Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
View prices for your travel dates
Breakfast included
Get rewarded with One Key
C$240
Breakfast included
Get rewarded with One Key
C$240
C$259
C$210
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Did you already book this hotel?
About
4.0
#2 of 7 hotels in Rincon de La Vieja
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Hacienda Guachipelin boasts being an authentic, charming Ranch Hotel, catering to high-end travelers. It is a well-known traditional cattle hacienda located in the folkloric Guanacaste Region, bordering the National Park and active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. Due to the volcanic activity, it features natural thermal mineral hot springs and volcanic mud with healing properties. Officially categorized as a 4-star mountain resort, it has a total capacity of 79 units, mostly legacy suites and superior rooms, in the heart of our 3,460-acre nature reserve and cattle and horse farm. It is the ideal location for exploring one of the most interesting regions and exciting active volcanoes in Costa Rica. Experience all sorts of active outdoor activities on our hiking trails through the exuberant forest, leading to amazing, refreshing waterfalls and nature pools, or simply relax in one of our hot springs ponds immersed in the forest. Wellness and well-being are two of the main reasons guests visit us. At the SPA Simbiosis you can let go during relaxing massages, rejuvenate with natural mud wraps, among many other treatments, or just open your senses for wellbeing during a mindfulness forest bathing activity. A yoga deck was recently opened, surrounded by forest with breathtaking views of the volcano. Hacienda Guachipelin has developed probably the best adventure park in the area, with exclusive access to the magical “Las Pailas” Section of the National Park for admiring firsthand the impressive volcanic activity. It features a wide range of exciting adventurous activities such as zip lining above river canyons, wall climbing, mountain bike rides, bathing next to waterfalls, canyoning, horseback riding, and tubing. And, for memorable gastronomical experiences, we offer four very attractive venues. The gourmet Nekajui Restaurant, around an original antique clay oven, includes appealing fire pits in the gardens; El Rincon del Café, our cafeteria, next to the swimming pool; the sunset Canopy Bar & Terrace; and “La Hacienda,” offering fine Costa Rican typical specialties. This first class hotel is conveniently located 35 minutes from Guanacaste International Airport, 25 minutes from Liberia and 1 hour from the renowned beach resorts of Papagayo Gulf.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin receives accolades for its exceptional service, with guests often commending the friendly staff. The cleanliness of the hotel is a highlight, ensuring travelers enjoy pristine rooms and well-kept surroundings. Guests appreciate the range of amenities, especially the natural hot springs and adventure activities, although spa access requires an additional fee.
While the hotel's tranquil location near scenic nature spots is a draw for many, some visitors find the value debatable, citing occasional overpriced services. Moreover, the comfortable and welcoming atmosphere is marred slightly by reports of inadequate soundproofing in rooms.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Mixed
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
Everything about this unique hotel and adventure location was beyond wonderful. Our time there was the highlight of our trip. From the amazingly fun adventure activities (so many to choose from and they’ll work with you to create a plan that works for your needs), to the fresh, authentic Costa Rican food (there were certain dishes we weren’t as fond of but most of their dishes were delicious and their fruit was amazingly fresh.. oh and their cookie I am still dreaming about; great drinks too), to their well thought out design (cute fire pit, updated lobby, tranquil pool area, well lit paths and signage even on the hiking trails, only their rooms are older but at least very clean), to their above and beyond customer service from all staff and adventure tour employees (one example, I mistakenly booked an extra day only after I left and they easily helped me fix that with no issue via WhatsApp), to their beautiful and unbeatable location (the numerous waterfalls and hot springs onsite free for hotel guests, proximity to the National park and volcano to name a few)… I can’t say enough good things about this place and the people here. Thank you for the epic memories. Hacienda Guachipelin is a true gem.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Need to make reservations in advance for dinner and fire pits.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Sep 4, 2023
We are glad that the natural environment of Hacienda Guachipelin was to your liking. We are glad that you enjoyed the services of our property. Thanks for your comments.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The second time i have visited Costa Rica but not this particular area or hotel before. This was a special trip, our honeymoon and my birthday. We thought nothing of it when the receptionist told us we had Suite 1 room 62. We had an idea of what the rooms were like. Well what a surprise, it was a suite, a honeymoon suite. A queen sized bed, a bottle of wine with strawberries that had been dipped in chocolate, yummy. French windows onto a decking area to the gardens at the back. A huge bathroom with the biggest bath I have ever seen. Double sinks with lots of room to put toiletries. The shower was behind frosted glass on one side and a sliding door on the other. so you could shower with the doors open and sun shining down on you as the whole thing was behind a private wall. It was stylish, very clean with ample room for clothes etc: The restaurant was a very short walk away. It was clean and you could chose where to sit. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. They did bring out a birthday cake for me which was a lovely touch. The food was pretty much what you would expect in Costa Rica, a good choice and plenty of it. We did not have lunch as we were out on tours etc; for dinner we chose to eat from the al la carte menu as it suited us better. We did skinny dipping in the red pool, fabulous. Take a towel and sea shoes! you can do this on your own. Horse riding with a guide to the waterfall and back was fantastic even though the guides only words were 'vamoose'. Clear instructions are given at the beginning of the ride. I hadn't ridden for many years and it was great fun Wildlife around the hotel, early morning is best, birds including owls, nightjars, blue magpie jays. The national park trip we saw monkeys, iguanas, humming birds etc. Absolutely loved it here, would definitely recommend it. Thank you to all the staff for a great time.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Rooms further away from the reception area.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose b, Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Feb 16, 2020
