We know our lodge is amazing but don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our guests have to say about their stay at Southern Drake Lodge, take a look at our reviews.
Verified Probablemente uno de los mejores alojamientos en los que me he hospedado.Joe y Sue nos hicieron sentir muy cómodos, Ellie, la chef es divertida y tiene una mano excepcional para la cocina, Kairo mantiene el jardín bellísimo, y el resto del equipo hacen que sea un sitio de ensueño.El entorno de Drake/Corcovado es espectscular, lleno de animales y vegetación, bastantes actividades incluso en temporada baja. De verdad que es una joya.Verified Joe and Sue were amazing hosts! We arrived in the evening and immediately had an activity plannend early next morning. But breakfast was already prepared and was waiting for us in the fridge so we didn’t have to go with an empty stomach. They proactively arranged the taxis for us, another thing we didn’t not have to worry about.Joe and Sue are very lovely people with an amazing property and location. In the morning we did activities and in the afternoon we enjoyed the large swimming pool.Also a big shoutout to Ellie, she is the cook who made amazing 3 course dinners every evening for us. Definitely recommend this place!Verified Un grand merci à Susannah et Joe pour leur accueil, leur service et leur disponibilité.Nous avons été enchanté par le cadre, une nature luxuriante grandement mise en valeur grâce au domaine.Tout est beau et bien pensé pour que vous vous sentiez comme à la maison, le tout plongé au coeur de la nature et des animaux.La cuisine est excellente grâce à la magie d’Eli, qui a su nous concocter des plats très savoureux.Le petit déjeuner est également très bon et très copieux, merci Joe !Susannah est au petit soin pour vous rendre le séjour le plus agréable possible.Le cadre est idyllique : la piscine, les plantes, le bar, la décoration .. le tout avec vue !C’est avec certitude que nous reviendrons séjourner ici.Verified Our stay at Southern Drake Lodge was the highlight of our first trip to Costa Rica. Joe and Susannah are incredible hosts. No detail is missed—food is delicious, they had everything prepared to make us feel welcome including helping us to organize tours and outings. They even arranged for a cake surprise for my birthday. Honestly we didn’t want to leave! The property itself is beautifully and thoughtfully designed with native plants and animals all around. If you are headed to Drake Bay, this is the place to stay!Verified This was the last stop of our trip and I don’t think we could have stayed at a better place. Sue and Joe were so helpful and welcoming to their lodge. The place was so beautiful, the pictures don’t even do it justice. I’m so glad we stayed here, it was the perfect place to visit for our goodbye to Costa Rica.Verified Elsa, Sue and Joe were fantastic. Best place we stayed in Costa Rica, the photos don’t do the stay justice. The travel by car wasn’t as bad as initially thought, so don’t be put off by this! The cabin was perfect. Utterly. No complaints.Verified Sue’s communication regarding the drive from San Jose to the last hour and a half of dirt roads left us full of anticipation! When we arrived the place was incredible views, the property and surrounding were all just amazing. Elsa greeted us and showed us around with such a warm welcome. Joe and my husband hit it off as they love to talk (especially about the construction of the property). We can’t forget to mention the entertainment from Bob, Rio and Gala. We just wish we got up when Bob was letting us know there was a tapir knocking down a banana tree! We can’t say enough about this trip and how amazing it was! Thank you Sue and Joe! I’m sure we will be back!Verified I loved my time in Southern Drake Lodge! I was travelling solo and felt really looked after. Joe and Sue’s place is awesome and they go above and beyond to create a great, relaxed atmosphere and camaraderie. The room and amenities are as described and more! Everything is very clean and well kept and one can see a lot of thought goes into details which made my stay just awesome.Verified Ein sehr schönes Airbnb, die Gastgeber sind super freundlich. Helfen dir immer wenn du was brauchst, geben dir super Ratschläge und organisieren vieles. Schade, dass wir nur ein paar Tage da waren. Man fühlt sich gleich wie zuhause. Danke an Susannah und Joe 🫶🏼Verified Stunningly beautiful setting, super comfortable cabin/apartments, and the perfect combination (for us) of privacy and common spaces.Load more
