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El Remanso – Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica

Luxury and adventure with top-notch food and service in the wildest part of Costa Rica.

Location: Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica

Review Date – May 2026

Travel Review of El Remanso – Overview

El Remanso is an oasis deep in the wild rainforest of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. The Osa Peninsula is on the Pacific side, tucked into the border with Panama. This is not a place for the faint of heart. Places like El Remanso are designed for the bold and curious traveler who wants to go where others don’t, who isn’t afraid to dive deeper and who can see the beauty where others look away. El Remanso is an ideal base when you are ready to explore the wildest parts of the rainforest and you don’t want to sacrifice too much comfort in the process.

Not many people venture into the most wild and remote places when they travel to Costa Rica, but I’m one of those people. This was my 6th trip to the country and my second time visiting the Osa Peninsula. It’s been about 12 years since my first foray into this area and I have been wanting to go back, but I also didn’t want to be quite as cut-off from civilization as I was on my previous trip (see my review of Casa Corcovado, now know as SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge on my Costa Rica travel page).

El Remanso has 16 upscale but sustainable rooms, bungalows and villas that perch 400 feet above the Pacific Ocean (you can just hear the sounds of the surf from most rooms, some have a view). The property is 185 acres of private rainforest reserve with a full-service restaurant providing all meals, a pool, a yoga studio and 2 spa treatment rooms. The cost of staying at El Remanso includes all meals (no alcohol), transportation to and from the local airport and at least one guided activity per day. I would say that most guests stay between 3 and 5 days. The goal of a visit to Osa Peninsula and El Remanso is to experience incredible biodiversity of the region.

If you are looking to experience this part of Costa Rica, El Remanso has not only made it seamless, they’ve tamed it just enough that you can enjoy a few days immersed in a truly wild place while being able to feel completely safe and cared for, if not pampered.

Before I booked with El Remanso I also researched their neighbor, Lapa Rios. Everything I found told me I would get as much or more of an experience at El Remanso for rates that were 30% to 50% less. I had friends that stayed at Lapa Rios many years ago and raved about it, but it has since been purchased by a corporate management company while El Remano is family-owned and run.

El Remanso – A Family Affair

The land where El Remanso sits was originally acquired in 1991 by environmentalists and Greenpeace members Joel and Belen Stewart. They officially opened the eco-lodge in 1999 with just three initial cabins. Today, the lodge is owned and operated by the founders’ daughter, Adriana Domenech, and her husband, Daniel Gehring.

I had a long conversation with manager Rinaldo during my stay to learn more about the history of the property and how they manage to keep such high-quality staff. It is clear that the owners understand how to treat employees if you want to both retain them and ensure they are committed to providing a consistent level of service for guests.

This is not an easy place to work – you’ll figure that out when you arrive – most of the staff live in the village which is 45 minutes away on a bumpy road. They travel in by motorbike, rain or shine, and many have to be on site before sunrise to make sure your coffee is ready for the early tours or departures. They work long days and sometimes stay on property overnight when weather is bad and may affect their ability to come and go safely.

I can imagine that attracting and retaining staff if not easy. The El Remanso team felt more like family than a corporate-owned business and I loved that. Many of the staff I spoke to had been there several years.

El Remanso – Getting There

Getting to El Remanso is just enough adventure to get you into the spirit. I flew on a small Sansa Airlines plane from the main airport in San Jose. If you are going directly to El Remanso when you arrive in Costa Rica, leave yourself an hour for customs in case multiple flights land at once. You will then collect your bags and walk outside and next door to the domestic terminal (it is under construction so I am assuming they are finally building a covered walkway between the two terminals). The flight to Puerto Jimemez is 45 minutes.

If you are already in Costa Rica prior to staying at El Remanso, there are connecting flights from several regional airports. Some people like to drive but I think they’re crazy. This is a VERY remote area and the time and stress to reach it by car is not something I would mess with.

When I stepped off the plane in Puerto Jimenez, Julio was there to greet me. I was helped into a nice Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4 and immediately felt like Jane Goodall as we made our way into town.

The trip to El Remanso is about 45 minutes but will probably take longer because there’s a good chance to see wildlife on the way. I took one of my favorite photos of the whole trip on the way in (see below – a Yellow Headed Cara Cara sitting on a cow). The first segment of the journey is a paved road but the majority is a packed dirt and rock road. I thought it was no big deal and have traveled far worse roads in Costa Rica.

