Good luck to this tremendous place Chilamate Rainforest retreat is a super family run venture. It has at its heart core values that deserve to make... read moreChilamate Rainforest retreat is a super family run venture. It has at its heart core values that deserve to make it successful.

As one of the last guests to stay before Coronavirus forced its (I hope temporary) closure, I wish it every success when it reopens after things return to normal.

It’s a lovely place that I cannot recommend enough. The owners and staff are so friendly, the environment lovely. The courtesy morning walk revealed a huge range of animals, and the night walk was fantastic.

Go stay there! read less

Great ! Highly recommended ! We loved our stay there.

Excellent installations, food and services.
Meghan and William were of great help... read moreHighly recommended ! We loved our stay there.

Excellent installations, food and services.
Meghan and William were of great help to arrange activities and suggested tours we appreciated very much (river duckies, chocolate tour, organic farm tour). read less

Better than perfect + toucans! Excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, cleanest room, delicious food (breakfast and dinner, lots of options). WiFi worked perfectly. One more time,... read moreExcellent wildlife viewing opportunities, cleanest room, delicious food (breakfast and dinner, lots of options). WiFi worked perfectly. One more time, delicious food!

Tip: to see toucans, when you exit the property, go right from the gate, maybe a hundred yards along the road, then down to the river, around 4-6 pm. We spent at least an hour there watching toucans - they were in the trees on the other side of the river, then started flying over to our side, so close! Sunset on the river was beautiful, and you can swim although the water was not too warm in April.

We took two tours with a guide Meghan booked for us, a bird watching tour, and a night tour. Both were excellent. We saw all four kinds of toucans in the morning and a diamond snake on the night tour! read less

Perfect for the nature lover, perfect for those wanting to support a family's passion for conservation and community! My wife and I stayed 3 nights at the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat in early May 2021, and it was... read moreMy wife and I stayed 3 nights at the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat in early May 2021, and it was one of the highlights of our trip!

The retreat had recently reopened from a lengthy shutdown due to the global impact of the pandemic on tourism, but was in great condition and we had a wonderful, comfortable, educational, and adventurous stay! The resort is located in the small town of Chilamate on the Sarapiqui river, and maintains 55 acres of pristine lowland Caribbean rainforest and several kilometers of trails with which to explore it. The grounds are gorgeous, with covered walkways from the open-air restaurant/bar to the cabins, several grass garden areas and even a small clearing for sports and games. While exploring these walkways, you can observe interpretive signs of the flora, as well as fauna such as strawberry poison dart frogs, geckos, armadillos, howler monkeys, sloths, the occasional paca, and enough birds to keep the most avid birder (that would be me) engaged for days!

If you stay at Chilamate, you feel like you are part of the family. While we were there, owner Megan and her three lovely children were taking care of the housekeeping, cooking (traditional Costa Rican breakfasts are included), and organizing activities. Because Megan and her husband Davis, who literally built the retreat by hand, make it a priority to work closely with the community in Sarapiqui, they know everyone, and everyone knows them! Want a guided birding tour in a nearby preserve, they know the guides. Want a white-water rafting trip, recommendations of good local restaurants, or a tour of a local chocolate farm? Yup, they have them on speed dial as well. Tell any of the locals where you are staying, and they all know the retreat and the family. On our final day in Costa Rica, Megan went above an beyond to help us with several complicated calls as we tried to arrange a last-minute COVID test in San Jose that was required before our return flight. She worked on this for hours after we had checked out, and made sure we were able to make our return flight on time, saving us time, money, and hassle, and making sure we were back at work on time as planned upon our return. It was a stressful situation for us, and we can't thank her enough for her help.

If you want a chance to experience the real Costa Rica, to see the raw nature, to meet and learn about the people and communities, and to do so in a lovely, down-to-earth resort, I highly recommend the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat! read less