Thank you Janet for your review. We are glad that you had A fabulous three day stay. We are happy to know that you enjoyed the rooms, the restaurant, th adventure and the natural attractions of the area. We hope that you can do a 3rd trip to Costa Rica in the near future. Pura Vida !!!!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
We stayed at Hacienda Guachipelin for three nights at the end of June and had a fantastic experience. At the time of our visit, Costa Rica was experiencing a spike in Covid cases, and though my family have all been vaccinated, we appreciated the precautions taken by the staff at the lodge. Every staff person we interacted with wore a mask and there were hand-washing stations outside of the main lobby, restaurant, and adventure center with clear signage directly guests to wash hands and wear masks when entering public spaces. We did not have a car while we were there (hired private transport from the airport), and we didn't feel that we needed one as there is plenty to do directly on the property and the lodge provides a shuttle to the National Park and the hot springs. There are multiple trails you can take from the lodge to beautiful waterfalls. We did the river tubing from the adventure center, which was a blast. We took the shuttle one of the days to the national park where we hiked a trail that took us through dense rain forest and also past bubbling mud pots and fumaroles. We visited the hot springs twice which involved taking a shuttle and then a short walk through the woods. We saw lots of beautiful birds, including toucans, in the trees right around the hotel, and monkeys twice when out on trails. The room was very comfortable for my family of three and included a breakfast buffet each day in the restaurant. We ate most of our other meals at the cafe near the pool where you can order a la carte from the main restaurant. The menu had numerous options and the food was very good and reasonably priced. One of the things that we appreciated the most was how friendly and helpful the staff were. Edwin at the poolside cafe was especially great, and the front desk and adventure center staff were wonderful as well. Overall we found Hacienda Guachipelin to be a very friendly, comfortable, and laid back home base for exploring the area around Rincon de la Vieja.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Aug 22, 2021
We are glad that you had a good time exploring Rincon de la Vieja volcano with Hacienda Guachipelin as your home base. Rincon de la Vieja is known for the secondary volcanic activity in the national park area. We are glad that you enjoyed and appreciated the service from the staff , specially from Edwin at the pool side cafeteria. Pura Vida !!!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The rooms are nice, but the windows aren't very soundproof. Our neighbors decided to sit out front until 10pm, and so, we could clearly hear them talking. Luckily, that was the only downside staying here. And, it was only one night. The included buffet breakfast was great, and we totally enjoyed the mud bath & mineral springs that were also included in the price of the room. Be prepared to drive there, though, since it is not onsite with the hotel. They will give you towels at the entrance to the mineral springs, but you'll need to walk a little ways from the entrance. It's not a difficult walk though. And, it is well worth it when you get there. Oh, by the way, we didn't bring any money with us and there was a tip jar for the guy working out there. We felt bad when we left.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Apr 2, 2021
Thank you for your comments . Sorry about the loud neighbors. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay at Hacienda Guachipelin. Pura Vida !!!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Only a short 40 min drive from LIR, this place was the perfect stop to kick off our trip! The hotel rooms are basic but really have everything you need. The food is amazing!!! Everyone I was with raved about every single meal we had there. A cool thing about this hotel is that they own all the land around the National Park. So if you want to hike any of their multiple waterfalls or go to the hot springs/mud baths, it’s all on the grounds and included. I met others staying elsewhere that were coming everyday for the activities and would have to pay an entrance fee each time. They all talked about how they wished they had stayed at Hacienda instead, as they were there everyday and had all their meals there since the food was so good. Highly recommend the white water tubing excursion!! It was a thrill ride for sure. Also really enjoyed spending the afternoon at the most beautiful hot springs pools. Recommend checking out Oropendola Waterfall and Chorreras Waterfall as they are spectacular! The hotel also did a great job with social distancing and cleaning protocols due to the pandemic. I felt completely safe. Highly recommend!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Apr 1, 2021
