We love Cartago and go there whenever we feel like visiting the mountains. In our most recent visit we found yet another gem worth visiting. The Hot Springs in Orosi Valley, Cartago. Yup, quite amazing isn’t it. You don’t even have to travel far from San Jose to bask in mother natures’ mineral hot spring. All thanks to Orosi Fault.

Usually, hot springs exist in volcanic regions or in areas where there are faults. The water circulates through these fault zones (basically damaged zones with high permeability) bringing heat up from great depths. These faults are not always active.

Our Story:

As we wanted to have a calm weekend, so our first thought was to go Cartago. While I was checking online for the weather conditions in Cartago I stumbled upon this new project in Orosi Valley.
I emailed them to book a package but did not get any response☹ Either way, we had decided to go there and see ourselves.
We left quite late from San Jose, roughly around 11:30 am 😊. Yeah, It was another lazy day. We punched Hacienda Orosi, Cartago into the Waze App and headed out. Since we had not received any confirmation from the establishment, we decided to go via Irazu. This time Waze took us through a different route, mainly Ruta 401 and Ruta 219. Such amazing views. It was like a flower exhibition everywhere. We stopped at many places to capture some beautiful images.

We reached Orosi at 2 PM, but could not locate the entrance. The road around the place was unpaved, no sign boards. A little way towards the back there was a gate, but no indication if this was the correct entrance. To surprise us even more, the gates were not just closed but also locked from the inside. This is probably because the place is still new. I did not want to give up on the hot springs, so i decided to call them.

P.S They do not speak English, so speak slowly and have your questions already translated in an app.
We spoke to a lady who sent a guy to open the gates. He came on a bicycle, opened the gates and led us to the resort. We just saw a bunch of flat roofs from a distance and did not expect much.

We parked our car and entered the place. The moment we entered, it was a different sight. It was so amazing to see steam coming out of the pools, with a backdrop of blue mountains.

There was a guy who helped us with translation while we spoke to the billing lady. We payed and were suggested to have lunch first, in 15 minutes they had fresh Lunch ready for us. We enjoyed some fresh juices, while the food was being prepared.

After lunch we changed and jumped right into the pool. I did not expect the water from the fault to be so hot.

Note:
This is a natural Mineral water and it is safe to intake. Unlike Volcanic hotsprings this water does not have any Sulphur content.

We swam till about 6PM. In between around tea time they served us coffee and some amazing snacks. We saw so many Parrots and some other beautiful birds flying over us. It was an awesome relaxation. My husband was so relaxed that he pulled out his kindle and started reading.

There we very few people. Clearly because many do not know of this place.

About this Place:

Hacienda Orosi is a new project in the Orosi Valley of Cartago. It is owned and operated by Hector, an American. The spring is about 650mts towards the back of the resort. The hot water is transported into the pool via Canals. At this moment, they have 2 pools and are expanding to make many more. The resort offers gorgeous hot water pools that have a breathing view of the mountains.

The temperature of the pools is around 35 to 40 degree Centigrade.
They also offer place to stay. To book and reserve.
Tel: +506 2203 2265
Email: servicioalcliente@haciendaorosi.com

What to Carry:

• Swimwear
• Clothes to change

Packages and Prices:

Option 1:

• Entrance and enjoyment of the facilities
• Towel
• Lockers
• Appetizers
• Bar of natural soft drinks and fresh water
• Fees: $ 40 per person (Taxes included)

Option 2:

• Entrance and enjoyment of the facilities
• Towel
• Lockers
• Appetizers
• Bar of natural soft drinks and fresh water
• Lunch or Dinner
• Evening Coffee or tea with Snack
• Fees: $ 65 per person (Tax included)

Option 3:

• Entrance and enjoyment of the facilities
• Towel
• Lockers
• Breakfast
• Appetizers
• Bar of natural soft drinks and fresh water
• Lunch or Dinner
• Evening Coffee or tea with Snack
• Fees: $ 75 per person (Tax included)

Timing:

• Morning : 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Evening : 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Note: The entry of pets and animals, except for guide dogs is prohibited.