Gingerbread Restaurant & Hotel - Nuevo Arenal

3-star culinary boutique hotel on Lake Arenal with chef-driven dining

Dining: Chef Eyal's Tasting Menu

Gingerbread Restaurant & Hotel is a culinary boutique hotel where chef Eyal Benmenachem offers a Chef's Choice tasting menu that changes daily. The dinner service includes multiple small plates and entrees featuring Korean, Indian, Chinese, and Texas-style chili, all prepared with locally sourced and seasonal produce. Guests can join a family-style breakfast each morning, served at a fixed time where everyone staying at the hotel sits together and shares a meal that varies daily.

Rooms: Handcrafted Private Casitas

The hotel offers six boutique accommodations, including private casitas with individual room designs like the Wine Cellar room with an ornate shower and the Butterfly room. Each room at Gingerbread Restaurant & Hotel has a private bathroom, a balcony with views of Lake Arenal, and air-conditioning. The Wine Cellar room features a half-outdoor shower with plants growing inside and above the ceiling.

Children: Family-Friendly Amenities

Children have access to an indoor play area and outdoor play equipment at Gingerbread Restaurant & Hotel. The hotel provides babysitting and child services upon request, and the restaurant offers vegan acai ice cream and special dietary preparations for children with allergies. The family-style dining setup allows children to eat from the same multi-course tasting menu as adults, with the chef adjusting dishes for picky eaters.

Wellness & Nature: Spa Services and Wildlife Watching

On-site massage services include full body, neck, head, foot, back, and hand massages offered at the hotel. Guests can watch birds from the hotel's camera feed on bird feeders while eating breakfast, and the property has lush gardens for wildlife watching. The hotel offers a shuttle service to Lake Arenal for kayaking and hiking, and staff can drive guests down to the lake with chairs, towels, and beers.

Entertainment: Live Music and Chef Interaction

Gingerbread Restaurant & Hotel hosts live music performances and live sport events on-site, including a five-piece band that performed during a guest's stay. Chef Eyal personally introduces each dish at the table, explaining the cooking techniques and the reasons for creating each plate. The on-site bar serves premium drinks with locally sourced ingredients, including homemade piña coladas and an Israeli Cabernet wine selection.

• Location: Lake Arenal waterfront, 32 miles from Fortuna Airport
• Rooms: 6 boutique casitas with Lake Arenal views
• Dining: Chef's Choice tasting menu with multi-cultural dishes
• Wellness: Full body massage services on site
• Entertainment: Live music performances and chef table interaction
• Children: Indoor and outdoor play areas with babysitting services