Thank you for your comments . We are glad that you enjoyed the different activities and your stay at Hacienda Guachipelin. Thank you so much for your visit.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I recently brought a group of eight people to Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. During Covid, we felt totally safe and protected. The staff always wore masks and took the greatest care to keep us safe. A maintenance man had to visit my room and he sprayed his shoes before entering then wiped everything with disinfectant that he touched. The food was wonderful and plentiful. Activities fun.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Our group was in a row of rooms. We were able to park nearby.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Apr 1, 2021
Thank you for your comments . We are glad that you enjoyed the different activities and your stay at Hacienda Guachipelin. Thank you so much for your visit.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our flight from Miami to Liberia was only 2 hours and the pick up was already waiting for us..The Driver was super friendly and after a 45 Minute drive we arrived. We left behind the stress, noise and found ourselves in the middle of nature . The hacienda fits very well in the environment and the rooms are spacious, clean and very comfortable. We had our own patio and observed lots of different birds. Nature is truly amazing in Costa Rica!! The excursions were amazing. From zip lining over water tubing, horseback riding,waterfall swimming, mountain biking , hiking along the volcano and hot springs. The staff was always very helpful and friendly and we always felt taken care of and secure. There are lockers, so we locked away our stuff that shouldn’t get soaked. . I lived in my sturdy watershoes and I was very glad about my raincoat!! The temperature was warm so we were mostly wearing comfortable workout clothes. The hotsprings felt so good after a day of hiking. The pool also offered relaxation, and of course the massages!! The restaurant was excellent, lots of local food but not boring at all. Breakfast was super, I loved the juices the most! All Fruits, vegetables and meats are produced by the farm itself.
COVID is being taken seriously, everyone wears masks and you are asked to wash your hands before entering closed rooms. This is valid for entire CostaRica, even before you enter the airport.
If you are looking for an adventurous but not too crazy vacation, this is the place to go!
Read more
Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Dec 21, 2021
Thank you for your comments . We are glad that you enjoyed your stay at Hacienda Guachipelin. Come see us again soon. Pura Vida !!!!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stayed at this beautiful hotel for 2 nights and wished we could have stayed for at least two more. First with location— this hotel is just outside Rincon de la Vieja and has lots of activities to keep one busy, from hiking to thermal pools to a lovely spa and of course the Rincon de la Vieja National park. The rooms are lovely with lots of space and hammocks outside each room to just relax—one could just sit and enjoy a book and do nothing else. The staff is very courteous and helpful. We had room 131, which was just perfect! The breakfast in the restaurant is very good and has lots of variety. We also enjoyed dinner at the restaurant which was excellent. Went to symbiosis spa for a message treatment, which was out of this world. Massage treatments include sauna, mud bath, solarium and volcanic pool. The staff brought us detox drinks, hot and cold through the almost 3 hour experience at a very affordable price. Highly recommend it. I would love to come back for a longer time.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great place to start out in Costa Rica during the time of COVID. We had a great room that was listed as ‘62’ on the key but ‘suite 1’ on the door, and it was large, spacious, and well-appointed. Restaurant food was very good and restaurant was the usual open-air arrangement; watch the hummingbirds and the noisy green parrots. Pool is small and probably only of interest to kids. Sits inside the national park perimeter and if you are on the list with a reservation they don’t charge you a fee at the gate. Nice local craft beers available. The red pool is a nice hollow 8n the river you can go and swim in. The waterfall close to the entrance where you drive in the staff will tell you it is shorter to walk along the road to the path to the falls, but the dirt road off the paved road is steep and muddy after the rain which comes every day this time of year. We found it better to return from the waterfall by the other path through the woods that links up with the red pool trail behind the adventure center. That path is not as steep and somehow escapes the mud and slipperiness of the shorter trail, and your rewarded with views of mushrooms in at least six different bright colors.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, General Manager at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Aug 22, 2021
We are glad that you enjoyed many of the 8 waterfalls at Guachipelin. The open-air arrangement of the restaurant is very convenient for COVID times, because of its great ventilation. We are glad that you enjoyed one of the best rooms on site. Thank you for visiting Rincón de la Vieja volcano.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We traveled here with a group of friends and booked a full day excursion here through our concierge. This was beyond a deal for us. At $72 per person we zip-lined through the canopy and canyons, rode horses through the jungle, tubed down the Rio Colorado and soaked in the volcano hot springs. Lunch was INCLUDED too.
We felt super safe as the guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Everyone here was so kind and made our experience fun for all. Be prepared to be exhausted (in a great way) when you leave.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jose batalla, Owner at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Responded Mar 8, 2020
We are glad that you had a fun time at Hacienda Guachipelin. The Canyon Adventure is the one of the most visited here at Guachipelin and we are glad that you were part of it. Pura Vida !!!!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There is internet access in the rooms. I have two middle school boys that would have been crazy if there wasn’t. But they were able to be on their devices with good service.
