed room for starters, mains and desserts (recommend the ceviche, the tuna, the arroz manatus, the apple pie, and the sundaes!) Evenings were spent watching the stars listening to the wildlife. We loved it!

We spent two days at this hotel from Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2025. Arrived on a short flight from San Jose. The airport is actually just an airstrip on the Caribbean Sea. It is on the same canal as the hotel. We were met planeside by Ricardo, who helped with our luggage and got us on a motor launch. It was a 5 minute trip down the canal to the hotel. We checked in and had lunch right away. The food at this hotel is all included in the price. All of it is ala carte and everything we ate was delicious during all three meals per day. There is a bar, although it is not always open. Cocktails, wine, and beer are available at a reasonable price. There is a modest wine list by the bottle, but it had everything and was reasonably priced. The service is low key, yet attentive. Everyone was quite friendly. There is a small pool, although we did not use it. The gym is actually just an exercise bike and a treadmill, maybe a couple of weights. The rooms are spacious. Two queen beds in each, a TV (we did not use it), some limited storage, and a mini bar. The mini bar is not free. The bathroom was quite spacious and modern, and it opens onto a small outside area with an outdoor cold shower. Note: you cannot flush anything, including used toilet paper. There is a receptacle for that. Tip: bring some Poo Pouree or Lysol spray. Liquid soap, shampoo, lotion are provided. While there, you have the opportunity to go on a boat ride to the village or Tortuguero. It was pouring rain, so we did not go. The next day offers morning and afternoon boat tours of the canals. Splendid! We had Bonnie (guide) and Ronnie (eagle-eyed captain). They did an excellent job, finding us lots of different wildlife. Bring your camera and binoculars. And don’t forget some money for gratuity. Overall, a great visit. It is a little more rustic than posh, but keep in mind you are on the sea and everything arrives by water. There are no roads.

Getting here is an experience all of its own if you come via road and boat transfer. We were collected from San Jose ans accompanied by a very friendly and knowledgeable ember of the team who pointed out various points of interest on the journey. Then onto the boat for a winding journey through the forest - no time to stop for photos but plenty of wildlife along the route. The hotel is brilliantly small - just 12 rooms. surrounded by the forest and views across the water. You can hear the Ocean crashing on the shore, although you cannot see it. The staff are very friendly and attentive. The river tours are superb - our guide Luis was clearly loving his job and his skill (and that of the boat captain) at seeing the wildlife in the canopy was excellent. Rather than do the tour of the town (which another of our group did and said was disappointing) my wife and I took the hotel's jungle trail. Seriously wet, but lots to see, including blue jeans frogs in abundance and a family of spider monkeys. The reason I say 'almost perfect' is the restaurant. They are just missing a few of the touches that make things exceptional like not giving our table any bread one night and having really weird combinations of flavour in some of the dishes. One of the desserts was a delicious apple/cinnamon/raisin cake but they served it with strawberry ise cream. Overall we had a great time, despite the weather not playing the game. If you are a light sleeper, then bring some ear plugs as the roofs are metal, so when it rains, or when an Iguana runs over the roof, you really hear it. It's a great place to stay and to see costa rica's lowland wildlife. A couple of tweaks and it will be perfect.

This hotel was purely magical. From the time you arrive til you depart. Very tropical and lush. The rooms are beautiful. Nice beds with lots of pillows. A huge shower with even an outdoor shower. The two boat tours were fun. Saw iguanas, sloths, monkeys, caimans, and more. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. Food is excellent. Many thanks to the waiters Gerard, and another but can’t remember his name. The guides Ronnie and Bonnie are amazing. The thins they spot in the trees! I did a night walk with Ricardo and got to see my first poison dart frog! Thank you so much everyone!

The structure is not bad, but the value for money is terrible. We stayed for two days at the Manatus Hotel. The property is not unattractive, and it’s fairly well maintained. The rooms are spacious and have two queen-size beds. The lighting in the rooms is designed for energy saving, and it’s awful, just like the lighting throughout the hotel, which is very inadequate. The tour guide, Ricardo, was excellent and took us along the river to see the animals. The restaurant staff, excluding Gerardo who was always kind and professional with us, was detached and lacking empathy. Especially the waiter in the restaurant who walked around like a bodybuilder, never smiled, and was cold and distant with us at all times. The front desk staff was always completely absent and asked us to vacate the room at 8:30 AM instead of the agreed time of 10:00 AM. The warm welcome we found in the beautiful country of Costa Rica was completely missing at this property, which has a terrible value-for-money ratio. We recommend they train the staff better and be much more welcoming to customers. More kindness and hospitality, less gym.