Rancho Humo Estancia
Location: Río Tempisque, Nicoya, Puerto Humo, cr
Star Rating: 9.3 Stars
Property Type: Hotels
About this Property
Luxurious Accommodations
Rancho Humo Estancia, nestled in Puerto Humo, offers air-conditioned rooms with modern amenities and complimentary parking. Each room boasts a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom, ensuring a comfortable stay for guests. Enjoy the serene garden views from the year-round outdoor pool, and savor delicious meals at the on-site restaurant. Stay connected with free WiFi available throughout the property.
Exquisite Dining Experience
Indulge in a culinary journey at the hotel's restaurant, serving delectable dishes to tantalize your taste buds. Whether enjoying a leisurely breakfast or a romantic dinner, the restaurant offers a delightful ambiance and exceptional service for a memorable dining experience.
Convenient Location
Situated just a short distance from Liberia and Nicoya, Rancho Humo Estancia provides easy access to nearby attractions and the airport. Explore the area's beauty with the assistance of the tour desk, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable travel experience.
Book your stay at Rancho Humo Estancia for a luxurious retreat in Puerto Humo.
Policies
Check-in: 03:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Amenities & Facilities
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Luggage storage
- Express check-in/check-out
- Safety deposit box
- Tour desk
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Massage services
- Currency exchange
- Private check-in/check-out
- Concierge service
- Outdoor furniture
- Staff adhere to local safety protocols
- Guest rooms disinfected between stays
- Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
- Physical distancing rules followed
- Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
- Cashless payment available
- Fire extinguishers
- First aid kit available
- Sanitized tableware & silverware
- Invoice provided
- Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
- Guest room sealed after cleaning
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- Process in place to check health of guests
- Access to health care professionals
- Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
- 24-hour security
- Key card access
- Express check-in
- Free wired internet
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Pool sun loungers
- Offsite parking discounted rates available
- Internet access
- Housekeeping on request
- Private picnics
- Exercise/lap pool
- Japanese garden
- Horse riding nearby
- Swimming nearby
- Vegetarian menu options available
Rooms Available
-
Family Room, 2 Double Beds
2 Queen Beds
581 sq feet
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Room service (limited)
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead
Practical - Safe and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Room service (limited hours)
- Daily housekeeping
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Free WiFi
- Rainfall showerhead
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Room, 2 Queen Beds
2 Queen Beds
581 sq feet
Internet - Free WiFi
Food & Drink - Room service (limited)
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead
Practical - Safe and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Room service (limited hours)
- Daily housekeeping
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Free WiFi
- Rainfall showerhead
- Bedsheets provided
-
Junior Suite
The spacious suite features 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a bath or a shower and free toiletries. The suite has air conditioning, a private entrance, a safe deposit box as well as a terrace with garden views. The unit offers 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Terrace
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
-
Family Suite
The spacious suite features air conditioning, a private entrance, as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath or a shower and a hairdryer. The suite offers a safe deposit box.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
-
Family Suite
The spacious suite provides air conditioning, a private entrance, as well as a private bathroom featuring a bath or a shower and a hairdryer. The suite features a safe deposit box.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
-
Standard Double Room
The spacious double room features air conditioning, a private entrance, as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath or a shower and a hairdryer. The double room has garden views. The unit has 1 bed.
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
-
Standard Triple Room
The spacious triple room features air conditioning, a private entrance, as well as a private bathroom boasting a bath or a shower and a hairdryer. The triple room has garden views. The unit has 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
-
Standard Quadruple Room
This quadruple room is air-conditioned and features a private bathroom, a private entrance and garden views. The unit offers 2 beds.
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Private bathroom
- Private entrance
- Linen
- Entire unit located on ground floor
- Toilet paper
- Pool towels
- Trash cans
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body soap
- Smoke alarm
- Fire extinguisher
- Key card access
Guest Reviews
- Frank (9/5): -
- Deborah (10/5): A must stay if you are in the area, check out the tours or just relax in the pool . Meals are fantastic !! - The Birds and the freedom to just wander ! Kenneth is a gem and so valuable to the hotel. Thank you for making our stay ! We have so many bird photos to go through. Plus matted prints ready to hang of the Purple Gallinule and Laughing Falcon. Finding the location a few signs in the region would be very helpful.
