Costa Rica Travel and Vacation

Finding A Good Hotel Near Poas Volcano In Costa Rica

I recently went to the Poas volcano area in Costa Rica. It is one of the more accessible volcanos and I believe it is one of the most visited national parks in the country. I really enjoy the cooler weather and the views are really amazing.
I never pre book hotels when I travel in Costa Rica because you can usually find something very easily and at a good price.
I had a great day at the Poas volcano national park. I hiked the circular trail to Botoas lagoon and also saw the main crater which was spectacular.
When I was done at the park I decided to stay in the area in order to enjoy more of the cooler weather at 7000ft and take in some of the amazing views. It is possible to see the Pacific ocean from the area.
I started to look for a place to stay and the closest place to the park is called Lagunillas. The signage stated that I needed a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which I did so it was no problem. Well it was not 2 minutes and my vehicle was stuck. Even 4 wheel drive was no good on this road to Lagunillas.
I eventually made it all the way down to the farm where the accommodations are, only to find the place deserted. I slowly made my way back up the awful track. It was a 2 hour round trip to go no more than 2 miles! I will tell everyone to avoid this place.
Next I stopped in at a place called Lo Que Tu Queiras where I received a friendly welcome but the person who helped me only spoke Spanish and he spoke it very fast! He showed me a room and I was shocked at just how run down this place was. It looks great from the road, but once you inside it is really awful.
There was a table cloth on the bed as a blanket. The shower had live wires hanging where the electric water heater was fitted and the room was generally old and dirty. The gentleman told me it was $40 for a night.
I drove on to find another option and made it all the way down into the local town of Poasito where I asked at a place called Muy Tranquilo. It is a brightly colored hammock shop where a man called Gustavo told me to head back up to a place called Poas Lodge. Gustavo is really helpful and has a great little shop.
So I headed back up to Poas Lodge. I had passed it on the way down thinking it was only a restaurant because the larger part of the building is actually hidden from view at raod level.
I was greeted by such friendly english speaking staff that I immediately felt at home. I was shown a couple of rooms that both had a spectacular view and decided to treat myself to a bit of luxury by taking their deluxe room.
It was $75 for a night but was worth every cent. The room had a king size bed, a huge TV with satellite and a little sitting area with a bay window overlooking the central valley.
The staff here were really friendly, my breakfast was included. It was a cold buffet, and it was enough to give me a good start. The coffee was especially good.
This place was not in the guide book I had. I have looked online and seen that they are listed in several websites. I have a link to their website here, Poas Lodge.
If you ever make it up to Poas Volcano, be sure to stay at this place. It seems to be a hidden treasure in the area and well worth the visit.
Poas Volcano is really amazing and really makes for great photography, however I would recommend staying in the area and getting an early start to avoid clouds and crowds.