Punta Islita
Feb 27th, 2004 | 05:34 PM
#1
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Punta Islita
My fiance and I recently spent four days at the Punta Islita Resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica on the Nicoya peninsula. Here are some impressions.
Background. Let me tell you a bit about us to give you some context for this note. I?ve often found it difficult to assess ?reviews? because the writer?s background and perspective were unknown. So, we're employed in the health care industry, living and working in a medium size Southwestern city. Our sons are successful professionals in medicine and the computer gaming industry. Our daughters are half way through college. We've been together for 2 years, just beginning to get to know where and how we want to travel. Between us, we have touristed in: Hawaii, most of the other 49 states, several major US cities (e.g., San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego), Aruba, several destinations in Mexico, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Paris, Kenya, Tanzania. Our customary level of accommodations has been in the 3-star range with the exception of the safari lodges in Africa, which were 4/5-stars. Punta Islita is our first all-inclusive, luxury resort vacation as a couple.
The Setting. Punta Islita is located on a bluff overlooking a cove on the Pacific Ocean. The location is spectacularly beautiful with lush, green vegetation and beautiful, flowered gardens. There is what is for all practical purposes, a private beach below the bluff. The sand is black and very fine. The rooms, buildings and cottages of the resort are built on the west-facing slope and all have a magnificent view of the ocean. The building designs blend into the geography of the location with wonderful charm and grace.
Our Room. We had a Junior Suite with outdoor Jacuzzi. The suite shared a wall with another like unit, duplex-style. The Suite was about 15? X 30? with a king bed on the east end and a sunken living room on the west side. An alcove off the living room was equipped with a sink and 'frig. Huge glass doors opened onto the patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The patio was furnished with a hammock, two chaise lounges, and a small table with two chairs and, of course, the outdoor Jacuzzi. The patio was partially roofed providing comfortable shade and protection from the bright, noonday sun. Bougainvillea bushes grew on the edge of the porch. There was a wooden railing to lean on while contemplating the view. The suite and patio were quite private and allowed us to acquire suntans uninterrupted by clothing lines.
There was a large bathroom off the bed (4-poster with side curtains) area equipped with a sunken, tiled tub with shower. The tub had a glass wall, which looked out onto a little, private garden. The illusion of bathing out-or-doors was very compelling. The room had large closets with a small safe for valuables. Everything in the room was intact and worked.... no loose knobs, broken tiles, etc. A quiet, modern AC kept the very large room at a comfortable temperature. Daily housekeeping was impeccable and included, fresh, local flowers, imaginatively arranged and turndowns at night, with cookies. The bathmat towel was arranged in a different configuration each day...."Snoopy", for example, with hibiscus blossom and leaves for his eyes and nose. On Valentine?s Day, we were treated to a heart of flower petals on our bed. Another example of the exquisite attention to detail and thoughtfulness of the staff.
Ambiance. With rare exception, we felt as if we were alone in our own, private tropical resort. The large area that Punta Islita is built on (several hundred acres), wonderful layout and, relatively, few guests all combined to create the impression of grand privacy. We were surprised to hear that the resort was fully occupied during our stay and astounded to discover that several families with 20+ children had shared the weekend with us.
The motif of the common buildings (2 restaurants, spa, gym, 2 pools) was, not surprisingly very, beautifully tropical. The pool off the main dining room has a ?vanishing? edge. There was wonderful design, beautiful construction, no unfinished details, throughout. Several tables of the main restaurant were set-up in the open, taking advantage of a clear tropical sky, brilliantly lit with more stars that we see in our daily urban lives. Clever architecture and lamps near the ground achieve very low light pollution. No tall, glaring light poles, here. We usually took our flashlight (provided, of course) to light our way back to our room.
The staff was extremely polite, skilled in their duties and very attentive. We had not a single negative impression in four days. Their consideration and attention to the smallest detail always surprised. For example: my fiance decided to do some morning exercises on the beach one morning. The beach shuttle hadn't begun running but a staff person beginning his morning set-ups offered her a ride. She was, by the way, the only person on the beach at that hour. The restaurant and bar personnel were highly skilled, knowledgeable and deftly unobtrusive.... it was, at times, as if our thoughts became meals.
