(2021) Springs Resort Hot Springs Review: La Fortuna Hot Springs Guide

Springs Resort Hot Springs location

The official address of the Springs Resort Hot Springs is 9 km oeste and 4 km norte del Parque Central (9 km west and 4 km north of the Central Park), La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica.

The Springs Resort Hot Springs is the furthest hot springs property from La Fortuna. It takes approximately 20 minutes to drive to the Springs Resort Hot Springs from downtown La Fortuna; approximately 12 minutes on the main road that skirts around the Arenal Volcano (Road 142) and another 8 minutes on the side road that leads to the resort. If arriving from the south/east (via downtown La Fortuna), the cutoff to the Springs Resort Hot Springs will be on your right (just after the hotel Arenal Paraiso and just before the hotel Montana de Fuego, both of which will be on your right). Turn onto the paved side road signed for the Springs Resort & Spa. The Springs Resort (and its on-site hot springs) sits along this road. The property’s gated entrance (which will be on your right) is impossible to miss.

Springs Resort Hot Springs map

Springs Resort Hot Springs hours

Though the Springs Resort Hot Springs hours are subject to change at anytime, the most recent operating hours we’ve recorded for the property’s main pools (called the Cascadas Calientes) are 8:00am to 10:00pm Monday through Sunday. The on-site, lagoon-like Los Perdidos Hot Springs are open from 10:00am to 10:00pm Monday through Sunday. The Monkey Slide (a waterslide that’s part of the Los Perdidos Hot Springs) is accessible from 12:30pm to 8:00pm Monday through Sunday. The hot springs at the Springs Resort’s on-site Club Rio Outdoor Center are accessible between 9:00am and 4:30pm Monday through Sunday.

Springs Resort Hot Springs price range

Though entrance fees to the Springs Resort Hot Springs are subject to change at anytime, the most recent prices we’ve recorded are $70 per person over the age of 3 (children ages 0-2 are free) for a hot springs pass without a meal included. Though it isn’t possible to add lunch or dinner to your hot springs pass if you purchase it through the Springs Resort directly, local companies and operators are authorized to sell Springs Resort Hot Springs passes with a meal included.

If you opt to purchase a hot springs pass from the Springs Resort directly (which does not include a meal), you’re welcome to purchase food and drinks at any of the resort’s on-site restaurants/bars during your visit. If you’re looking to save money, however, it’s best to purchase a Springs Resort Hot Springs pass that includes a meal (either lunch or dinner). Doing so will cost you less money overall than if you buy a hot springs pass without a meal included and later buy a meal a la carte while at the resort. To save the most money possible, request your day pass through our sister site, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., which provides a free discount for the Springs Resort Hot Springs pass that includes a meal (choose either lunch or dinner). The hot springs pass also includes a second, consecutive day of hot springs use at the resort for free. All passes (regardless of whether a meal is included) permit full-day access to the Springs Resort Hot Springs. For more information about our Springs Resort Hot Springs discounts, please see this page.

If you’re considering participating in tours/activities at the Springs Resort’s on-site Club Rio Outdoor Center (see the “Extra features and amenities you’ll find on-site at the Springs Resort Hot Springs” section below for details), know this: when you purchase the Springs Resort’s Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package, you will automatically receive access (i.e., a day pass) to the Springs Resort Hot Springs with your package purchase. This means that if two or more of Club Rio’s on-site tours/activities interest you, not only will you be able to experience some fun adventures during your trip, but you’ll be able to experience the Springs Resort Hot Springs too, and at no extra charge.

Though the cost of the Springs Resort’s Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package is subject to change at anytime, the most recent prices we’ve recorded are $119 per adult and $99 per child age 3-12 (children ages 0-2 are free). For the extra money (i.e., the difference in cost between the Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package and the Springs Resort Hot Springs day pass), the Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package adds your choice of two guided, on-site tours (see the “Extra features and amenities you’ll find on-site at the Springs Resort Hot Springs” section below for details) and lunch. Both options (the Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package and the Springs Resort Hot Springs pass) provide a full day of access to all of the pools and hot springs at the Springs Resort.

Are the Springs Resort Springs expensive?