Verified Jungle luxury We had a wonderful 5 nights in the Ocean view apartment. Very high standard of accommodation and facilities. Sue and team couldn’t do enough for us. The host reassuringly knew all our trip timings and taxi pick-ups, and catered breakfast accordingly. Great birds and wildlife from the room balcony, including (very luckily) the final CR monkey species we failed to see in Corcovado NP, or elsewhere. Congrats Sue, some of the best hospitality we’ve had anywhere.Verified Modern, relaxing, amazing oasis! Perfect backdrop for your Drake Bay Osa Corcovado Adventure! We had a truly fantastic stay at Southern Drake Bay Lodge! From very first contact during trip planning Joe and Sue were incredibly helpful and responsive. Upon arrival gracious and amazing host. GORGEOUS property and their staff is friendly, helpful and on point. Took care of us fantastic! Super relaxed unpretentious place with incredible aesthetics and architecture. Its origin story is really pretty incredible. We are from the Washington State and we’re truly baking on this trip, it was soooo hot, so the pool and our suite with the private plunge pool were MUCH appreciated. We saw countless species of birds daily from the balcony with Toucans visiting every day. We also heard and saw Howler Monkeys multiple times right from our balcony. Drake Bay is a 15 minute walk downhill from the lodge and 25 minute walk back. We walked it many times. When walking was not an option a quick WhatsApp to Sue and she would call us a Taxi. She also arranged transportation/taxi pick up from the Sansa air stripe and back at end of trip. We squared up taxis and drinks at the end with her and there were zero surprises. Southern Drake Bay Lodge was the perfect backdrop for our Osa adventure and made the trip check all the key boxes for all the family members! Wildlife and wilderness in the park for me with a sirena overnight and hammock pool food drinks and good book on fantastic property to retreat to at end of the day for my son and husband.. Lastly, to throw it over the top, they did our laundry throughout stay, complimentary! This was not an insignificant win for us and we were so grateful! Lovely place! We will look no further on future trips to Drake Bay! Highly recommend!Verified Paradise in paradise Really enjoyed our stay with Sue and Joe. Hotel is stunning, the food is fantastic and the activities the hosts organize are all top-notch. The staff went above and beyond to organize a last-minute birthday cake for one of our party members. Would very highly recommend to anyone who makes it to Drake Bay.Verified Amazing experience Had an amazing week here, Joe and Sue who built the place have done an amazing job. The rooms are stunning and it’s possible to see a huge variety of wildlife just from the room window - we regularly saw toucans, iguanas and monkeys from the comfort of our bed. Joe and Sue take care of all the guests and all requirements are dealt with including transport to and from each activity and are extremely friendly and approachable people to relax with around the hotel during downtime with Rio and Bob the dogs being another wildlife highlight. Couldn’t have asked for anything better and will recommend this place if you are looking for a place to stay in Costa Rica - there is a reason it has won 2024 best hotel in all of the Americas ! Thanks for the experienceVerified Fabulous accommodation, location and hosts Superb stay at this amazing place. We stayed in the Ocean suite which has vast sliding doors which we left open day and night with fabulous views over a private infinity pool to the rainforest and Pacific ocean beyond. Joe and Sue the builders and owners, are very welcoming and keen to ensure that our stay went smoothly, very flexible with mealtimes to fit in with our excursions and sorting out any details. These have been our last few days in Costa Rica and this was the ideal place for it. Many thanks to Joe and Sue for a most memorable experience!Verified La mejor experiencia de hospedaje alimentos y bebidas cuando se visita el parque nacional Corcobado Llegamos a este hotel sin saber adonde iríamos a pasar la noche porque habíamos recibido una gran decepción con el Hotel que habíamos reservado. La ubicación es privilegiada, rodeado de bosque y biodiversidad con vistas al mar. La construcción es de la más alta calidad y tiene una distribución arquitectónica que satisface los gustos más exigentes. El nivel de detalle en la atención de los alimentos y bebidas es para un Hotel de cinco estrellas. Se descansa por el silencio de la noche y se despierta con el ruido de los monos aulladores. Cuando menos lo esperas un tapir atraviesa el riachuelo. aves exóticas adornan las ramas de los árboles siendo de los más hermosos el tucán de pico amarillo con blanco. El trato personalizado de los dueños hace de esta alternativa una extensión de la experiencia que podrías tener en tu mismo hogar . Podrías considerar el Hotel de Joe y de Susan como tu casa lejos de casa.Verified Luxurious lodge By a stroke of luck we had the place to ourselves for 4 days so had the full run of the place. Joe and Sue are very attentive and friendly hosts and even made valiant efforts to revive my phone which I got wet. This spot has wonderful