billruth

Would like opinions on whether La Paz Waterfall is too touristy/disney landish. I don't want to feel that I could of stayed in the U.S. and went to a water type park. The website talks a lot about paved areas. I hope to see a lot of natural beauty while I am in Costa Rica and don't want to waste time and money on something that is not worth it.
Thanks for any comments. By the way it is a trip of 5 adults ranging in ages from 25 to 60.

MNP

I didn't feel it was the slightest like disneylandish!! It was beautiful and natural. There are some paved parts, but without it, there would have been no way to get to the falls safely. On the oppisite side of the butterfly gardens there is a great walking path also you might enjoy. Trust me when I say there is no way you will miss the natural beauty of Costa Rica.

elzi121

We unfortunately missed this on our recent trip- I had really wanted to go. One note about paved paths- most trails that I have been on in CR are paved. With all the tourists that come through, it helps prevent erosion.

dfarmer

La Paz Waterfalls will certainly show you alot of natural beauty. I found the hiking paths to be remarkably well engineered, therefore offering an opportunity to a larger variety of visitors to more easily enjoy their visit. I don't even remember the paving! The falls are beautiful, the vegetation stunning, butterflies amazing and hummingbirds delightful.

Yes it is a bit overwhelming, and does have many comfort features. Restaurants, upscale gift shop, etc.

Now Peace Lodge itself - yes - totally assualts your senses! They have thought of everything for these rooms, 2 jaccuzi tubs, waterfall showers, stain glass windows, cd players with all the perfect music, fire places, chaise lounge, 2 rocking chairs, hammock, hummingbird feeders, I could go on for a while.

As for all trails in CR being paved - well that truly depends on the areas you are visiting. Trust me, there are plenty areas with nice muddy paths, with plenty of steep inclines to climb and rivers to cross.

ekellyga

I must preface my remarks by saying that when wife and I travel, we move around more than most people. We don't stay long in one spot. We just returned from CR, and spent 2 nights at Peace Lodge. One night would have been enough for us. The grounds were certainly beautiful, but can be seen in a one night stay.
The rooms, we felt, were a bit "over the top"...Disney-esque. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed our stay. The rooms were something honeymooners would love.
I guess my point boils down to this....
P Lodge would seem likely to attract the upwardly mobile American tourist, who has convinced himself that he has "made it" and is staying at a really nice place.....and wants to act like, and be treated like someone important......and doesn't have much desire to really "touch" the reality of the different culture he is visiting. He's more interested in telling his associates at home and at work and at the club about this cool vacation he took and the cool resort he stayed at.

Sorry, I just had to say it. It's just that....both nights we ate dinner at P. Lodge....there were 2 couples dining near us that fit that description to a T. They were conversing between tables...and I thought they'd finally show each other their W-2 forms to see which one was more important and having a more awesome vacation.

lorac

We stayed one night at La Paz last month. My family thought that everything about it was beautiful! It was the highlight of the trip for me! My husband and I do not travel much and we certainly would not expect to be treated like anyone special as 'ekellyga' suggested about people staying at La Paz. We just simply thought that it was a beautiful part of Costa Rica.

schlegal1

We went to La Paz for a couple of hours to enjoy the falls. I would have to say that yes, it is toursity, but also that it is worth it. There will be many people around, and platforms to take pictures and observe the falls.

While DH and I usually prefer a real hike to a nice secluded waterfall, we also like things that are more tourist-friendly. After all, the reason they make it easy to access is because it is so amazing many people want to see it.

There's an enclosed butterfly garden and a hummingbird garden and a restaurant. Everything is paved. It feels very unnatural--until you actually get to the falls. They are beautiful. There is a footpath because without it you couldn't get to the falls safely. The falls are the best part and worth putting up with the "touristy" sections to get to.

ekellyga

I should clarify my previous posting. The place is VERY neat and is something not to miss. The grounds are great, and NOT too "Disneylandish". The Peace Lodge is what I meant by being a bit "over the top" as far as the rooms go.
This is not a criticism. The place was great and is almost a "must see" and a "must stay at" if you are going to CR, especially since it is so darn close to the airport (1 hour). However, one night was enough for us. By the way, the food was very good.

flycatcher06

Hi there, This was our very first sop on our first trip to Costa Rica. We have now been 4 times. It is definitely worth seeing - the hummingbird stations alone were unbelievable. My husband who usually races through everything spent about 90 minutes enthralled by them and the close up pictures i took I still enjoy looking at it. Like everywhere in Costa Rica it has a special, beautiful place in our hearts!

PS we hope someday to stay at the Peace Lodge - we may be American but just for the design they pu into it! Someone also said they were building a new hotel in Quepos? and a casino onto the Peace Lodge?

ekellyga

For hummingbird viewing, has anyone ever gone to the hummingbird "place" just outside the entryway to the Monteverde National park? It is better than the one at LaPaz gardens.

It is really just a shop that has a good selection of gifts/etc....but the owner has about 20 hummingbird feeders out in front. There are so many birds there that you feel like you need a helmet to keep them from crashing into you. They don't have those neat handheld feeders that the Peace Lodge has.
It is basically close enough to the parking lot of the National Park that you don't even have to move the car. Just walk down to it.