Review of El Remanso – Arrival

I arrived around 2pm and it was about to start raining but I was quickly welcomed, given a short tour and then delivered to my room to unpack. They asked me to come back in about an hour for a meeting to go over my activities, and this was perfect because I wanted a few minutes to just settle from the trip (I had actually come from Monteverde so I had an early start and 3 hours drive before the flight to Puerto Jimenez and trip to El Remanso).

The meeting was very informative and I was able to ensure that I spent time on activities that were important to me. I would recommend reading about the excursions in advance (more on that below) especially if you want to do the excursion to Corcovado National Park.

El Remanso – Accommodations ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

I was pretty tired when I arrived and I neglected to take photos of my room. That said, the rooms were exactly as shown on the El Remanso website, bigger than expected and spotlessly clean. I started in Lucero, a one bedroom bungalow. It had a day bed inside, plus several chairs and a desk. Nice amount of hanging and shelf space to unpack. Nice patio with two loungers outside. Distant view of ocean and you could just barely hear it.

Nice indoor and outdoor shower, two overhead ceiling fans which are crucial – it will feel very humid when you arrive especially if it rained already that day. Without the fans you would be uncomfortable but I found them to be perfect and actually used a blanket at night.

It is important to keep your sliding doors closed as much as possible or you will have visitors (large and small). Leaving the fan on at night not only made it comfortable to sleep but keeps the smaller things that might be lingering from landing on you.

Note: I had no problems with bugs or other visitors in my room. That said, I saw boars and coatis frequently outside my room (right outside) so don’t leave snacks out and about and keep the doors closed.

For my last 3 nights I decided to upgrade to a room with a better view and pool. I’m a bird watcher and I didn’t have enough to look at from Lucero. I moved to Ajo which was essentially the same room but with a larger outdoor space, an outdoor day bed, a plunge pool (perfect temp) and a better view and better ocean sounds. So worth it. Wish I would have had it the entire stay.

Things to know: They do not provide a mini-fridge. They gave me a mini-cooler with ice so I could keep a beer cold in my room. The ice didn’t last very long but it was nice to have the option of taking it back to the room in the afternoon versus hanging out by the pool.

I was thrilled to see they provided a walkie talkie for emergencies after hours – I have stayed in places like this before and there isn’t really anyone at the front desk at night so nice to know you can call someone if needed.

Pro-Tip: They do not provide a flashlight – I travel with a battery powered headlamp and it was essential for getting to and from the restaurant. Remember that you are near the equator so it is fully dark by 6:30pm year round. In a place like this, your cell phone is not really good enough as a flashlight. Bring a real one. A little extra light is helpful as you never know who you might find on the path….

The laundry service was excellent and absolutely necessary. I had already been traveling for 4 nights when I arrived. Each room has two laundry bags provided. You can stuff it full and it is $15 regardless of how much (or little) you cram in. An incredible value. I would leave my bag out before dinner, they took it during turndown service and it was back by after dinner the following night.

El Remanso delivers your preference of coffee or tea to your room at 6am. My delicious Costa Rican coffee came in a lovely thermos. A second thermos with warm milk was also sent and a small container of sugar. Nice touch!!!

I was able to check out several of the rooms during my stay and they were all great. I did not see the more basic rooms by the lobby but those are the closest to the pool and restaurant. The bungalows and villas are laid out along a gravel path heading toward the ocean. None require extensive walking to get to the main areas.

Travel Review of El Remanso – Property/Grounds

The property at El Remanso does not feel huge, but that is because most of it is acres and acres of rainforest and very little is developed into public areas. The main meeting area, rooms, restaurant, pool, yoga studio and lounge are all clustered together. In addition to that, they have a short walking path that leads to two hanging bridges that can be explored without a guide.

El Remanso will give you a map of the other trails during your initial meeting. In my opinion, taking these trails without a guide is not the best idea and I was discouraged from going alone by the staff. Two reasons – first, you will miss many of the possible sightings without a guide. They know the woods, the trails and what to look for. They know where the hummingbird nests are, where the sloth is sleeping.

Second reason – the fer de lance. Do not let this ruin your trip or steer you away, but it is important to know that the fer de lance (a poisonous viper) is prevalent in this area. You will probably see one at some point. This is a serious snake and not to be messed with. You do not want to be by yourself in the rainforest and find out the hard way why this guy has the reputation he has.

