Manatus Hotel

Guests appreciate the exceptionally friendly staff, spacious well-equipped rooms, and beautiful location amidst nature. The spotless cleanliness and excellent service are also highly praised.

A stunning setting at the edge of the national park. The lodges are all situated by the lagoon, the setting is great. The staff were all super helpful and very friendly. They made our stay. Our guide Louise was the best. We did 2 tours to see wildlife. We saw amazing birds, Iguanas, a Cayman, a sloth high up in a tree, a crocodile very briefly! But to see all of these animals in their natural habitat is a chance of a lifetime. My husband and son did the night tour to see the sea turtles on the beach and actually got to see a turtle laying eggs. It was a super special experience. There is also a lovely pool to cool off after doing your tours. The area can be a bit buggy at night though so best to cover up and use insect repellent. Overall is super experience and the boat trip out to the main road at the end was amazing fun also.

We loved everything about our stay at Manatus. The staff was fantastic, always willing to please. Considering the limited number of options and amenities that are available in the Tortuguero area, we were very pleased to stay at a hotel that included delicious meals, multiple canal tours, and daily visits from howler monkeys right outside our door. There are only 12 bungalows which was a perfect fit for us, not crowded and plenty of personal attention from the staff. The rooms themselves are very comfortable. The beds are firm and comfy and the A/C blows cold - a luxury we were very glad to have in July. There was a TV but we did not use it - the sound of the howlers was entertainment enough! Depending on what time of year you visit, consider splurging for the late-night turtle nesting tour led by Manatus staff. We were there as the season (July-October) was just starting, but were lucky enough to see a large turtle crawl across the beach and enter the water after laying her eggs, and then just when we thought we were done we were alerted to another one that had just gotten started. With the guide using a red light for minimal distraction, we were able to watch from just a step away as she laid her eggs in the nest she'd dug. Then she spent a long time attempting to cover it all up, no easy task for a large and likely exhausted turtle. Quite an amazing scene, and we were there to see it!