44 Best Hotels in The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific, Costa Rica

Atop a cliff at the tip of Cabo Matapalo, this lodge has unparalleled views of the Golfo Dulce merging with the endless blue of the Pacific, as well as 750 acres of primary forest, home to plenty of monkeys and peccaries, as well as the occasional puma and ocelot. A network of nine trails meander past creeks and pools. Deluxe thatched-roof cabins have king-size beds, and some have a loft with a single and double bed for families, along with private garden showers with hot water. Two cabins with two bedrooms are ideal for families. Decks are perfect for sunning by day and stargazing at night. A suspension bridge through the forest links the main lodge with two more thatched-roof, rustic cabins set in a tropical garden that is great for bird-watching. Per-person rates also cover complimentary round trip transportation from Puerto Jimenez to the lodge, as well as excellent meals, including wood-fired pizzas, served in a restaurant overlooking a garden alive with hummingbirds by day and serenaded by a chorus of frogs at night. Solar- and hydro-powered generators provide light to read by, and with the ocean breezes you won't miss air-conditioning. Expert resident guides are on hand to lead you along forest trails on foot, or you can climb a towering tree, fly in the canopy along a zipline, rappel down a waterfall, and soak in natural warm tidal whirlpools down on the beach. There's a yoga deck with a serene ocean view, and you can opt for a relaxing massage in your bungalow or in a forest glade. A new adults-only pool separates grown-ups from the family-friendly pool. Eco-conscious owners manage to keep the property in ship-shape order while maintaining the highest standard of sustainability.

Set in a vast, private nature reserve, with a breathtaking view from the lodge's high jungle ridge, this is the first and most spectacular ecolodge in Costa Rica, garlanded with numerous awards for its mix of sustainability, conservation, service, and comfort. The cost includes all on-site tours, meals, and transportation to and from Puerto Jiménez. The service here is exceptional, including morning coffee or hot cocoa brought to your cabin at 6 am. After a day of activities and three filling meals, you'll sleep on a luxury mattress in a four-poster queen or king bed that is layered with fabrics made by local artisans. Spacious, airy cabins built of gleaming hardwoods blend indigenous motifs with bold, contemporary design elements. Bathrooms are fresh and modern, with blissful indoor showers and double-vessel sinks. Outdoor garden showers also have hot water, along with views onto the private teak terraces, where you can view passing monkeys, roosting toucans, and plenty of scarlet macaws—the lodge's namesakes—all from your lounge chair. The layout is creatively designed with luxury villas branching off a skyway trail perched above the forest canopy. There's a good-size pool, with ocean view, plus a massage hut and a yoga deck. Meals here are all à la carte, served in a dramatically lighted, round rancho under a soaring thatched roof. The menu includes lots of seafood, exotic fruits and vegetables, and mouthwatering desserts. Four resident naturalist guides lead tours through the lodge's pristine wilderness and to nearby beaches on foot or on horseback. Don't miss the free sustainability tour called Pigs, Twigs, and Garbage, which highlights the resort's eco-friendly commitment, including pigs' contribution to energy fuels.

If you don't like to climb stairs, request a cabin close to the main lodge.

Famous for miles of bird-watching trails and expert guides, this lodge has comfortable, spacious rooms with two double beds and modern bathrooms, some with bathtubs, set in colorful, bird-attracting gardens. The main lodge has a huge firepit, a spacious bar, and a gift shop with lots of useful bird-watching items, including rain ponchos. A hearty breakfast is included in the rate. Breakfast and lunch can be served on a large sunny terrace frequented by hummingbirds. Homegrown trout is the restaurant's specialty. Don Efrain Chacón first bushwhacked his way through these mountains in the 1950s, and the property is still run by his children and grandchildren.

If you want to avoid the twisting drive down the San Gerardo road, take a bus to Km 80 on the Pan-American Highway and arrange a lift to the hotel ($25 for up to 5 people).