The staff assured me they have never had a guest be bitten. Don’t be in a hurry to be the first. Stick to the guided tours.

At first, I was a little annoyed when they told me not to take the trails alone because I had expected to be able to wander the trails myself and not have to do guided tours everyday. The property felt a little claustrophic because of this. But I’d rather be safe and go with someone who knows what to do in an emergency (remember that there are also pumas in this area). Ultimately, I had plenty of things to keep me busy and it worked out fine. When I was not on an excursion, I was ready to rest.

Pro-Tip: BEACH – It is true that you can take a trail downhill to the beach. It isn’t a bad walk but it is around 500 stairs (not joking) so it’s a fitness challenge on the way back up. THE BEACH IS NOT SWIMMABLE. They say you can swim in some tide pools when the tide is out (they provide the tide times daily) but it is a 30 minute walk from where the trail hits the beach. They told me to make sure if I went to let someone know and mark a spot to find the trail again when I came back. I did the trek just to see the beach but did not go to the tide pools.

If you want to go to the beach and be able to swim, El Remanso will gladly arrange for a trip to a local beach that is just off the main road about 15 minutes away on the calmer Gulf side.

Mirablau – If you don’t feel the need to do the steps down to the beach, I highly recommend at least going as far as Mirablau which is their lookout point. Easy to get to and there are Adirondack chairs for you to sit on while you enjoy the view. Might be good for sunset with a cooler and cold beer. It is a gorgeous vista that gives you some breathing room after feeling a little claustrophobic around the property.

El Remanso- Food ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Welcome to all of you who skipped the rest and scrolled right to the review of El Remanso’s food. You’re my people .😉

For me, the food is usually where hotels struggle. I am a foodie and have high expectations (or at least high hopes). El Remanso fully exceeded my expectations. It was as good as, if not better, than Hotel Belmar in Monteverde in terms of variety, quality and use of fresh local ingredients.

The restaurant offered more choices than I expected. I was THRILLED to discover they have a commitment to sustainable eating and offered many vegetarian and vegan options!! Meat and fish were also available.

They have a great breakfast and lunch menu. To me, Gallo Pinto is the only way to go for a hearty Costa Rican breakfast. Rice and beans, eggs, sweet plantains, local cheese and avocado. Get a side of papaya and mango (because you can’t get fruit this good in the U.S.) and you’re fully fueled for the day’s adventures. I only ate lunch twice because I was either off property or not hungry. The shrimp ceviche was excellent. I also had the fish tacos and they were just okay.

For dinner, El Remanso is more refined. They have two menus which they rotate so you’re not choosing from the same options every night. They offer either a garden salad or another starter that rotates daily (I was never offered the same thing twice). The tuna dishes were my favorites. For dessert, it was a little hit or miss but definitely try the homemade ice cream. The churros were off the charts yummy!!!

I ordered cocktails or beer with dinner most nights and the prices were very reasonable.

The other thing I loved about the food at El Remanso is that they have cold water, coffee and snacks going all day. The snack rotated between a serve-yourself chocolate chip banana bread or a moist pound cake. Both were delicious and I found myself hoarding them for my room (not that I was ever hungry). They gave me the recipe for the banana bread when I left!!!

El Remanso − Location ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

I’m giving El Remanso a 5-star rating for location because of their proximity to a regional airport and the general ease of access to the Osa Peninsula. At El Remanso, you can see an incredible amount of wildlife diversity and experience an immersive rainforest vacation. The rating is not a reflection on Puerto Jimenez, though I did pass through the town several times during my stay and it seemed to be safe and was more full-service than I would have expected.

I did not see anything that would have made me want to stay in Puerto Jimenez or spend an afternoon there (it’s your basic Costa Rican town, caters more to locals than tourists). They have groceries, pharmacies and bars/restaurants if you really need something that your forgot to pack. El Remanso provided me absolutely everything I needed to explore.

Travel Review of El Remanso – Excursions

Part of the cost of your stay at El Remanso includes a daily excursion. There are plenty to choose from, mostly centered around wildlife viewing. They also have some off property excursions like surf lessons (I had planned to do this but opted to dedicate all my time to wildlife), zip lining and dolphin watching.

Bird Watching/Wildlife Viewing – I was there primarily for bird watching so I did the 4×4 tour, the garden bird watching tour and a forest hike. Viewing was not as easy as I had expected, especially around the property but their guides are excellent. In 5 days, my count was over 100 bird species with 70% being lifers for me (which is saying something because I’ve been to Costa Rica 6x and was in Osa once before).

