Choose a Plant-Based Stay That Fits Your Costa Rica Trip

Start with Lands in Love if you want entirely vegan dining, cloud forest, and adventure activities. Choose Mother Earth if you prefer a smaller Tamarindo base with plant-based food, a pool, wellness services, and beach access by foot. Treat other Costa Rica resorts as vegan-friendly—not fully vegan—unless the property confirms its current, property-wide policy in writing.

The short answer: start with two vegan-hotel candidates

Decision factor	Lands in Love	Mother Earth	Best fit
Setting	Cloud-forest resort	Boutique hotel in Tamarindo	Forest adventure vs. beach-town base
Vegan evidence	Property describes itself as a vegan hotel and says its food is entirely vegan	Property confirms plant-based dining; third parties report broader vegan operations	Lands in Love has stronger direct evidence for entirely vegan dining
Dining style	Israeli, Costa Rican, and international influences	Poolside plant-based restaurant	Broad resort dining vs. boutique restaurant
Activities and wellness	Hiking, bird-watching, adventure excursions, pool, Jacuzzi, and yoga or gathering space	Saltwater pool and wellness menu; yoga and treatments reported by reviewers	Active days vs. slower wellness days
Beach access	Not a beach base	Historical guests reported a 15- to 20-minute walk to the beach (Bite-Sized Beet; Vegan With a Passport)	Mother Earth
Reported drawbacks	Individual guests mention mosquitoes and possible sanctuary noise	One guest raised concerns about room value, bathroom size, communication, extras, and some dishes	Depends on sleep, space, and service priorities

Use the labels carefully: Lands in Love is a property-described vegan hotel with entirely vegan dining confirmed in its own published materials. Mother Earth’s official site confirms plant-based cuisine, private terraces, a saltwater pool, and wellness offerings; claims about its broader vegan operations come from third parties and need reconfirmation.

Neither property can be assigned a reliable current price tier or value ranking here. Rates, taxes, inclusions, and package terms vary by date, while the available value comments come from individual historical stays.

What “vegan resort” means in this guide

“Vegan resort” is used loosely online. A hotel may appear in a vegan travel guide because it has a strong vegan menu, a separate restaurant, or a chef willing to modify dishes. None of those details proves that the entire accommodation is vegan.

This guide uses three practical labels:

1. Fully vegan property: The property currently confirms that animal-derived products are excluded across both dining and the wider stay.
2. Vegetarian or plant-based property: Dining centers on vegetarian or plant-based food, but a property-wide vegan policy is not established.
3. Conventional property with vegan options: The hotel serves non-vegan food but offers vegan dishes, a dedicated menu, an on-site vegan restaurant, or meals by request.

An entirely vegan menu is strong evidence about food. It does not establish that toiletries, bedding, furniture, minibar items, cleaning products, or spa supplies are free from animal-derived materials or animal testing. Conversely, vegan toiletries or an on-site vegan restaurant do not prove that animal products are absent elsewhere.

The evidence labels used below mean:

• Property-confirmed: Stated in the property’s own published materials. This does not mean independently inspected, certified, or audited.
• Third-party reported: Described by a travel publication or blogger.
• Guest-reported: Based on an individual traveler’s experience, not a universal result.

Keep diet, allergy procedures, and non-food animal products as separate questions.

Lands in Love: best fit for cloud forest and adventure

Evidence label: property-described vegan hotel with property-confirmed entirely vegan food; guest-reported drawbacks.

Lands in Love presents itself as a vegan hotel and forest resort in a Costa Rican cloud forest. It says its food is entirely vegan and plant-based, with Israeli, international, and local influences. The resort advertises 38 rooms, each with a front porch facing the cloud forest and nature trails, plus a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gathering or yoga space, and in-room massage. Two rooms are described as designed for guests with disabilities, according to the official Lands in Love website.

