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La Selva Biological Station

3.0 star property

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Double Room, Garden View | Balcony
Food court
Double Room, Garden View | In-room safe, desk, free WiFi
Property grounds
Reception

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast included
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
$142
$126 nightly
$142 total
Total with taxes and fees
Mar 30 - Mar 31

Explore the area

View in a map
De Rancho Robertos 28 km carretera, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Horquetas, Las Horquetas, Heredia
  • Place, La Selva Biological Station
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Poás Volcano National Park
  • Place, Braulio Carrillo National Park
    ‪41 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Double Room, Garden View

Double Room, Garden View | In-room safe, desk, free WiFi

Double Room, Garden View

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(13 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 323 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed OR 2 Twin Beds

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About the neighborhood

Las Horquetas

With a stay at La Selva Biological Station in Las Horquetas (Barrio Flaminia), you'll be a 1-minute drive from La Selva Biological Station and 7 minutes from San Agustin Church. .This hotel is 5.6 mi (9.1 km) from Costa Rica Best Chocolate and 8.8 mi (14.2 km) from Mini Zoo and Jardin Yori.

What's nearby

  • La Selva Biological Station - 1 min walk - 0.0 miles
  • Tirimbina Rainforest Center - 23 min drive - 11.6 miles
  • Costa Rica Nature Pavilion - 24 min drive - 13.5 miles
  • Braulio Carrillo National Park - 41 min drive - 27.8 miles
  • Guapiles Central Park - 47 min drive - 33.1 miles

Restaurants

  • ‪Restaurante Típico La Carreta - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Yacare Bar - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Palmitour - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Restaurante Pizzeria La Terrazza - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Soda La Casita Típica - ‬8 min drive

About this property

La Selva Biological Station

La Selva Biological Station offers 8 accommodations with safes and ceiling fans. Rooms open to balconies. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is provided daily.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 8 guestrooms. Rooms have private balconies. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms with showers are provided.
Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access. Additional amenities at this hotel include concierge services, a banquet hall, and a vending machine. Getting to nearby attractions is a breeze with the area shuttle (surcharge).
Stop by the hotel's restaurant for lunch or dinner, or grab snacks at the coffee shop/cafe. A complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily from 6:30 AM to 8 AM.
Featured amenities include laundry facilities, a library, and a safe deposit box at the front desk. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 8 AM.
Onsite venue - This café specializes in local cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Area shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast available daily 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM
  • A coffee shop/cafe

Things to do

  • Library
  • Playground

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Playground

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No elevator (single-level property)
  • Well-lit path to entrance

More

  • 1 floor
  • 3 buildings
  • Banquet hall
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 8 AM; Check-in end time: 5 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:30 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8 AM - 5 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 72 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 120.00 per vehicle (one way)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Selva Biological Station Hotel Sarapiqui
Selva Biological Station Hotel
Selva Biological Station Sarapiqui
Selva Biological Station Hotel Las Horquetas
Selva Biological Station Las Horquetas
Selva Biological s Horquetas
Selva Biological Las Horquetas
La Selva Biological Station Hotel
La Selva Biological Station Las Horquetas
La Selva Biological Station Hotel Las Horquetas

La Selva Biological Station Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 64 out of 103 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 31 out of 103 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 103 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 103 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 103 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

7.8/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Barry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
This was our 2nd stay at La Selva, the first being 20+ years ago. It is a biological research station that hosts tourists to help pay for the work, not a fancy hotel. Meals are cafeteria-style. But if you are up for that, it's a wonderful place to stay and see nature. Guides are great, fellow guests are there for the same reason, there are no crowds. Rooms are clean and comfortable. And your tourist $$ are helping to support science. But if you are using Google Maps to get here, search for "OET," NOT La Selva Biological Station - that one takes you to a gate with a sign warning of a dangerous dog, several km away, though the residents were nice and helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dan

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Gillie

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
It was all very good. Staff helpful. Food ok.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Highly recommend for anybody interested in nature.

