Our Story

One day in April 1998, with 300,000 colones in the bag and an old furniture that had received as payment for his services, Mr. Delfín came to the Sarapiqui area, attracted by the natural wealth and the good trade it had at that time, when the banana plantations company was very successful and even the people working there, earning very well.First came alone with a friend who was cook, and began with a soda in the center of Puerto Viejo, the strength of this place was a window next to the bus stop, where he sold fried chicken, crackling chicken and potato turnover (I still remember how delicious they were, his wife says), spent four months there, when he saw the business was good he brought his whole family, and his wife joined him at work.

After 6 months, the owner of the "best restaurant"of Village, proposed him to renting same, with all the fear he went to talk to him since he only had to pay the rent the local where he was. In this business he was for 4 years, when he was 2 years, along with his family decided to buy some land or house in the area, and it was when they sold the property they have today, it was an abandoned farm, there was no light or water pipe, only an excellent source in the mountains, but his wife says that with his vision, he looked a privileged place where God had a future. Thus passed the days and built a cabin for them to go to rest, and spend the nights full of peace and the noise of nature, hence the idea of a resort, without experience, without knowledge and without seeking any advice, the activity started with a bank loan.

Started with 8 rooms, that was the first module, then gave them melina ribs and they built 2 more beautiful cabins, then another 2 and with the one they had were completed 13 cabins. Ara Ambigua name was put in honor of this beautiful bird in the area, the green Lapa, since it is the scientific name of it.

They moved from one cabin to another, they rented a house outside the hotel and the situation was worse, they say they have done of everything,they have been waiters, cooks, guards, another story of Mrs. Lisbeth says that when she had to give free the boy who helped her, she stayed in a straw hut they had built, to care for the hotel, with a gun and a small dog who accompanied her, until Mr. Delfin was coming, and in that time there wereno lights in the gardens as now.

They had a travel club they had paid for vacations, and they had to use it to put electric light, then caught the rising water tanks and led to each room built, a year after the hotel was opened, they opened their own restaurant, La Casona and they left what they had. Always together alongside their children, Wendy, Sharon and Emanuelle have worked day by day to raise awareness of both nationals and foreign their privileged location, excellent food and the warmth of a Costa Rican family.A few years later they felt the necessity to grow with more rooms, then a new loan, after many others, were paid and who had pulled another little older, "says Mr. Delfin who already lost the fear of bank borrowing ".

That way they built 20 more rooms, these ones superiorswith air conditioning, and all at once.

After of earthquake Cinchona were hard days, more than ever, because it was a ghost town, desperate about the situation they thought of something that would attract to the locals, and an excellent pizza was born, that both people of Sarapiquí as foreigners stayed or not in Ara Ambigua, enjoy with great pleasure, another product was added.

Nowadays they remember the big effort, sacrifice, work and commitments that built to carry out this beautiful place, Ara Ambigua Lodge, as they have a restaurant and pizza place for 125 people, 40 bedrooms, a furnished villa, swimming pool for adults and children, an event hall for 250 people, a conference room for 60 people, air conditioning, three large lakes, mountain trails, a garden frog, employment for 15 people from the town and a family very thankful with God and filled with love and much enthusiasm for serving to all the customers.