This hilltop jungle lodge has it all: exquisite bungalows in the closest location to Corcovado National Park, extensive gardens, two swimming pools, a beach, excellent tours, naturalist guides, and first-class service. Situated on189 acres, it's at the corridor to the Reserve, meaning wildlife is abundant, as are trails for exploring. Take your pick from rainforest or cliffside lodging—that latter attached by wooden pathways and boasting ocean views with a contemporary twist on glamping. There's no roughing it however, with every detail in place like plush bedding, soaking tubs, a/c, turndown service, bathrobes, hiking equipment, and even rain boots for muddy days. Self-guided nature trails around the property include a well-signed garden tour of the immaculate grounds. You can take a guided boat tour to Corcovado's nearby San Pedrillo station, or you can hike there with a guide. Another highlight is the Caño Island snorkeling tour, with stops to watch dolphins and whales en route. A daily sunset ritual takes place at the hilltop bar, where guests snack on bocas as the sun disappears into the sea behind Caño Island. In the elegant restaurant, decorated with stained-glass panels, meals focus on locally produced fish and meats. There is Wi-Fi throughout the property. 

You can't get any closer to nature than this off-the-grid lodge, famous for its excellent birding and hiking trails, wedged between forest and the banks of the Río Tigre. Stay in a private cabin along a garden trail or in one of the four second-story rooms with shared baths that have chest-high walls, and above that, are open to nature (no screens, just mosquito nets over the beds). In these almost-alfresco rooms you're at eye level with the trees, the better to spot visiting birds. Tuck into the linens and pillows that always feel fresh, and enjoy natural air-conditioning provided by the rushing river. Electricity is solar generated, but there's enough power to recharge batteries and power a Wi-Fi connection. On-demand gas heaters provide plenty of hot water in the garden showers. The gourmet fare here rivals that of the best luxury-lodge kitchens. At dinner, guests gather around a communal table with owners Liz Jones and Abraham Gallo to plan the next day's birding. Abraham, a lifelong local, can show you hidden mountain trails leading to Corcovado National Park, less than a mile away. More than 400 bird species have been spotted on the property, placing this lodge in the top three hottest birding sites in the country.

Copa de Arbol is ultraluxurious, ultracool, ultra-expensive, and is idyllically situated between crashing ocean surf and dense jungle, right on the coastal path walking trail that connects Drake Bay to Corcovado. Two-story, thatched-roof houses scattered around the landscaped property have an open-air kitchen area or porch with hammocks at ground level. Stairs lead up to high-ceilinged, spacious rooms, decorated in muted earth tones with vaguely Asian touches: Buddha statues, cotton-print bedspreads from India, Balinese carved mirror frames. Luckily, you can turn off the a/c and throw open the screened windows to let in the sounds, scents, and breezes that let you know you really are in Costa Rica. Bathrooms are exquisite, with good lighting, overhead fans, and square showerheads that deliver truly tropical deluges. A deluxe 2-bedroom suite is aimed at families and groups of friends. Paths winding through a maze of hibiscus hedges in the landscaped garden lead to a dramatic four-tier pool where you can watch whales breaching in season. You'll find a hot tub on top, descending by steep stairs to two plunge pools with ocean views, and a kiddie-deep pool at the bottom. At mealtime you leave your shoes at the bottom of a staircase that climbs to the barefoot-only, second-story restaurant with an excellent view of garden, beach, and ocean. Service is attentive and friendly here, with a homey touch provided by self-serve coffee and stacks of specialty teas, along with home-baked cookies and cinnamon rolls. The overall feeling here is more hotel than nature lodge. All the usual snorkeling, nature, and wildlife tours are available, along with kayaks and paddleboards. Or you can just head off along the coastal path and create your own adventure. There is a three-night minimum stay here; rates do not include boat transport to the lodge or any tours, making the price high relative to other area lodges. Rooms 5 and 9 have the best views.

