Rancho Humo Estancia

Rancho Humo is a little challenging to get to (roads are a bit rough), but it is a wonderful spot in all respects. We had an amazing view from our balcony. The meals are really delicious and lovingly made. Most valuable to us were the beautiful grounds, and the tours available on them. Kenneth was our guide and was exemplary. He was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He seemed excited both to see the birds (and crocs) and to be able to share them with and point them out to us. The huge flocks of waterfowl were like something out of a dream. Kenneth offered us a bunch of his own extra time to make sure we were having a memorable experience. We also, through Humo, were able to book a river tour with another wonderful guide, on which we saw many, many crocodiles and a lot of birds and some monkeys. (This stood in marked contrast to a river tour in Tamarindo, which largely consisted of well-worn jokes and what seemed like a jaded guide). We strongly recommend not only staying at Estancia Rancho Humo, but taking advantage of their great tour offerings (you can see the options on their website). It was a bit expensive, but well worth it as a highlight of our trip to Costa Rica. And it was great even though Palo Verde Parque was closed. Don’t not come because of that - both the wetlands of Rancho Humo and the River tour show you a lot of what there is in Palo Verde.

Good Fortune lead us to this property. One must be “committed” to getting to this Resort. The last 30 minutes drive from Nicoya is hard to negotiate with all of the potholes. We found the trip to be worthwhile upon arrival. Our room had the most Unbelievably Beautiful View of the nearby valleys and Mountains. Absolutely gorgeous. The room was very clean and well appointed as the King Bed was squarely in front of the picture perfect glass doors to the balcony that overlooked the property. This resort is a working Ranch complete with Steer and Hogs. A river is nearby for water excursions and we took a nice long walk around the grounds. The staff are VERY pleasant and professional. Every need is cared for by these attentive people. A Wonderful stay at a Top and mostly Hidden Property in Costa Rica.

We knew this was a little out of the way but it certainly wasnt what we had expected. We found it quite easily and the 'road' to the area was a little better than some of the other tracks we had been on. However there is nothing else in this area apart from small villages. It is a perfect spot if you want an out of the way break. The patio/pool area is lovely, we sat out when we arrived and a troop of howler monkeys came right upto the tree in front of us. There were iguanas on the roof and Mot Mot birds on the bush. It was amazing. We used the pool a few times and it was great. Towels were provided. Our rooms were spectacular , huge, well air conditioned, comfy with super bathrooms. We could have done with a kettle in the room, but the staff were happy to give you coffee at any time The whole hotel is very well equipped. Kenneth looked after us and really couldnt have done more. He organised our trips which were great fun. We managed to fit in a great boat trip on the river, a sunset viewing trip (where we got soaked by the first rains of the year!) and a morning bird watching walk. He even showed us his village and local lake. He was always on hand. Things we werent aware of : firstly , as its so far out, you really have to eat here. We loved all the food and they did very well with our dietary needs (milk allergy) , but the choice seemed to be limited to one item. Secondly, there werent many guests, in fact on the last night we were the only guests and we were in the hotel on our own. (we had to switch the lights and aircon off) Other things to watch out for are the mosquitos. (the early morning bird spotting walk in particular) This hotel is a little out of the ordinary but we absolutely loved it .

My wife and I spent a very enjoyable 3 days here in Feb. 2024. The lodge is beautiful, located within a working ranch and large private natural area. Our room was clean and comfortable. Although it was quite hot and dry, we enjoyed nature activities in the morning and evening, and lounging by the pool in the afternoon. Our favorite activities were birdwatching on our own or with guide Santos Molina. He was excellent - very knowledgeable and attentive to our interests. The birds were awesome! The staff were all competent and helpful. The food was delicious but options were limited. At check-in, I mentioned that I am lactose-intolerant, and they were very careful to not include dairy in my meals. I really appreciated that. We have only a couple suggestions for improvement: 1) have written materials for guests, such as a map, menu and price list for excursions; 2) do a better job of picking up litter.

This place could be 5 star but it needs some work. We were the only guests here, the *********** website shows the hotel to be full! Our rooms were fantastic, lovely bathrooms. We were greeted by Kenneth, lovely pleasant young man, in fact he made our short stay enjoyable. He's very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and couldn't be more helpful. The vehicle used for trips out is on its last legs and incredibly smelly and noisy. But we did see a lot of things. We did the boat trip and that was well worth it, Danilo the captain spotted so many animals and birds, oh and some very large crocodiles! Now to the food, there is no menu so make sure when you arrive you clearly specify what foods you don't like. There also was no wine when we stayed so you might want to stock up on drinks and snacks before you get here. The food is limited and once or twice it wasn't great but generally it's ok. The staff are very friendly but they nor the "manager" (who we only saw at checkout) speak English so a little Spanish would be helpful. So for us 2 nights was enough mainly because there was no atmosphere and I didn't really want to go to bed at 8.30!

If you want to experience the true Costa Rica blue zone way of life…. This fantastic boutique hotel is for you! So, you are out in the wilds but that’s the idea. The last 6 miles drive is on local unmade roads, well worth a few bumps. On arrival we were greeted by Keneth, our host for the weekend. Keneth is a mine of local information and local wildlife expert. He was our guide for the evening wet lands tour. ( an adventure in our rental car). So many birds this time of year. We also did the river tour the next morning. We were in the jungle! Again, so many birds, crocodiles, iguanas. Another must do. Kenya is the hotel chef. What fantastic, simple, tasty food. We wanted all her recipes 😂. And it’s a working dairy farm. Didn’t get to milk the cow’s though. This place is a must do in Costa Rica.