If you ever find yourself needing a place to stay in the La Fortuna region of Costa Rica, I have the perfect place for you! Noah’s Forest by Tifakara is a straight-out-of-a-dream boutique hotel that I had the pleasure of staying at for three glorious nights. It’s not the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive in the area, but it is definitely one of my most memorable stays anywhere in the world.
Ti-fakara means waterfall in the Maleku language
Property
This is a boutique hotel made up for small, private, luxury bungalows. I believe there is only around 16 in Noah’s Forest by Tifakara, so the area is very peaceful and quiet at all times. There is a pool, swings scattered around the property, and several resident sloths. Yup, you read that correctly. There is a very high chance you can see a sloth just outside your room. All the employees there are eager to point them out whenever they are out and about. I actually saw two during my stay!
There is a restaurant on property where you can watch exotic birds fly in to eat their breakfast while you eat yours. There is also an open air lobby that offers welcome cocktails upon arrival and complimentary coffee drinks throughout your stay. The front desk is extremely helpful and attentive to all your needs. Staying at such a small hotel really gives a sense of intimacy that so many hotels lack.
Location
Although nestled in a quiet area of La Fortuna, Noah’s Forest by Tifakara is only a 6 minute drive from the city center. Of course, there are so many activities all around the providence of La Fortuna, but we found the hotel’s location to be convenient for most.
Rooms
I’m trying to figure out a way to describe the bungalows without getting overly excited—It’s literal Heaven on Earth! I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking. The bungalow I got came with a private outdoor spa next to the river, an outdoor seating area with swing and a massive shower that had two showerheads so that you can feel like a car in an automated carwash. In the room, the maid went the whole nine yards with animal towels and complimentary free fruits and chocolates.
Restaurant
I’m not the type of person to eat at hotel restaurants except for breakfast on occasion, but this was not your average hotel restaurant. It’s outdoors just like the lobby so you can take in all of the lush surroundings while you dine. The food was exceptional and fresh. However, what made it even better was just a few feet from my table was a bird feeder set up with fresh fruits. Exotic birds would consistently fly by to feast while I admired them all. What a way to start the morning off!
When I went, it was considered the green season (the slow season) which is when prices everywhere in Costa Rica tend to be lower. I paid roughly $244 per night (a total of $732 for three nights) for a riverside bungalow with spa and free night walk. If you look at the prices for a night walk tour alone in La Fortuna, it’s a $40 value per person, so having it included was a nice perk. You can get a Riverside Bungalow without a spa too if you want to save a little money, but it’s a fun feature to have since where else can you get a private spa in the jungle?
Free Night Walk
Noah’s Forest at Tifakara is the sister property to Ti-Fakara Boutique Hotel. It’s easy to mix them up, so be careful when booking. The free night walk included with some bookings (it’s a promo code they offer sometimes) actually takes place at Ti-Fakara. I’m not sure if the hotel offered a shuttle or not to get between the properties since I already had a rental car, I decided to drive over since it was close by.
Most animals in the jungle, if you didn’t already know, are nocturnal so a night walk is a perfect way to discover Costa Rica’s wildlife. The hotel provides flashlights so that you can see all the creatures of the night. We came across so many frogs including the iconic red-eyed tree frog and some poisonous ones too.
Surprisingly enough, this isn’t a sponsored post. I genuinely loved my stay at Noah’s Forest by Tifakara so much that I had to share my experience with all of you. With the luxurious comfort of the bungalows paired with the magical scenery surrounding the property, this hotel is one of my top picks in the world!