Follow the giant tapir-footprint signs to this extraordinary, rustic lodge, reminiscent of an Adirondacks camp but with oversize, whimsical wood furniture, all within hiking distance of the western edge of Corcovado National Park. The lodge offers roomy cabins to suit all budgets, including one two-bedroom family cabin and a wheelchair-accessible room with a semi-open, large bathroom paved with smooth river stones. A completely round, freestanding room is comfortable and cool, with an outdoor shower shaped like a vulture's head with outspread wings forming the walls. Kids of all ages will delight in the cabin-in-the-woods atmosphere, enhanced by creatively designed, huge twig chairs and headboards, twisted-branch windows, and furniture made from tree stumps. Breakfast is included, and excellent traditional Costa Rican meals are served in an alfresco restaurant decorated with creative wooden sculptures and furnishings, including a giant spider over the open kitchen. It's an 8-km (5-mile) hike to Los Patos entrance to Corcovado National Park, but you can see much of the same wildlife by walking the 5 km (3 miles) of trails of this 86-acre property or by going for a tractor ride along the river.

High style at high altitude, this avant-garde lodge clinging to the side of a mountain has unbeatable valley views, great bird-watching, luxury accommodations, a sophisticated restaurant, and the top ecological sustainability rating. All rooms are uniquely designed to reflect the environment, including #14 built around a tree. All casitas and suites have living rooms with huge picture windows, private terraces, a/c, Jacuzzi tubs, minibars, ethanol-fueled fireplaces, as well as fluffy duvets for cold nights. The staff go out of their way to make sure all of your needs are met, offering everything from baby cribs to packed lunches. 

Nature lovers, surfers, couples, and families alike love this tranquil, sophisticated retreat that includes everything from meals and transportation to guided hikes and turndown service. Nestled in a forest brimming with birds and wildlife—400 feet above a mostly deserted beach studded with tide pools—the lodge has luxurious two- to five-person cabinas with screened windows, king-size beds, contemporary bathrooms with spacious showers, and private decks with forest and ocean views. A secluded, spacious deluxe cabin, on the path to the beach, has stunning ocean views and lots of privacy, perfect for honeymoons. The teak-and-stone villas with ceiling fans each have a plunge pool and outdoor shower. Four spacious rooms and two suites in a two-story building close to the restaurant have verandas overlooking a swimming pool edged with teak lounge chairs. International meals with a tropical touch are served on a spacious terrace restaurant with forest and ocean view. A smaller, romantic side deck under palm trees is the perfect spot for candlelight dinners à deux. Waterfall rappelling and biologist-guided nature walks are the highlights, apart from soaking in the serenity. New trails lead through the forest to two suspension bridges spanning ravines. There's also a five-platform zip line, so guests can get a dose of canopy-level views of birds and wildlife, along with high-adrenaline adventure. 

A garden paradise that lives up to its name, this combination organic farm and sophisticated ecolodge is an otherworldly experience, meant to be slowly and thoughtfully absorbed with time. Beautifully designed, thatched-roof tiki cabins have private bathrooms and outdoor showers in cane-and-bamboo enclosures. There's a gorgeous, contemporary house with a spectacular ocean view for families or couples. Adventurous, budget-minded travelers can play castaways in seven airy, comfortable platform tents with garden showers and communal restrooms. Meals (included in the rate) are truly exotic, using organic produce from the garden and local fish and meat, prepared with spicy Asian accents and served in a stunning restaurant overlooking the sea. There are fresh juices and coffee and tea available all day. Two daily yoga classes are held on a serene yoga deck, and a masseuse is on call. One of the best activities is a tour of the garden. Carate Beach is steps away, and La Leona entrance to Corcovado National Park is a 40-minute walk along the beach.

