BookIt.com Verified Traveler Jeremy from Richmond, Tx

"For starters i am not bitter i was offered a free five night stay at one of the owners other properties. however i will not risk it again with this brand. day one we couldnt find the place and the phone rang off the hook for the property. they do not have an address and the property name didnt show in the costa rican navigation. When we did find it the security was very nice and helped me with my luggage however finding a property in the dark only to be greeted by knife carrying locals was off putting. The property cooks dinner so they say but as we all found out that is to the whim of the staff. We had the pleasure of having the owner on site and when i informed him of the problems he stated i should have told me sooner he asked our opinion on what he should do seeing that his staff member in charge has fallen in love and neglects all his duties. The drain in the shower was stopped up the whole week never fixed even though we did inform them. when they did cook we had hair in the meals sour milk for the coffee. i made the mistake of begging to be able to cook on site so i wouldn't starve seeing how they didn't want to. this kitchen was filthy cigarette butts in the shelves freezer broken with melted ice cream all over the bottom of it.not an eco hotel that is a bold face lie no recycle bins open air cabins with ac in every room to run all day. over all dilapidated and lack of care shows every thing i read made me very pleased with this choice but with the managers new found love he has stopped doing his job and it shows unfortunately it was during our stay more than just this went on but i think this is a fair cross section of events buyer be ware you will be on your own we where at this hotel all alone numerous times without staff or security"

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BookIt.com Verified Traveler Simon Fon from Toronto, Ontario

"My stay at El Sabanero Eco-Lodge

What can you say when you arrive at a place and get a cold drink handed to you, and a warm welcome? I don't know about anyone else, but I say " I think this is going to be a great place to stay....

El Sabanero went beyond my expectations. It is nestled up top of a hill, just outside of Tamarindo, on the North West coast of Costa Rica.

The place is magical! Rustic, romantic, peaceful, a place where you can really unwind and still be close to all the amazing beaches like Tamarindo, Playa Avellanas (and the famous bar LOLA'S, where the thin crust pizza, nachos and mango daiquiri's are off the hook), Playa Negra, Playa Grande, Playa Flamingo and Danta, just to name a few.

The atmosphere is casual and relaxed.

The lodge is extremely well kept. I know that there have been some reviews that have mentioned the lodge being a bit dilapidated, especially after the earthquake, BUT that is not the case as of our trip on February 24th, 2013. It is so relaxing, with wonderful views of the local plains and mountains. There is a huge common area where fresh local fruits are served in the mornings, along with coffee and toast. The pool is situated such so that you can fully see the valley, it has a massive deck.

The cabins are extremely cozy and romantic. Lot's of room, a small fridge, and an en suite bathroom. If you are looking for a get-away that is not necessarily the typical "resort... that is usually booked through the major travel companies then I highly recommend El Sabanero, in fact out of 5 stars I'm giving it a 6.
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