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Lake Arenal-Stunning views of the lake, volcano and jungle.

Lake Arenal-Stunning views of the lake, volcano and jungle.

Photo gallery for Lake Arenal-Stunning views of the lake, volcano and jungle.

In a country filled with beautiful vistas, none is more beautiful than ours...
The house features a stone and stucco exterior.
Our house was custom-built to take advantage of the best views in El Castilo.
Imagine waking with coffee in your gazebo overlooking the lake and volcano.
It's all about the view!

Overview of Lake Arenal-Stunning views of the lake, volcano and jungle.

Reviews
9.8 out of 10 Exceptional
2 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 5144 sq m

Popular amenities

  • PoolPoolPool
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
La Fortuna/El Castillo
  • Popular LocationCosta Rica Sky Adventures10 min drive
  • Popular LocationArenal Volcano17 min drive
  • Popular LocationTabacon Hot Springs23 min drive

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Blue Room

Green Room

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Lake Arenal-Stunning views of the lake, volcano and jungle.

Our 'Castle in The Clouds' is just seven km from Volcano Arenal, perched 700m above sea-level overlooking the volcano, rainforest, pastures and Lake Arenal and close to many of the most popular amenities the region has to offer . Wake to the sound of howler monkeys, toucans and parrots and enjoy your first cup of locally-grown coffee in our covered gazebo or in the 25 sq. metre sunroom. Our home features a splash pool to cool off after a busy day of eco-adventuring. You can walk to many attractions in the village, including several quaint local restaurants. The home features casual dining indoor or out, hot water throughout, and stunning views from every room. It is completely equipped with a full-sized fridge with ice-maker, gas stove, microwave and blender and includes twice-weekly cleaning service (more often optional on request). An optional personal laundry service is also available. Active or passive, this is the perfect home base for your Arenal vacation!


Although our small stretch of the road is usually in good shape it is steep and the road coming into El Castillo is very rough. We highly recommend a 4x4 vehicle for all your excursions in Costa Rica. We now feature a paved driveway, a separate covered Gazebo (perfect for al fresco dining) and the yard has been completely enclosed with a custom-made 5' stone and wrought-iron fence. You'll enjoy our garden paradise yard featuring a variety of local and tropical plants designed to maximize your Costa Rica experience.

Now-Book Local Tours and Attractions: Hannah and Tomas, our on-site hosts can help you book many local tours and attractions for you on your arrival, saving you the hassle of running around. From zipline tours, hot springs spas and volcano hikes to a horseback ride to a real eco-farm, you can be as busy or as relaxed as you like, but you'll never run out of things to do in the area. Just ask when you arrive and we can make recommendations and reservations for you.

July 2011: If you catch the new reality show 'Love in the Wild' airing on CTV in Canada or NBC in the US, you'll experience life in El Castillo. They were filming the series when we visited in March and almost all of the scenes were shot in and around our little neighbourhood.
Read about 'Love in the Wild' here http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Love-in-the-Wild-host-Darren-McMullen-tells-all_Wednesday-August-03-2011.

Property manager

Joe Anderson

Languages

English, French, German, Spanish

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Outdoor space
Barbecue grill
Explore el Castillo, Vacation Rentals Costa Rica, Best Panoramic Views
Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views!
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
9.8 out of 10, (45 reviews)
Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views!

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Peñas Blancas

This chalet is located in El Millon, a neighborhood in Peñas Blancas, and is in a rural area and on a river. Tabacon Hot Springs and Baldi Hot Springs are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Arenal and Arenal Volcano. Traveling with kids? Consider Butterfly Conservatory and Arenal Eco Zoo. Jet skiing and windsurfing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and hiking nearby.
Map
La Fortuna/El Castillo

What's nearby

  • Costa Rica Sky Adventures - 10 min drive
  • Arenal Volcano - 17 min drive
  • Arenal Volcano National Park - 22 min drive
  • Tabacon Hot Springs - 23 min drive
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park - 28 min drive