If a long stretch of deserted beach with macaws flying overhead in the kapok trees is your idea of heaven, check out this idyllic lodge with casitas and upscale club rooms set in a botanical garden. Casitas are elegantly furnished in bamboo, with thoughtful touches like Egyptian-cotton sheets and a raft of candles for romantic evenings. Pebble-lined showers have plenty of hot water and excellent water pressure. Eight modern but smallish rooms above the lodge's separate restaurant, are more affordable than the casitas, and have detailing such as travertine showers and outdoor porches. The gentle Golfo Dulce waters are perfect for swimming, sea-kayaking, and boogie boarding, and there's a 65-foot lap pool and Jacuzzi surrounded by gardens and forest. A tennis court, yoga studio, and ceramic studio round out the amenities. Their spa with excellent massages can help melt away the stress. Extravagant dinners, with exotic foods reflecting the owners' worldwide travels, are served at the Pearl of the Osa Restaurant on the property. Breakfasts may include mango scones and homemade granola chock-full of walnuts and cranberries. Macaws and toucans, and mammals aplenty—such as monkeys, sloths, tayras, frogs, and tapers—often wander through the 11-acre property.

Stunning contemporary design, high-tech comforts, and a lofty location overlooking the Pacific combine to set a whole new standard of luxury at this adults-only property. Garden walkways lead to spacious villas, where architect and owner Martin Wells has pulled out all the stops: glass-walled showers for two, innovative stone double sinks, sliding teak doors leading to an exquisite walk-in closet, and glass flooring. Boxy white sofas and chairs and a floating king-size bed, piled high with pillows and a puffy duvet, invite relaxation. Creature comforts include exotic teas, a stocked mini-bar, and a Nespresso machine. Other requests, including room service and tours, are a tap away, accessible via personal iPads—even laundry service and beach transport are included. An exquisite saltwater infinity pool surrounded by an elegant terrace restaurant and chic bar and lounge establishes the sophisticated tone in the main lodge. Meanwhile, at the restaurant, from breakfast to dinner, every dish is delectable as well as beautifully plated. Returning from dinner, you'll find your villa romantically staged, with drapes drawn, candles flickering, and a red glow emanating from under the bed. The spa is an experience not to be missed.  You'll feel worlds away from civilization, but a brief shuttle trip can transport you to the "whale's tail" upon request.

Sweeping ocean views, impeccably appointed accommodations, and lots of tropical-foliage privacy make this lodge the area's most romantic option. Planted in an exquisite jungle garden on a ridge jutting into the Pacific, the elegant, spacious wooden ranchos (small houses), placed strategically for total privacy, have bedroom lofts, spiffy bathrooms, and large, breezy porches with wicker furniture. Interiors are enlivened with local artisan touches. All accommodations here have air-conditioning, purified water, and a balcony with a hammock to sway away your cares. Nos. 1 and 3, aptly called "sunset ranchos," have the best sea views. Four superior rooms in a shared building are spacious and luxurious, with king-size beds, jungle, garden, and ocean views. Room D has a wraparound deck overlooking an expanse of jungle, delighting bird-watchers. Service here is personal, enthusiastic, and polished. Take a dip in the small pool, or head down the hill to Playa Cocolito, a gem of a beach. Diving trips and certification courses, river kayaking, and nature tours with private guides are among the activities. The fan-cooled restaurant serves excellent tropical fare, and there's always afternoon tea and home-baked treats—the carrot cake is a standout. Sophisticated, four-course dinners—with vegetarian options—are served at a long communal table, giving guests a chance to meet and share experiences. Red or white wine (or beer) is poured at dinner. Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge and in cabin "A" closest to the Club House. There's a three-night minimum stay, a package that includes all meals and two tours. 

The world-famous Playa Pavones surf break is a 15-minute walk from La Ponderosa, the area's only beach resort and several cuts above the usual surfer hangout, with accommodations verging on luxurious. Fresh, bright rooms have high-end mattresses dressed in crisp white linens and gleaming tiled bathrooms, air-conditioning, small refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, and Wi-Fi. Two of the seven spacious suites also have screened-in porches overlooking the sea. A large, two-bedroom villa with kitchen is also available for about double the price of a standard suite. If you're not into surfing, there are magnificent gardens loaded with birds and plants. On-site massages can be arranged. A swimmable beach is within walking distance. For rainy days, there's a large game room with Ping-Pong, darts, and a book exchange. In addition to surfboard and bike rental, there's a tranquil swimming pool set in an enchanting garden with an ocean view. Breakfast is not included in the price, but optional meal plans cover two or three meals.