The Food. There were two dining areas, a large main restaurant on the bluffs, and, a smaller cafe on the beach. Both were open on three sides. They appeared to share the same/similar menus. Prices for meals were very reasonable and did not in any way exploit our "captive" status. Linen table clothes, place mats, napkins. Not surprisingly, seafood predominates, though non-sea food dishes are available. Preparation and presentation of dishes were of the highest quality. There were wonderful tropical fruits and juices for breakfast. The mango, especially, was superb. Absolutely fresh bass, mahi mahi, tuna, mussels, shrimp, lobster, squid, octopus were served. Delicate sauces and spices complimented the fish and vegetables without overwhelming the intrinsic flavors of the ingredients. Degree of cooking was perfect. A ?very rare? tuna steak in a sandwich, for example, was just barely warmed in the middle. Minor adjustments to dishes were attended to with no fuss...."could you please use just garlic and butter for the calamari sauce, no tomato, please....? As an aside: my father's first job out of college in the Depression was on a tuna fishing boat in Hawaii. He always said: ".... if there is a 'fishy' smell or taste, it's more than a day old". We never experienced any such unpleasantness. Aside number two: I'm a great fan of sashimi. The tuna I was served in my 'Tuna Sandwich ' had the delicate flavor and texture of very good sashimi. Though, one would pay $10 for 8 transparent slices at a sushi bar in the US and this 1/2pound of delightful tuna cost $7.95. I suspect that the flank, rather than the more prized fillet was used for the sandwich, though this is by no means a complaint. I plan to take some Wasabi on my next visit and ask for an uncooked 'Tuna Sand' and a very sharp knife,
. Aside number three: I've been eating octopus for 50+ years (I'm from Hawaii). The octopus dish I was served here was the best I've ever experienced.... tender (!!), flavorful, it melted in my mouth. This had to be in the preparation?. I?ve eaten freshly caught octopus on many occasions and it has always been more than a bit rubbery.
The Romantic Dinner. We were completely unprepared for this complete and intensely romantic experience. The understated description, ?a romantic dinner?, does no justice to the event. First the food: we were given a different menu to choose from, of course, to set the occasion apart. My fiance had grilled lobster (1 ? to 2 pounds). I had the seafood platter, a smaller lobster, prawns, mussels and bass. There are only three Romantic Dinners scheduled each night in order to allow very private spacing along the beach. The illusion of a totally private and luxurious dinner in Paradise was complete. Torches and candles, as expected. The sky was clear and very brightly lit with stars.... there were no close, electric lights to dull them. The sound of waves crashing on the beach punctuated our conversation. The food appeared as if by magic, out of the darkness, and was delicious. Then, bonfires were lit and the beach and waves were beautifully visible just beyond our table. Then, after the main course, fresh, warm brownies (the chef had to have timed them to be served directly from the oven) on fried bananas with a dab of ice cream as accent to finish the perfect meal. There was a wine list offered, but we don?t partake of alcoholic beverages and, so, cannot comment on this aspect of the dinner offerings. We do, however, enjoy virgin tropical drinks and these are meticulously prepared and delicious.
The Spa. My fiance had three treatments in our four days. She indicated that all were luxurious, pampering, and sybaritic. Lisa M., one of the practitioners of Massage, was anointed by my fiance as 'Best Ever'. She had one treatment in a hut opening onto the beach, bright blue skies and the Pacific Ocean...."I had thought this only happened in the movies...." she noted. Another was finished in a bath of coconut milk.
The Gym. This was compact and nicely equipped. And with a large glass wall facing, of course, the Pacific. There was a treadmill, stair machine and stationary cycle. The last was a spinner-type machine. Perhaps a recumbent model would have been more apropos the clientele,. Some Cybex machines for weight workouts complimented the cardio machines. I was usually the first one in, getting there before the set-up crew who tidied up and brought in fresh towels and water for the day. One morning, one of the staff noted that I had no towel or water due to my early beginning and brought me a bottle of water and towel as I was working out.... another example of great attention to the guest's comfort.
