Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Gavilán

In 2020, a Spanish couple purchased this little paradise where beautiful gardens run down to the river; they added a pool, free tai chi classes, and a menu blending Spanish and Costa Rican dishes. Colorful tanagers and three types of toucan feast in the citrus trees on the grounds of this two-story lodge, where comfortable, terra-cotta-floor rooms are nicely accented with decorative crafts. Prime activities are horseback jungle treks, boat trips up the Sarapiquí River, and bird-watching—more than 100 species have been spotted here.