Perched on a sublime mountaintop overlooking rainforest and ocean, this is the quintessential yoga retreat, though it's universally enjoyed for its remoteness and proximity to wildlife. Accommodations range from private bungalows with showers and decks to platform tents. Romantic, round bungalows in the garden, have thatched roofs, garden showers, and decks for relaxing in wood-and-leather rocking chairs, while three deluxe rooms near the main lodge have private baths and share a spacious deck. For real adventure, bed down in one of the lodge's comfortable (and cheaper, at $165 per person, double occupancy) platform tents, each with a private bathroom. The large decks are perfect for practicing yoga, scanning the horizon for hawks or scarlet macaws, or contemplating Pacific sunsets. There's an elegant spa and massage hut with ethereal views. The bird life here is unbeatable; a tour with an expert guide should not be missed, even if you have never given birding a thought before. Guided hikes to waterfalls and swimming holes are precipitous and thrilling, and lounging around the pebble-deck pool is pure nirvana. You can also visit nearby Corcovado National Park on a day tour. Healthful, delicious meals have an imaginative vegetarian focus, along with servings of fish, flavored with herbs from a hilltop organic garden. Complimentary savory bocas are served at cocktail time, creating a friendly atmosphere. The lodge's decks are made from recycled plastic, and the lodge's electricity is provided by a hydro project on the property, in line with the owner's commitment to sustainability, which has earned the lodge the highest five-leaf rating.

Planted between the tranquil Golfo Dulce and tropical forest, this luxury ecolodge brilliantly fuses high design, luxe comfort, and gastronomic flights of fancy in two restaurants with an eco-consciousness dictated by its castaway location accessible only by boat. The original three-story lodge has five spacious suites with panoramic views, even from the chic, beautifully tiled bathrooms. A four-plex building nearby can accommodate family groups, and eight new rooms have private plunge pools and face a swimming pool. A charming cottage for two sits even closer to the shore, screened by tropical foliage. With a palm-fringed beach, a second large freshwater pool, a spa, and trails leading through forest to an organic garden, this is a true tropical paradise. Room rates include the round-trip boat transfer, kayaks and snorkeling in the bay, a two-hour guided tour, and yoga and meditation classes.

Hands down, this is the best ecolodge on the gulf, combining comfortable, upscale accommodations and great food with an emphasis on adventure on both land and sea. Out the front door of the lodge are beach, bay, and mangroves, with kayaks, snorkeling, fishing, sailing, and swimming; through the back door is a forested mountain with hiking trails, a waterfall, plenty of wildlife, and a resident naturalist to interpret the trails and lead bird-watching walks. The Edible Garden tour is a hit with visitors, especially when it includes turning raw cacao beans into chocolate cake. The night walks are filled with nocturnal natural wonders; you will often see more creatures than during daylight tours. For contemplative types, there is a beachfront yoga deck and a resident yoga instructor who does double duty as a massage therapist. The palatial two-story main lodge is a tree house, crafted from 15 kinds of wood. Scattered around the mature garden are luxurious, hexagonal wooden cabins with folding, shuttered doors and windows, gleaming hardwood floors, handmade wood furniture, and private verandas. Each secluded cabin's private bathroom has an open-air shower with its own exotic minigarden. For guests more comfortable in rooms and showers with walls, there's a stucco guesthouse with four large, comfortable rooms, shaded by mango trees. The upper-story rooms have terraces that are great bird-watching perches. Breakfast and lunch are served at the large wooden table in the second-story dining room–cum–lounge, with an unbeatable treetop view. Dinner, featuring imaginative meals made with local ingredients, is served in one communal sitting, after the cocktail hour, which always includes a plate of tasty bocas (appetizers).

