Costa Rica has some amazing accommodation from plush hotels to jungle glamping to luxury lodges. Here’s our pick of eight out-of-the-ordinary places to stay that your clients are bound to love.
Volcano lodgings: Amor Arenal, Arenal
Amor Arenal’s cabins – or casitas – come with panoramic views of the Arenal volcano and the nearby town of La Fortuna. Also, the hotel has taken advantage of its proximity to La Fortuna’s hot springs to create three mineral swimming pools. Guests should also be able to spot sloths and howler monkeys in Arenal Volcano National Park’s rainforest.
The hotel is for guests over 13 years only.
Book with Latin Routes
Five-star luxury: Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Papagayo Peninsula
This 181-room luxury hotel, which was refurbished last year, has an enviable spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean, about a 45-minute drive from the Guanacaste Airport. Clients can choose to just kick back and relax, but there’s also an 18-hole golf course, a surf school and a tennis club, plus six restaurants on site.
Book with Kuoni
Recently reopened: The Hotel Belmar, Monteverde
Hotel Belmar reopened its doors in September after renovating its 26 bedrooms. Ideal for eco-conscious clients, the carbon-neutral hotel is in an enviable location between two reserves; the original Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and the lesser-known Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. Both are abundant with hundreds of birds, insects, plants, and mammals including the famed resplendent quetzal. The town of Sante Elena is just a short drive, with a few cafes and shops to visit.
The new chalet-style rooms feature natural materials such as sustainable wood and organic fabrics. The main dining spot, Restaurante Celajes, serves simple farm-to-table dishes and it’s worth knowing the hotel has its own micro-brewery and craft cocktails.
Book with Audley Travel
City stopover: Hotel Presidente, San José
Less than 40 minutes’ drive from San José International Airport, Hotel Presidente is an ideal stop for your clients to rest before or after a long flight. The four-star property sits on the Central Avenue Pedestrian Boulevard, so it’s easy to wander and visit local shops, restaurants and museums before starting a Costa Rica tour or heading home. The hotel also has a rooftop bar and dining room with views across the city.
Book with Travelpack
Out in the wild: Corcovado Wilderness Lodge, Corcovado National Park
One for the more adventurous of clients, Corcovado Wilderness Lodge can only be reached by boat from the nearby town of Sierpe, the jumping off point for tours of the Osa Peninsula.
Set off-the-beaten track in its own 179-acre private reserve it borders Corcovado National Park, which is the place to spot rare tropical forest mammals such as ocelots, tapirs, and if you’re lucky, jaguars. This area of Costa Rica is often described as ‘the most biologically intense place on earth’.
There are 20 bungalows dotted around the gardens. They are bright and spacious and not overly fancy, but all feature ceiling fans, air conditioning, hammocks, with windows looking out to the lush grounds.
Book with Exsus Travel
Glamping: Isla Chiquita Glamping Hotel, Nicoya Peninsula
Perched on Isla Jesusita, a tiny Island in the gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific coast, the Isa Chiquita Glamping hotel has 18 tents dotted around its grounds, each with a private deck with ocean or forest views. All tents have their own bathrooms and the ‘premium’ tents come with air conditioning too. For those looking for extra indulgence, the Master Sunset Suite boasts a private plunge pool and a terrace with 360-degree views.
Book with Not in the Guidebooks
Remote lodge: Tortuga Lodge, Tortuguero National Park
Another property only accessible by boat is the 29-room Tortuga Lodge, which sits right on the Tortuguero River and close to the Caribbean coast. It’s perfect for clients who want easy access to explore the national park where they can expect to see iguanas, howler monkeys and more close by. The hotel guides offer daily nature walks, trips to turtle nesting sites during season and kayak trips up the Tortuguero River.
Book with Journey Latin America
And new for 2025…
Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Papagayo Peninsula
Opening in early 2025, the Nekajui, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will be located in the upmarket Papagayo Peninsula on Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast. The new hotel will feature 107 rooms including three glamping tents. Other USPs include a cable car down to the beach club, a hydrotherapy area, and a speakeasy bar.
