Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Lagarta Lodge

A birders' and nature-lovers' Valhalla, this magnificent nature lodge on a promontory has amazing views of the forest, river, and coast north of Nosara. The lodge's private nature reserve is directly below, down a steep path that takes you through a forest and an eerily beautiful mangrove swamp, with fantastical stilt roots and snap-crackling sound effects from respiring mollusks. More than 270 bird species have been spotted here, including long-tailed manakins. The trail ends at the river and out to Playa Pelada and surfing waves. The hotel was built with a focus on sustainability, with spacious suites with garden showers and sliding-glass doors leading out to large terraces with either forest, ocean, or river views. The eagle's-nest lobby restaurant offers a Swiss-inspired menu, focused on fresh fish and seafood, such as skewered prawns with bacon, and poached fish with a lemon sauce. There is also a romantic cocktails-and-canapés Sunset Bar with marimba music or folk dancing on Fridays from 5–7 pm. The breakfast is delicious, with fresh breads and homemade jams and espresso. Both the garden and reserve are maintained without any chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or the use of electric machinery, earning the lodge a high sustainability rating of five leaves.