- Lisa (10/5): Excellent stay and tour! - Beautiful spot! Great hosts and food. Wish we’d allowed more time to enjoy. Loved the custom boat tour too.
- Hilary (2/5): Huge disappointment, lured by false advertising - The bathroom. The bedroom. The evening meal . The fruit juice. The trip with Kenneth and Manuel was very good Advertisingon the website was totally misleading. I went for watching water birds spoonfuls, storks Jabiru There were none on the premises. None around . The swimming pool was dirty. Unattended until I asked . There was no indication in the advertising that the dryvseason there was no water lagoon within easy walking. 2 other couples felt the same. Accessibility to grounds on foot impassible for elderly as no path down to road.. we left a day early
- favero (8/5): - Una stanza molto bella e un bagno stupendo Porzioni del cibo non proprio adeguate
- Tattiana (10/5): Good finding - Remote location, with good restaurant, good food and excellent staff. You can walk, see birds, and do tour in the tempisque river
- Jill (9/5): A beautiful setting with lovely staff and access to good birding areas, even in the dry season. - Beautiful lodgings! Very welcoming and accommodating thanks to Kenneth who seems to run the show. The pool was appreciated on a hot afternoon. The meals were home cooked and tasty. The living room is a perfect place to relax after dinner. We enjoyed the art and furnishings. Our room was spacious with huge windows to view the trees on a very windy afternoon. The bed mattress cover was partly plasticized making it noisy and slightly uncomfortable. There were no chairs to sit on or anywhere to hang clothing.
- Brent (10/5): Exceptional luxury and wonderful staff - Everything was wonderful. The facilities and room were luxurious. The food was delicious. The thing that really makes it exceptional is the staff. Kenneth will do everything and anything to ensure you have a great experience. Leaving.
- Mitch (10/5): - Although the staff people were sweet, Kenneth went out his way again and again to ensure that we had a great time.
- William (9/5): -
- Mynor (10/5): -
- Karen (8/5): -
- Carmen (8/5): -
- WALDEMAR (10/5): -
- Vita (9/5): Bird photographer paradise - A lovely property with excellent birding opportunities
- Barry (10/5): A lovely stay that let us immerse ourselves in nature - egrets, herons, storks, crocodiles, ... - It is a truly lovely place in an amazing location. Once you get there (the roads are not a joy as it is fairly far off the beaten track), it is incredibly easy to drive and see massive numbers of wetland birds, or to take a river tour and see crocodiles and birds. The staff were all wonderful and I can't say enough good things about Kenneth, who helped us and was our wildlife guide. You are pretty much a captive audience for the restaurant (lunch US$25, dinner US$30), but the food was good. I really don't have any complaints. It's a less-than-fun drive to get there with dirt roads, potholes, etc., but when you get there, you are away from the crowds and can easily immerse yourself in nature.
- Sharon (8/5): Lovely - We wanted something different and we got it! Kenneth was an amazing host and it was a really personal experience. Access to the wildlife was brilliant and Kenneth was a font of knowledge. As it is so remote, access to snacks and drinks outside of the meal times would have been good. We felt that we had to go back to our room after dinner as the hotel was shut down early.
- Elisabeth (10/5): Ranch mit Wohlfühlcharakter inmitten wunderbarer Natur von Palo Verde - Die Ranch ist ein wunderbarer Ort um die Natur des Nationalparks Palo Verde zu erleben. Wir haben dort 2 sehr entspannte Nächte in einem geräumigen Familienzimmer mit leckerem Frühstück und einem hervorragenden 3-Gänge Abendessen verbracht. Unser Guide Kenneth hat uns morgens sehr kompetent auf einer Bootstour auf dem Rio Tempisque begleitet. Wir haben Krokodile, riesige Leguane, Wasservögel und Brüllaffen gesehen. Nach einem entspannten Mittag am erfrischenden Pool haben wir mit Kenneth am Nachmittag noch eine spannende Vogel Beobachtungstour in die Feuchtgebiete nahe der Ranch unternommen. Wir hatten Glück und haben seltene Vögel, unter anderem den größten Storch Nordamerikas und einen Löffler gesehen.
