Trying to find the best kid-friendly resort in Costa Rica? Meet my new favorite Costa Rica eco resort for families: La Fortuna, Costa Rica family hotel at Finca Luna Nueva. Located only 11 miles from the Arenal Volcano, the Finca Luna Nueva resort offers everything your family Costa Rica vacation needs including on-site tours, a tropical pool, and family-friendly rooms. All of this is surrounded by the tropical rain forest trees, flowers, and animals. This place should be at the top of your Costa Rica trip planning!
This Central America country of has so many amazing natural wonders and adventure options that it was a little overwhelming figuring out the best Costa Rica places to visit while searching for family-friendly resorts in Costa Rica as well. It’s easier when there are only a few options! Once I found Finca Luna Nueva in Costa Rica, I planned all our other 10 day Costa Rica vacation around it.
Of note, I fully agree that my two trips to Costa Rica do not make me a Costa Rica travel expert. However, I am a mom-traveler who spent months planning a 10-day Costa Rica trip (steal the details here!) and learned lessons! I hope this Costa Rica hotel and trip details help you enjoy international family travel even more.
~~~> Already feeling overwhelmed with the idea of a Costa Rica trip plan? I’ve answered lost of your questions right here – “25+ Costa Rica Tips: What You Need to Know for Travel with Kids”. Where to fly in? How to get around? I’m sharing my life lessons with you in this detailed Costa Rica family travel post!
Affiliate disclosure: When you click through to Finca Luna Nueva Costa Rica post, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I promise to only recommend places that I personally want, used, or researched. Thanks in advance for the gallon of gas. 😉
What is Finca Luna Nueva?
Finca Luna Nueva literally means “new moon fam”. And that’s what it is. Not only is this hotel an organic regenerative working farm, it exists to educate tourists and encourage other local farmers with their sustainable agriculture.
This isn’t just a Costa Rica biodynamic farm with an eco-lodge. Finca Luna Nueva is a full-experience hotel and tour combination set in a beautiful Costa Rica rainforest. You’ll eat the farm’s food in the restaurant. Hotel visitors can even see how the farm all works behind the scenes on the Costa Rica farm tour.
Finca Luna Nueva Location
Centrally located in Costa Rica, this amazing resort area makes a good mid-trip destination if you’re heading top to bottom or west to east on your Costa Rica family itinerary. And it’s only about 2.5 hours from your arrival at the San José airport (details in this post). If you’re heading here as your first stop of your trip, make sure you plan to leave the airport by early afternoon as the roads are pretty curvy and isolated – like much of Costa Rica itself.
~~~> If you have a late flight and need to spend the night in San José, check out Adventure Inn with shuttles to and from the airport.
La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano Area
Located only 30 minutes from the La Fortuna waterfall (click for my travel suggestions to go here), Finca Luna Nueva makes a great option for La Fortuna lodging and exploring the surrounding area by car. After arriving at the hotel, we were able to quickly drive back out the following day to explore the town of La Fortuna and to grab some more groceries (and lunch) at one of the town’s many restaurants.
Additionally, this La Fortuna family hotel is a great base for this popular Costa Rica including the Arenal Volcano area. In only forty-five minutes away, you could be high in the rainforest exploring the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges (my tips here). This is also a great area to find some hot springs.
Children’s Eternal Rainforest
When you stay at Finca Luna Nueva, you don’t have to leave the property to go explore the rain forest because it starts right at your property. Why drive to a different nearby rainforest, when Bosque Eternal de Los Niños is only a short walk away? Read online about how the Children’s Eternal Rainforest was saved by children from around the world; it’s so impressive! And it saves you the entrance fee if you go in another paid entrance.
Notify the front desk – they want to make sure they know where you are – and head off on the Cabalonga Trail, a hike in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest right on the hotel property. You’ll be surrounded by trees, listening for birds, and on the look out for animals – we saw several paca walking under trees. Make sure you slow down enough to listen for the call of the brightly colored tree frogs. You’ll see them!
