Trip Advisor, Selva Bananito Lodge: Traveler Reviews
View some of ours guest comments in TripAdvisor.com
TRAVELER RATING: 5.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
“Einzingartig!!!”
schwarzguckl, Schweinfurt Oct 16, 2007
My experience with this property took place in:
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
4.0 Value
5.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
5.0 Check in – Front desk
5.0 Service
I recommend this hotel for: Young singles, An amazing honeymoon
I do not recommend this hotel for: A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Families with young children, Tourists
I selected this hotel because ... Outdoor / Adventure
My age: 35-49
Traveling group: Freunde
My visit was for: Hobbies/Interessen/Kultur
Auch wenn es schon einige Zeit her ist, als wir dort für paar Tage waren - es wird immer ein unvergeßliches Erlebnis bleiben! Die Lage der Lodge ist genial! Natur pur. Wir (4 Freunde) waren überwältigt von der Schönheit und Einzigartigkeit des Regenwaldes, dem Engagement der (damaligen ) Besitzerin Sophie, die sich mit aller Kraft für die Erhaltung und dem Schutz der Natur einsetzte. Die Lodge selbst war liebevoll eingerichtet. Die Touren waren voller Abenteuer. Das einheimische Essen spektakulär.
Alles im allen - es war einfach nur klasse!!!
Viele Grüße und alles Liebe an Sophie + Jürgen
von Genile, Reiner, Barbara + Annett (1997)
TRAVELER RATING: 5.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
"An ecolodge that really means it!"
New York, NY Jul 3, 2007
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
5.0 Value
5.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
5.0 Check in – Front desk
5.0 Service
I recommend this hotel for: An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for: Young singles, People with disabilities, Great pool scene, Pet owners
I selected this hotel because ... Outdoor / Adventure, Great food / Wine
My age: 25-34
Traveling group: Family with young children
My visit was for: Quality time with family
We stayed with our then 5-year-old son at Selva Bananito for 7 nights a couple of years ago, and were overwhelmed at its beauty and wonderful accomodations. Most of all we were impressed that we'd finally found a lodge that was a true ECOlodge -- using lilies to clean waste water, special biodegradable soaps and insect repellents, solar water heaters, "left behind" wood to build the cabins, and that made significant contributions to the local community to encourage rainforest conservation. They also spread the dollars generated by the lodge throughout the community to give everyone a stake in preserving the health and beauty of the environment and the bananito river watershed. All this and not one sacrifice to comfort or hospitality! Jurgen (the owner) was always available with ideas of things to do, and our guide Victor never failed to keep us busy and safe, even our son. This is a great spot for birding and seeing wildlife (true wildlife, not "wildlife" the lodge staff feeds on the side to keep them around) and enjoying the rainforest. The cabins were spacious and comfortable. The meals by Carmen were exquisite -- we are vegetarians and quite concerned about stranding ourselves way out in the jungle if the food stunk for such a long time. But no worries, we ate like kings and had a wonderful time! We also enjoyed the horses and swimming in the river.
TRAVELER RATING: 5.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
“OUTSTANDING”
OverseasMama, Cincinnati, May 30, 2007
This was one of my best finds ever. I chose it because the guidebooks said the family which owns it has made a major commitment to preserving the environment. Although often it is not true, in this case I was really impressed. I also really enjoyed myself!
Small individual cabins of gorgeous hardwoods – but the “offcuts” which would not otherwise have been used. Bathing water is solar heated and the dirty water is all treated in specially constructed small ponds where various plants remove all the nutrients, etc., leaving clean water. No electricity. Everything is by candle or lantern, although I guess they have propane refrigerator and stove.
Everything they did was intentionally done to minimize the impact on the environment. Their website is the only one I have ever seen for a hotel, etc., which talks about the energy impact you make as a traveler. They will actually do carbon offsets for you, if you stay three days or more; if you do not, they still encourage you to do the carbon offsets and have selected two places which seem to be doing a good and honest job of this.
Since airline travel and its effect on the environment is the hidden dark side of eco – tourism, this is a pretty courageous thing for them to do.
The central gathering place had the bar and also the food, which was very good, served pretty much family stile. Other travelers were quite interesting, many Europeans.
There is a great deal to do, from riding horseback in many directions to birdwatching and doing the zip line and canopy climbs. The plant and animal life is terrific and the knowledgeable guides speak excellent English.
Two levels of cabins. I stayed in the regular ones, but some honeymooners were in one of the fancier ones, which had been festooned with gorgeous flowers for their arrival.
Getting there is not for the fainthearted – it is way off the beaten track on the east, (Caribbean) Coast. They also have some arrangements with other places, notably up in Tortuguero, where you can see sea turtles and do other things.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who wanted to go a bit beyond the boundaries established in many so-called eco-tourism locations. Also, I went with an elderly companion and everyone bent over backwards to make sure that he was not left out, but was actually able to take a horseback ride and do other things – without their help, it would have been impossible. Fantastic service!