- Laurent (10/5): -
- Yamil O (10/5): - The staff was absolutely wonderful and friendly and the food incredible. The surrounding area was full of wildlife, especially birds. We highly recommend this place.
- Killian (9/5): Unieke ervaring, een absolute aanrader voor vogelaars! - De locatie is echt uniek! Als je een natuurliefhebber bent (specifiek vogels) zit je hier helemaal op je plek. Kenneth (de gids) zorgt ervoor dat je verblijf extra speciaal is. Grote complimenten aan hem! Ook het eten is heerlijk, zowel ontbijt, lunch als avondeten. Alles is met liefde gemaakt! Houd er rekening mee dat er dagmenu van de chef is, waarin je zelf geen keuze hebt (ze houden wel rekening met allergieën of dieetwensen). Wij vonden dat niet erg, omdat alles heerlijk was. Tip: de boot tour is erg leuk! We hebben veel krokodillen en leguanen gezien. De charme van deze plek is dat het een unieke maar afgelegen locatie is. Houd er rekening mee dat er verder niet zoveel in de buurt is wat betreft faciliteiten. Daarom was 2 dagen voor ons ook voldoende!
- rojas (10/5): Great Wetlands birdwatching experience in Rancho Humo - Great place to do bird watching and know more about the Tempisque River. The guide Keneth was amazing and he knew a lot about birds and the zone. 100% happy with the hotel! The staff and their beer and food. Incredible experience in a very diferent place.
- skimkaid (10/5): - L'accueil et l'hospitalité de Kenneth L'emplacement au milieu de la nature La nourriture Le charme de l'hôtel Rien
- Alfonzo Frazier (8/5): - Room was nice. Air conditioner workedwell. Bed was comfortable. Restaurant with pool view and nature view was soothing and romantic in the evening. It is very remote. and relaxing. We went there for birding photography. Found out best time for that is in December. No entertainment or tv. Boat ride on Tempisque River was awesome.
- Sonia (9/5): Every request was met with a smile and impeccable service. - The staff was incredible! Our room overlooked the savanah and wetlands. Birds and monkeys, cool evening breezes and excellent food.
- Enid (10/5): - Staff delightful. Boat tour was amazing.
- Daniel (10/5): Exceptional - The location is fantastic. Great mix of primary rainforest, secondary rainforest, pasture and gardens, and a good network of tracks through it all. Freedom to wander the tracks by yourself or with expert, reasonably priced guides. A three day stay wasn't long enough to do it justice.
- Janice (10/5): Loved staying here - Rancho Humo was perfect for us: comfortable and peaceful accommodations on the grounds of a working ranch with a nature preserve, so I experienced Costa Rica without feeling like a tourist...even if of course we did take tours, with Kenneth pointing out birds, monkeys, crocodiles, green iguanas (Ticos probably think I'm funny to be excited about iguanas), and even a very cute couple of Pacific screech owls peeping down at us from a tree right outside the front door which I would not have noticed on my own. I was born in Maryland but I never saw a Baltimore oriole before I was here! The staff were very welcoming, Ticos are lovely people.
- Gerryaf (10/5): Great Spot for birding. - We ate breakfast and dinner there. Both were very good. Food was healthy too- lots of vegetables, soups, salads Not much added sugar. Everyone was very helpful, especially Kenneth. There are some areas going to lookouts over wetlands. The wood is deteriorating so it is dicy to walk on. We did a lot of walking on other roads, trails which were good.