views of the surrounds with lovely grounds and birds to enjoy too. The bar prices are very reasonable and the food is delicious and freshly prepared with every effort made to include local produce. The pool is one of the few we experienced in CR you could actually swim in!Verified All over the world It's simply fantastic! The whole complex is beautiful, very well maintained, and everything just fits perfectly! Sue and Joe are super nice, very accommodating and always up for a laugh. We felt completely at home. We have been to many lodges all over the world, but we have never experienced anything so impressive !!!Verified Fantastic, luxurious stay in the jungle! The accommodation is top notch, brilliantly designed with fantastic views that kept me looking at the wildlife for hours. Every thing needed for a comfortable stay was available inside the apartment and on the balcony. I particularly liked the rocking chairs and hammock. The food was fantastic and I was particularly impressed with the chef’s ability to cater for my dietary needs. The food was absolutely delicious and presentation was as good as I have seen anywhere in the world. Our primary aim for visiting Costa Rica was to sample the sea fishing, which exceeded our expectations. Everything that Joe had told us before our arrival was exactly as he said. Joe and Sue looked after us so well. Including lending us fishing tackle, organising transport, arranging additional trips and a wonderful laundry service. I hope to return to this paradise in the not too distant future.Verified Simply amazing It’s not possible to say enough good things about our stay here, we loved every second. The property has a beautiful jungle view within walking distance of the beach. Joe and Sue were incredible hosts (going above and beyond when we arrived unwell) Incredible food for breakfast and dinner every day! Always fresh and delicious Our rooms were cleaned every day and laundry was provided The hosts were so helpful in helping us arrange our time and activities. I’m so glad we extended our stay to 8 nights to truly enjoy everything drake bay and the property had to offer. Bob, Rio and gala 🐱🐶 were great company around the property. Thank you all for the most wonderful stay.Load more
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had an amazing week here, Joe and Sue who built the place have done an amazing job. The rooms are stunning and it’s possible to see a huge variety of wildlife just from the room window - we regularly saw toucans, iguanas and monkeys from the comfort of our bed. Joe and Sue take care of all the guests and all requirements are dealt with including transport to and from each activity and are extremely friendly and approachable people to relax with around the hotel during downtime with Rio and Bob the dogs being another wildlife highlight. Couldn’t have asked for anything better and will always recommend this place if you are looking for a place to stay in Costa Rica - there is a reason it has won 2024 best hotel in all of the Americas ! Thanks for the experienceTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Superb stay at this amazing place. We stayed in the Ocean suite which has vast sliding doors which we left open day and night with fabulous views over a private infinity pool to the rainforest and Pacific ocean beyond. Joe and Sue the builders and owners, are very welcoming and keen to ensure that our stay went smoothly, very flexible with mealtimes to fit in with our excursions and sorting out any details. These have been our last few days in Costa Rica and this was the ideal place for it. Many thanks to Joe and Sue for a most memorable experience!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Beautiful place, friendly and attentive owners and staff. Accommodations are excellent, food and drinks fresh and delicious. Wish we could have stayed longer.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Best hotel we’ve ever been to. The views, the food, the owners- everything was just perfect. :)Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. In 2 weeks we traveled around Costa Rica visiting different national parks, staying in different hotels. Southern Drake lodge was definitely the best place of all. Above all, the atmosphere of this place is created by the owners Joe and Sue, who make you feel at home, not like in a hotel. Beautiful views from the terrace, lots of fascinating birds and simply AMAZING food! I will definitely want to come back here for a longer period of time!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Beautiful hotel, amazing view, great service, owners are the nicest people, fishing is great, got 80 pound tunas, food is really good.