This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: Really natural, beautiful
Disliked: Difficult to get to – but worth it!
My experience with this property took place in: May 2007.
My ratings for this hotel are:
5.0 Value
4.0 Rooms
5.0 Location
5.0 Cleanliness
3.0 Check in – Front desk
5.0 Service
I recommend this hotel for: An amazing honeymoon, a romantic getaway, girlfriend getaway older travelers, families with young children, families with teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for: people with disabilities, great pool scene, pet owners
I selected this hotel because: Outdoor – Adv enture – Other
My age: 50 – 64
Traveling group: Spouse – significant other
My visit was for: Hobbies
TRAVELER RATING: 5.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
“Magical”
Imfreezin Alberta, May 30, 2007
This was an absolutely fantastic and magical trip. Being absolutely immersed in the rainforest was a unique, once in a lifetime experience, that I will never forget. The tree climbing adventure was truly amazing, the panoramic views from the canopy were absolutely captivating. I would also highly recommend the waterfall repel. The food was also really amazing. It was all based on native Costa Rican cuisine and I had never experienced so many different ways of eating bananas. The milk and cheese was all made by cattle on the property and the fruit juice and jams were all fresh and amazing.
This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: The service and set up
My experience with this property took place in: July 2006
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend: absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
1. Value
5.0 Rooms
2.0 Location
4.0 Cleanliness
3.0 Check in-Front desk
5.0 Service
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, an amazing honeymoon, a romantic getaway, girlfriend getaway, older travelers, families with teenagers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for: pet owners
My age: 13 – 17
Traveling group: friends
My visit was for: Quality time with friends
TRAVELER RATING: 4.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
“all nature out our room”
Saspursfan, Singapore, Febr.10, 2007
We enjoyed 2 nights at Selva. It is 15 km up a very bumpy, remote road. Do not consider driving to it unless you have a 4 wheel drive with an suv type clearance. If you have a car arrange for them to pick up in town. And if you are driving, yes, you have to cross that 50 foot wide 4th river, in their instructions …. Just turn left on the river bank and look for the road coming out of the water on the other side. I would not recommend arriving after dark.
Once there, Selva is seductively beautiful. There is nothing but forest in all directions.
We enjoyed a guided hike for 6 hours to a waterfall without seeing any evidence of other humans…. no houses on the horizon, no trash, nothing. It was stunning. We took a several hours horseback ride and appreciated all the beauty. There is no electricity at Selva, yet, we had excellent meals and cold beer. I do not know how, but I appreciated it. The cabins offer excellent views with an open floor to ceiling folding door (10 feet wide) that we left all open day and night. No mosquito-net was needed at night or during the day. The birds will wake you up in the morning. We would have appreciated an extra day to just hang around the lodge and grounds.
This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: The remote, beautiful location
Disliked: The cabins are on an open area of the property, so the views are nice, but the tradeoff is that you are not surrounded by rainforest, which I wanted
My experience with this property took place in: January 2007
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend: absolutely!
My ratings for this hotel are:
5.0 Value
4.0 Rooms
4.0 Location
4.0 Cleanliness
4.0 Check in – Front desk
4.0 Service
I recommend this hotel for: young singles, people with disabilities, older travelers, tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for: Great pool scene, pet owners
My age: 35 – 49
Traveling group: spouse - significant other
My visit was for: quality time with family
TRAVELER RATING: 4.0
Cahuita: SELVA BANANITO LODGE :
“under a blanket of stars”
A Tripadvisor Member Abcoude, The Netherlands, June 2, 2004
A wonderful experience: a very isolated eco lodge with wonderful casitas which consist of local materials. Especially the superior rooms are very large and have two queen size beds. No windows, no mosquito – nets, no airco, no fan. Just shutters to close the windows and doors. Large shower fits easy 20 people. They use eco friendly materials only: Special shampoos and so on. It is wonderful to relax on your private terrace in one of the hammocks and read a book. In the morning the birds will wake you up. Very slow service. In the main building you have to put off your shoes because of the beautiful teak floor. They serve very good foot, mostly local dishes. Friendly people. There is no electricity at all. Torches, candles and kerosinelamps are provided. Torches will illuminate the pathway to the casitas. It is unpossible to resist a moment of rest, on clear nights, in your hammock and watch the endless sky. Thousands of stars illuminating the surroundings which I have never seen so beautiful before except in Africa! Magical place where I hope to return. Activities consist of canopy walks, horseriding, walking, birdwatching.
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View some of ours guest comments in TripAdvisor.com
