Costa Rica’s resorts have it all—amazing suites, farm-fresh dining, pampering spas, and even monkeys jumping around in the trees above you. Whether located in the jungle or on the beach, they’re muy exotica with a romance factor that’s off the charts. Honeymooners feel like they’ve been whisked away to some eco-friendly fairy tale what with all the walking around barefoot, swinging in hammocks, and the plucking of fruits from a garden. It’s nearly impossible to not have a candlelit dinner, indulge in a couples massage, or make love in your suite to the soundtrack of nature. That is what Costa Rican resorts are all about, especially these seven properties known to seduce honeymooners from all over the world.
—Jimmy Im
-
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Papagayo
Papagayo Village, Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Papagayo (the only Forbes Five Star Resort in all of Central America) is a magnet to honeymooners but it’s also a popular resort for incentive groups. You could be chilling at the pool when literally twenty pharmaceutical reps come in and throw around a frisbee. Do not let this deter you. The property is beautiful, and actually quite big with two beaches and three pools. You can actually be tucked away in private places without seeing another soul, and it’s on a hilltop, so the views are outstanding. There’s two great restaurants, watersports activities, a spa and an amazing location in the rainforest straddled by two beaches. Basic rooms (from $900) are in a building, some with non views, so we suggest going for one of the Canopy Suites (1,205 square feet) tucked away in the rainforest on stilts with their own private plunge pools that harbor rainforest and ocean landscape views. These one-bedroom suites (about $2,400 a night) have floor to ceiling windows, and the bedroom is in its own separate building, attached to the living room through an outdoor bridge. They’re obviously insane.
-
Tango Mar
Péninsule de Nicoya, Costa Rica
Don’t mind the name (translation: Dance on the Sea), which is pretty cheesy. Books aren’t meant to be judged by their covers. In the Nicoya Peninsula, Tango Mar is going to exceed your expectations. The boutique gem is totally secluded, which makes it perfect for honeymooners who want to feel worlds away. It’s right on the insanely beautiful Quizales beach (the resort is a mere 160-feet away from the water). It’s unusual to be so close to the ocean because local law now enforces new resorts to be no less than 650 feet away. Couples can take over the outdoor pools or bamboo gardens, go horseback riding or jungle hiking, hit up waterfalls, and hide away in romantic gazebos. The rooms are rustic and elegant with four-post beds and tiki suites are raised on stilts with private jacuzzis. This place is a damn good deal, which is why you should never, ever judge a book by its cover. Tango Mar is Costa Rica’s best hidden gem. Rooms start at $150, beachfront rooms average $220 and tiki suites are $288.
-
Nayara Arenal Volcano Resort & Spa
La Fortuna, Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Nayara is a stunning, five-star sanctuary just miles from the town of La Fortuna near the Arenal Volcano, a natural landmark and tourist attraction. In a tropical oasis spanning 15-acres, the resort sports impressive views of the volcano, and it’s set in lush, tropical gardens. There’s an outdoor heated pool, tucked-away fountains, romantic paths leading through the rainforest and even a swim-up bar! The spa is a highlight, set deep in the rainforest with a natural spring running below it. Among the fifty casitas and villas, the rainforest villas (average 1,135 square feet) boast wrap-around decks, hammocks, private outdoor jacuzzis, outdoor rain showers, the works. Splurge for a Springs Villa (1500 square feet), which comes with its own private pool fed by the local mineral hot springs. Plus that complimentary mini bar! The Rainforest Villa starts at $490 a night, and Spring Villas are $750 a night
-
JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
One of the biggest resorts in Costa Rica, at 310 rooms, JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa does not want you to leave the grounds at all. With all the amenities and features, there’s a chance you never will. It feels like a timeless, wilderness lodge—in that it’s right smack in the middle of the rainforest—and it has that colonial, rustic design, so you’re all set with ambience. There’s a central pool (split into different sections), a volcanic beach, and your backyard is actually a rainforest with zip-lining, hiking, and hot springs. Remember how we said they don’t want you to leave the property? There are five restaurants including a great steakhouse, and a huge, award-winning spa, so put your car rental keys away. The only caveat: You won’t feel very private here as it’s a bigger property, but the resort manages to keep honeymooners extra happy, especially those who want to stay busy. Basic rooms (550 square feet) start at $200, and one-bedroom oceanfront suites (1,390 square feet) just steps from the beach start at $400.
-
Latitude 10
Santa Teresa, San José, Costa Rica
The Tulum of Costa Rica, Santa Teresa is home to jetsetters, backpackers, hippies and millennials, and the only hotel that’s actually luxurious is Latitude 10. Most of the accommodations in Santa Teresa are guesthouses, AirBnbs, low-star hotels, and hostels, so this is your best bet for luxury. Latitude 10 is super intimate with only six bungalows, and they’re all within the rainforest (but mere steps from the beach). There’s an al fresco restaurant serving local Costa Rican cuisine and a pool if you need that (you don’t, you’re next to one of the best beaches in Central America). Also, there’s plenty of bikes to speed around. These casitas are very rustic and chic (think four-post beds with netting, vaulted ceilings, all handmade local woods and huge patios), and they range from 200 square feet to 600 square feet. Rooms start at $290 a night.
-
Arenas Del Mar
Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas, Quepos, Costa Rica
Some honeymooners basically ditch all of their electronics when they shack up at Arenas Del Mar. The five-star property in Manuel Antonio straddles the rainforest and the beach (cue the sound of crashing waves and howling monkeys), and it has been awarded “best hotel” by critics across the board. It’s basically located in a national park, so it’s all about unspoiled nature. Every stay includes an a la carte breakfast (yes, no buffet!), free mini bar (yes, local snacks are delicious!), complimentary coffee (you’ll need it for 5 am wake-up calls because who would want to sleep in here?) and 400-thread count sheets (baby making time!). The best rooms are the Ocean View Suites (which have full views of the Pacific Ocean) with a 330-square-foot deck sporting an outdoor hot tub. Rooms start at $544 a night. If you want to downsize, the Ocean Breeze Superior Room (not a full ocean view but as the name implies, you do get that ocean breeze) is at $320 a night. It still has an outdoor hot tub and a living area, which some honeymooners prefer because the views of the rainforest are supreme (you will definitely see monkeys, be warned).
-
Villa Manzu
Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Villa Manzu in Papagayo is actually a vacation rental/private residence but it runs like a hotel. There’s an army of butlers and staff, hotel-like facilities like a fitness center and beach club, and sit-down dining with waitstaff. Not to be dramatic but “dream vacation rental” is an understatement here. Villa Manzu is where the Kardashians vacation in Costa Rica and Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child was married here (not to Nelly though, that only happens in Nellyville). Needless to say, you will experience next-level honeymooning. You have your own private sanctuary (there are 8 villa suites) with two outdoor pools, swaying hammocks, spa, outdoor bar, and surfing, snorkeling, golfing, and mountain biking at your fingertips. But here’s the catch. It is only available exclusively, meaning you can’t just book a villa room (unless you beg but that’s not a good look). You have to rent the entire place, but you will actually have the entire place to yourself. Rates start at $14,000 a night. Yes, we know this is steep, but we also know that it’s been done before. So, if your dad is loaded, then you’re all set.
