Arenal Backpackers Resort

La Fortuna · Costa Rica

Arenal Backpackers Resort

HostelPunk Score
28% SHIT
High confidence 299 reviews
No bed bug reports in 299 analyzed reviews

Tags

Facilities

🏊 Swimming Pool 🅿️ Parking 🅿️ Paid Parking 🌿 Garden
Other facilities (31)
Bicycle Parking Airport Transfers Luggage Storage Fax Service Tours/Travel Desk Shuttle Bus Housekeeping Reception (Limited Hours) Internet Access Book Exchange Cable TV Pool Table Wi-Fi Linen Included Air Conditioning Towels Included Towels Not Included Charging Plugs Towels For Hire Security Lockers Key Card Access 24 Hour Security Safe Deposit Box Fire Extinguishers Hot Showers Common Room Free WiFi Free Internet Access Free Luggage Storage Flexible NRR Panoramic Views

Prices

Dorms $17 / night
Privates $55 / night

HW prices from today

Worst reviews

India MALE 31-40 Apr 2, 2026 2.0/10

We booked an outdoor tent at this property. However, the whole tent was covered in black mold and was full of heavy humid air. We complained to the management and asked them to move us to another accommodation, but they denied. Apart from that the vibe of the place is nice. But staying in a black mold covered room is super bad for your health

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Peru MIXEDGROUP 25-30 Feb 28, 2026 2.0/10

The hostel was not terrible but we did not feel like the staff was welcoming, they wanted to charge us more for activities that were cheaper outside of the hostel, the tents were next to a rooftop bar that was extremely loud. There is a deposit and a fee for parking. Drinks were ridiculously expensive.

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Canada FEMALE 18-24 Feb 20, 2026 2.0/10

It’s a nice property with good location but the staff were absolutely horrible. Not a single nice one. Felt so uncomfortable to be there. It’s almost as if they went out of their ways to be aholes. They advertised as a social hostel but there was no one there. So many rules that didn’t make sense. There were other hostels we visited to actually socialize that were just down the road - wasted our time here I would recommend those other ones.

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Italy MALE 25-30 Oct 11, 2025 2.0/10

Pretty disappointing experience. The resort itself isn’t bad, the pool is nice and the hot tub is great, but I stayed in one of the tents outside, and it’s just not worth it. The idea is cool, but the price is way too high for that kind of accommodation. You basically pay as much as for a private room, but it’s definitely not one. The worst part was the noise. There was some kind of club right next to my tent that stayed open late (on Saturday it went until 1 a.m.), making it impossible ...

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USA MALE 18-24 Feb 15, 2025 2.0/10

terrible! does not seem safe. the portable bedrooms only lock on the outside, they put you far from the others. not a hostel! the reception is very rude and will take what they can. save yourself the stress and go with something else. very dismissive about any requests oe accommodations. do not book, especially the cylinder beds. feels like a shipping container and only locks from the outside. not good, i found a new hostel as soon as i got there and they took the money for my whole reservation

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Canada FEMALE 25-30 Feb 6, 2025 2.0/10

There was a construction the entire time we were there. There was noise from the construction all day so you can't hang out in the hostel if you have a downtime during the day. It would've been nice to know ahead of time. The staff is not really very helpful. They are very dismissive on request from guests. It was an okay stay, there are a lot better place to stay at in the area.

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Egypt FEMALE 25-30 Jan 19, 2025 2.0/10

It was our first time in costa rica we came and didn’t find any help from the staff, they were so rude and they didnt allow us to check in early even though we could see a clean tent ready, which ruined our day and we only had 2 days in la fortuna as we didnt get any sleep and didnt have a place to change. They weren’t nice when asking them for a tour and were even rude when i politely asked for things. Also, in the tent things kept falling below the ground of the tent not to be found.

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Germany FEMALE 25-30 Dec 30, 2024 2.0/10

Das hat nichts mit einem Hostel zu tun: keine Küche, kein Toaster, kein Wasserkocher, unmotivierte Crew, verschimmelte und unfassbar kleine Fässer, keine Möglichkeit irgendwo etwas trocken aufzuhängen. die Stimmung ist nicht die, die man aus Backpacker Hostel kennt. Sehr schade für das Geld, wir sind einen Tag früher abgereist.

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USA MALE 25-30 Dec 20, 2024 2.0/10

Manager is very mean and they don’t do any activities and was locked out of our room.

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Canada FEMALE 18-24 Dec 12, 2024 2.0/10

I was really underwhelmed and let down by this hostel. It did not look like it’s pictures (seems like they got rid of a lot of things and haven’t updated their listing), and the staff were incredibly rude and unfriendly. They call themselves a backpackers ‘resort’, but I’ve honestly had better experiences at most budget hostels I’ve stayed at in cheaper cities. The only plus of this hostel is that there was ac and hot water.

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Recent reviews

USA FEMALE 25-30 Apr 25, 2026 Atm 100%

one of the best hostels ive ever stayed in - the rooms were big and really clean, the staff was so nice and helpful, and the people i met were great. wish i had more time to stay.

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Canada COUPLE 31-40 Apr 13, 2026 Atm 60%

Stayed in the tubes in the garden. They were cute and the ac was fantastic. The only thing that could improve the space is having collapsing hooks on the wall/ceiling. Also maybe some ventilation as it can get smelling musty in there, which makes sense with the humidity. Showers were good and warm. Taylor swift was on blast for hours though, that was awful hahhaah

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Germany FEMALE 25-30 Apr 12, 2026 Atm 80%

A lot of groups stayed there but I still felt included as a solo traveler. No kitchen and no restaurant or breakfast to get some food. But there are lots of restaurant in the area. Good location also.