Activities. We did the tree-swing. Thrilling but all too short. The guides for the activity were skilled experts and there was never a feeling of danger, the better to enjoy the experience. Other tours, hikes, boat trips were offered, but we had planned to relax and be with each other.... on our porch, in our Jacuzzi, in our garden shower, on the beach.... talking, dreaming, and loving. We chose this resort because our research suggested that it offered the peace, tranquility, the spiritual ambiance to allow us to enhance our knowledge of each other and ourselves. And, we were not disappointed. Other couples we met agreed. I suspect, however, that couples interested in keeping busy engaged in parallel play activities might best look at other resorts and/or hotels.
Miscellaneous. Most of the folks we met at Punta Islita flew in. Punta Islita is a brief hop via one of the local airlines from San Jose, about 35 minutes. One couple was touring the country by 4WD and indicated that it was a comfortable 5-hour drive from San Jose. If time were short, flying would be the best choice. Many of the staff was fluently bilingual. Many people from the region as well as North Americans apparently frequent the resort. I will, on my next visit, bring along my "100 words and phrases" cheater card. Many of our fellow English-speaking tourists were making the effort to use some Spanish and I felt badly that I had not also prepared to do so. Tipping. A 10% gratuity is added to meals (along with taxes) and this fact is conspicuously noted in the bills. The guidebooks encourage "rounding up" and other niggardly practices. Our thought: this was a $4000 vacation and another 2-3% in gratuities to the staff over the four days would not break us financially nor ruin our vacation.
San Jose. As most Americans discover, American Airlines and the in-country airlines have "conspired" by miss matching their schedules to make stays in San Jose ?mandatory? on the day of arrival and/or departure. This turned out to be narrowly averted disasters on both ends for us. The Marriott Courtyard gave away the room we had booked for our arrival night because our flight was late. Only the gracious generosity of local taxi driver who called the Marriott and helped us find a solution saved our first day in Costa Rica. At the other end of our stay, the Comfort Inn "lost our reservations" and we had to be rescued by the fellow who runs a snack booth at the SANSA Air terminal. He saw our distress, called nearby hotels and found us a room for the night at the Hampton Inn (free shuttles to the airport, reasonable prices and a nice continental breakfast). These were much appreciated gestures of good will and kindness.
Our Final Night in Costa Rica. We wanted to have dinner in the city. Both taxis (rust red vehicles) and tour guides (gray-black vehicles) were available for the round trip. The tour agent at the Hampton Inn found us a wonderful tour driver, David Tenorio (506 371 3697). We struck a great deal with him through an interpreter. For approximately $40, he took us to the middle of San Jose to the Galleria Namu (beautiful local crafts) to shop souvenirs, picked us up in an hour, took us to the Tin Jo restaurant (which featured a multicultural Asian menu) for dinner, waited for us and took us back to the Hampton Inn. By contrast, the round trip taxi fare from the airport to down town San Jose, alone, is about $30. So, don't be afraid to talk to both tour and taxi drivers and discuss fares with them. An aside: some guidebooks describe Costa Ricans engaged in the tourism industry in rather unflattering terms and shower readers with dire warnings. We did not experience this, needless to say.
Parting remarks. If you've always wanted to be pampered in a "private" tropical paradise, you should give the Punta Islita serious consideration. Food, staff and facilities are uniformly of the highest quality. You will have time, place and space to BE with your loved one. You will find the experience to be romantic, intimate, tranquil, spiritual, and beautiful.
Here are some convenient links that we used for this trip to Costa Rica.