- Stephen (10/5): At one with nature. - Friendly staff, good food and great views from.our room in a quite secluded area of Tempisque. Basking iguanas in the trees and birds singing all around.
- Barry (10/5): Exceptional -
- Regan (8/5): Very good -
- Jerrold (10/5): - Wonderful, helpful and knowledgeable staff. Good food. Nice pool area. Pool could use a little more cleaning of leaves, etc. but that didn’t stop us from enjoying it. Nice big rooms with high ceilings. A/C had to work hard to keep it cool. Fantastic river tour with our guide and constant companion, Santos. Would definately recommend!
- Mary (10/5): Wonderful!/ - Wonderful experience. A really unique place. It was worth the drive on the bumpy roads. Kenneth was awesome! Great bird watching
- John (10/5): Exceptional -
- Esteban (9/5): Superb -
- Verified traveler (10/5): Boutique eco hotel with fantastic birding - This was a wonderful stay in a remarkable place. The room was very comfortable with a balcony with a fantastic view. The food was excellent and the staff were really kind. The highlight was the "safari" with Kenneth, around the property to see birds. One of the best birding experiences we've had. Palo Verde was closed, but this allowed us to see huge flocks of birds in the wetlands right next to Palo Verde. We then walked around several times, as well. The road there is challenging, and it's remote - you have to eat at the hotel, because there's nowhere else. But it was the highlight of our trip. Secluded, beautiful, comfortable, and great wildlife.
- Mayner (10/5): Exceptional -
- Hajnalka (10/5): Exceptional - Nice place and calm to relax. Fantastic dinner and breakfast. Really helpful staff. I really racommand to make a safari with Kenneth, I saw crocodile, turtles, beautiful birds and also a deer(bambi). Nothing to mention
- Sarah (10/5): Exceptional - Rancho Humo is amazing. The staff was fantastic, especially Kenneth, our host and guide. The food was delicious and abundant - great chef! The wildlife was wonderful and Kenneth's knowledge about it was so helpful. We loved our stay and wish we could have stayed longer. We will come back and highly recommend Rancho Humo. It is such a peaceful place. It couldn't have been better. We loved it.
- Billie (10/5): - This hotel is a treasure! The rooms are large and lovely, the views of the wetlands spectacular. The food is beautifully prepared. We enjoyed the pool as well. The hotel offers several tours; we chose the wetlands by horseback tour. It exceeded all expectations. We just wish we had more time there!
- T (9/5): A remote and different experience. - Beautiful place. Huge rooms. Incredible lobby/entrance. Interesting excursions. Nice pool. Great personal attention from Kenneth, our concierge, driver, tour guide, and waiter. Massive property for walks and horse riding and wetlands tour. There is no place to hang clothes in the room. Not a single hook! Light switches are on the opposite side of the room from the bed, and there is no bedside lamp. Ceiling fan over bed #2 didn't work. The pool was low and needed cleaning, but it was still usable. There are few, if any, dining options in the area. The food at the farm is good and very filling, but overpriced. We should have just had a late breakfast and early dinner and skipped lunch.
- Keith (10/5): Exceptional -
- Tom (9/5): Superb - Both dinner and breakfast were very good. Nice view over the wetlands from the room, Kenneth was a great host.
- Ruth (10/5): SUPERB!!! - Good Fortune lead us to this property. One must be “committed” to getting to this Resort. The last 30 minutes drive from Nicoya is hard to negotiate with all of the potholes. We found the trip to be worthwhile upon arrival. Our room had the most Unbelievably Beautiful View of the nearby valleys and Mountains. Absolutely gorgeous. The room was very clean and well appointed as the King Bed was squarely in front of the picture perfect glass doors to the balcony that overlooked the property. This resort is a working Ranch complete with Steer and Hogs. A river is nearby for water excursions and we took a nice long walk around the grounds. The staff are VERY pleasant and professional. Every need is cared for by these attentive people. A Wonderful stay at a Top and mostly Hidden Property in Costa Rica.