I would reach out to the hotel/s directly - the gear is built for adults and the canopy stuff is very dangerous for anyone too small for the equipment. This is a 3rd world country (and I lived for 22 years in 8 different countries) so believe me, the safety standards are no where near what the USA of Western Europe has. After 4 trips to Costa Rica I finally cliff climbed and zip lined and it was a blast (but I have climbed since my teens). A much more kid friendly hot springs resort with Dinasour Park , plus horse riding tours, and lots of nice hot springs pools owned by resort within minutes from guest rooms is Blue River Resort and Spa -- we often got large hot spring pools to ourselves for ours since the resort has about 5 or 6 large pools on site - one for kids has a water slide in it (a much longer drive that includes dirt roads and drives through areas where most people still ride on horse). The drive is about 1 hr 45 min to Blue Spring versus 45 min to Hacienda from Liberia Airport (Hacienda and Blue Springs are BOTH worth visiting). Hacienda has a MUCH better breakfast for the money. Hacienda has REALLY nice hot springs but you have to catch a shuttle to the hots springs. Blue River is equally wonderful and my wife loves it. We just discovered Hacienda. What makes Blue River a better value is when you use a Groupon! We actually landed 2 Free outdoor activities with Groupon for Blue River. Hacienda is a MUCH larger and busier operation that has day visit packages to their hot springs for locals plus bus tours galore coming in so can get crowded whereas Blue River is a more remote, scenic drive around to the back side of the Volcano and it is higher up and much cooler altitude. We rented a car on most trips but if you are going to be there for a week like we were then it may be cheaper to higher a driver (because car rentals advertise $30 a day but the MANDATORY Costa Rican insurance is about $50 per day! ) Liberia Airport is new and modern and easy to get in and out of: you are 30 min to the beach on the Pacific (Playa Hermosa is very close and nice)
Contact info:
1. Hacienda: info at guachepelin 888-730-3840 / it is a fully operational cattle ranch and milk operation on top of a large number of rooms and top flight restaurant.
2. Blue River Resort and Spa: (ask for Kevin to be your guide - he is an amazing zip line guide) the Zip Line tour, Twin Falls swim, and the Angel Falls (long hot hike plus short cliff climb down to Blue River and spectacular Cathedral Falls) the Drive to zip line often allows you to spot hard to see Sloths!
Reservations at bluerivercr / whats app: 630-973-30
* Blue River is kid friendly and they have a nice restaurant and bar but the village is small - there are some small mom and pop shops in the village that provide local hand made gifts and the home made food for dinner is excellent but reserve in advance so that they can prepare - all organic, locally sourced meals for abt $15 to $20 per plate in town (the best one is on your left across from the school).
3. Beach: Playa Hermosa (Roberto's Restaurant is on the beach): awesome views sunset dinner - reserve early - most seating is outside so only good for sunny days - delicious seafood and drinks - fun beach for the kids.
The outlets accepted my type A American style, two prong chargers. I don’t recall if they were type B or not (and would accept the full three prong cords). Not having those types of cords, I didn’t pay specific attention. Hope that helps a little. Have a blast!!
Tubing is not recommended in Costa Rica - we had to help one family get to a doctor on one CR trip we were on. The tubing can get rough and there is often no open clinic with miles or even hours. The mom got a bad cut on a rock and there was no doctor/nurse in town on duty so we had to drive them back to Liberia which cut their vacation short. Fortunately my wife is a nurse. I recommend zip lining at Blue River Resort and spa (get 2 free zip line trips if you book a room for 2 on Groupon). Beautiful site in a remote jungle on Volcano - they own their own hot springs. I recommend tubing in the ocean! I have river guided and life guarded in the USA and done olympic level rivers so it's just a matter of your vacation getting ruined. And these rivers in CR can be fast and treacherous by US standards and the young local guides don't speak enough English to be able to exlplain. I've lived in jungle settings in the Phillipines, India, Indonesia etc for 8 years and believe me, 3rd world countries do not have the same access to health or concept of what is safe like we do. River Tube at your own risk.
There are more places to choose from in the Rincon de La Vieja area.
PRICE RANGE
C$197 - C$349 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hacienda guachipelin hotel rincon de la vieja
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of GuanacasteRincon de La Vieja
NUMBER OF ROOMS
79
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin - UPDATED 2024 Prices, Reviews & Photos
Frequently Asked Questions about Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Which popular attractions are close to Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin?
Nearby attractions include Experience hiking to Leona Waterfall (4.5 km), Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja (4.1 km), and Rio Negro Hot Springs (3.8 km).