I loved my stay at La Selva and ended up extended it by an extra day. You feel fully immersed in wildlife and free to explore. A memorable moment was being on the hanging bridge in the dark with bats flying everywhere, my torch picked out the eyes of a caiman in the river and a great potoo flew overheard and along the river. Breathtaking!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Catherine

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Come here for the wildlife and the birds, they are incredible. The food is good, and the facilities are more than adequate.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is not a typical hotel or cabin stay. If you want luxury, keep looking. The food and accommodations are quite basic but serve the purpose. The real bonus about staying here is the great access to being very close to the nature of Costa Rica. The purpose of my trip was birding, so please be advised that I speak from this perspective, and fancy accommodations and other excursions were not important to me during this stay. You can do some great birding right around the cabin houses and have an easy stroll to the reception area. There are many kms of marked trails and I’ve probably walked 10 (km) of them in my two stays, and have very rarely run into other people other than near the researchers’ compound. If you stay on site there is a 2-3 hr nature tour with a knowledgeable guide which is good. Morning birding and night tours can be arranged as well. I hope to return one day.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

catherine

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The forest and the wildlife are the reason for staying here so in that respect this place gets 10 out of 10. We did a birding tour and a night walk and took advantage of the free nature walk. The latter was conducted by Joel and I strongly encourage people not to pass on this even though they may have other tours booked. It was absolutely superb and held our interest for every minute of the 3 hours. The accommodation is simple. The beds were a little hard and the pillows win the prize for the worst in the world but the bed linen was clean and fresh and the fans were effective so overall we slept well. The bathroom was clean and well lit and the shower was probably the best we encountered throughout CR, even in some expensive places. The wifi worked well in the rooms and there was a pleasant balcony at the back of the cabin to sit and watch the birds. Laundry is cheap and efficient and there is a bag in the room for this purpose. Food was served in the canteen and was buffet style. It was pretty much the same every day and I think it was a bit over-priced for what we got. We had a car however so we ate in town for 2 of our 3 nights there. Breakfast was ample and there was free coffee and water all day. There are many trails here that you can follow without a guide and the beauty of being a resident means you have free access to them whenever you want. All the staff here were excellent. We would certainly return but might consider bringing our own pillows next time!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
True and non-comercialized Costa Rican nature. A wonderful place to experience native flora and fauna.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary Ann

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
Staying at La Selva was a unique experience. The accommodations are very rustic, which fits a research station. The highlight was the 3-hour guided tour that was included in the stay. A great experience for nature lovers.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
An outstanding research and educational center. It was a privilege to stay onsite and enjoy an example of Costa Rica’s stellar conservation example
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

Gordon

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent birdwatching and a great vibe with plenty of young people enjoying nature. The only problem was Google Maps kept directing us in the wrong direction down tiny little country lanes. This led to severe frustration because we wasted our limited time before even arriving.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Roger

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort

It’s about the wildlife not the accommodation

The accommodation is basic . It’s designed as shared student rooms . While the food too is fairly basic - served in student canteen fashion - it is perfectly edible and satisfying. But you don’t come here for either . You come to be close to the biological reserve and the wonderful birds and wildlife . So you can be up at dawn to catch the chorus and do the night walk after dark with the knowledgeable guides
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely place to stay for those interested in wild life and nature. Accommodation is basic but that’s not what you come here for. Maps of trails could do with being better
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Youjie

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Cathy

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was an amazing area for birding, either on a tour or just sitting on the patio. Staff was very accommodating and especially helpful when constant rains caused flooding in the river. Our living quarters were roomy although beds were quite firm. The property is several miles from Puerto Viejo, the nearest town so transportation is a little difficult without a car (but taxis are available). All roads n all, our stay here was great!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Ann

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Peacefulness. Birdlife.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Neil, Westminster

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a unique place of natural wonders and that makes it difficult to review or compare to other accommodations. This is not your regular hotel with a/c, maid service, restaurant and bar. No, this is a cabin with resident gecko and without a/c. If you eat on site, the meals are cafeteria style, good and hearty. In return, you wake to the sound of Howler Monkeys, toucans and macaws. You walk from your cabin into the forest and you are immersed in the natural world. We love this place. It was our second visit and we will return.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024