Family-friendly vacation rentals in Lake Arenal

We loved Carolina's property! The home was perfect for our family of ten ranging in age from 3 to 73. It was clean and beautiful. Manuel stopped by the first day and offered us a "night tour". He was fun and informative, especially with our children, explaining the "creatures" and encouraging us all to relax and listen to the night sounds. The hot tub on the back deck was a hit and well enjoyed. It was very quiet around us and we felt safe at all times. Carolina was very prompt answering any questions that we had. We had a lot of adventures planned but wished we had included an extra day just to enjoy the property. We highly recommend.

This was the perfect home for our family of 4 adults and 3 elementary aged kids. We loved the balcony, and spent most of our time at the Airbnb on the balcony, sipping coffee and chatting while we stared at the amazing view, even on cloudy days. The kitchen had everything we needed for making meals at home. The kids loved visiting the animals every morning, and the yard was great for playing ball. If you're sensitive to noise, know that you're in nature and that you'll hear the animals. We woke early but loved watching the birds from the balcony. We walked to the top of the hill each day for a gorgeous view of the surrounding area. Definitely were glad to have 4 wheel drive for the road. Perhaps the best part was how welcoming and warm Eduardo and his family were to us, helping us find directions to trailheads, suggesting the best hot springs, and arranging horseback riding. The home cooked dinner was so delicious, and Eduardo even taught us to make beans. We will be back!

Our family truly enjoyed staying at Chiri Glamping. Our son had a great time climbing on the rock wall, swinging, sliding, and soaking in the hot tub. The bed and linens were the most comfortable of all our accommodations in 12 nights in CR - luxurious and plush. The bathroom was surrounded by nature and the shower products were soothing and relaxing, and everyone had their own robe. The essential oils were a nice touch, and the ac kept the room cool and inviting. We cooked dinner in the well stocked kitchen, and my husband got an amazing cocktail in the beautiful restaurant. The front desk staff was friendly, thorough, and escorted us to our room. The view overlooks Santa Elena and it was striking to watch the clouds come in and then go out within minutes. This is truly and special experience. We did hear music in the night from a nearby business and there was a bike race in the morning that woke us quite early, but in this convenient to town location, it is inevitable. Recommended!

If your travels take you to LaFortuna, you would be hard pressed to find a better place to stay. This place was awsome. As for as the location goes, you really can't get much better. VERY walkable to restaurants, shops, ect. VERY safe. The entire town is extremely safe and relaxed. The apartments appears to have been recently updated. All the appliances and furniture are in as-new condition. The master bed is VERY comfortable. The plunge pool and hot tub are great places to chill out and are also VERY private. Overall this is a fantastic apartment that is very well maintained and managed.

A home in tune with the beauty of the place, comfortable and spacious, 3 terraces and a wonderful terrace and with its own stream. It's like being in the corner of Arenal National Park. And inside it has everything you expect from a home designed for rest. Very well set the master bedroom. With rustic touches that give it that local identity. The pleasant treatment and proximity of Roxana made our stay in La Fortuna definitely unforgettable.

Our stay at the Rustic Cabins was nothing short of exceptional! From the start, David, our host, went above and beyond to ensure a seamless experience. A week before our arrival, he proactively reached out to confirm our reservation, walk us through the check-in process, and offer recommendations for local attractions to help us make the most of our time in La Fortuna. Check-in was smooth and well-organized, with clear instructions on everything from our cabin amenities to parking. David’s attentiveness didn’t stop there—after our first night, he followed up to make sure we were comfortable, which we found incredibly thoughtful. As a final touch, when I asked David for his favorite local soda (a casual local eatery), he recommended Soda Lulu. It turned out to be the perfect spot for our last meal—an excellent suggestion! If you're looking for a warm, welcoming stay in La Fortuna, I can’t recommend Rustic Cabins highly enough.

We stayed at Pie in the sky in February as a family with our 3 kids, it was about a 3 hour drive from the Liberia airport. We loved the observation tower, the beautiful views, plants and animals, the pool and the hot tub! It was very peaceful and gorgeous there. We did Sky Adventures zipline (just down the road), hiked at Arenal 1968, and went to the La Fortuna Waterfall. We ate at a lot of the nearby restaurants. We loved that Fusion was walkable to the house. Our favorite was Jungle Love Lounge. I would recommend getting groceries in the city you fly into, as it was hard to find a lot of items even in La Fortuna (especially if you have dietary restrictions). and there's hardly any fresh food items in the El Castillo grocery stores- only shelf stable. We did find out that El Castillo has a feria (farmers market) on Fridays and Saturdays right next to the school and we got a lot of great fruit and vegetables there. We'd definitely stay again!