- Davina (9/5): Superb -
- Jacqueline (10/5): - What a beautiful place and surroundings! Kenneth is a wonderful host and guide. He was attentive to our every need and a joy to talk to. We are hoping to come back soon and spend more time.
- Vicki (9/5): Remote Gem - We were on holiday in Costa Rica for 14 days and stayed at 4 places and this was the last place we stayed and was by far the best. It was so relaxing. The entrance lounge area was very impressive and our room and bathroom was massive with choice of double beds and air conditioned. All meals were exceptional and additionally considerately catered for my special needs ( having allergies to both wheat and cows milk). It was a real treat to laze in the pool and we really enjoyed watching the howler monkeys and motmot birds from the patio area. Kenneth, a member of staff was exceptional in looking after the 4 of us. He sorted coffee for us on a regular basis and arranged my food requirements and additionally took us out on excursions and organised others for us. He showed us the village and local lake and was on hand if we needed anything. We had a great river trip (seeing the crocodiles and macaws was awesome), a sunset trip and 2 bird excursions. Do take advantage of all these trips. The journey on the way to the ranch was longwinded ( as the major bridge was being repaired and we had to go the very long way round) and the roads are slow and windy. There were 4 of us in our party and we enjoyed all the tours on offer, but it could be too remote for some. You had no choice really but to eat at the ranch ...but it was delicious, really well worth it.
- Lars (10/5): Exceptional - Super friendly staff, awesome breakfast, cute dogs = great place to stay!
- jeff (10/5): - the staff was super helpful
- Deborah (10/5): Great spot for birding in a private location. - The property is located on a working ranch. Kathia created some very delicious dishes for our meals. Kenneth was very helpful with activities and local information. Our room was air conditioned and very nicely decorated. I would recommend this property to all.
- Hannah (10/5): Exceptional -
- Florian (8/5): Very good -
- Verified traveler (10/5): Very hospitable. Off the beaten track - I wasn't totally sold on this place when I first showed up. The building was very nice, but the weather was super hot, the area was very dry and dusty, and the mosquitos were so intense I wasn't sure how we'd be able to do anything outside for the 2 days we'd be there. This was on a trip in March where we had no issues with mosquitos anywhere else we visited. But the longer we stayed, the more it grew on me and my family. The host, Kenneth, was very kind and helped us explore the area. On our first afternoon there, we saw a whole bunch of different birds within a couple hundred yards of the hotel door, including the most amazing little screech owls. The food in the restaurant was very good, but it was the only place available. We managed to get by for lunch just on food we had with us (there was a small refrigerator in the room) and then enjoyed dinner at the restaurant. The road into Rancho Humo was unpaved, but it was flat and easy to drive on, especially compared with other roads we drove in Costa Rica.
- Vonda (9/5): Superb -
- Susan (10/5): - Book here if you want to see Palo Verde National Park. They also have tours on their own property and the river. Make sure to understand the schedule for the tours to be able to take advantage of them. The hotel is a luxurious outpost, off the beaten path.
- Robert (10/5): Amazing stay at Rancho Humo Estancia near Palo Verde - Fantastic food, Amazing location with great birdwatching around the property. Lovely big room with A/C. Did a couple of great birding tours with Santos along the river and also around the property.
- A. (10/5): A wonderful spot from which to enjoy the tropical dry forest of Palo Verde to the north. - Very comfortable accommodation in the midst of a working cattle ranch in the vicinity of Palo Verde National Park. The hotel is surrounded by wet lands lagoons making it a good for birdwatching. Our suite was elegant and comfortable. Staff were courteous and helpful. Dining was excellent for the venue and delicious offerings.
