Life for Life Hostel Lodge Drake Bay Home of Sea Turtle Marine Conservation Project Osa Peninsula near San Josecito Beach

I love the location away from the busy areas in Drake Bay but at a popular beach that people hike hours or take a boat to get to, the purpose behind the hotel (turtle project), the food is really good, the value is great. Recardo is a very nice man and everyone working there is friendly and helpful. Cheap tours available of the Rio Claro. You get to experience being immersed in the jungle and at night can hear the jungle and waves crash on the beach.

The rooms are quite exposed to the jungle, will find insects crawling around, not for those who are afraid of such stuff. Part of the experience.

The whole experience was amazing. It is a serious adventure, involving a place ride, taxi ride that literally went over rivers and a 30 minute hike- with gear. I am not sure I would have done it (with partner who has bad knees and 9 yo) if I had known how hard it was to get to- but it was so worth it. Ricardo was so full of life and generosity. John always had plenty of time to help us. In addition to keeping the space spotless, Mar even came up with a birthday cake when we needed one! To be clear- you are staying in tents in the jungle. There are insects. The food is expensive. Your clothes never dry. But you are also on the beach in a glorious, amazing place.

Remote and beautiful surrounding

little overprized

this place is wonderful in every way - people, location, food, wildlife, beach, jungle! i would love to go back very soon. Surely you have to be in for a wild adventure, its a camping hostel, so do not expect luxurious amenities or maximum confort. best place to be in drake bay!

there's plenty of small bugs / ants to be careful of, do not leave food around your tent, ever! but that was my fault :) and the staff was super quick at cleaning up my mess, so best service i could hope for!

I never expected to rate a super simple accommodation with a snake in a room this high - but the people and their hospitality, in combination with the destination were absolutely amazing. We felt amazing!

The host, Ricardo is a wonderful and kind person who we have so much respect for. He dedicates his life to helping to save sea turtles. He told us about how he settled near san josecito beach many years ago while surfing with his friend. He took us on a tour of his land and the beautiful river claro where we swam and visited waterfalls. Ricardo is knowledgeable of the trees, animals, and plants in the area. The location is on a secluded beach that is only accessible via boat. There are many types of animals you can see nearby. The sunsets are amazing!

The location is only accessible by boat and you pay more on the ferry than to Drake bay, because it is 10 minutes farther. It was 80 for 2 people one way. Once you get off the boat, you have to walk through the jungle to get to the hostel. Ricardo met us at the boat and did help carry our bags, which was very appreciated. As a warning, if you are not fit keep this in mind. Our room left a lot to be desired. The floors were laminate that was coming apart. The towels smelled like mothballs. We made a mistake paying for all inclusive food. Normally, the rate for our room was 200 for 4 nights, but with all meals included it was 540. Then I realized once we arrived she added tax, service fee and credit card charges and the room came out to $715.00! The value for what we received was very bad. The chef was soooo nice, but sadly the food was not great. I got really sick from the food. I know in the future, I will pay more attention to additional charges. I would also say that if you do not know Spanish, this might not be a good place to stay. Ricardo is the only one who speaks English, and there is still a language barrier. We ended up leaving early due to many reasons. Overall, Ricardo is a great person, and it saddens me to write this review, but I feel an obligation to warn travelers as this was not a cheap stay and definitely not a good value for the money.

My child and I wanted to have an adventure before they headed off to college. What an adventure we had. It started when we stepped off the plane and rode an atv to the beach, which the staff had kindly set up for us. We then spent five days surrounded by the jungle, eating some of the best meals while watching monkeys and caotis. The staff was so helpful and kind. They even ran a mile down the beach to give me the kindle I had left in the tent at checkout.

This isn’t a dislike, just be prepared to walk in deep sand from your drop off point to the hostel.