Finca Luna Nueva makes a great family Costa Rica resort to allow for slow travel. Quit moving around every night and night a good location with surrounding activities. Slow travel allows for downtime between busy days – perfect for kids who need some rest! (Check out my post about why slow travel works!)
Finca Lunca Nueva Rooms and Spaces
Lodging for the best lodging for our 10 day family trip to Costa Rica was my big travel planning goal. As a family of six, finding big family lodging where we can all stay together is always a number one consideration. Often times, finding a hotel room for more than five people outside of the United States is next to impossible. For this reason, we usually end up staying at a rental house… Finca Luna Nueva Lodge in Costa Rica is so much better than a rental house.
Does Finca Luna Nueva have rooms for families?
Even better, Finca Luna bungalows are perfect for families and friends. During our four nights here, we stayed in our own Costa Rica family bungalow. Although our little house shared a passageway and roof with a matching bungalow, we had plenty of privacy in own little secluded house. With two enclosed bedrooms and two twin beds in the front room, this felt like a luxury family hotel in Costa Rica.
Our two-bedroom rental provided more than enough space for my family of six to each sleep comfortably. We shared a bathroom, had a front area to prepare snacks and easy meals, and we even had a refrigerator outside in the pass-through hallway.
With our own personal hammock and seating area on the porch, relaxing at our Costa Rica family room was one of the best parts of our resort stay. This cozy spot was ideal for watching the birds in the nearby trees and the hummingbirds at the tropical flowers. Bring a book. Your Finca Luna family room is going to be your new favorite place.
~~~> Are you ready to book your Finca Luna Nueva family bungalow yet? Head to this site to check availability.
Is Finca Luna Nueva good for singles and couples?
With casitas and single rooms at Casa Luna, this is not just a boring hotel. Check out these photos and see the amazing balcony looking out into the trees and beautiful grounds.
Is Finca Luna Nueva good for a large gathering?
In my option, FLN should be at the top of your Costa Rica vacation rentals for large group Costa Rica vacations. If you’re a fitness or beauty teacher, this would be the perfect place to have a retreat. You’d be surrounded by nature and completely at peace. Not to mention, there are plenty of areas to spread out during downtime with rooms of varying sizes.
If looking for an excellent hotel for an extended family trip to Costa Rica, look no further. With varied rooming options from single to bungalows, there are rooms for every need. Your group can come together for activities when you want, but it’s also big enough to offer privacy and independence to all. If the younger members want to go hiking while the older ones relax in the hammock, there’s plenty to stay busy. No one is going to feel left out.
Bonus tip. I think it would make an excellent place for a Costa Rica wedding. Bring everyone together for the wedding, hang around for a week exploring, and let the honeymooners head out on their own newlywed Costa Rica adventure.
~~~~> Check out these family friendly Costa Rica hotels near popular tourist spots in Costa Rica – personally tested and approved!
- Hotel Rio Celeste – Only minutes from Tenorio National Park and the beautiful blue Rio Celeste, this little hotel and its beautiful tropical grounds was a perfect base for exploring.
- Adventure Inn, San José, Costa Rica – This hotel offers transport to the San José airport and has rooms large enough for a family of six. Enjoy an evening of swimming at the hotel and eating at the hotel restaurant.
Animals on the Finca Luna Nueva Property
There are birds everywhere in this Costa Rica rain forest paradise. If you’re looking for a more focused viewing session, take a quick walk through the forest to the bird watching station. From this covered bench area, prepare to sit still for a while and wait. If there is food out from a previous tour, the birds will come and land on the nearby perches. You can even get up early and go bird watching as an extra tour.
During our visit, the resident sloth was near the pool up in the tree. When you get up for breakfast, make sure you look for the telescope nearby. If there is an animal nearby, the Finca Luna staff probably knows, and they have found him for you. If you are unsure, ask! They’re super friendly.
Side note: I do suggest that toward the beginning of your Costa Rica family vacation that you splurge on a guided tour. No, you don’t need to do one every place you go, but some well-placed tips from an expert will help you find your own animals on your own.