On the spectrum of hot spring attractions you can visit in La Fortuna, the Springs Resort Hot Springs compete with the Tabacon Hot Springs as high-end options in terms of overall quality. For this reason, and compared to the prices you’ll see offered by other (lower-quality) hot springs attractions around Arenal, the costs associated with the Springs Resort Hot Springs’ passes are considered high.

Springs Resort Hot Springs reservations

Advance reservations are required for Springs Resort Hot Springs passes during the busiest times of year, including the Christmas/New Year holidays and Semana Santa (Easter), when several people (locals and foreigners alike) opt to visit hot springs. Though advance reservations are not required during the rest of the year, they are recommended, especially for visits during busy periods (mid-December to April and mid-June to mid-August). Though hot springs passes can be purchased directly from the Springs Resort, we recommend requesting your day pass (with lunch or dinner) through our sister site, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., in order to gain access to a free Springs Resort Hot Springs pass discount. For more information about our Springs Resort Hot Springs discounts, please see this page.

Advance reservations are required year-round for Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package reservations. Though Club Rio Multi-Adventure Packages can be purchased directly from the Springs Resort, we recommend requesting your package through our sister site, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., in order to gain access to a free Club Rio discount. For more information about our Club Rio discounts, please see this page.

Springs Resort Hot Springs size and design

The Springs Resort Hot Springs are the largest hot springs attraction in the Arenal area. The resort’s main building is a 5-story, open-air construction that provides a distant but panoramic view of the Arenal Volcano from every level. The entrance and reception area sit on the top level of the resort, which is flush with the access road and area surroundings. Other on-site facilities including restaurants, bars, and a spa fill the resort’s lower floors, which are built into the side of a mountain. The series of cold-water pools and hot springs that you’ll find on the main building’s lowest level (alongside the resort’s change rooms, lockers, and towel exchange desk) are known as the Cascadas Calientes. Some pools and hot springs in this area, which spans two tiers of land, have waterfalls, a view of the volcano, and access to a swim-up bar.

A short walk along a downward-sloped path from the Cascadas Calientes are the Los Perdidos Hot Springs, an area of the Springs Resort Hot Springs that’s nearly enclosed in dense vegetation. The pools and hot springs here resemble lagoons and twine around the property, creating several small, private-feeling soaking spots along the way.

The lower section of the Springs Resort & Spa’s mammoth property is where you’ll find the Club Rio Outdoor Center. Here, stationed along the bank of the Arenal River, you’ll find adventurists participating in a variety of tours and activities, another set of change rooms, another restaurant (the Rancho Club Rio Restaurant and Bar), and a whole new set of hot springs to enjoy. Similar to those you’ll find at the Los Perdidos Hot Springs, the hot springs at Club Rio are lagoon-like and shrouded by dense forest. Some overlook the river where you can watch on-site tubing tours take place. For more information about the Club Rio Outdoor Center, including the types of tours and activities you can experience there, please see our related blog post The Club Rio Outdoor Center.

The Club Rio Outdoor Center is an approximate 10-minute bus ride down steep mountainous terrain from the resort’s main building. Though it isn’t possible to make the 1.6-kilometer journey on foot, free round-trip transportation is provided by the resort to hotel guests and day pass visitors. The shuttle to the Club Rio Outdoor Center departs from a bus stop just outside of the resort’s reception. It typically runs every half hour between 8:45am and 3:45pm Monday through Sunday. A return service (from the Club Rio Outdoor Center to the resort’s reception) typically runs every half hour between 9:05am and 4:35pm Monday through Sunday.

Access to the hot springs in all 3 areas (i.e., the Cascadas Calientes, the Los Perdidos Hot Springs, and the Club Rio Outdoor Center) are included with the purchase of either the Springs Resort Hot Springs day pass or the Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package.

Springs Resort Hot Springs popularity

The Springs Resort Hot Springs are one of the most popular hot springs attractions in La Fortuna. Though the popularity of most La Fortuna hot springs properties fluctuates throughout the year (mid-December to April and mid-June to mid-August are typically the busiest periods), the Springs Resort Hot Springs receives visitors on the regular year-round. This is in part because the on-site hotel delivers a steady stream of bathers in the form of hotel guests. The resort’s on-site activity hub, the Club Rio Outdoor Center, draws other travelers to the property who eventually end up in the resort’s pools upon completion of their adventure tours. Fortunately, thanks to the resort’s size, design, and pool quantity, the Springs Resort Hot Springs rarely feel full.