I could not say enough good things about Silvio's beautiful, beautiful home. Nestled away far from the bustle of Monteverde and the never-ending tourist attractions Costa Rica offers, Silvio's home is a quiet, peaceful respite. The long, bumpy driveway is a scenic experience in itself, and we spotted almost as much wildlife from our driveway or in the trees around the home as we did on some nature hikes! Photos of both the home and the incredible view honestly don't do this place justice. As other reviewers have mentioned, a 4x4 is definitely necessary to access this place, but well worth it. Amenities were perfect- hot water, reliable WiFi, extra blankets, and the banana bread at check in was also a lovely touch. We regrettably didn't have time to hike the trails surrounding the property, but we did get multiple check ins from the incredibly friendly horses. I could not recommend this property more. Thank you for a lovely stay!!

Perfect little place, not to far from town. Many things to do. I absolutely loved it!!

Our experience at this property was excellent, and much of that can be attributed to the exceptional service provided by Joshua, the concierge. From the moment we arrived, Joshua greeted us warmly and provided a brief but informative tour of the house. He was consistently responsive and offered excellent recommendations for local attractions and dining options. The property itself was as described, well-maintained and comfortable. The shower had reliable hot water, the air conditioning unit functioned effectively, and the location was convenient, being only about 15 minutes from the center of La Fortuna. The only minor downside was the occasional appearance of a few insects at night but it was not problematic. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this home to anyone visiting the area.

Excellent location and views! Ronald and Christopher were more than welcoming and even provided different excursions. We highly recommend this place!

Our stay at the TreeTop House was wonderful! The rental is just as charming and unique as the listing described. It is located right between Santa Elena and Monteverde- our group was able to walk to several locations nearby thanks to sidewalks along the main road! The area is absolutely stunning, with amazing views from most areas of the home. It was spacious enough for our large group to stay comfortable. One small thing to note is that you may need to provide very detailed instructions to taxi/shuttle drivers as the location on google maps makes it appear like you are one street over- not a big deal but did require us to take the few extra steps to the main road to catch our ride a few times. Overall, it is a gem of a home! Sabine was very helpful and was quick to respond when we needed her assistance!

Great house in a beautiful place. Worked great for 3 adults and 2 small kids. Everything needed was there.

This place is such a hidden gem! It’s in a peaceful mountain area with stunning views—perfect for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle. The building itself has a really unique and artistic style, which makes it stand out, and it’s just as beautiful inside. The property is spacious, clean, and thoughtfully decorated, with everything you could need for a comfortable stay. It felt like a home away from home. Pedro, the host, was very responsive and friendly, which made the experience even better. I’ve already recommended this place to a few friends, and I’ll definitely be keeping it in mind for a return trip. Highly recommend!

Excellent space and cost-benefit, the place is large with two bedrooms and the kitchen is complete.

Beautiful location, cabin was about what you would expect for the area. There was some minor issues and likely the photos are old. Would be worth noting the trails to the waterfall are fairly difficult, especially for small kids. Also the road leading up to the property is quite steep and rough. Wouldn't recommend it in a small car.

It wasn't hot or sunny enough to make use of the pool and that would have made the stay nicer; the chairs were alawys wet so we didn't even sit out there. The place was clean and as nice as the photos and the hosts were very responsive to a couple issues we had with the gas stove and door lock, which we appreciated. They tok care of both issues right away. However we were under the impression we could walk to more restaurants or activities and we didn't find it as manageable as stated - the "sdiewalks" are in need of significant repair and it's quite dark at night for walking. It didn't feel safe to go into town on foot at night which limited our evening activity. That was the only disappointment - (that and we never did see the top of the volcano!) otherwise everything was great.

We were 6 people including 2 children, for a 4-day stay. Everything went well. we particularly liked the pool, the calm of the wooded, flowery and particularly neat park, the animals, the driveway and the walking path in the forest.. Eduardo, the caretaker, was kind and helped us when we needed it. In short, we loved our stay.

It was good

This was our 2nd time staying at Villa Hermosa. We enjoyed our stay here so much 2 years ago that when we were considering returning to Costa Rica, Villa Hermosa had to be on our list. The place is a gem really. Think botanical gardens with winding gravel paths beneath palm trees and tropical plants. There are birds galore and a pasture behind the property with cows. The pool area is exactly as seen in the photos- an immense space where we enjoyed our breakfasts each morning. The 2 separate cottages are on opposite ends of the property, maybe 50 metres apart and the main living space (kitchen, dining) is outdoors under the main building's roof. Keep this in mind as this might not be for everyone but we loved it. There can be some loud traffic noise on the main road at times so as a light sleeper, I preferred the small Toucan cottage further from the road. The hosts live on site and are such genuine, kind people as well as being highly responsive and helpful. We loved our stay!

A beautiful place. As described. Very private and the pool is a 10, with its ideal temperature for the place. Everything super clean, well laid out and spacious. Super recommended. Important to know that they must register elsewhere, where access is obtained.

We had a great visit at Volcano Villa. A car is definitely needed, but it is convenient to La Fortuna and all of the surrounding activities. Best of all was the view of Arenal Volcano from the backyard, pool, and bedroom! The garden has filled in beautifully since the listing pictures, giving a lot of privacy and it was wonderful for bird watching - we saw and heard many species, including Red-lored Amazon parrots and Scarlet Macaws.

I already want to go back. This place was special.