Paradise Hot Springs Review: La Fortuna Hot Springs Guide
Last updated on June 24th, 2021 at 04:37 pm GMT-6 (Costa Rica time)
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Do you want to know our pick for the BEST HOT SPRINGS in Costa Rica? It is featured on DIY Costa Rica!
Want to save money in Costa Rica?
Our sister site, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., has hot springs pass discounts. Con mucho gusto (you’re welcome) and pura vida!
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We’ve experienced all 12 hot springs in La Fortuna Costa Rica!
Continue reading below to read about our visits to Costa Rica’s Paradise Hot Springs.
Best feature(s) that influenced our rating (see below for our full review): Decent value when weighing quality of experience to cost
This article offers our review of the Paradise Hot Springs. Don’t miss all of the hot springs reviews we include in our La Fortuna Hot Springs Guide:
*****
Get the Costa Rica info you need by browsing our article's TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- An overview of the Paradise Hot Springs in La Fortuna Costa Rica
- Learn what to expect from Costa Rica’s La Fortuna Hot Springs according to which hot springs attraction you plan to visit
- Paradise Hot Springs photo gallery
- Paradise Hot Springs location
- Paradise Hot Springs hours
- Paradise Hot Springs price range
- Paradise Hot Springs reservations
- Paradise Hot Springs size and design
- Paradise Hot Springs popularity
- Paradise Hot Springs pools and rivers
- Additional on-site features and amenities offered by the Paradise Hot Springs
- Paradise Hot Springs atmosphere
- Dining at the Paradise Hot Springs
- Staying overnight at the Paradise Hot Springs
- Towels and lockers at the Paradise Hot Springs
- Parking at the Paradise Hot Springs
- Paradise Hot Springs 4×4 requirement
- Alternative names for the Paradise Hot Springs
An overview of the Paradise Hot Springs in La Fortuna Costa Rica
Living in La Fortuna, I remember when the Paradise Hot Springs opened its doors in 2011. At the time, the property seemed to promise a different kind of hot springs experience, or at least that was the buzz going around town. It had only four major hot springs properties to compete with in the area–the Baldi, EcoTermales, Tabacon, and Springs Resort Hot Springs–and it was unique. It was a small and quiet place to enjoy soaking in some thermal-water pools void of the popularity of the Baldi and EcoTermales, and without the cost (and subsequent luxurious touches) of Tabacon and the Springs Resort. It was the Goldilocks in La Fortuna’s tale of touristic hot spring offerings: it was just right.
Fast-forward to the La Fortuna of today, home to at least 12 independent hot springs sites, and you may have guessed that the Paradise Hot Springs now competes with several other hot spring properties for visitors. A few other hot springs properties provide a similar experience to the Paradise Hot Springs by catering to travelers who can’t afford to visit the best hot springs in town but who don’t want to settle for the worst hot springs either. If you’re looking for a decent middle-of-the-road option that provides a hot springs experience that’s considered average for La Fortuna, though the Paradise Hot Springs isn’t your only option, it’s one worth considering.
Who should (and who shouldn’t) visit the Paradise Hot Springs
Consider choosing the Paradise Hot Springs if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on visiting a hot springs property in Costa Rica but you want a nicer hot springs experience than what La Fortuna’s economy hot springs currently provide.
Due to the ambiance of the Paradise Hot Springs (see the “ambiance” section below for details), the Paradise Hot Springs are also recommended to travelers who are looking to relax at a property that offers a slightly more romantic atmosphere than what La Fortuna’s economy hot springs currently provide.
If you wish to stay at a La Fortuna hotel that has hot springs on-site, you can choose the Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort, the resident hotel of the Paradise Hot Springs. It’s important to note, however, that the Paradise Hot Springs’ on-site hot springs and cold-water pools are accessible to the public via the purchase of a hot springs pass; they are not reserved for hotel guests. If you’d prefer to stay at a La Fortuna hotel that limits hot springs access to hotel guests only, it would be best to choose a different hotel.