Getting around

  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal) - 54 min drive

Restaurants

  • Agua Ardiente Pool Bar - 21 min drive
  • Ave Restaurant - 21 min drive
  • Tucanes - 22 min drive
  • Restaurante El Jilguero - 18 min drive
  • Fusión Arenal - 6 min drive

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 84 out of 99 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 99 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 99 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 99 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 99 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Angela H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing place to stay!
We absolutely enjoyed the amazing home and incredible views. It is exactly as pictured/described, with a ton to do easily accessible from the home via car. The entire process was seamless, and we would highly recommend this as a place to stay, off the beaten path. I would note that it is difficult to walk anywhere besides one or two restaurants (be prepared to walk straight uphill on the way home), something to be cognizant of when booking!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Norah M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Excellent stay
We enjoyed this beautiful house and location. Stunning views and lovely garden. We did not have a vehicle so arranged transportation through a tour company as local rides are hard to find. Lots of excellent exercise going up the hill!
Stayed 6 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Antonia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful place with outstanding views
This house was perfect for our family of 5 as a base to explore the La Fortuna/Arenal region. Everything was great, especially the incredible panoramic views and the lush garden with all types of tropical flowers and the kids loved the plunge pool. We didn't bother cooking at night so it was nice that there were a few close by restaurants on the street. Highly recommend La Ventanita for good prices, nice ambiance and delicious milkshakes. Only way the house could be improved would be a few more standing electric fans to supplement the ceiling fans as we were there in a hot spell and it took awhile for the rooms to cool down in the evening as we followed instructions to leave all windows closed when we went out in case of sudden weather changes.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deborah W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful location with awesome view of volcano
Located away from hustle and bustle of Fortuna, but close to many activities. Anna was a great help to us in suggesting activities and even helping us access some cash so that we could take the amazing horseback ride with Lilander to his secret waterfall. Highly recommend this stay and the warm people of El Castillo.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Tracia K., Pittsburgh, United States

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing views! House is rustic
So the views are amazing of the lake and the volcano. They have amazing gardens outside. The house itself is pretty rustic. There’s no heating or air-conditioning so you have to leave the windows open at night which is fine except for the jungle noises lol. Also, the sofa in the living room is a polyurethane fold out sofa and there is a support bar about every 6 inches. So we really couldn’t even sit there and watch TV and drink our coffee in the morning. It’s pretty remote. It’s close enough within 20 to 30 minutes of zip lining and thermal springs and waterfalls. The road was rough but we were used to that as we’d already been in Costa Rica for seven days. There is a pool, but it was too cold to get in during our stay. It’s a fine place. It’s a place to sleep, the beds are comfortable. The views are amazing and the garden is beautiful. It is not luxurious, sleeping on the couch is not an option.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

About the host

Hosted by Joe Anderson

Host profile image
We're a semi-retired couple gay couple who divide our time between homes in Canada, The United States and Costa Rica.

Why they chose this property

We fell in love with Costa Rica on our first visit here in 2007 and came to the Arenal area in 2010 when we had this home custom built for us. We love 'places at the end of the road' where we can experience authentic and unique characters. El Castillo is a true 'Tico' community. Apart from a dozen or so ex-pats from around the world, our neighbours are locals-farmers, labourers and professionals who live and work in this beautiful corner of the world. When we first stood on this piece of land we immediately knew that it was a one-of-a-kind view, and that has been confirmed by the hundreds of guests who have stayed here in the last four years. We're proud to be one of the most-popular destination properties in Costa Rica, enjoying super-host status and a five-star rating on every site. All our guests remark on the million-dollar view, the accommodations, the peace and the many local activities, but above all, they praise the friendly local people and how they make every one of guests feel at home and welcome.

What makes this property unique

Our house features quiet corners where even two couples or a family can find solitude. Whether in the second floor sunroom with its sweeping view of the volcano, the lake and the neighbouring jungle ravines, the secluded gazebo, a quiet chair on the front porch, sitting by the pool or taking a quiet walk in the tropical garden, this home offers many ways to commune with nature and connect with your inner self.

Languages:

English, French, German, Spanish
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