Tortuga Lodge

The Tortuga Lodge, featured in National Geographic’s Tours of a Lifetime, is situated on 50 acres of private land on Costa Rica’s northeast Caribbean coast, reflects the essence of Tortuguero’s slow moving-tropical rivers.

Tortuga Lodge Review

AdventureSmith Explorations’ Tortuga Lodge review includes a detailed description and photo gallery. Our adventure travel experts can help compare the Tortuga Lodge with other Costa Rica land adventure lodges. Choose the Tortuga Lodge for its tranquil, laid back atmosphere and privileged location along the Tortuguero River.

Sustainability at Tortuga Lodge

Tortuga Lodge is one of Costa Rica’s most environmentally conscious lodges. Its pool is designed to blend into the river environment and features an eco-friendly purification system that uses an undetectable amount of salt instead of chlorine. An energy conservation program saves an average of 50% of the overall electrical energy consumption at the lodge; electric outboard motors for all boats allow guests to enjoy the forest free of noise and fumes.

Common Areas at Tortuga Lodge

Walk the Tortuga Lodge Botanical Gardens, featuring palms, orchids, heliconias and Mountain Almond Trees, or simply relax by the pool at this harmonious nature lodge. The lodge offers a free, daily 6am walk with a Tortuguero Naturalist Guide. Spacious and spread out, the gardens in Tortuguero are “plantation style,” mimicking the banana plantation big houses that dotted the Caribbean Coast of old, or of plantations in the American South.

Dining at Tortuga Lodge

The Tortuga Lodge’s Green Turtle restaurant sits along the river and serves family-style meals of tasty local and original food. Special diets can often be accommodated by informing the server. Private dining in the garden may be pre-arranged. The bar serves up creative cocktails, like the Jigüiro, with fresh guava juice, rum, triple sec and squeezed lemon.

Accommodations at Tortuga Lodge

Rooms feature wrap-around porches with hammocks and rocking chairs for relaxation, and private baths complete with hot water showers. Guests can appreciate the sounds of the surrounding rainforest even more through the large screened windows, without the distractions of air conditioning or television. All rooms are spacious and feature free wireless internet, an in-room safe, coffee maker, ceiling fan, reading lamps and a hairdryer.

River View Penthouse Suite

The River View Penthouse Suite occupies an entire second floor with one king and one queen Bed closed off by gauze curtains; one twin bed can be added. This suite features a living room, two full baths, a forest-facing back porch with four rocking chairs and a river-facing front porch with two hammocks and four rocking chairs.

River View Downstairs Junior Suites

The two River View Downstairs Suites have a connecting door for optional shared space, each with one king and one full bed. These suites each feature a hammock, two wooden chairs and a small table in front of the room.

River View Upstairs Balcony Rooms

The 12 River view Upstairs Balcony Rooms have either one king bed (five rooms), two full beds (three rooms), one queen and one full bed (two rooms), or one queen and two single beds (two rooms). These rooms each feature a hammock, two wooden chairs and a small table in front of the room.

River View Downstairs Terrace Rooms

The 11 River View Downstairs Terrace Rooms have either one king bed (four rooms), two full beds (six rooms), one queen and one full bed (one room), or one king and one single bed (one room, which is also wheelchair accessible and has two baths). These rooms each feature a hammock, two wooden chairs and a small table in front of the room.