This last-outpost ecolodge, near the border with Panama, is a draw for bird-watchers as well as nature lovers, yoga enthusiasts, and adventurers who want to really get away from it all in relative comfort and at an affordable, all-inclusive price. Built from fallen trees are comfortable wooden cabins on stilts with rustic furniture and tiled bathrooms. Cabin No. 7 has the most privacy, with an outdoor rainforest shower, screened windows on three sides, and a huge porch looking onto a beautiful ocean view. The property includes a vast orchard with more than 125 varieties of fruit trees that attract plenty of wildlife. Surrounding it are 800 acres of primary and secondary forest, a habitat for the more than 275 species of birds, including more than 65 scarlet macaws, the result of a 10-year release program. The best---and most relaxed---birding is from a deck chair beside the pool. A 90-strong troop of squirrel monkeys also roams the property, which includes a large yoga deck with an ocean view. Trails invite you to explore the jungle and a cascading waterfall with freshwater pools. Simple, healthy meals using local produce are served in an open-air dining room during set times. The beach, with swimmable waters, is a steep 10-minute downhill walk. Rates include two guided forest tours, all meals, plus coffee, tea and juices throughout the day. The owners sell their own cocoa butter and chocolate bars made in-house. 

The carefully groomed grounds of this top-notch, luxury beachfront resort are a riot of tropical foliage and flowers, shaded by massive mango trees. Guests, who are mostly well-heeled, avid anglers, sleep in spacious, air-conditioned, deluxe rooms with ultramodern bathrooms with thick towels and huge showers. Most rooms are in a two-story building shaded by tall trees, but there are also two separate bungalow suites that are larger and have private porches with pool and ocean views. More ocean views can be had in the two huge luxury suites with wraparound glass walls. The style is chic and contemporary: dark-wood furniture softened by earth-tone fabrics in natural textures and beds dressed in top-quality linens. On the property, water elements, from a koi pond and trickling fountains, to the inviting pool with ocean view, provide a cool note in the southern heat. Hammocks strung between trees and lounging areas, both indoors and on shaded beachfront platforms, provide relaxing places to contemplate the Golfo Dulce view. The outdoor lounge has handsome teak furniture with front-row seats for watching sunsets, where guests are treated to s'mores around the firepit. Weary fishers can also relax with a massage after a day of reeling in fish. The upscale restaurant serves bountiful, innovative breakfasts, and lunch and dinner buffets are included. An outdoor kitchen includes a brick pizza oven and a huge grill. Kayaks, bikes, and surfboards are available. The hotel boasts fiber-optic Wi-Fi throughout.

This wildly family-friendly, comfortable ecolodge makes a great base for exploring vast tracts of surrounding forest (both primary and secondary), plus there are mangroves, a beach with nesting turtles, and 366 bird species. The dozen rooms in various cabins and the guest rooms all have hot water. The original cabins have sitting rooms with wood furniture, kitchenettes, screened-in porches, and lush flower borders. Four of them are superior cabins, with higher ceilings, bigger bathrooms, and sleep three or four people, in combinations of single and double and king-size beds. Two economy cabins have three bedrooms each. Six handsome guest rooms built with plantation teak have high ceilings, tiled showers, and small porches looking onto a swimming pool aflutter with birds and butterflies visiting the surrounding flowering shrubs. Knowledgeable bilingual guides interpret the miles of trails, or you can follow the self-guided trail. The open-air restaurant has excellent fruit smoothies and coffee, and flavorful local food, and you can also dine at a private wooden table set under the umbrella canopy of an almond tree. There's a great gift shop with lots of local crafts, Boruca textiles, and nature books, including books of wildlife stories written by the original owner Jack Ewing, a great storyteller and local historian. Linger for an hour or two atop a lofty bird-observation platform in the hotel's rainforest canopy, zip along the canopy tour, climb a 114-foot-high tree with ropes, or stay overnight at a shelter in the heart of the forest.