~~~> Looking for more Costa Rica trip planning help? Steal all my travel planning for free with this ten-day Costa Rica itinerary. Visit top Costa Rica travel places with less stress — I’ve already paved the way for you. Check out this Costa Rica post.
Specialty Tours at Finca Luna Nueva
This family resort recommendation is here because of all that is offered without leaving your jungle lodge! There are Children’s Eternal Rainforest guided tours, naturalists for the bird watching, herbalists to talk to you about natural medicine, and farm experiences like cow milking. All of these are an extra cost, but they are no more expensive than arranging a private tour on your own. And, if you don’t have a rental car, you don’t have to figure out how to get somewhere else!
This mom sees the extra benefits here! You don’t have to drive into town to go on a special tour. Leave Dad at the room with the baby while Mom goes off exploring with the two older kids. Let the littles take a nap between activities.
Didn’t get a car or don’t want to drive? The staff of Finca Luna Nueva can arrange off-site tours to many places including kayaking on Lake Arenal, horseback riding, canyoneering, or white-water rafting.
~~~> Don’t make the same Costa Rica travel mistakes I did! 25+ Costa Rica questions answered here; all the stuff I wish I’d known before our Costa Rica trip shared right here for you!
Finca Luna Nueva Chocolate Tour
With many tours available on the property, it was hard to choose, but our family decided on a chocolate tour. There are several different places to learn about processing the Costa Rican chocolate nearby, but if you book the your Costa Rica chocolate tour here, you don’t even have to leave the resort.
After a quick walk toward the farm, we were met by our guide who took us through all the steps of processing chocolate starting at the very beginning as we picked a cocoa pod fresh from the tree. If you’ve never had the privilege of eating raw cacao alien bean pods, you’re in for a treat. Some of my kids still consider it their favorite thing.
We pulled out pods, roasted them, ground them, and were educated on the history and importance of cacao to Costa Rica. After trying a bitter Mayan preparation of hot chocolate, we were able to taste modern chocolate with the addition of sugar and milk. With a collection of toppings like salt, fruit, and nuts, our newly melted chocolate was poured into molds right before us. They kids got to decorate the chocolate which we would eat back at the hotel.
As the chocolate tour meeting area is down on the farm, don’t leave this area without asking questions and wandering through to see how some of the farm foods are grown.
Months later, and my kids are still talking about their Finca Luna Nueva chocolate tour. Waterfalls start to blend together. Costa Rica food adventures do not!
Costa Rica Resort Spa, Pool, and Restaurant
As the tropical pool is surrounded by lounge chairs and right next to the restaurant, head up to the bar for a special drink and prepare to hang out. If the big kids want to swim, some of the overlooking tables could easily allow Mom and Dad a quiet(er) meal.
Feeling a little romantic, check out the little hot tub complete with curtain. Depending on how many people are staying at the property with you, you might have this little secluded paradise to yourself. You can even book for yourself a special spa treatment right on property.
Breakfast at the restaurant is included in your tropical stay with meals available at other times of the day. These farm-to-table meals are healthy and feature local ingredients. Special request? This staff will meet your every needs; it’s a definite small hotel perk!
Is Finca Luna Nueva a Good Hotel for Kids?
Absolutely! I dare say that Finca Luna Nueva is one of the best family hotels in Costa Rica. Not only will your children enjoy the amazing pool surrounded by tropical plants, but there’s even a foosball table at reception.
Another reason FLN is idea for visiting Costa Rica with kids is that it has so much without ever leaving the hotel property. If the idea of booking multiple hotels and renting (and driving!) a car in a foreign country makes you nervous, let FLN arrange transport to airports and to sights to take the stress away from your Costa Rica family adventure vacation.
Think of it like staying on property when you go to Disney, but this family-focused vacation includes sloth-sightings, tropical birds, and beautiful tropical flower.
~~~> Stuck at home and wanting some cultural experiences? Sign up for helping with Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoeboxes! Great way to talk about culture differences, and you can even track your Christmas box around the world to see where it goes. World learning and volunteering and sharing Jesus!