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India MALE 31-40 Apr 2, 2026 Atm 80%

We booked an outdoor tent at this property. However, the whole tent was covered in black mold and was full of heavy humid air. We complained to the management and asked them to move us to another accommodation, but they denied. Apart from that the vibe of the place is nice. But staying in a black mold covered room is super bad for your health

via Hostelworld
USA FEMALE 25-30 Mar 28, 2026 Atm 100%

Looks just like the pictures! Great location to the town you can walk into. Very helpful with planning activities and transportation. Plan to eat a Restaurante Fortuneño btw amazing food!

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USA ALLMALEGROUP 18-24 Mar 23, 2026 Atm 20%

It was horrible, the cylinders are way too small and infeasible to live in and store anything

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USA MALE 25-30 Mar 18, 2026 Atm 60%

The pool, hot tub, and central location were great, and the bar had decent $3 Imperials. Showers were hit or miss with warm water, my tent had mosquitoes, and a nightclub across the street was loud at night. No kitchen, strict no outside drink rules, and no outside guests allowed ever. Lots of kids and families staying when I was there, not sure if that’s common but it felt more like a hotel than hostel. It wasn’t terrible, but knowing these things I probably would have stayed somewhere e...

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Canada COUPLE 18-24 Mar 17, 2026 Atm 20%

It’s clean and very pretty. The location is nice if you want to stay downtown La Fortuna, but it’s near nothing. The shuttles are expensive if you want to get around. The is no common kitchen so you need to be prepared to spend money on restaurant. It’s more or a family hotel than a backpacker hostel so there is no social experience at all. The pool is nice. The staff was nice when we needed to book some tours or ask recommendations.

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England FEMALE 25-30 Mar 13, 2026 Atm 80%

Great hostel in a very good location with really kind and helpful staff. We also enjoyed the nice pool area for relaxing. The room was a bit small for the price, and a tour recommended by the hostel wasn’t great. There’s no restaurant on-site, so breakfast isn’t included, but overall we had a very enjoyable stay. 🙂

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Germany FEMALE 25-30 Mar 13, 2026 Atm 100%

top place to stay for solo travelers!

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England MALE 31-40 Mar 11, 2026 Atm 60%

This is a nice hostel, beautiful pool area and bar. I’ve never seen so many rules in one hostel but the staff were friendly enough in my opinion

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Peru MIXEDGROUP 25-30 Feb 28, 2026 Atm 20%

The hostel was not terrible but we did not feel like the staff was welcoming, they wanted to charge us more for activities that were cheaper outside of the hostel, the tents were next to a rooftop bar that was extremely loud. There is a deposit and a fee for parking. Drinks were ridiculously expensive.

via Hostelworld
Canada FEMALE 31-40 Feb 23, 2026 Atm 80%

C'est trop cher pour ce que cela a offrir. C'est un beau "resort", mais ce n'est pas un bon "Hostel". Pas de cuisine, le café à 5$US, pas possible de faire séchez ses trucs... en contrepartie, le jacuzzi est propre et le bar sert de bons drinks. Il faut donc faire le choix en fonction de ce que vous recherchez!

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Canada FEMALE 18-24 Feb 20, 2026 Atm 20%

It’s a nice property with good location but the staff were absolutely horrible. Not a single nice one. Felt so uncomfortable to be there. It’s almost as if they went out of their ways to be aholes. They advertised as a social hostel but there was no one there. So many rules that didn’t make sense. There were other hostels we visited to actually socialize that were just down the road - wasted our time here I would recommend those other ones.

via Hostelworld
Canada MALE 31-40 Feb 16, 2026 Atm 80%

A good hostel to relax at. Location is perfect. We booked a private (the barrels) which unfortunately has very little room (the only downfall we experienced). There is no kitchen but there is a fridge. You are allowed to bring some snacks which is good. This is however far from a social hostel.

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Canada COUPLE 25-30 Feb 11, 2026 Atm 100%

Amazing hostel! Definitely a “backpackers vibe”, the hot tub was perfect for rainy days. We stayed in the pods which are definitely tight but great experience overall. I’d recommend they add shelves or hooks for more storage but regardless had an amazing stay.

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Australia COUPLE 25-30 Feb 9, 2026 Atm 100%

The jacuzzi and the happy hour made the hostel really social, especially while it was raining. The pod rooms are not practical for two people and their belongings, especially when it was raining. Would not recommend booking them.

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Canada FEMALE 25-30 Feb 7, 2026 Atm 100%

L’endroit était très propre et calme. Près de tout et avec des employés vraiment géniaux😎!

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England MALE 25-30 Jan 24, 2026 Atm 20%

cockroaches woke me up in the night eating my belongings. I had to move accomodation. Lovely staff but sadly awful time there, not for me.

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USA MALE 25-30 Jan 22, 2026 Atm 100%

Great place to stay, great vibes. Very friendly and helpful staff who speak pretty clear English and are easy to understand. Only downside is the parking situation. We parked in their lot for the paid price and the next morning nobody was in the security control box at the arm gate to let us out… Be careful if you need to leave early the next morning and you have a rental car. The hostel is not responsible for the arm gate nor responsible for making sure someone is there to open that one.