Punta Islita: http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com/
A nice, interactive map of Costa Rica on a good site: http://centralamerica.com/cr/maps/mapcosta.htm
This link provided the best weather information for specific towns and beaches: http://www.costarica.com/weather/
One of the in-country airlines and the location of the snack stand vendor that helped us find a room: http://www.flysansa.com/
A gallery, which sells indigenous Costa Rica art and crafts: http://www.galerianamu.com/
A purveyor of multicultural Asian food: http://www.tin-jo.com/
A convenient motel very close to the airport with airport shuttles, nice rooms, continental breakfast and a very savvy, helpful travel agent: http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/hotel/hampton-inn/
Background. Let me tell you a bit about us to give you some context for this note. I?ve often found it difficult to assess ?reviews? because the writer?s background and perspective were unknown. So, we're employed in the health care industry, living and working in a medium size Southwestern city. Our sons are successful professionals in medicine and the computer gaming industry. Our daughters are half way through college. We've been together for 2 years, just beginning to get to know where and how we want to travel. Between us, we have touristed in: Hawaii, most of the other 49 states, several major US cities (e.g., San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego), Aruba, several destinations in Mexico, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Paris, Kenya, Tanzania. Our customary level of accommodations has been in the 3-star range with the exception of the safari lodges in Africa, which were 4/5-stars. Punta Islita is our first all-inclusive, luxury resort vacation as a couple.
The Setting. Punta Islita is located on a bluff overlooking a cove on the Pacific Ocean. The location is spectacularly beautiful with lush, green vegetation and beautiful, flowered gardens. There is what is for all practical purposes, a private beach below the bluff. The sand is black and very fine. The rooms, buildings and cottages of the resort are built on the west-facing slope and all have a magnificent view of the ocean. The building designs blend into the geography of the location with wonderful charm and grace.
Our Room. We had a Junior Suite with outdoor Jacuzzi. The suite shared a wall with another like unit, duplex-style. The Suite was about 15? X 30? with a king bed on the east end and a sunken living room on the west side. An alcove off the living room was equipped with a sink and 'frig. Huge glass doors opened onto the patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The patio was furnished with a hammock, two chaise lounges, and a small table with two chairs and, of course, the outdoor Jacuzzi. The patio was partially roofed providing comfortable shade and protection from the bright, noonday sun. Bougainvillea bushes grew on the edge of the porch. There was a wooden railing to lean on while contemplating the view. The suite and patio were quite private and allowed us to acquire suntans uninterrupted by clothing lines.
There was a large bathroom off the bed (4-poster with side curtains) area equipped with a sunken, tiled tub with shower. The tub had a glass wall, which looked out onto a little, private garden. The illusion of bathing out-or-doors was very compelling. The room had large closets with a small safe for valuables. Everything in the room was intact and worked.... no loose knobs, broken tiles, etc. A quiet, modern AC kept the very large room at a comfortable temperature. Daily housekeeping was impeccable and included, fresh, local flowers, imaginatively arranged and turndowns at night, with cookies. The bathmat towel was arranged in a different configuration each day...."Snoopy", for example, with hibiscus blossom and leaves for his eyes and nose. On Valentine?s Day, we were treated to a heart of flower petals on our bed. Another example of the exquisite attention to detail and thoughtfulness of the staff.
Ambiance. With rare exception, we felt as if we were alone in our own, private tropical resort. The large area that Punta Islita is built on (several hundred acres), wonderful layout and, relatively, few guests all combined to create the impression of grand privacy. We were surprised to hear that the resort was fully occupied during our stay and astounded to discover that several families with 20+ children had shared the weekend with us.
The motif of the common buildings (2 restaurants, spa, gym, 2 pools) was, not surprisingly very, beautifully tropical. The pool off the main dining room has a ?vanishing? edge. There was wonderful design, beautiful construction, no unfinished details, throughout. Several tables of the main restaurant were set-up in the open, taking advantage of a clear tropical sky, brilliantly lit with more stars that we see in our daily urban lives. Clever architecture and lamps near the ground achieve very low light pollution. No tall, glaring light poles, here. We usually took our flashlight (provided, of course) to light our way back to our room.
The staff was extremely polite, skilled in their duties and very attentive. We had not a single negative impression in four days. Their consideration and attention to the smallest detail always surprised. For example: my fiance decided to do some morning exercises on the beach one morning. The beach shuttle hadn't begun running but a staff person beginning his morning set-ups offered her a ride. She was, by the way, the only person on the beach at that hour. The restaurant and bar personnel were highly skilled, knowledgeable and deftly unobtrusive.... it was, at times, as if our thoughts became meals.