I was fortunate to be on property at a slow time so they made all of my tours private. Most tours (especially if you want to see birds) start early – sometimes 530 a.m. – but they plan in advance for coffee and have you back in time for breakfast.

Night Tours – This was offered nightly but it’s not my thing.

Corcovado National Park – La Sirena Station – This is one of the more involved tours offered at El Remanso and it was around $300 extra to book it. The Corcovado tour gives you an opportunity to go inside the National Park which is a great opportunity but requires that you plan in advance as daily entrance is limited.

To take this tour, you have to meet at 4am in the lobby. You’ll drive into town (45 minutes), then take a small boat to La Sirena Station. The boat ride is 1.5 hours, no bathroom and no moving around. Your last chance to pee is at a gas station in town on the way in. Once you arrive at the station, you check in and spend about 4 hours exploring the trails with your guide. You get a hearty Costa Rican lunch then have about 30 more minutes to explore before taking the return trip.

Pro tip: I am torn on whether to recommend this tour. I was glad I went because I saw a tapir which I had never seen before and I had not seen one on the El Remanso property (but it is possible you will see one on their property). It was a lot of travel for the short amount of time in the park. If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you should do it. I had been to Corcovado before and actually stayed in the park for a few nights (not at the station, at a more full service lodge) and I would likely go that route again instead of trying a day trip.

In addition to seeing two tapirs, I also saw a baby anteater and got close enough to pick it up (but note that I saw another one in the tree next to the restaurant at El Remanso the next morning). Saw 2 of the 4 species of monkeys and several rare birds.

Pro-Tip: If you decide to do the Corcovado La Sirena tour, I highly recommend requesting Tony as your guide. Tony used to work on the property at La Sirena so he knows where to look and is friends with the other on-property guides so he was able to get real-time updates on what they were seeing and where. Plus he’s super cute :).

Overall I was very pleased with my guides for the tours at El Remanso. It’s wonderful that they can identify so many plants and animals, and that they speak good enough English for explaining and identifying everything.

Bird Nerds: In my opinion, Edgar is the best guide of the 3 guides I explored with for birds. He is really amazing. He can pick out sounds and track things down, and he not only has the patience for it but he is genuinely excited about birds. I saw 50+ species on my day tour with him. He also went out of his way to find me a two toed sloth.

El Remanso – Spa & Wellness Services – ⋆⋆⋆

I did take advantage of the spa services during my stay at El Remanso. I am giving 3-stars for this. They have 2 open air treatment rooms which are lovely, but the table was incredibly uncomfortable and I found myself having to shift and reposition to get comfortable. I had a facial and a massage, and I found the quality of the services to be below average. The prices were very reasonable, and it may have just been the provider.

I did not get a chance to practice yoga during my stay though I would have liked to. If you get a free morning, I would recommend it. The studio is open air and gorgeous. They provide mats (you can also take a mat to your room) so you can do a self-guided stretch without waiting for a class to take place.

El Remanso – Service ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

The service at El Remanso during my stay was excellent and at times it was above and beyond. It was clear to me that they were very interested in knowing what I wanted to experience. They had read my notes prior to my stay and catered several of my tours to be more focused on bird photography, which is the main reason I traveled to Osa Peninsula.

Every single staff member was thoughtful and kind, always available and not intrusive. I knew almost everyone by name by the time I left and felt like I had made many new friends. As a solo female traveler, El Remanso made me feel cared for. If I had not shown up for dinner, they would have noticed. Nothing was too much trouble and they often anticipated my needs before I could even ask for something.

The level of service was on par with what I would expect of a family-owned business. They treat you like a guest in their home, not just a tourist. I do not underestimate the effort and training that goes into delivering that level of personalized service day in and day out. It is clear that management has set expectations for how guests should be treated, and they built a team of people who also find joy in service and in sharing the bounty of this incredible country with foreigners.

Review of El Remanso – Final Thoughts

I would like to say a special thank you to the El Remanso Family for hosting me and making my trip so special. There are many people I will remember from this trip. Rinaldo, Kevin, Karol with a “K”, Lauren, Steiffer, Rosa, Julio, Bryan, Daniel, Joshua, Ronald, Tony, Edgar. Mucho gusto en conocerlos a todos. Mucha suerte con todo.

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