Springs Resort Hot Springs pools and rivers

The cold-water pools and hot springs at the Springs Resort are made up of 25 pools that range in temperature between 28 and 40 degrees Celsius.

The Springs Resort’s main building is home to the Cascadas Calientes, a two-tier area of the resort with 11 pools (plus a Jacuzzi) that near bars, have volcano views, and are a quick, 2-minute walk from bathrooms, change rooms with lockers, and the resort’s towel exchange desk. Popular pools here include the “Laguna” and “Lower Laguna” pools, as well as the pool at the base of the waterfall called the “Cascada Grande” (Big Cascade). To soak in less popular pools near the resort’s main building, head to the “Burbujas” Jacuzzi-esque pool or the “Cascadas Calientes” pool. If you swim all the way around to the small waterfalls located by the Treetops Grill (an on-site restaurant), you’ll find one of the quietest and most unfrequented spaces in the resort.

At the secluded Los Perdidos Hot Springs, you’ll find 7 pools that vary in size, another a bar, a volcano lookout space adorned with lounge chairs, and a curvy, mountain waterslide (called the Monkey Slide) that can be run either with or without the resort’s free slide pads. Because the pools at the Los Perdidos Hot Springs are set back from the resort’s main building and sunken in the forest, they feel the most natural. They also tend to emit a more romantic vibe than the pools at the Cascadas Calientes.

At the Club Rio Outdoor Center, an additional 7 pools hide among the forest that edges the Arenal River. Most of the hot spring pools at Club Rio are small, with the exception of the “Formation Springs”, one of the biggest pools at the resort. Club Rio Outdoor Center tour participants form the majority of bathers you’ll find in these pools, though Springs Resort Hot Springs day pass visitors are welcome to enjoy them as well.

Nearly all of the hot springs across the resort’s 3 areas (i.e., the Cascadas Calientes, the Los Perdidos Hot Springs, and the Club Rio Outdoor Center) are decorated with grey/brown rocks built from concrete. Most have been stained yellow/orange by the volcanic minerals in the thermal water that tumbles over the rocks to create waterfalls. Giving the Springs Resort Hot Springs their natural feel, beauty, and “wow” factor are the immaculate gardens full of ornamental plants, ferns, tall grasses, heliconias, and flowers that accompany the pool areas’ rock constructions. Unlike a few other hot springs attractions in town, the Springs Resort does an excellent job at using these gardens to hide distractions (such as water tubes, cables, and garbage), helping the settings of their hot springs feel clean and luxurious.

Are the Springs Resort Hot Springs natural?

The Springs Resort Hot Springs are natural in the sense that the property’s mineral-rich thermal water comes from the area and is heated in part by the Arenal Volcano. The thermal-water is contained on-site in man-made pools.

Additional on-site features and amenities offered by the Springs Resort Hot Springs

Extra features and amenities you’ll find on-site at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

• A distant, panoramic view of the Arenal Volcano and its surrounding foothills
• A spa (spa services not included in the cost of the hot springs pass)
• A hotel (overnight stays not included in the cost of the hot springs pass)
• Restaurants and bars (food/drinks not included in the cost of the hot springs pass, except in cases when a hot springs pass including a meal is purchased)
• The Club Rio Outdoor Center, which offers a variety of optional adventure tours/activities including river tubing, river kayaking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and a wildlife preserve tour (participation in adventure tours/activities is not included in the cost of the hot springs pass; participation in your choice of two adventure tours is included in the cost of the Club Rio Multi-Adventure Package)

Pool-area features and amenities you’ll find at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

• Small waterfalls
• A waterslide
• A Jacuzzi
• Poolside tables and chairs
• Wet bars with in-pool stools
• In-pool steps and railings
• An informative map at the property’s reception that indicates the location and temperature of each pool