Learn what to expect from Costa Rica’s La Fortuna Hot Springs according to which hot springs attraction you plan to visit
Want to know what kind of thermal water experience you’ll have before you decide which hot springs in La Fortuna is the best to visit? We’ve got you covered. Not only have we personally experienced 12 different hot springs attractions in Costa Rica’s La Fortuna area alone, we’ve written a review of each La Fortuna hot springs property to help you decide for yourself which is most deserving of your time and money. Below is our review of the Paradise Hot Springs attraction which documents the following:
- Location: Where you’ll find the hot springs property, complete with the hot springs’ physical address and a map
- Hours: When you can visit the hot springs property during the day and throughout the week
- Price range: A range of prices you can expect to pay for a hot springs pass with or without a meal included (prices are subject to change without notice)
- Reservations: A confirmation of whether advance reservations are required to acquire a hot springs pass
- Size and design: Whether you can expect to enjoy and explore a small, medium, or large hot springs property
- Popularity: Whether you can expect to be joined by crowds at the hot springs
- Pools and rivers: What you can expect to find at the hot springs in terms of thermal-water pools and rivers
- Additional on-site features: What else you can expect to find at the hot springs in addition to thermal-water pools/rivers
- Atmosphere: What type of ambiance you can expect to find at the hot springs
- Dining: Whether you can expect to eat and/or drink on-site at the hot springs
- Accommodations: Whether the hot springs property offers a hotel on-site
- Towels and lockers: Whether you can expect to receive and/or pay for towels and lockers at the hot springs
- Parking: Whether you can expect to find parking at the hot springs
- 4×4 vehicle required: Whether a 4×4 vehicle is required to reach the hot springs
- Alternative hot springs names: Other names for the hot springs property that locals, GPS navigational systems, and maps may cite
Our La Fortuna Hot Springs rating system
We also rate Costa Rica’s La Fortuna hot springs according to a 1-10 scale (1 being the worst and 10 being the best). If you’re short on time, visit each hot springs review page on our blog (we’ve written one review for each hot springs property in La Fortuna; see the top of this article for links to each review) and look for the scale to quickly identify how we rate the hot springs.
The scales look like this:
and this:
To learn which rating we gave the Paradise Hot Springs, please see the rating provided at the top of this article.
Paradise Hot Springs photo gallery
We took the below photos during our most recent visit to the Paradise Hot Springs. Click on any photo below to view a larger version.
Paradise Hot Springs location
The official address of the Paradise Hot Springs is 5 km oeste del Parque Central (5 km west of the Central Park), La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica.
It takes approximately 10 minutes to drive to the Paradise Hot Springs from downtown La Fortuna. If arriving from the south/east (via downtown La Fortuna), the Paradise Hot Springs will be on your left (just after the Baldi and Titoku Hot Springs; across the street from the hotels Royal Corin and El Silencio del Campo). Look for the large entrance signed for the Paradise Hot Springs.
Paradise Hot Springs map
Paradise Hot Springs hours
Though the Paradise Hot Springs hours are subject to change at anytime, the most recent operating hours we’ve recorded are 11:00am to 9:00pm Monday through Sunday.
Paradise Hot Springs price range
Though entrance fees to the Paradise Hot Springs are subject to change at anytime, the most recent prices we’ve recorded are $28 per adult and $16 per child age 3-11 (children ages 0-2 are free) for a hot springs pass without a meal included. It’s possible to add lunch or dinner to your hot springs pass for an extra cost.
Are the Paradise Hot Springs expensive?
On the spectrum of hot spring attractions you can visit in La Fortuna, the Paradise Hot Springs are a middle-of-the-road option (i.e., they sit between economy options and high-end options) in terms of overall quality. For this reason, the costs associated with the attraction’s hot springs passes are average for the area.
Paradise Hot Springs reservations
Advance reservations are not required for Paradise Hot Springs passes however they are recommended, especially during busy periods (mid-December to April and mid-June to mid-August). Hot springs passes can be purchased directly from the Paradise Hot Springs.