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wow! From the moment we walked through the gate at Southern Drake Lodge, we knew it was a special gem! Right away we were greeted by owners Joe and Sue, and their two dogs Bob and Rio❤️. The grounds were lush with beautiful flowers. The architecture of the building inside and out was amazing! The meals prepared by Ellie were over the top delicious, and pieces of art! The rooms over looked the jungle of Drake Bay, with the sounds of birds and howler monkeys. It was tranquil, beautiful, and a piece of heaven. Our tours were easily set up and transportation was organized. The option to walk to town was wonderful too. Do not hesitate to book this place, it truly is a top notch gem! We miss you already Southern Drake Lodge!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My family had 10 days in a nourishing vacation at Southern Drake Lodge thanks to our hosts, Joe and Sue. They went out of their way to make us comfortable, answer questions, and offer a spectacular, comfortable and delicious experience in the jungle! Joe and Sue took great and loving care of us; the chefs they brought in were amazing, the rooms were beautiful, they arranged for taxis, got up early (4 am, early!) to fix us breakfast when we were heading out on adventures. Our experience could not have been better!!! We’re heading home with hearts full of gratitude for this very special time! Thank you!!!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It’s not possible to say enough good things about our stay here, we loved every second. The property has a beautiful jungle view within walking distance of the beach. Joe and Sue were incredible hosts (going above and beyond when we arrived unwell) Incredible food for breakfast and dinner every day! Always fresh and delicious Our rooms were cleaned every day and laundry was provided The hosts were so helpful in helping us arrange our time and activities. I’m so glad we extended our stay to 8 nights to truly enjoy everything drake bay and the property had to offer. Bob, Rio and gala 🐱🐶 were great company around the property. Thank you all for the most wonderful stay.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Welche Überraschung, diese außergewöhnliche und einzigartige Lodge an diesem Ort zu finden. Die außergewöhnliche Architektur besticht durch ihre offenen Seiten mit Blick auf das Meer und in die üppige grüne Vegetation. Man ist mit der Natur direkt verbunden, wird von den Rufen der Brüllaffen, Tukans und Aras geweckt. Etwas ganz besonderes ist der hervorragende Service – Joe und Susan kümmern sich mit viel Liebe um die Wünsche ihrer Gäste. Man ist eingebunden in das familiäre Umfeld und fühlt sich vom ersten Moment an wohl. Die ausgezeichnete Küche lässt keine Wünsche offen. Nach vier Tagen haben wir mit schweren Herzen Abschied genommen von dieser einmaligen Urlaubserfahrung. Sehr empfehlenswert!!!Load more
10Verified Absolutely wonderful!! ☺ Joe and Sue created a little paradise up on the hill above drake bay. A stunning view from any of the spacious and super clean rooms. AMAZING food from wonderful private Chef, Ellie. Funny stories and great hints for activities from lovely Joe and Sue. What else could you ask for?10Verified Beautifully designed and executed apartment with a breathtaking view and perfect service ☺ Everything was lovely - from the ocean-facing outside shower to the stiffness of the mattress. Breakfast and dinner were cosy, tasty meals prepared in the open kitchen. The apartment was cleaned to perfection every day and the owners were very friendly and helpful with any request. Waking up to the gorgeous view from the large windows and having a morning coffee with my feet in the private pool while looking at the forest and ocean, with toucans and parrots flying around, will remain a moment I will cherish forever.10Verified Geweldig verblijf bij hele lieve leuke mensen! ☺We hebben een geweldige tijd gehad bij Joe en Sue! Hele vriendelijke hosts die graag met je mee denken en samen met Elsa kun je tours boeken. Elke ochtend een heerlijk uitgebreid ontbijt en elke avond wordt er heerlijk gekookt door de chef! De verblijven zijn fantastisch. Wij verbleven in de Guesthouse, maar de andere verblijven zagen er ook geweldig uit! Je zit daar ook echt midden in de natuur, want wij waren de eerste die vanuit onze buitendouche een luiaard in de boom zagen klimmen. Ook zagen wij meerdere keren Toekans in de tuin. ☹We moesten daar weg, omdat onze vakantie bijna over was..9.0Verified Luxuriöses Gruppenappartment mit außergewöhnlichen Rundumsorglos-Service ☺Ein aussergewöhnliches Wohnkonzept mit sehr durchdachten Appartments. Das Rundumpaket mit Halbpension (inkl. Waschservice) ist absolute Spitze, wenn nicht nicht die herzlichen Eigentümer (Joe und Sue) abends kochen, gibt es eine weitere hervorragende Köchin. Die Gerichte waren absolute klasse und sehr abwechselnd (auf Lebensmittelwünsche wurde stets eingegangen). Die Zimmer sind extrem gut ausgestattet und äußerst bequem. ☹NichtsLoad more
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