Overlooking the harbor, these air-conditioned rooms set in a lush garden are the most comfortable in town, and have the best water views. Rooms vary in size and price, but they all have colorful murals of wildlife and foliage, along with bright, tiled bathrooms, making this affordable place a cut above the rest. Coffeemakers and small refrigerators are another nice touch. A two-story house on the property can accommodate up to six. For a waterfront room, request 1, 2, 10, 15, 17, 18, or 21. Bicycles and kayaks are available to guests, and there's Wi-Fi throughout the property. You can enjoy the sound of the surf from your private terrace or the hammock hut. Cool off by jumping right into the gulf at high tide or take a dip in the plunge pool.

This secluded cluster of self-catering cabins right on the beach, under palm trees swaying in the breeze, is designed for parties of two to four people who want to kick back and enjoy the beach. Artist Susan England is a Zancudo fixture, and she can organize any activity, including river safaris, kayaking tours, and visits to nature preserves. Two idyllic, castaway-island cabins have thatched roofs and hammocks and lots of clever decorating details. The other two are 40-year-old renovated banana-company wood houses moved here from Palmar Norte and painted pastel pink and yellow. It's a rare chance to experience a little bit of Costa Rican history. Many guests return the same time every year, drawn to the fully-equipped kitchens where they can cook with ingredients from the nearby market or veggie truck that passes every few days. There's a discount if you rent for a full week or visit during slow season.

Comfortable rooms with sweeping views of forest and mountains, birding trails, and bountiful buffet breakfasts are the highlights at this delightful, small hilltop B&B. Rooms are furnished with attractive furniture made by local artisans and have satellite TV. Two bungalows have queen beds and modern bathrooms. Two superior cabins, one with a queen and two single beds and the other a large studio with kitchen and king-size bed, share the spectacular valley view with a spacious two-bedroom, fully equipped house. Start the morning early with a guided birding walk ($15) along trails through the garden, or farther afield near Wilson Botanical Garden. Then enjoy breakfast on the spacious deck framed by entwined tree branches, and keep your binoculars close at hand. Pepe, a professional bird guide, will help you identify visiting birds, as well as organize birding and hiking excursions (tours starting from $20 per person). Kathleen, a tour guide who speaks five languages, prepares elaborate three-course, gourmet fish and plant-based dinners ($22) for guests by reservation.

Everything at this luxury resort—designed like an art deco ocean liner incongruously dry-docked in Golfito's American Zone—is first-class, and guests stroll among gleaming hardwoods, polished brass, and stained glass. A magnificent art collection, commissioned for the hotel, lines corridors equipped, gangway style, with white hand railings and portholes. The smallish standard rooms feel a little subterranean, but feature such swanky amenities as fine linens, marble bathrooms, handsome furniture, well-designed closets, lots of mirrors and reading lights, and strong air-conditioning. Upper-level, deluxe state rooms and suites are brighter and more spacious, with large bathtubs and private balconies. The public areas are grand, filled with more art, sculpture, and stylish leather furniture. Across the road from the main hotel lies a self-contained resort, with a magnificent pool, gym, tennis and squash courts, and a spa. Service is polished and friendly throughout the hotel. Included in the room rate is an excellent buffet breakfast, served in the gloriously over-the-top main dining room. 

High on a hillside with spectacular ocean views framed by giant traveler's palm trees, this Austrian-owned hotel is a good base for exploring the area. The elegant Mediterranean-style buildings, painted blue and white, have spacious rooms, and there's plenty of open space for kids to play in, plus fitness trails for grown-ups and a spa to relax in. There's also a 4,300-square-foot swimming pool that commands both mountain and sea views. The birding here is excellent. If you tire of the view (not likely), there are large flat-screen televisions on swivel bases. Breakfast buffets are hearty at the pleasant poolside restaurant, which also serves lunch and candlelit dinners, featuring excellent fish along with some tasty Austrian specialties, including Wiener schnitzel. Service is friendly and polished. There's always a breeze and a feast for the eyes from the restaurant terrace. For budget-minded guests, there are two "adventure cabins" at the edge of the jungle, with ceiling fans but no air-conditioning.