Advertised activities include:

• Hiking
• Bird-watching
• Forest walks
• Ziplining
• Rafting
• ATV excursions
• Canyoning

Do not assume that these activities are included with a room. Before booking, ask which excursions operate on your dates, who runs them, what age or mobility restrictions apply, how weather affects departures, and what equipment or activity fees cost.

The dining appears broader than a conventional resort menu with one vegan entrée. The Vegan Side of the Moon reports dishes such as hummus, falafel, shakshuka, sushi, pasta, and pizza, illustrating the mix of Israeli, Costa Rican, and international influences. Treat these as historical examples, not a current ordering list.

There are two practical trade-offs for light sleepers and travelers sensitive to tropical conditions. Individual reviews displayed on the resort’s site mention mosquitoes in a room and possible noise near the animal sanctuary; one guest also reported that quieter areas were available. Ask about window screens or mosquito nets and request a room away from active property areas if sleep is a priority.

The two rooms described as designed for guests with disabilities are only a starting point. That description does not establish step-free routes, suitable bathroom dimensions, pool access, or accessible excursions. Ask for measurements, photographs, path gradients, surface descriptions, and the exact route among reception, the room, restaurant, pool, and activity areas.

Lands in Love is the stronger candidate when the hotel itself is one of the trip’s anchors: forest views, on-site downtime, and optional outdoor activities. It is not a practical substitute for a coastal base if walking to the beach is central to the trip.

Mother Earth: best fit for a small Tamarindo and wellness stay

Evidence label: property-confirmed plant-based dining and core amenities; broader vegan operations are third-party reported.

Mother Earth’s official offering is a Tamarindo boutique hotel with private terraces, a poolside restaurant serving plant-based cuisine, a saltwater pool, and a wellness menu. These features are stated on the Mother Earth hotel website.

A first-person review published by Bite-Sized Beet reports a 14-room format, yoga studio, massage, and sound-healing services. The reviewer also placed the hotel about a 15-minute walk from the beach and described historical dishes including a Tico breakfast, chickpea omelet, buffalo cauliflower, pasta, a chickpea-and-hearts-of-palm sandwich, and pizza. These details reflect that reviewer’s stay and may have changed.

A separate review by Vegan With a Passport, based mainly on a 2022 stay, estimated a 20-minute walk to the beach. The useful planning conclusion is that current evidence does not establish Mother Earth as beachfront. Treat it as a walkable Tamarindo base and ask the hotel for the current route; actual time will depend on pace, heat, and the beach access point.

The same 2022-based review describes Mother Earth as all-vegan and reports vegan toiletries, animal-free mattresses, and animal-free furniture. It also raises concerns about room value, a small bathroom, communication, costly extras, and some dinner dishes, while praising aspects of the bedding, Wi-Fi, pool, breakfast, and improving service. These are one guest’s experiences, not guarantees about a future stay.

If avoiding non-food animal products is essential, ask Mother Earth to confirm each relevant category before payment. Its official homepage directly supports plant-based cuisine but does not, by itself, verify every current furnishing, cleaning supply, minibar product, treatment, or hotel operation.

Mother Earth best suits a slower day shape: breakfast, pool time, a wellness appointment, and a walk into Tamarindo or to the beach. Avoid using historical room prices to classify it as affordable, expensive, or good value for current dates.

Vegan-friendly alternatives when location matters more than exclusivity

A conventional resort may be a better base if your priority is a particular beach, volcano view, hot spring, retreat program, or resort format. The trade-off is that vegan reliability may depend on a restaurant, current menu, or staff request.

