Tilajari Hotel Resort & Conference Center
Resort on the San Carlos River with a semi-Olympic pool, tennis courts and the Katira restaurant
About this stay
Tilajari trades the compact, in-town feel of most Ciudad Quesada hotels for open grounds along the San Carlos River, with several outdoor pools, sports courts and a butterfly garden spread across the property. The restaurant and bar sit close enough to the pools that a full day can pass without leaving the grounds, and a fitness centre and room service cover the rest. It reads more like a resort built for groups and conferences than a boutique stay, with the scale to match: long corridors, wide lawns, and a riverfront edge that gives the whole property a cooler, greener feel than the town centre a short drive away. The conference facilities mean the grounds can feel busier during event weekends, worth checking before booking a quiet family trip. Airport shuttle service and full-service laundry round out the practical side of a longer stay here.
- On the banks of the San Carlos River
- Semi-Olympic pool, jacuzzi and sauna
- Tennis courts and a gym
- Restaurant Katira with local produce, and the Río Lounge Bar
- Tours to Arenal hot springs, Peñas Blancas and Don Juan Farm
- 9.2 guest score from 1,775 reviews
Our take
Tilajari sits on the banks of the San Carlos River in the northern lowlands of the Arenal region, and it is laid out like a sports and family resort: a semi-Olympic pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, tennis courts and a gym, with Junior Suites and Junior Superior Suites as rooms. Restaurant Katira cooks with local produce, and the Río Lounge Bar covers evenings. The hotel runs tours to Arenal and its hot springs, the Peñas Blancas river safari, Don Juan Farm and a canopy line. I would book it for families and active travellers who want space and a long pool between day trips, not for a secluded rainforest lodge. Guests rate it 9.2 across 1,775 reviews.
- ✓Pack goggles: the semi-Olympic pool is long enough for proper laps, a rare luxury after a day in a tour van.
- ✓Ask the front desk to pair the Arenal and hot springs tour with a morning at Don Juan Farm, both on the hotel's own tour list.
- ✓Bring a racket: the resort has tennis courts, plus a gym and a sauna for the rainy afternoons of the green season.
Why we love it
- A butterfly garden built into the grounds
- Outdoor pools spread across a riverfront property
- Sports courts for active families
- Room to roam that in-town hotels lack
Why guests love itTilajari works best for families who want room to move between Arenal outings. The semi-Olympic pool and jacuzzi, the tennis courts, the gym and the sauna give teenagers and parents something to do on the property, the grounds include a butterfly garden, and the Junior Suites leave space for a family. Restaurant Katira cooks with local produce, which keeps dinner simple after a day out. The hotel books tours to the volcano and its hot springs, the Peñas Blancas river safari, a canopy line, a horse ride with a jungle walk and Don Juan Farm. It is a large resort that also hosts conferences, so do not expect a secluded rainforest mood. Guests rate it 9.2 from 1,775 reviews.