Fodor's Expert Review Lookout Inn Lodge

Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.

This lively barefoot inn—shoes come off at the bottom step, and steps here are plentiful—is set on a precipitous hillside with a spectacular panorama that includes a colorful garden and scarlet macaws foraging in the almond trees that line the beach. There are multiple room options, with most rooms having private baths; you even have the option of staying in a two-story tree house. Wooden tree-house cabins have lots of quirky, imaginative decorating touches, perfect for those who like to get close to nature. The Monkey House cabin is great for families. Two comfortable rooms in the lodge's main building have huge tiled bathrooms. Less expensive tiki A-frame cabinas sit on 10-foot platforms and share a bathhouse. The final option is a penthouse aerie, atop the lodge, with 360-degree views of ocean and forest. There's Wi-Fi in the lodge lobby only, which is impressive considering the property operates on solar energy. Don't expect A/C, TVs, fridges, hot water, or even power outlets in your room (you can charge your phone in the main building). Inventive meals featuring fresh fish and barbecue are served on two terraces with spectacular views of the coastline. The breakfast buffet is served on a huge bilevel patio where monkeys come to feast on bananas. There's also a spring-fed plunge pool with a hammock rancho, a yoga deck, a spa, a shaded beach pavilion, and a bird-watching trail through primary forest. The hotel organizes beach and trail rides on horseback. And if you want more climbing, there's a 500-step "Stairway to Heaven" up to a lofty lookout where the odd puma has been spotted.