Tortuga Lodge vs Mawamba Lodge, Tortuguero
 

I'm having a difficult time deciding between Tortuga Lodge (recommended and owned by CRE) and the Mawamba Lodge. We are traveling with 12 and 14 year olds and I really do like to stay in the least rustic possible. Any comments?

Thanks

I can't comment on the Tortuga Lodge but we did go to Mawamba Lodge a few years ago when our kids were about the same age. It was great. At first it's a bit unsettleing because we had one room with 4 twin beds, no air conditioning and only a screen with shutters on the windows. The bathroom was really nice by contrast. It didn't take long for us to really get into the whole thing. It turned out wonderful. Food was great, the tours were unforgetable, the people were wonderful. This place is one of fondest travel memories. Have fun!

What month are you traveling? I will be at Mawamba next week. Will be posting on this in a couple of weeks.
Donna

Hammock house you could sleep for hours in....wonderful cool pool by the canal....excellent food (surprisingly good)...very nice restaurant patio overlooking the canal...wonderful manager (Kenya)...excellent guides...nice grounds....nice units (although just screens on the windows)....well maintained and well built units are made of wood so appears rustic.....very desirable location further out toward the mouth of the canal and feels more secluded (as opposed to in toward the village where resorts are more close together)...architecture is characteristic style....greeted when you get off the plane with tropical drink...feels like a jungle resort should...just enough pampering in a rustic setting.

I have no hesitation recommending Tortuga Lodge. Our family, including two teen girls, loved it when we were there last summer. All units are nice, but upstairs feels more like you are in the trees. Highlight of our trip full of highlights. Having been there and seeing the other resorts (albeit just from the boat on the canal) I wouldn't consider staying elsewhere were I to go back. Not that other places couldn't be as nice, but I would have no interest in checking out other places because we felt this one was ideal.

My .02....

Jim

dfarmer - We will be traveling in June so I would appreciate your comments after your trip. Thanks to the others with their comments so far.

Certainly, just watch for a trip report. Will most likely be the later part of Feb.
I will also try to send you a report. If my old mind does not forget!
Donna

Igiannini - we are back, unfortuntatly!
We had a pleasant stay at Mawamba Lodge. Rustic - I believe is all you are going to find. We did visit Laguna Lodge while there and it to was very rustic.
Room lighting was very poor, if you read, you may want to pack a reading light.
Hot water shower, no hot water in sink. The bathroom was nice.
The rooms had several shelves which I found handy.
Beds not that great.
Porch, with basic plastic dollar store chairs.
Fan that went faster than any I have ever experienced, was great for a good breeze.
Rooms had window in front, window in back and window in bathroom, good cross ventilation.
Several pleasant covered areas with rocking chairs and/or hammocks.
Nice pool area.
Very good food.
Breakfast was served at I believe 7:30, lunch at 1 Pm and dinner at 7:30 Pm
Very very good service.
Gift shop with selection of necessities, and gifts.
We were offered a canal trip at 6 AM, hike trip at 9 AM and then another canal at 2:30 PM.
Recommmend long pants and long sleeve shirt for morning trip and hike.
I would also recommend to boat in and fly out or vice versa. The ride is quite long and bumpy from SJ.
We went into town for an hour or so, it was and should be the only trip into town. They did have a few gift shops but not much else.
The opening from the lodge grounds onto the beach, seemed to attract a crowd of people in the evening before dinner, the view of the moon coming up over the sea was incredible.
Mawamba is bordered on one side by the canal and the other by the Caribbean.
Their fleet of boats seemed to be in better shape than others that we saw.
Have fun,
Donna

Donna, you have mentioned you have visited the Laguna Lodge where we will be staying in a three weeks. How was the Laguna Lodge? Did they have a hot shower also? Was it bearable there without air conditioning? Are the bugs really a big problem in Tortuguero?
Thank you in advance for your information.