Costa Rica for Homeschool Families
If you’re looking for a full experience with educational classes and nature exploring (like our homeschool family), you couldn’t ask for a better place that this. The Hotel Finca Luna rooms offer enough space to spread out if you have work to do. There are classes available for all or some of your family depending on individual interests. You have tropical birds, animals, and insects at your doorstep. Nature study to count as homeschool education? There’s a bamboo forest and a jungle of tropical plants five minutes from your room. Not to mention the obvious Spanish aspect – although most of the staff were fluent with their English.
~~~> Ready to take your Costa Rica and Central America learning home? Check out my “Create Your Own Homeschool Geography Curriculum” post with links to amazing geography books, games, and supplies that make world studies come alive in our homeschool world.
Is Finca Luna Nueva a Safe Hotel?
Yes! Although I haven’t looked at any statistics, I don’t hesitate to say yes. You’re away from the crowds and main tourist areas.
The unassuming entrance doesn’t scream “fabulous place ahead” that would attract people who are up to trouble. There is a long road leading away from the nearby town, so you would have to know what you are looking for. And the tiny town of San Isidro de Peñas Blancas is a tiny one at that.
Not to mention, this Costa Rica hotel so secluded and compact, that I wouldn’t hesitate to send my bigger kids back to the room on their own. It would be pretty difficult for them to get lost if they stay on the main road near the hotel.
~~~> Want to plan an international family trip but nervous? Check out our two week family Scotland itinerary; maybe starting with an English-speaking country would be less stressful.
Ultimate Review of Hotel Finca Luna Nueva
Is Finca Luna Nueva one of the best places to vacation in Costa Rica? I haven’t seen them all (but I’m willing to try!). These are my top takeaways for why you need to check it out; check out availability today before Finca Luna Nueva books up!
You’ll feel like you’re in one of the luxury family hotels in Costa Rica, but you’re not paying for it. The price isn’t luxury, but you’re surrounded by everything you could want whether that’s relaxing or busy. There are plenty of classes and trails, but there’s also a beautiful pool to relax at. Your hotel room isn’t just a bed; it has room to relax – and you’ll want to.
With its focus on nature and its location, Finca Luna Nueva ecolodge is one of the best family hotels in Costa Rica. Let me know if you have any questions about this unique family adventure in Costa Rica. I’d love to help guide your next international family trip!
~~~~> If your family Costa Rica trip has your teenager wanting to experience more countries, read this and let them! “World Mission Trips 101: How to Let Your Teen Go”
Ready to Book Your Costa Rica Vacation?
Finding family friendly Costa Rica hotels took longer than any other aspect of our Costa Rica planning. Save time and check out these tried and tested hotels – We stayed here!
I’d love for you to use any links for hotels and adventures in this post!
- Adventure Inn, San José, Costa Rica – This hotel offers transport to the San José airport and has rooms large enough for a family of six. Enjoy an evening of swimming at the hotel and eating at the hotel restaurant. Click here and book Adventure Inn today.
- Finca Luna Nueva, La Fortuna, Costa Rica – Read all about why I planned our entire Costa Rica trip around availability here! Read this article again and book your Finca Luna Nueva trip now!
- Hotel Rio Celeste – Only minutes from Tenorio National Park and the beautiful blue Rio Celeste, this little hotel and its beautiful tropical grounds was a perfect base for exploring. Check out Hotel Rio Celeste here.
Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions to help plan your Costa Rica vacation.
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Thanks for stopping by my little corner! Here’s to your next adventure.
I’m Bobbie. As transplants from Texas, my family of six is on a mission to discover all of Georgia’s amazing places, experience amazing road trips across the United States, and create a homeschool life along the way.
Want to adventure like me? Reach out! I’d love to chat. Stop by my Instagram or Pinterest page to discover more of our adventures.
Want to work with me? I’d love to work with your destination and tourism board to help other family travelers see all you have to offer.