If you want adventure or relaxation (or both!) in Costa Rica, Rio Perdido might be just what you’re looking for. Set within a 1,500-acre private reserve, Rio Perdido offers everything from cliffside yoga to a mile-long thermal river to a canyon adventure. Here’s how we did it on points and miles….

Getting There

The beautiful Llanos de Cortez waterfall.

The Redemption

It is important to note that Rio Perdido has a minimum guest age of 8, and they are very strict about this. If you will be traveling with children under the age of 8, Rio Perdido will not be a good fit for your family. They also have a two-night minimum stay. 

Because Rio Perdido is an SLH property, it’s bookable with Hilton points or Hilton free-night awards. Standard award nights cost 90,000 Hilton points/night. All guest accommodations at Rio Perdido are standalone bungalows. The East Bungalows are the standard rooms, and they sleep three. We inquired about upgrading to the Center Bungalows, which sleep four, and were quoted $140 + 13% tax/night. We declined the cash upgrade, but we were ultimately upgraded to Center Bungalows for free at check-in anyway thanks to my Hilton Diamond status (that I have from holding the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card). 

I found the Center Bungalows to be very dark, but I loved the outdoor showers. The staff also made the sofa up into a second king bed, so there was plenty of room for the three of us (and my mom had her own bungalow next door). 

All information about the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

Center Bungalow complete with two king beds!

I loved the Center Bungalow’s outdoor showers.

The Hotel

We spent a lot of time in the thermal river.

We had a blast on the Canyon Adventure!

The Food

Rio Perdido is not near anything else, which is part of the appeal, but also means that you’ll be eating all of your meals on-site. We thought the food was very good. Breakfast is served each morning in the main restaurant from 7am to 10am and comes with views of monkeys swinging in the treetops. We had breakfast included with my Hilton Diamond status, but the Property Guide states that à la carte breakfast is included for everyone as part of their stay, so I am not sure my status really mattered much. 

Yummy Costa Rican breakfast.

Lunch is available either at the main restaurant from 12pm to 3pm, or by the pool from Canyon Bar. Canyon Bar is open from 11am to 6pm. We had lunch by the pool and thought it was very good! Molly is a picky eater but was still able to find something she liked at each meal.

Chicken sandwich hit the spot.

Pasta for the picky eater 🙂