Property or area	Evidence label	Reported vegan provision	Why consider it
Ylang Ylang Beach Resort	Property-promoted vegan-friendly	Vegan dishes using locally grown ingredients	Beach setting and resort activities
Zunya	Third-party-reported vegan-friendly	On-site vegan restaurant, Nula Kitchen	Mal Pais or Santa Teresa base
Hotel Punta Islita	Guest-reported vegan-friendly	Several vegan breakfast choices reported	Guanacaste location
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo	Historical guest report	Vegan options and off-menu flexibility reported in 2018	Conventional resort format
Arenal-area properties	Third-party leads	Vegan dishes, menus, or requests reported	Volcano, rainforest, farm, or hot-spring trip
Selva Armonia and Waterfall Villas	Third-party-reported vegan leads	Vegan positioning reported	Consider only after direct confirmation

Ylang Ylang Beach Resort: The property promotes vegan dishes made with locally grown ingredients, along with yoga, meditation, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Its wording alternates between “vegan” and “vegan-friendly” and does not establish an exclusively vegan kitchen or hotel. Treat it as a beach resort with advertised vegan food, based on Ylang Ylang’s resort page.

Zunya: The Vegan Side of the Moon reports that this Mal Pais property near Santa Teresa offers lodging, an on-site vegan restaurant called Nula Kitchen, and scheduled wellness or community activities. Confirm whether the restaurant is operating, whether non-guests may dine there, and which activities run during your dates.

Hotel Punta Islita: The same first-person travel account reports several vegan breakfast choices and describes the Guanacaste property as vegan-friendly rather than fully vegan. It does not establish the breadth of current lunch and dinner choices or property-wide practices.

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo: A Tripadvisor guest reviewing a July 2018 family stay reported vegan options across the resort’s restaurants. A management response said chefs could prepare requested off-menu items. This old report does not establish current menus, meal-package terms, vegan preparation standards, or allergen controls.

Arenal and La Fortuna: A third-party accommodation guide identifies Finca Luna Nueva, Essence Arenal, Arenal Manoa, and Amor Arenal as potential vegan-friendly bases. Their reported appeal includes rainforest or farm experiences, vegetarian dining that handles vegan requests, hot springs, and volcano-oriented stays. Treat all operational and menu details as leads requiring direct confirmation.

Selva Armonia and Waterfall Villas: Third-party guides describe these as vegan properties, but their current property-wide policies are not confirmed here. Contact each property before building an itinerary around that label.

Match the base to the trip you actually want

Do not rank these properties as if they offer interchangeable trips. Choose the region and repeatable daily rhythm first, then assess vegan reliability within that shortlist.

Your priority	Best starting point	Evidence strength	Main trade-off
Cloud forest and adventure	Lands in Love	Strong direct evidence for entirely vegan food	Not a beach-town base
Tamarindo, pool, wellness, and beach access by foot	Mother Earth	Direct evidence for plant-based dining; broader vegan claims are third-party	Not established as beachfront
Beach-resort activities with vegan dishes	Ylang Ylang	Property-promoted vegan-friendly dining	Exclusivity not established
Mal Pais or Santa Teresa with an on-site vegan restaurant	Zunya	Third-party reported	Confirm restaurant access and programming
Volcano, rainforest, farm, or hot springs	Arenal-area leads	Third-party reported	Menus and kitchen practices need confirmation
Conventional resort amenities	Punta Islita or Andaz leads	Historical guest reports	Support may depend on current staff and menus

For an Arenal or La Fortuna trip, start with the volcano, rainforest, farm, or hot-spring experience you actually want, then request current menus from nearby accommodations. Do not move to a less convenient region solely because an old guide mentions vegan options there.

This is especially important on a short Costa Rica itinerary. A distant vegan hotel is not automatically a better base if reaching it consumes a large part of the trip. Unless the route already requires a move, choose one regional base and keep day trips flexible rather than collecting hotels across the country.

Use this pre-booking verification checklist

Copy the questions that matter to you and request written answers. Specific replies are easier to compare than a general promise to “accommodate everyone.”

Vegan policy and meals

• Is the entire hotel vegan, or only the restaurant or selected dishes?
• Is all food prepared on the property vegan?
• Is non-vegan food stored, prepared, or served anywhere on site?
• Which meals are included in the room rate?
• Can you send current, dated breakfast, lunch, dinner, children’s, and drinks menus?
• Are vegan meals available every day and at my expected arrival time?
• Are room-service, minibar, and excursion meals also vegan?
• Can non-guests use the restaurant, and are reservations required?