The Food. There were two dining areas, a large main restaurant on the bluffs, and, a smaller cafe on the beach. Both were open on three sides. They appeared to share the same/similar menus. Prices for meals were very reasonable and did not in any way exploit our "captive" status. Linen table clothes, place mats, napkins. Not surprisingly, seafood predominates, though non-sea food dishes are available. Preparation and presentation of dishes were of the highest quality. There were wonderful tropical fruits and juices for breakfast. The mango, especially, was superb. Absolutely fresh bass, mahi mahi, tuna, mussels, shrimp, lobster, squid, octopus were served. Delicate sauces and spices complimented the fish and vegetables without overwhelming the intrinsic flavors of the ingredients. Degree of cooking was perfect. A ?very rare? tuna steak in a sandwich, for example, was just barely warmed in the middle. Minor adjustments to dishes were attended to with no fuss...."could you please use just garlic and butter for the calamari sauce, no tomato, please....? As an aside: my father's first job out of college in the Depression was on a tuna fishing boat in Hawaii. He always said: ".... if there is a 'fishy' smell or taste, it's more than a day old". We never experienced any such unpleasantness. Aside number two: I'm a great fan of sashimi. The tuna I was served in my 'Tuna Sandwich ' had the delicate flavor and texture of very good sashimi. Though, one would pay $10 for 8 transparent slices at a sushi bar in the US and this 1/2pound of delightful tuna cost $7.95. I suspect that the flank, rather than the more prized fillet was used for the sandwich, though this is by no means a complaint. I plan to take some Wasabi on my next visit and ask for an uncooked 'Tuna Sand' and a very sharp knife,
. Aside number three: I've been eating octopus for 50+ years (I'm from Hawaii). The octopus dish I was served here was the best I've ever experienced.... tender (!!), flavorful, it melted in my mouth. This had to be in the preparation?. I?ve eaten freshly caught octopus on many occasions and it has always been more than a bit rubbery. The Romantic Dinner. We were completely unprepared for this complete and intensely romantic experience. The understated description, ?a romantic dinner?, does no justice to the event. First the food: we were given a different menu to choose from, of course, to set the occasion apart. My fiance had grilled lobster (1 ? to 2 pounds). I had the seafood platter, a smaller lobster, prawns, mussels and bass. There are only three Romantic Dinners scheduled each night in order to allow very private spacing along the beach. The illusion of a totally private and luxurious dinner in Paradise was complete. Torches and candles, as expected. The sky was clear and very brightly lit with stars.... there were no close, electric lights to dull them. The sound of waves crashing on the beach punctuated our conversation. The food appeared as if by magic, out of the darkness, and was delicious. Then, bonfires were lit and the beach and waves were beautifully visible just beyond our table. Then, after the main course, fresh, warm brownies (the chef had to have timed them to be served directly from the oven) on fried bananas with a dab of ice cream as accent to finish the perfect meal. There was a wine list offered, but we don?t partake of alcoholic beverages and, so, cannot comment on this aspect of the dinner offerings. We do, however, enjoy virgin tropical drinks and these are meticulously prepared and delicious.
The Spa. My fiance had three treatments in our four days. She indicated that all were luxurious, pampering, and sybaritic. Lisa M., one of the practitioners of Massage, was anointed by my fiance as 'Best Ever'. She had one treatment in a hut opening onto the beach, bright blue skies and the Pacific Ocean...."I had thought this only happened in the movies...." she noted. Another was finished in a bath of coconut milk.
The Gym. This was compact and nicely equipped. And with a large glass wall facing, of course, the Pacific. There was a treadmill, stair machine and stationary cycle. The last was a spinner-type machine. Perhaps a recumbent model would have been more apropos the clientele,
. Some Cybex machines for weight workouts complimented the cardio machines. I was usually the first one in, getting there before the set-up crew who tidied up and brought in fresh towels and water for the day. One morning, one of the staff noted that I had no towel or water due to my early beginning and brought me a bottle of water and towel as I was working out.... another example of great attention to the guest's comfort.Activities. We did the tree-swing. Thrilling but all too short. The guides for the activity were skilled experts and there was never a feeling of danger, the better to enjoy the experience. Other tours, hikes, boat trips were offered, but we had planned to relax and be with each other.... on our porch, in our Jacuzzi, in our garden shower, on the beach.... talking, dreaming, and loving. We chose this resort because our research suggested that it offered the peace, tranquility, the spiritual ambiance to allow us to enhance our knowledge of each other and ourselves. And, we were not disappointed. Other couples we met agreed. I suspect, however, that couples interested in keeping busy engaged in parallel play activities might best look at other resorts and/or hotels.
