www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I will be in Costa Rica the first week in December. I have 8 nights reservations at Hotel Presidente. I am thinking to leave my belongings in my room and take a light bag to visit Arenal Volcano with my Tica girlfriend. She has never been there. Amazes me. But, Ticos are amazed I have never visited the Grand Canyon. Anyway, I have visited Arenal twice. First time I stayed in a cheap place. I think it was called Hotel Fortuna. They charged $10 per person per night. I was with a buddy from the states. Two of us to the room. $20 for the night. Included breakfast. Gallo Pinto and something. Can't quite remember the details. Later, I was at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Rented one of the houses at the top of the hill. Slept 5 from my party. About $120 per night. Breakfast extra. Since I will still have room at Hotel Presidente, I will be wanting to travel on a budget. Anyone know of a cheap and clean hotel in La Fortuna I would like? Maybe 2 nights at the most. I am planning to take a taxi to the Tabacon Hot Springs (or the Tico version across the street) so immediate vicinity of Hot Springs not critical. And, any other suggestions for a good time?

Oh Man! I didn't realize someone else had just posted Arenal as subject. And he got blasted for not doing research. Sorry. I stand corrected. No blast needed. I will research.

No need to apologize for yourself, Royboy. The recent thread relates to you question but this thread raises new issues, specifically CHEAP hotel alternatives in the La Fortuna area. Besides most of the posts on that thread were not particularly informative.

In the other thread, there were a number of suggestions ranging from the moderately priced to the expensive but none that were even close in price to the $20/nt for a dbl that you and your buddy paid when you were there or the $120/nt that you split 5 ways. Lets review the suggestions:

1) Arenal Lodge's lowest price for a dbl is $71+ tax or $83/nt (no view) or $119+ tax ($139) for their next level up.
2) Arenal Observatory Lodge has a dbl w/shared bath for $75 a std w/no view for $100 and the cheapest dbl w/view during high season is $135/nt

3) Tacotel (suggested by Shyone) has dbl cabins w/views for $83 during the high season.

4) Volcano Lodge (suggested by Nightworker) has rooms for 1 or 2 people for $100/nt.

5) Fuego Arenal (suggested by Dragon) are starting to get down to your price range at $60/nt for a high season dbl.

BTW, all of those rates were taken from http://www.arenal.net, which midnightrider and I seriously recommend people use to research trips to the Arenal area.

There are a number of other places to stay listed at that site that are in the same price range as Fuego Arenal including: Arenal Green ($50 near the waterfall), Paraiso Tropical ($55), Villas Sanchal ($60), Cabinas Guacamaya ($47).

If you want someplace cheaper than that, you can certainly find them but you won't find many guys around here that would have stayed at them and you probably won't even find much mention of them on the web. I suggest you check out the thorntree forum at http://www.lonelyplanet.com or pick up the Lonely Planet guide. Here a few others for you to check out: Cabinas El Bosque ($15 479-9365), Cabinas Carmela ($20 479-9010), Cabinas La Amistad ($30 479-9390), Hotel Las Colinas ($30 479-9305), Hotel San Bosco ($40-50 479-9050). Just for starters. All of these prices are for dbls w/private bath but are over 3 years old. With the huge hotel price inflation in that area, your guess at current rates are probably as good as mine. Most do not not have volcano views except perhaps from the hotel property. Also, they may only have fans or no tv, etc.

While there is something to be said for staying in town due to a wider selection of places to eat and such being in easy walking distance and many cheaper places to stay also being available, you're much further away from the volcano and on the wrong side of it to see most of the lava flows. OTOH, the way weather is over there you might not be able to see anything at night anyway. Most of the local activities not just tha Tabacon Springs are also west of town such as canopy tours, canyoning, walking bridges, etc. (the one notable exception being the waterfalls). Personally, I think I'll be trying Fuego Arenal on my next trip.

One last point. Why hold a room just to store your luggage? Why not check out for the 1-2 nights you will be gone and have the front desk hold your main bags for you? They'll probably be happy to do it for free for a hotel guest but even if the charge you $5/bag you'll still come out ahead.

I just checked out thorntree for you. Here are some links of cheapo places recommended there:
http://www.arenalvolcanohotels.com Cabinas Arsol $20+tax
http://www.arenal-volcano.com Hotel San Bosco $55 (see above)
Las Colinas also gets a lot of favorable reviews but no website.

Also check out this review of restaurants in town:
Las Nenes is not cheap( about $20 a head with drinks/wine) but fantastic seafood and charming staff.
sodas el rio, -best fruit juices in fortuna and great casados,
choza de laurel- does a good american breakfast with views out on to the volcano.
don rufina -is opposite the police station and open until 2.30a.m very smart bar/restaurant. The food is very good( recommended is Grandma's recipe baked chicken), if a little pricey.it's also a very nice place to sit at the bar with a cocktail and bar snack.
vagabondos,- reasonable pizza and a bar thats open late with pool tables.
la parada, -food is not up to much but it´s open all night and busy AND you should get a `chan´, wierd local drink that tastes nice and is good for your stomach, allegedly:)
las brasitas- good but not great tex-mex, but good service and if you´re with your òther half´the tables in the back by the fountain are very `romantic´
rainforest cafe- FANTASTIC coffee AND monteverde ice cream AND they give a dollar for every 1kg of coffee sold to the monteverde reserve.
And these reviews of local attractions:
Eco- Thermales- natural hot springs opposite Baldi(which i think is the worst of the 3 hot springs in La Fortuna/Arenal). About $14 for 4 hours, you have to reserve it at least a few hours in advance as numbers are limited. your hotel will do this for you. i went there in the morning and there were only 4 other people there. there´s an honour bar system so you don´t need to get your cash wet:)...and on a clear day you can get a fantastic photo of the volcano!!

almost hate to ask (nah, not really) about the pu*sy situation around the
tropically lush loins of the hot lava spurting monster Arenal...

But I will !

Any good places to hook up with a "pro" or should a traveler bring his own l'il tang along for what sounds like would be a really great 2-3 day side trip?