In Costa Rica, luxury is not first a matter of marble or gilding. It lies in a villa open to the forest, where howler monkeys wake you, in a thermal pool facing the volcano, or in a morning spent alone with a naturalist guide on the trail of a quetzal. Here is how we design an upscale trip, and a few places we know well.
Here are examples of well-known establishments in different regions. Depending on your itinerary and tastes, we will suggest these or other, more discreet addresses.
The Nayara estate brings together several hotels near La Fortuna, including Nayara Springs and Nayara Tented Camp. The villas have private pools fed by thermal water, in the middle of a tropical garden, with the volcano in the background on clear days. See our La Fortuna guide.
This hotel combines spacious rooms facing the volcano with many thermal pools at different temperatures, a few kilometers from La Fortuna.
A pioneer of upscale ecotourism, this lodge sits on a forested hill south of Puerto Jiménez, facing the Golfo Dulce and the Pacific. Its bungalows open to the forest, its private reserve and its guided outings make it a good base to discover the peninsula. See our Osa Peninsula guide.
In the foothills of the Talamanca range, this hacienda offers spacious casitas, horseback riding, hikes and a spa, in the heart of a farming region still little visited.
On a hill above a Pacific beach, this hotel works closely with the artists and residents of the neighboring village. It can be reached by small plane from San José.
Contemporary Costa Rican cuisine draws on the country’s produce: cacao, coffee, tropical fruit, heart of palm, fish from the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. In San José, a few chefs reinterpret it with talent, as at Sikwa restaurant, devoted to Indigenous culinary traditions. In isolated lodges, meals are often served on site, with regional produce. See our food guide.
The budget depends on the establishments and experiences chosen; we present a detailed quote, stop by stop, so that you know what each service corresponds to.
The dry season, from December to April, for the sun; the green season, from May to November, for lush nature and quieter lodges. See our guide When to go.
Yes: several of the lodges mentioned protect private reserves and work with neighboring communities. See our eco-lodges guide.
Yes, see our honeymoon guide, or let’s talk about your project.
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