Arte de Plumas birding lodge

The property is stunning. The views are amazing and the landscaping is impressive. Andre' manages the lodge and has done an amazing job of setting up several natural looking feeders and perches, in multiple areas, that attract many birds to the property. There were dozens of hummingbirds, and a variety of other beautiful birds. We even saw a group of toucans perch in a nearby tree! Daisy is a fabulous cook. She and Andre' could not be nicer. We enjoyed our visit thoroughly. We used drivers, rather than renting a car for our visit, and it was ideal. Andre' can help you find local drivers and can even arrange for a driver to pick you up at the San Jose airport which about 2.5 hours away. Costa Rican roads are very curvy and quite narrow with unexpected potholes and bumps. In rural areas GPS may not work, so it can be difficult to find your destination. In San Jose, traffic is quite heavy. The drivers handled those roads with ease. I think someone less experienced with them would find it nerve racking. I don't think we spent as much on drivers as we would have paid for a vehicle, gas and insurance had we rented a vehicle. Near the property Is Rancho Naturalista, a great place for a day trip while in Turrialba. We specifically wanted to photograph birds, so we hired local guides to help us spot them as we explored the area. The guides know the bird sounds and can identify dozens with ease. They spotted several birds in trees that we would have missed and enabled us to get an amazing collection of images to remember our trip. Other great options in the area include river rafting, tours of coffee farms, a visit to the Center for Tropical Agricultural Research, or archeological tours. The people in Turrialba could not be nicer. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Many speak English. Most of the businesses accept dollars just as quickly as the local currency. Many also accept credit cards.

The lodge is lovely and very modern. The entire center section of the lodge is open on two sides. It was so nice to see the beautiful grounds while enjoying meals. Due to the mild outdoor temperatures, the bedroom was very comfortable with only the windows open for fresh air. But, that was a problem for me. There are no screens on the windows, so some bugs can and do get in. There are sheer curtains on the bedroom windows (not the bathroom), but while the curtains may reduce entry of bugs, they do not do so nearly as well as a screen would. My arms were covered with several bites that I believe were from mosquitos. These did not occur during the day, so I can only assume that it happened while I was asleep. I wore long sleeves during the day with insect repellant and never saw or felt any bites then. At night, I slept in a short sleeved nightgown and did not spray any insect repellant on me after my shower. I must say that I did not feel anything biting me then either. But, I slept under covers and no other part of my body was bitten, just my lower arms and hands. I do tend to sleep with my arms out from under the covers. For someone who is especially sensitive to mosquito bites, this could be a serious concern. For me is was more of a nuisance, I think windows without screens is pretty common in Costa Rica, not just here. When I visit again, I will wear long sleeves to bed and will be sure that my night clothes are treated with bug repellant.

The place is a bird photographers dream. Numerous birds and excellent locations.The lodge is open and airy Spectacular views all around. Food is fresh and plentiful Staff knowledgeable and attentive.

There's nothing not to like except I had to leave and return home.

Incredible scenery, location, structure, and room. The host (Andriy) and chefs were a delight and the food was INCREDIBLE. We couldn't have asked for more and they were very accomodating with our 9 year old daughter.

Comfier chairs on the balcony, a more private bathroom space in our room which was very open plan.