Rancho Humo Estancia

Staff delightful. Boat tour was amazing.

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.

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!

The hotel is run by a very helpful and friendly team. Kenneth in particular, was great. He took us on a wetland tour and the birding was outstanding. He is very knowledgeable, and could not have done more for us. Many large crocs too, but for us, the birds were worth visiting Costa Rica for. So many and such variety. Seeing Jabiru was the highlight. 26 of them!

Rancho Humo is a little challenging to get to (roads are a bit rough), but it is a wonderful spot in all respects. We had an amazing view from our balcony. The meals are really delicious and lovingly made. Most valuable to us were the beautiful grounds, and the tours available on them. Kenneth was our guide and was exemplary. He was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He seemed excited both to see the birds (and crocs) and to be able to share them with and point them out to us. The huge flocks of waterfowl were like something out of a dream. Kenneth offered us a bunch of his own extra time to make sure we were having a memorable experience. We also, through Humo, were able to book a river tour with another wonderful guide, on which we saw many, many crocodiles and a lot of birds and some monkeys. (This stood in marked contrast to a river tour in Tamarindo, which largely consisted of well-worn jokes and what seemed like a jaded guide). We strongly recommend not only staying at Estancia Rancho Humo, but taking advantage of their great tour offerings (you can see the options on their website). It was a bit expensive, but well worth it as a highlight of our trip to Costa Rica. And it was great even though Palo Verde Parque was closed. Don’t not come because of that - both the wetlands of Rancho Humo and the River tour show you a lot of what there is in Palo Verde.

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.