08/10/2026
When Monika bought this property, she didn't plan to open a restaurant, gallery, or bed and breakfast.
She and her husband, Willie, moved from California to Costa Rica to find a quieter life. But Monika has always been an entrepreneur, and before long Restaurante Caballo Negro was born.
The gallery came next as she began working with talented Costa Rican artists. Then she created the Lucky Bug Bed & Breakfast.
What many people don't realize is that all three were intentionally designed to work together. The restaurant and gallery sit on the main road around Lake Arenal, while the B&B was built nearly 200 meters back from the road to create a peaceful retreat away from traffic noise.
Some guests discover us through the gallery. Others come for the restaurant. Many stay in the B&B and end up enjoying all three.
For years, we thought people came to Lucky Bug for a place to stay.
But what they remember most is sitting on the patio, watching the lake, the hummingbirds and iguanas, and the rainforest..
People don't come here for a bed.
They come here for peace.