We have been running Poas Lodge for 3 years and are very happy with the results so far. We have made many big changes to make Poas Lodge comfortable and welcoming for our guests.

Recently we have made some more changes, some you can see and some not so obvious. Every building needs maintenance and we have done some much needed work to our signage to keep it from making a noise when it is windy.

We have lengthened the chimney on our fireplace to stop smoke entering the building when it is windy outside. We have also removed some old and ugly gates and had some fun organic design gates made to replace them.

Our kitchen has undergone alot of changes to make work more efficient to deliver those delicious meals on time! We have made the kitchen bigger, added a much needed dish washing area and added an energy efficient dishwasher and gas water heater. We also added a professional grade ice maker to ensure we loooots of ice for cocktails!

Until recently room 1 was our budget choice, but we have listened to our guests and anticipated their needs by replacing the double bed with a new queen bed and added a 32 inch flat screen TV with satellite. We have also upgraded some of older the curtains in the rooms with thick new curtains that block out light. Just for that added bit of comfort.

We love hosting guests at Poas lodge and want every one to be comfortable and happy, come and see for yourself!

During the rainy season in Costa Rica there is alot of fun to be had. Be it enjoying the volcano or visiting the local artisans, don't let the rain stop you from making the most of your vacation.

At Poas Lodge our log fire is lit and warming the lounge area ready for you to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and some well deserved family time or maybe you prefer to pass a lazy afternoon in your cosy room watching movies or surfing the net. Yes all our room have satellite TV and free hi speed wi-fi access!

The Poás Volcano, in Spanish Volcán Poás, is an active stratovolcano in central Costa Rica. Poás has erupted 39 times since 1828.There are two crater lakes near its summit. The northern lake is known as the Laguna Caliente and it is located at the height of 2,300 m in approximately 1.7 km wide and 290 – 300 m deep crater.

At Poas Lodge we recently remodelled our reception and it is looking great. By knocking out a few walls and building a few new ones we were able to make a dramatic change to the facade of the lodge and we also created a bright, welcoming reception area.

The previous entrance which was a big unused area has been revamped as our new bar and lounge area. By moving the bar into this area we were able to include the existing lounge area at the fireplace to create a larger lounge area and bar.

We are very pleased with the result so far, although it needs more work in the coming week.

We are sure our guests are going to enjoy having cocktails in a calm atmosphere at Poas Lodge while overlooking the city lights.

Salud!

If you have 10 days to enjoy on vacation in Costa Rica, here is an itinerary we think gives you a good cross section of areas without spending too much time travelling from place to place.

Day 1: Arrive in Costa Rica at SJO airport in Alajuela. Pick up rental car and head towards Poas Volcano. (If you arrice early enough, stop at Doka Estate for an hour long coffee tour) Make your way to Poas Lodge for check in. Relax.

The Poas Volcano area has many attractions and cool places to visit. Of course the most important is the actual park. Poas Volcano National Park is only 30 kilometres (20 miles) from SJO airport in Alajuela and therefore an excellent first night's stop on your Cost Rican vacation.

When you visit the Poas Volcano area, you have many options for exploring and enjoying the cool mountain climate. Poas Volcano is elusive and it is important to arrive at the park early to avoid the clouds and the crowds. Being the most visited park in the country means there can be thousands of people in the park per day. However if you are the park at 8am when it opens, you will likely have the entire place to yourself. Most of the big tour busses only start to arrive after 10am.

A great second stop for the day is La Paz Waterfall gardens, just 10 miles from Poas, it is easily accessible and well worth the entrance fee of $35. Allow yourself 2 to 3 hours to see all the park has to offer. Again, an early start at the volcano means an early arrival at La Paz and will allow you to be ahead of the tour busses.

If you feel you would like to have a full day and are energetic enough to fit in a coffee tour, then Doka Coffee Plantation is the next stop. Just 25 minutes from Poas Lodge, Doka offers several tours a day and at just an hour long, it is informative and keeps you interested. Doka is one of the countires biggest coffee plantations and has excellent quality coffee on offer. Coffee makes a great gift for the folks back home.

When planning your vacation in Costa Rica, consider Poas Volcano for your first night in the country. The area offers excellent accommodation at Poas Lodge, wonderfull views, great attractions and a good alternative to spending your first night in the city.

This is just a quick thank you to all our recent guests who stayed here at Poas Lodge while we upgraded our entrance.

We have a finally come to the end of all the dust and noise and our new entrance is looking amazing! We thank you for all your patience during the construction.

Poas Lodge just gets better and better and it is thanks to all the support we have been getting from our guests over the past 2 years.

For those travelling to Costa Rica for the first it can be a bit daunting, especially if you have been talking to people who have been here and you have been overloaded with information, stories, 'must-do's' and cautions.