Fodor's Expert Review Luna Azul

Sequestered in the green hills above Playa Ostional, 8 km (5 miles) north of Nosara, tranquil, tasteful Luna Azul is full of clever design and healthful attributes, surrounded by a private nature reserve abounding with birds and wildlife. An excellent spot for nature lovers, it's also the most convenient—and consistently accessible—lodge for experiencing the massive arribadas of nesting olive ridley turtles and for sinking into the sand yourself, on almost-deserted nearby Playa Juanillo. Accommodations, spread around an exuberant garden with flowering hedges, are spacious and beautifully designed with tropical-themed linens and elegant bathrooms with hot-water showers open to nature. Three separate bungalows have very private, ocean-facing decks, cooled by overhead fans; four other suites in two duplex bungalows have their own gardens. For romance, the most popular package includes a candlelit dinner for two on the terrace, massages, a sunset cruise, and a turtle tour. Homeopathic treatments and rebalancing massages are available. The chic seafood restaurant overlooking the small but pretty pool draws customers from Nosara. The innovative, sophisticated menu includes perfectly prepared seafood, fresh fish, tenderloin, and organic chicken. To keep the hotel ticking like clockwork, the nature-loving Swiss owners are always on hand. A bridge across the Río Montaña has made it easier to get here from Nosara in the rainy season, when the river used to be impassable. The hotel is also accessible year-round from Ventisiete de Abril, to the west, via a sometimes rough, but always passable, road with bridges.