Casa Corcovado is a remote, but well-tended, rainforest wildlife lodge set by the Pacific ocean on the Osa Peninsula in south-west Costa Rica. It has been a favourite of ours for many years and is well worth the extra effort required to reach it.
The lodge stands in its own 170 acre private reserve that continues into Corcovado national park, which protects the largest area of primary forest on the Pacific seaboard anywhere in the Americas.
Created by a naturalist with over 25 years of local experience, Casa Corcovado was designed to blend in well with its jungle surroundings. It is run on sustainable principles with minimal impact on its delicate natural environment.
The lodge stands on raised ground to take advantage of cooling breezes and giving awe-inspiring ocean views.
Accommodation is in bungalows set in gardens, nicely spaced from each other. They offer unpretentious comfort, with beautiful stained glass doors and handmade wooden shutters. Some offer discrete open-air showers for a wonderful natural experience.
There is a restaurant, a bar, a main swimming pool by the lodge and a secluded pool fed by spring water.
The journey to Casa Corcovado is an experience in itself. It is reached by motorboat, first through mangroves, then out on to the open sea, arriving at a beach for a wet landing on the shore below the lodge.
The Osa Peninsula receives a lot of rain at the height of the green season - so much that the lodge closes to visitors in September and re-opens in mid-November.
Things to do
Guests normally stay at Casa Corcovado on a package basis. Activities include hiking, bird watching, horse riding, scuba diving, sea kayaking, and a boat tour to Cano Island with snorkelling. Equipment such as binoculars are available to rent from the lodge - we can reserve these for you in advance.
Accommodation
Casa Corcovado has 6 deluxe bungalows tucked away with private gardens, with either one queen bed or a single bed draped with mosquito net, ceiling fan, private bathroom with hot water and a mini-bar.
Its 4 Junior suites have a screened porch, fold-out sofa bed, mini-bar, private bathroom, ceiling fans and hammocks. Each Junior suite is inter-connected with another one making them ideal for families.
Casa Corcovado's 4 honeymoon suites are more secluded with a queen bed draped with a mosquito net, overhead ceiling fan, pillowed benches, mini-bar, hammocks and private bathrooms with hot water. Perfect peace.
Food
Guests stay at Casa Corcovado on a full-board basis. The lodge's 'jungle' dining room offers a good selection of options, well-prepared (especially given the remoteness of the location) using fresh local ingredients.
Facilities
At the lodge there is a swimming pool, a more secluded natural spring-fed forest swimming pool, a bar, restaurant, lounge area and a gift shop.
Services
This is true nature. There is no wi-fi, internet, or tv. There is limited mobile phone signal at the lodge.
Childcare
Because of its remote location, Casa Corcovado would not suit every family, especially with lively young children, but teens with an interest in nature love it.