The Sleeping Indian Hostel

The Hostel makes up the second floor of this building.

The Sleeping Indian Hostel was the first place we stayed at during our trip to Costa Rica and it was actually my first hostel, ever. Staying here was a bit of a gamble because I booked this place in a hurry on the same day we were flying out. (We had been so swamped with work that we hadn't booked a single thing for the trip but we agreed that we should at least secure a place for the night we flew in.) I found this place on hostels.com and booked two nights after skimming through the few reviews and pictures... and I am so glad I did! This place ended up being one of the unforgettable highlights of the trip.

First of all, location. The Sleeping Indian Hostel is one street off of the main road through town. It is adjacent to the La Fortuna de San Carlos church so the balcony provided a pretty view of the church and the town park.

We had two rooms to choose from. One had a queen bed but only a small window near the ceiling. The one we decided on had two twin beds but also two huge windows. By pushing the beds together, we had the best of both worlds. Both rooms had its own private bathroom and shower (the shower was a Gerald shower, which I will explain further in a future post but basically there was hot water). Our room didn't have a closet but I rarely find myself using hotel closets anyway. The wall hooks and hangers sufficed (actually, I don't think I used those either).

The common area of The Sleeping Indian Hostel.

The common area was beautiful, kind of an odd word for a common area but that's really what it was. The hammock, the furniture, the colors and the sky lighting all made me wish that we were staying there longer. There was also a kitchen with everything you would ever need: coffee maker and Costa Rican coffee (yum), stove, fridge, utensils, rice cooker, plates, etc.

Gerald, on the left, is the owner of The Sleeping Indian Hostel.

The owner, Gerald, is honestly reason enough to stay here. He is one of the friendliest people I have ever met and he set quite the precedent for Tican hospitality. He was extremely knowledgeable about Costa Rica and all of its natural wonders and we were privileged to hear a few of his fascinating lectures. For example, we told him about the different animals we saw at Arenal National Park so he told us everything about them: their biology, reproductive processes, roles in the food chain, etc.

Gerald was also very attentive and generous. On our last night, we were all in the common area having another fun discussion on Costa Rican nature when Ignas expressed his wish to see the red-eyed tree frog (this frog is on the cover of every Costa Rica guidebook). Gerald said, "I can't have you leave without seeing a red-eyed tree frog!" And boom, off we went on a free night hike, which ended up being the best guided hike we took during the whole trip. Also, before we left, he saw that we didn't have a good driving map so he gave us his. Nicest guy ever!

A few other things to note: There was no a/c but we never found it unbearable. The fans that were provided were enough to keep us comfortable. Also, The Sleeping Indian had it's own private parking area but we also parked on the street and it was fine.

Lastly, let's talk money. At $15 per person, per night, this place was amazing. I would HIGHLY recommend staying at The Sleeping Indian. I know that when me and Ignas go back to Costa Rica, The Sleeping Indian will definitely be our go-to hostel in La Fortuna. THANKS GERALD!

Click here to check out more pictures from The Sleeping Indian Hostel on our photo gallery. Also, check out The Sleeping Indian Hostel's Facebook page.