Miscellaneous. Most of the folks we met at Punta Islita flew in. Punta Islita is a brief hop via one of the local airlines from San Jose, about 35 minutes. One couple was touring the country by 4WD and indicated that it was a comfortable 5-hour drive from San Jose. If time were short, flying would be the best choice. Many of the staff was fluently bilingual. Many people from the region as well as North Americans apparently frequent the resort. I will, on my next visit, bring along my "100 words and phrases" cheater card. Many of our fellow English-speaking tourists were making the effort to use some Spanish and I felt badly that I had not also prepared to do so. Tipping. A 10% gratuity is added to meals (along with taxes) and this fact is conspicuously noted in the bills. The guidebooks encourage "rounding up" and other niggardly practices. Our thought: this was a $4000 vacation and another 2-3% in gratuities to the staff over the four days would not break us financially nor ruin our vacation.
San Jose. As most Americans discover, American Airlines and the in-country airlines have "conspired" by miss matching their schedules to make stays in San Jose ?mandatory? on the day of arrival and/or departure. This turned out to be narrowly averted disasters on both ends for us. The Marriott Courtyard gave away the room we had booked for our arrival night because our flight was late. Only the gracious generosity of local taxi driver who called the Marriott and helped us find a solution saved our first day in Costa Rica. At the other end of our stay, the Comfort Inn "lost our reservations" and we had to be rescued by the fellow who runs a snack booth at the SANSA Air terminal. He saw our distress, called nearby hotels and found us a room for the night at the Hampton Inn (free shuttles to the airport, reasonable prices and a nice continental breakfast). These were much appreciated gestures of good will and kindness.
Our Final Night in Costa Rica. We wanted to have dinner in the city. Both taxis (rust red vehicles) and tour guides (gray-black vehicles) were available for the round trip. The tour agent at the Hampton Inn found us a wonderful tour driver, David Tenorio (506 371 3697). We struck a great deal with him through an interpreter. For approximately $40, he took us to the middle of San Jose to the Galleria Namu (beautiful local crafts) to shop souvenirs, picked us up in an hour, took us to the Tin Jo restaurant (which featured a multicultural Asian menu) for dinner, waited for us and took us back to the Hampton Inn. By contrast, the round trip taxi fare from the airport to down town San Jose, alone, is about $30. So, don't be afraid to talk to both tour and taxi drivers and discuss fares with them. An aside: some guidebooks describe Costa Ricans engaged in the tourism industry in rather unflattering terms and shower readers with dire warnings. We did not experience this, needless to say.
Parting remarks. If you've always wanted to be pampered in a "private" tropical paradise, you should give the Punta Islita serious consideration. Food, staff and facilities are uniformly of the highest quality. You will have time, place and space to BE with your loved one. You will find the experience to be romantic, intimate, tranquil, spiritual, and beautiful.
Here are some convenient links that we used for this trip to Costa Rica.
Punta Islita: http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com/
A nice, interactive map of Costa Rica on a good site: http://centralamerica.com/cr/maps/mapcosta.htm
This link provided the best weather information for specific towns and beaches: http://www.costarica.com/weather/
One of the in-country airlines and the location of the snack stand vendor that helped us find a room: http://www.flysansa.com/
A gallery, which sells indigenous Costa Rica art and crafts: http://www.galerianamu.com/
A purveyor of multicultural Asian food: http://www.tin-jo.com/
A convenient motel very close to the airport with airport shuttles, nice rooms, continental breakfast and a very savvy, helpful travel agent: http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/hotel/hampton-inn/
Mar 19th, 2004 | 12:32 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Giselle may also be reached at:
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