Essence Arenal Wellness Center

Immerse yourself in an authentic & raw Costa Rican experience. Essence Arenal is located in El Castillo, a small neighboring village to La Fortuna, directly on Lake Arenal, on top of the hills overlooking Arenal volcano. With 22 hectares of prime hilltop forested pristine land, with breathtaking views, we take pride in giving our guests an experience of a lifetime.

Your retreat includes three daily vegetarian meals at our on-site restaurant, with natural drinks and naturopathic teas depending on your detox needs. At Essence, we take pride in our farm-to-table kitchen. We encourage thoughtful, healthy meals that come from the earth. Essence Arenal Wellness Center features an organic, vegetarian, and vegan kitchen from conscious, locally sourced food that supports their dedication to the planet and your bodies. Chef Marvin prepares fantastic meals that are absolutely delicious, nutritious and balanced. Marvin has a deep enthusiasm for preparing foods. He prepares meals farm-to-table, finding creative ways to create using all the tropical delights that are available in Costa Rica from local farmers, and from our farm. We cater for a range of different dietary requirements and detox needs.

Arrival by public transport from San Jose Airport (SJO): By Bus: Take a taxi to the Terminal San Carlos in Alajuela (appox 2km). Currently there is no direct bus to La Fortuna. From the bus terminal San Carlos in Alajuela, take the bus to 'Ciudad Quesada'. Buses depart approx. every 2 hours. Get off at the last stop at the bus terminal in Ciudad Quesdada and take another bus to La Fortuna. From La Fortuna take a taxi to Essence Arenal. Shared shuttle service: Interbus offers a shuttle service to pick you up from the airport in San Jose (SJO) and bring you to the hotel for approx. $57pp. You will need to reserve the shuttle ahead of your journey at the Interbus website. Private taxi transfer: We can arrange a private transfer for you from the airport to the hotel for $120.