Springs Resort Hot Springs atmosphere

Built as a high-quality resort, the Springs Resort & Spa oozes high class offerings, fine touches, and helpful customer service. Its on-site hot springs, the Springs Resort Hot Springs, are equally first-rate, which casts an aura of sophistication over the attraction. This is one of the most romantic hot springs properties you can visit in La Fortuna, thanks to its plethora of intimate-feeling hot spring nooks where you can soak with a decent amount of privacy. This being said, despite exuding a calm and dreamy ambiance that bodes well with couples and honeymooners, some areas of the Springs Resort Hot Springs give off a more lively vibe that appeals to backpackers and travel groups (e.g., family groups, friend groups, school groups, and sports teams). Some pools at the Cascadas Calientes are favored by social travelers, the hot springs at the Club Rio Outdoor Center couple well with time spent engaging in on-site adventure tours and activities, and anyone looking to have some fun will have a ball with the Monkey Slide.

Dining at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

The Springs Resort & Spa has 5 on-site restaurants: the Tres Cascadas Restaurant (the resort’s main restaurant), the fine-dining Las Ventanas Restaurant, the Japanese-cuisine Ginger Sushi Restaurant, the poolside Treetops Grill (which is located at the Cascadas Calientes), and the Rancho Club Rio Restaurant (which most commonly serves Club Rio adventure tour participants). It also offers 5 on-site bars. Day pass holders who visit the Springs Resort Hot Springs are welcome to purchase food and drinks at the hotel’s on-site establishments. Lunch and dinner (if purchased with the hot springs pass) are served at the Tres Cascadas Restaurant, a beautiful, open-concept establishment that sometimes offers soft, live music and impresses with a panoramic view of the Arenal Volcano. During peak periods, when the resort reaches its maximum capacity, diners may also be seated at the Ginger Sushi Restaurant.

As a side note, the dinners we have experienced at the Springs Resort & Spa have been some of the best meals we’ve eaten in Costa Rica. Both tasty and light, the appetizers (choice of soup or salad), main courses (choice of one entree across five staple dishes; vegetarian option included), and desserts (tres leches cake or similar) were all topnotch. Aim to sit down to dinner between 5:30pm and 6:00pm. Since it gets dark around 6:00pm in Costa Rica, dining at this time will not only reward you with a breathtaking view of the volcano at sunset, but you’ll also be able to experience the restaurant’s intimate, evening atmosphere shortly after dark. Plan your dinner attire accordingly; swimwear is not permitted inside the restaurant.

Staying overnight at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

The Springs Resort Hot Springs are the resident hot springs of the Springs Resort & Spa, a non-all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica’s Arenal region that houses a variety of unique and luxurious guest rooms, suites, bungalows, and villas. Unlike a few other La Fortuna hotels that offer private hot springs on-site, the Springs Resort & Spa welcomes non-hotel guests (a.k.a., members of the public) to access their hot springs via the use of a day pass.

If you’re looking to have a high-quality resort experience in La Fortuna, one of the best properties you can stay at is the Springs Resort & Spa. In addition to its cold-water pools and hot springs, the 165-acre resort impresses with rustic but elegant accommodations; 5 restaurants; 5 bars; a full-service, 1,400-square-foot spa; a fitness center with steam and sauna rooms; a games lounge; a gift shop; plenty of lobbies, nooks, crannies, lookout spaces, and platforms you can lounge around in/at with the help of rocking chairs and chaise lounge chairs; and an on-site tour and activity hub called the Club Rio Outdoor Center.

Towels and lockers at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

The Springs Resort Hot Springs offer both a towel rental service and a locker rental service. The optional towel rental service requires payment of a $10 (plus 13% tax) per towel cash deposit. The optional locker rental service requires payment of a $5 (plus 13% tax) per locker nonrefundable fee.

Parking at the Springs Resort Hot Springs

Secure parking beyond the gated entrance to the Springs Resort is accessible and offered free of charge to Springs Resort Hot Springs day pass visitors, guests participating in tours/activities at the on-site Club Rio Outdoor Center, and Springs Resort & Spa guests.

Springs Resort Hot Springs 4×4 requirement

A 4×4 vehicle is not required to reach the Springs Resort Hot Springs.

Alternative names for the Springs Resort Hot Springs

The Los Perdidos Hot Springs
The hot springs at the Springs Resort
The hot springs at Club Rio

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Have you been to the Springs Resort Hot Springs? How would you review the hot springs experience?

Pura vida!