Non-food products

If these details matter to you, ask whether the following contain animal-derived materials or were tested on animals:

• Toiletries
• Bedding and pillows
• Mattresses
• Furniture and upholstery
• Minibar products
• Cleaning and laundry products
• Massage oils
• Spa products

Avoid asking only, “Is the room vegan?” A category-by-category question is more likely to produce a useful answer.

Allergies and cross-contact

Ask the property directly about its procedures rather than treating a vegan menu as an allergy-control system (Costa Rica vegan and food-allergy dining guidance).

Ask specifically about:

• Full ingredient lists
• Shared fryers, grills, and cookware
• Knives and cutting boards
• Preparation surfaces
• Storage containers
• Procedures used to reduce cross-contact
• The staff member responsible for confirming ingredients

An offer to adapt a dish off-menu shows flexibility, not necessarily a controlled preparation process. A historical Andaz management response, for example, said chefs could prepare requested items, but it did not document separate equipment or cross-contact procedures.

Rates, transport, and booking terms

Confirm:

• Total rate for your dates
• Taxes and service charges
• Included meals
• Minimum stay
• Deposit
• Cancellation and refund terms
• Airport or town transfers
• Road access and recommended vehicle
• Parking
• Activity and equipment fees
• Child policies
• Restaurant access for non-guests

Accessibility, sleep, and comfort

Ask for precise details rather than relying on an “accessible room” label:

• Are all essential routes step-free?
• What are the doorway and bathroom measurements?
• Are grab bars, roll-in showers, or shower seats available?
• Can guests reach the restaurant, pool, spa, and activity areas without stairs?
• What are the path surfaces and gradients?
• Which excursions can accommodate the traveler’s requirements?

Also ask about nighttime noise, nearby animals, events, construction, and insects. At a nature-based property, confirm whether rooms have window screens, mosquito nets, or air conditioning, and request the quietest suitable room area.

Useful Spanish phrases

• Soy vegano/a. — I am vegan.
• Sin queso. — Without cheese.
• Sin huevo. — Without egg.
• Sin leche. — Without milk.
• Sin productos de animales. — Without animal products.

Apparently meat-free rice, soups, vegetables, beans, and sauces may still contain butter, lard, dairy, eggs, mayonnaise, bouillon, or animal-based stock. Ask about these ingredients directly rather than relying on the dish’s name.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lands in Love completely vegan?

Lands in Love identifies itself as a vegan hotel and says its food is entirely vegan and plant-based. That is strong property-published evidence for dining. It does not independently verify every toiletry, cleaning product, furnishing, minibar item, or spa supply, so ask about non-food categories separately if they matter to you.

Is Mother Earth Vegan Hotel beachfront?

The evidence reviewed here does not establish Mother Earth as beachfront. Historical guests reported walks of approximately 15 minutes and 20 minutes, respectively (Bite-Sized Beet; Vegan With a Passport). Treat it as a walkable Tamarindo base and ask the hotel for the best current route.

Is Ylang Ylang Beach Resort fully vegan?

Ylang Ylang’s property page advertises vegan dishes and describes the resort as vegan-friendly. It does not clearly establish an exclusively vegan kitchen or property-wide vegan operation. Confirm whether non-vegan food is currently prepared or served on site.

Can a vegan label guarantee food-allergy safety?

No. Ask the property for ingredient and cross-contact procedures before relying on a meal (Costa Rica vegan and food-allergy dining guidance).

For the usable choice, begin with Lands in Love when entirely vegan dining, cloud forest, and adventure are the priorities. Begin with Mother Earth when you want a smaller Tamarindo stay with plant-based food, wellness, a pool, and beach access by foot. Treat the other options as vegan-friendly or unverified leads, then send the checklist before paying so the stay matches your current dietary, logistical, and comfort needs.