- Verified traveler (6/5): Great place for high-endish hotel. - Overall it was a good experience. Few things I wished I had known before I booked the place. Because it’s such a remote place there’s no other restaurants around that you’re stuck eating at the hotel. It’s gourmet food, very good but pricey, $30 per person do dinner, 25 for lunch. I should have asked ahead of time, so didn’t expect it to be that high. We had a beautiful room with balcony and wonderful view, watched birds passing by, starry nights so the room was worth the price. However, we didn’t have hot water the whole time,I really needed a hot shower one of the nights (we stayed 3nighs) after a long tiring day but shivered under a cool water. They never got around to fixing it. Also, no tv in the room which is strange, tv was one of the amenities. It’s a good location for going into the Palo Verde, hiring a boat to go across the river, totally worth the long hike, saw hundreds of birds in the lagoon area and other animals roaming the forest. Take lot of water. We would have hired a guide but didn’t work out.
- John (10/5): - This place is off the beaten path, but we saw many unusual birds and we were treated like royalty. Large room with a sweeping view. Kenneth, our “guide” gets an A for customer service, and is a pretty good naturalist as well. Food was very good and reasonably priced as well.
- Deborah (8/5): Service is amazing - We spent two nights here and at first I was disappointed because I thought we would have easy access to Palo Verde National Park. This is not the case but Kenneth quickly eased my mind and set us up with a boat tour and bird watching. He was amazing and made our stay memorable. I am so happy we stayed here and it’s all because of the service we received. Highly recommend if you want to spend time in a small village ( less than 200 people) and receive unparalleled attention. The food was fantastic.
- Tina (8/5): Very quiet getaway. - It was on a working ranch. We tried in advance to get a menu but they didn’t respond to our emails.
- Quinlan (10/5): A great respite from a day of travel - Wonderful clean modern building on a working cattle ranch. The staff were excellent, the meal was delicious and great value. Kenneth was helpful well and above the call of duty and he has a genuine desire to go the extra mile to please the customer. Highly recommended Nothing
- Matt (8/5): Very good -
- Ana (9/5): Interesting place, comfortable rooms, great bird sightings! - It is a charming hotel in an out of the way setting, but not too hard to get to. We had great tour of the wetlands and saw many beautiful birds. Kenneth, one of the staff, was really marvellous and helped us in every way. He was always ready to do whatever he could to make our stay the best possible, and he succeeded!
- Jeremy (9/5): Highly recommended. An authentic experience surrounded by nature with really good staff. - Rancho Humo is an out-of-the ordinary place to stay. Located well away from towns on the edge of the Palo Verde National Park it provides a unique experience, surrounded by nature. Kenneth is the main 'host' who you will almost certianly greet you on arrival (unless it is his day off!). He does an exceptional job and speaks very good english, if required by guests. He will explain every aspect of the ranch, including the tours available. These include a wetlands safari, a boat trip on the Tempisque river not far from the ranch, horse riding and a tour of the ranch's livestock area, where cows are milked every day. We urge you to take at least both the wetlands and boat trip, which (depending on the season of course) will delight you with abundant sightings of wildlife - birds, crocodiles, iguanas etc. Kenneth acted as driver / guide on our wetlands tour and as guide on our boat trip (the boat was captained by Danilo, who was exceptional in providing wildlife spotting and getting as close as possible to the animal / bird / lizard in question). Kenneth's knowledge is exceptional and will augment your trip significantly. We cannot speak more highly of him. Food at the ranch is very good and we must mention both Paula & Kenya, who will tend to you very well in the restaurant and provide some delicious dishes at both breakfast and dinner (the latter is $US per person per night). There is a nice swimming pool, which did, in our opinion, need some cleaning on the day we left, and chairs and loungers with towels. We had a memorable time at Rancho Humo and would highly recommend it for those looking for an authentic, different kind of stay in Costa Rica. No coffee available in rooms, which we found strange. You have to go to the restaurant for your morning fix.
- Jonathan (9/5): Superb - Impeccably clean, great service, beautiful location- A location clearly trying to perform at a high-level. Probably more of an 8.5 or an 8.7 than a true 9.0 facility. Everything falls just a quarter-step short of a 9. For example, rooms have exposed telecom wires, harsh lighting in an atmosphere of attempted sophistication. While the rooms have air conditioning, the efficacy of that air conditioning is limited by pressure walls within the rooms. The food and the restaurant is legitimately good but lacking refinement. Just a little bit of investment around the edgeswould make this a true 9.0 or 10.0 facility.
