Located in town, this large resort complex run by tourism pioneer Carlos Alfaro is a favorite among birdwatchers and hikers. Among the 21 rooms are dorms for men, for women and families, and doubles and suites with vaulted ceilings, wood furnishings and private hot-water bathrooms. Most guests tend to congregate in the excellent restaurant, featuring a bar and cozy fireplace lounge.
Couples might want to splurge on one of the five cedar-walled suites with a romantic hewn-stone fireplace, private bathtub and balcony facing the forest; families can ask about the six-bedroom farmhouse (US$400) and other options in Bajo Grande, 3km to the southeast. All guests have access to a full-service spa and three hot tubs by the Río Chiriquí Viejo (all water on the premises is piped-in spring water). Also on the premises is an equestrian center with 10 horses and a private network of trails adjoining Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, which is less than an hour’s walk away (transportation available).
