TreeTop Hideaway Arenal

The trick this place pulls off is location: it sits in a genuine pocket of forest with a river running through it, yet you're essentially in downtown La Fortuna. You park, cross a hanging bridge over the river, and you're at a treehouse villa with toucans and the occasional sloth in the trees around you — then you can walk out for dinner instead of driving dark jungle roads. That makes it a smart base for the Arenal circuit: volcano trails, the hanging bridges park, La Fortuna waterfall and the hot springs are all minutes away by car, no 4x4 required. Built for two, with a proper bathroom and the comforts you'd want after a hiking day. There's a second unit (TreeTop Hideaway 2) on the property if you're traveling as two couples. Book ahead; it's small, well-reviewed and increasingly known.