- Isabel (9/5): Wonderful - This is our second 3-day visit to Rancho HUMO. Once again, it did not disappoint. Our room and facility were clean and spacious. The set meals were carefully prepared, varied and delicious. The setting, with wide open vistas are magnificent and the 2 out of 5 available tours we took - both wetland and boat, accompanied by knowledgeable English guides - were rewarding in seeing bountiful wildlife. Guests are also able to continue exploring the reserve on their own, at their own pace. The ranch is both simple, in the best sense, and unique in sustaining a working ranch while preserving and enhancing wildlife for visitors’ accessible viewing. However, what made this stay exceptional was staff member Kenneth who seems to be in charge of everything from check in to check out, being a local guide, acting both as waiter and maitre’d at meals, juggling all the guests needs with attention, resolution and humour. What an asset to the establishment! We will be back next visit to Costa Rica and hope Kenneth will be there to greet us with his enthusiasm. Thank-you Rancho HUMO!
- Riikka (9/5): Superb -
- Saji (8/5): Very good -
- Teresa (9/5): We enjoyed every minute--such a beautiful place! - The property is beautiful, and the staff was terrific! The food was excellent! The chef made very tasty breakfasts and dinners, and our bilingual guide (an employee of Rancho Humo--Kenneth) worked so hard dawn to late night to provide us with excellent service in the restaurant, as well as morning and evening boat and bird tours. We were able to watch the sun set from a view tower on the property--hard to beat! I can't say enough about what an excellent job Kenneth did! A boat tour on Rio Tempisque allowed us to see many birds, crocodiles, iguana and butterflies. We wished we would have booked the rooms for one more day. The safe was not ready for use when we arrived and was not bolted to the cabinet or wall. The lodging was a bit expensive, but was luxurious! Arrival and the front gate was awkward. We wish there would have been some instructions. The road to get there is a bit off the beaten path and took a bit longer than we expected--estimate about 1/2 hour to one hour more than your GPS tells you!
- Diana (10/5): Exceptional - Beautiful views from room and deck It was difficult to understand the options for meals. Once Kenneth the English speaking guide was available he explained meal options
- Andrew (8/5): Great Stay on Ranch - Great property, excellent food, wildlife tours were incredible. Nothing
- Richardson (7/5): unexpected but pleasant - We did not stay for the breakfast, the room was large, and comfortable. We didn't realize there was not a restaurant where you could order your food. They prepared one dish for dinner and everyone got the same dish. I do not eat red meat so they exchanged the beef for fish in my dish. All the staff were friendly and helpful. The location is way out of the way, the road there is more pot holes then road. The access to the lodging was through a shut cattle gate past the farming barns etc. so we were not sure we were even in the right location, Once we made it to the end of the muddy road the lodging facility was there, beautiful place, unexpected and a pleasant surprise. There are not any TV's in the rooms (at least the one we were in) It was raining and by the time we arrived we were hungry after the long drive there. The restaurant was not open but one of the staff made us some chips and dip and we ordered some beers. Everyone was very friendly but it was a very quiet stay with not much to do.
- Thierry (8/5): Unique hotel is worth a stay between pacific ocean and monteverde - Kenneth is really attentioned Dinner was really good Wetlands are unique ans beautiful We didn’t do boat tour or horse ride. Deco is a bit outdated, A/C not big enough for room size. The hotel can’t really be considered « boutique ». It’s not really well maintained.
- Alan (10/5): Exceptional - Kenneth is fantastic. No question was or request was ever too much - from organising a shoe repair at the local shop to showing us around this gorgeous ranch and its wetlands. His knowledge of the birds is brilliant and really adds to the experience. The chef cooks exceptional food - we particularly enjoyed the breakfasts, and everyone is very friendly.
