3 Best Hotels in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Let your toes sink into the sandy sendero (trail) that takes you from one of the world’s most consistent waves to this chic boutique hotel nestled in a nature preserve. Unlike traditional lobby greetings, you’ll meander past a quiver of surfboards and rainfall showers to an open-air restaurant where Nosara’s elite gather for après-surf cuisine. Designed for those who mix business and pleasure, the hotel also runs Outpost, a nearby co-working space where hotel guests have access to a cafe, rooftop, and library. Both wellness and comfort are top priorities, evident in the state-of-the-art fitness studio, courtyard pool, surf school, and hospitality station (with everything from sunscreen to snacks). Despite the endless lure outside your door, it’s hard to leave the nature-inspired rooms fashioned in muted palettes and earthy tones, with outdoor showers, jungle lounges, blackout curtains, buttery linens, Bluetooth speakers, and mini-bars stocked with local treats. Founded by two besties who dreamed big during Covid, the hotel encompasses the heart of Nosara by not only giving back to the community, but by giving back to nature through sustainability practices that are helping this surf town grow in the right direction.

You may never want to leave this tranquil oasis of luxury villas hidden behind scrolled white-and-orange walls, where the architecture is Mexican but the style is all Italian. Ocher-washed villas with hammocks and dining tables on their front porches circle an exuberant garden and pool with a cool waterfall. A pool bar, spa, and sauna make it easy to drink, rest, detox, and repeat. Rooms have state-of-the-art kitchens, and you can dine alfresco at a long wooden table on your own tiled terrazza. All the comforts of a luxury home (king-size bed, cable TV, Wi-Fi) are here, just across the street from the beach. A Mediterranean restaurant (closed Tues.) serves meals beneath a Spanish-tile roof by the pool. There is also a five-bedroom, five-bath house for rent next door with its own garden and pool, plus two other large houses to rent in Sámara Rocks, a private complex 1½ km (1 mile) east of Sámara.

Earth tones and natural details prevail in this Hyatt property created by architect Ronald Zürcher, who utilized indigenous woods, sugarcane, and bamboo in the design of the rooms, each contemporary and bright with ocean views. Golf carts and ride-share bikes transport guests through the 1,400-acre preserve, with a network of paths leading to infinity pools and pod-shape restaurants modeled after local seeds and cocoons. Standard rooms are housed in three-story buildings, and have rain showers, enclosed balconies, and complimentary bonuses such as minibars, Wi-Fi, sun hats, and sandals. The three restaurants infuse Latin flavors, but the tapas bar is your best option for exceptional cocktails. Just past the adult pool is a jungle trail that spills onto Playa Sombrero Oscuro, where you can hop aboard Nimbu Boat for a sail to Casa de Playa for an elevated beach club experience. The new Residence Villas—opened in 2024— have plunge pools, kitchens, and over 1,500 square feet of living space. This hillside property is spread out, so expect to do a fair amount of walking unless you request a golf cart ride.