Paradise Hot Springs size and design
From its grand entrance, which sits along the main street that skirts around the Arenal Volcano (Road 142), the Paradise Hot Springs appears larger than it really is. Upon entry, you’ll discover that the hot springs property is quite narrow and linear in design. You’ll encounter the reception and parking lots first, followed by the on-site restaurant and spa. All of the cold-water pools and hot springs are found at the back of the property, which buts up against a cow farm at the volcano’s base. Though it takes a few minutes to walk between the Paradise Hot Springs’ entrance and pool area, you can walk around all of the property’s hot springs and pools in a matter of a few minutes. Each is connected by flat, concrete paths which make travel throughout quick and easy.
Paradise Hot Springs popularity
The Paradise Hot Springs are arguably the most popular middle-of-the-road hot springs option 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 Paradise 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. Fortunately, since the hotel is relatively small, there’s usually plenty of space for non-hotel guests (i.e., day pass visitors) to enjoy the hot springs too.
Paradise Hot Springs pools and rivers
The cold-water pools and hot springs at the Paradise Hot Springs are made up of 5 pools and 3 Jacuzzis that range in temperature between 27 and 40 degrees Celsius.
The design of the Paradise Hot Springs focuses around the property’s 2 main pools, the Pangea Pool and the Palma Real Pool, both of which are large, thermal-water pools with graded entry. Additional, smaller, thermal-water and cold-water pools and Jacuzzis are positioned around the 2 main pools and remain in close proximity to one another. Most have tropical-feeling, mosaic-tiled floors and are framed with flat concrete patios that resemble traditional swimming pool patios. Man-made waterfalls tumble into some pools via concrete constructions designed to resemble natural-looking, grey/brown rocks.
Are the Paradise Hot Springs natural?
The Paradise 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 Paradise Hot Springs
Extra features and amenities you’ll find on-site at the Paradise Hot Springs
- A view of the Arenal Volcano
- 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)
- A restaurant 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)
Pool-area features and amenities you’ll find at the Paradise Hot Springs
- Hydro-massage waterfalls
- In-pool beds
- Jacuzzis
- Wet bar with in-pool stools
- Poolside tables and chairs
- In-pool steps/slopes and railings
- An informative map just beyond the entrance to the property that indicates the location and temperature of each pool
Paradise Hot Springs atmosphere
Though the Paradise Hot Springs certainly aren’t the most romantic hot springs in La Fortuna, they’re quieter and feel more intimate than La Fortuna’s several economy hot springs. If you’re lucky enough to claim one of the property’s 3 Jacuzzis for yourself, you’ll be rewarded with your own private-feeling pool tucked away among lush foliage. The property’s 2 main pools, the Pangea Pool and the Palma Real Pool, are less romantic because they offer little privacy. They have an in-pool bar and a row of in-pool lounge chairs that will leave you laying next to other guests.
Dining at the Paradise Hot Springs
The Paradise Hot Springs offers an on-site restaurant and an on-site bars. Day pass holders who visit the Paradise Hot Springs are welcome to purchase food and drinks at the on-site establishments. Lunch and dinner (if purchased with the hot springs pass) are served at the Paradise Hot Springs’ on-site restaurant, the Azalia Restaurant and Bar.
Staying overnight at the Paradise Hot Springs
The Paradise Hot Springs are the resident hot springs of the Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort, a 17-room, superior-quality hotel situated in Costa Rica’s Arenal region. Unlike a few other La Fortuna hotels that offer private hot springs on-site, the Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort welcomes non-hotel guests (a.k.a., members of the public) to access their hot springs via the use of a day pass.
Towels and lockers at the Paradise Hot Springs
The Paradise Hot Springs offer both a towel rental service and a locker rental service. These optional rental services are free of charge but do require payment of a cash deposit ($10 per towel; $5 per locker lock). Lost towels are charged at the rate of $15 per towel. Lost locker locks are charged at the rate of $11 per lock.
Parking at the Paradise Hot Springs
Secure parking on the property of the Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort (beyond the guarded front entrance) is accessible and offered free of charge to Paradise Hot Springs day pass visitors in addition to Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort guests.
Paradise Hot Springs 4×4 requirement
A 4×4 vehicle is not required to reach the Paradise Hot Springs.
Alternative names for the Paradise Hot Springs
The Paradise Hotel Hot Springs
The hot springs at the Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort
QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Have you been to the Paradise Hot Springs? How would you review the hot springs experience?
Pura vida!
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