The hotel draws a mix of international tourists, and we saw many Chinese, Brits, and New Yorkers of various ages here during our visit. The restaurant, which shares the same building as the lobby, is popular with locals as well as guests, and seems constantly hopping with local ticos who want to give the daily gallo pinto a break and order a wood-oven pizza or spaghetti Bolognese. The rooms themselves are modest yellow duplexes standing in wavy lines up and down the small valley -- the feeling is of a small, enclosed community more reminiscent of a Florida suburb than a rainforest retreat. The buildings are centered around the pool area. 

The property is one of the better mid-range options in the area in terms of the quality of the accommodations, but it's a bit light on features compared to some similarly priced properties -- and there are no on-site natural hot springs, which many come to this region specifically to enjoy. It's best suited for shorter stays. Those seeking a destination property may want to consider the feature-packed, family-friendly Los Lagos, and those seeking a lusher rainforest setting may want to consider Hotel El Silencio del Camo or the more rustic Hotel Kokoro Arneal. Those visiting the area for a couple of days seeking a reasonably priced, contemporary property with quality food on-site should be satisfied here.

The hotel sits seemingly at the foot of the volcano, just off Rte. 142, which serves as the main road between La Fortuna and the dam, and sees the most traffic in the area. The hotel itself sits in a slight valley, with the pool and Standard Rooms at the bottom and the other rooms on the opposite slope with a better view of the peak. If you're looking to be surrounded by rainforest, this isn't the place to go -- it's more like a tiny suburb, and the closest you'll get to wilderness is the short trail that rings one end of the property and ends up near the volleyball court in back. The location is convenient for tourists who want to stay out of the tourist crowds of La Fortuna but want to be within easy driving distance of the national park and dam in the other direction. It's about a 10-minute drive to La Fortuna and a 20-minute drive to the national park.

Though the yellow duplexes housing the rooms all look the same, there are a few differences between room categories. All rooms have white tile floors as well as modern white bedding with coral or orange bed runners and accent pillows, but The Standard Rooms are a bit more generic in style. They lack the local artwork and vaulted wood-beam ceilings found in the higher category rooms. They also have narrow saloon doors in the shower and toilet rooms, which don't help those parts of the rooms feel less claustrophobic.

Higher up the slope, higher-tier rooms have better views of the volcano, and fanciful touches such as wooden toucan and parrot statues. Suites have bit jetted tubs. Traffic noise from the main road was audible in some rooms closer to the lobby and restaurant.

Amenities in all rooms include air-conditioning, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, and safes. Most bathrooms have walk-in showers and all have hairdryers. 

Ristorante Que Rico, an Italian restaurant, offers a nice change of pace from other hotel restaurants in the area, which typically focus on local fare (gallo pinto can feel monotonous after a while). Breakfast is included in the rate, and includes hot items. 

The hotel boasts a rare feature for the area -- a level grass field that it bills as a volleyball/tennis court and occasional soccer pitch. The hotel takes pride in its green initiatives, including using solar panels to heat the water in the rooms.

The outdoor pool is plenty large for the size of the property and has a shallow sandy end for little ones, as well as an adjacent shallow kiddy pool. Swimmers and loungers can take in excellent volcano views. There's also a bit hot tub off to the side, just removed enough to allow more privacy. An outdoor shower is available. 

Wi-Fi is free throughout.