- Ben (9/5): Truly special experience! - Large, clean rooms. Home-like feel. Amazing grounds for birdwatching (better than the river and Palo Verde NP). We saw more and varied birds on the evening Safari than just about anywhere else in the world. Pre-arrival communications and help with planning itinerary wasn't the best.
- Jeffrey (9/5): Superb -
- Céline (9/5): The perfect place to discover Palo Verde off the beaten track! - We had booked a suite and it did not disappoint! Beautiful and clean room with an amazing view! We had dinner there and it was one of the best meal we ever had in Costa Rica (we leave here)!! Kenneth, our guide/waiter/receptionist was extremely attentive and informative. The tour of the wetlands was very good and worth it. We will be back! A little misunderstanding about one of the tour provided by the hotel. But it did not affected our stay. I only recommend to contact them beforehand about the tours.
- James (10/5): Exceptional -
- Dianne (9/5): Superb - The meals were excellent, the rooms are spacious beautiful views. The property is quiet and well maintained. The tour options are great and educational. Our host Kenneth was friendly, professional and always available.
- Elizabeth (10/5): Exceptional - Our guide, Kenneth, took such good care of us. My friend and I went birdwatching, we took a boat ride along the river contiguous to a national park, went horseback riding, and went by jeep all around this huge property. Kenneth spoke such good English and could not have been more gracious. We now have a bird list a mile long. And the food prepared by Kenya including a birthday cake was exquisite. The lodge is gorgeous with amazing art work in the lobby, and a wonderful pool. I Highly recommend this beautiful place ... It was perfection. Loved every minute.
- Yuval (10/5): - Incredible property. Magical and romantic rooms. All people working at the hotel were very sweet and accommodating. The food served is delicious home cooked meals. The nature around is breathtaking. Would definitely come back to visit!
- Anonymous (8/5): The staff and food are FANTASTIC!! - We lucked out and had the whole place to ourselves. The room was very basic but the rest of the property was great and the Staff was EXCEPTIONAL!!! Kenneth was the best part of the trip. He worked super hard to be sure we had the best time and we did thanks to him! The river tour was awesome and the horseback ride was fun with the kids. The room was very basic and even with no other guests at the hotel they wouldn’t let us pay for a second bed/room for a discounted rate (since full price is all-inclusive and we had already paid for that part). I don’t understand that decision but otherwise it was fine, just a basic room.
- Mia-lana (10/5): A place to enjoy life and excellent food! - We enjoyed a wonderful stay at this high class hotel. It was very clean, well equipped, the staff was incredibly nice and helpful and I've never eaten so well!! The geographic proximity to the National park is misleading. There is no direct way to get to the park. It takes a very long detour! The surroundings are hard to explore because many roads are blocked/private. It was therefore very hard to go birdwatching (which was our main motivation to choose the place)!
- Frederic (8/5): Very good -
- Verified traveler (10/5): - The attention to our personal satisfaction was impressive. The Manager greeted us at dinner and went out of his way to find us a boat tour on the nearby river the morning we left. The room was spectacular with a huge window which looked out onto a large wooden deck and an uninterrupted view of the expansive wetlands and low mountains in the distance. At night it was dead quiet while the sky was ablaze with stars. There's also an iguana who lives next to the parking lot.
- Verified traveler (8/5): - Very unique property. Need to spend a few days to experience the full offerings of the property and surrounding area.
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Great food in a magical place tended by genuinely inspired artists of the "pura vida" life. A working ranch sets the stage for one of the most fascinating and intimate wetland interactions I've ever experienced. This is the penultimate eco-adventure.
- Verified traveler (10/5): - This was the highlight of our trip to Costa Rica. Rancho Humo is like staying in an elegant family home with personally prepared meals, an incredible host (Raymundo) who tends to all of your needs. The junior suites are the best! with a view of the wetlands and great for viewing the night stars. If you love nature you will love Rancho Humo. Also recommend the river cruise which gives you a close up view of the birds, monkeys and crocodiles in the River Tempisque.
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