Location, views, and the all-inclusive price make this the best family deal in Drake Bay, with kid-friendly grounds, lots of flat, open space for romping, plus a refreshing saltwater swimming pool and rocky tidal pools to explore. The neat wooden cabins, which have modern tile bathrooms and hot showers, are lined up camp-style, spread out over landscaped grounds with mature trees, an ornamental fish pond, and fruit trees that attract birds and monkeys. Each building has three attractive rooms that come with firm queen-size beds, supported by wooden bedposts carved in animal shapes. Every room has air-conditioning and screened windows letting in cool ocean breezes. All but one of the cabins are easily accessible on foot or by wheelchair. The "honeymoon" cottage is perched on a ridge overlooking the ocean. Meals are satisfying and delicious, featuring poultry, eggs, and pork from the owners' nearby mountain farm, fresh fish and seafood, creative salads and pastas, and homemade breads and cakes. The bar serves free snacks at sunset, and there is always coffee, tea, and snacks available in the dining room. Laundry service is included—a real plus in this humid climate. Kayaks are at your disposal for exploring the river. Most guests come to see the rainforest, but you can also opt for scuba diving, sportfishing, and dolphin- and whale-watching tours. There are several packages, with the most basic including meals, laundry, tours, and transportation from Drake.

With one of the most spectacular ocean views on the Costa Ballena, this modern "castle" is a luxury boutique hotel with nine ultrachic guest quarters with private terraces. Along with a million-dollar view of a shimmering infinity pool melding into the ocean from the lounge terrace, there are exquisite design touches everywhere in this modern, honey-colored castle. Three palatial suites have huge contemporary bathrooms, king-size poster beds, and a tasteful smattering of one-of-a-kind side tables, chairs, bibelots, and art. Smaller double rooms sport the same design touches, three with ocean views and one tucked away in the hotel garden. "Spa Suites" 8 and 9 have ocean views, Jacuzzi tubs, and more privacy than the other suites. The restaurant is breezy by day and romantic at night. Keep binoculars handy since the birding in and around the hotel is excellent. Early in the morning and at sunset, pairs of scarlet macaws perform a fly-past.

This well-managed ecolodge in a 35-acre nature preserve bordering Piedras Blancas National Park is run by Austrians who have successfully instilled some sense of Teutonic order in the jungle. The rustic cabins have two tidy rooms (can be rented separately) with tile floors, reading lamps, and airy, private bathrooms with plenty of hot water. The rooms are a little dark, but are brightened by colorful, appliqué curtains and woven-cotton bedspreads made by Guaymí and Boruca artisans. A saltwater swimming pool is cool and refreshing, and fragrant white ginger and ylang-ylang encircle a pond. Another nearby pond has a lookout for bird-watchers and is home to contented, well-fed caimans. Local guides lead visitors along thrilling trails to the waterfalls and deep into primary forest. The dining room, lighted by romantically flickering candles, serves huge portions of wholesome and delicious local food. For families or foursomes, there is a fully equipped Jungle Villa with two bedrooms with forest views.

With an excellent restaurant, a lush garden, a pretty infinity pool, and exceptional service, this elegant hotel is a heavenly spot for those who like to indulge themselves. The original 16 rooms have elegant, dark-wood furniture, comfortable beds topped with plush linens, and subtle angelic touches. Other luxuries include coffeemakers, soaking tubs, and spectacular stained-glass windows. Six Jungle Rooms are smaller and darker, but cheaper and very comfortable, with pickled-wood walls, antiqued armoires, and balconies facing the forest or garden. The romantic, high-ceilinged terrace restaurant, aglow in shades of royal blue and gold, has a very sophisticated menu; the tender osso buco is cooked to perfection, and the menu is completely gluten-free. The breakfast is also excellent.

On a precipitous ridge, this modest wooden lodge is an affordable and comfortable launching pad for a hike up Chirripó, or a pleasant spot to relax and breathe in fresh mountain air and scenery and watch birds. Along with budget rooms with private bath above the restaurant, there are private, comfortable cabins scattered around a pool, all with gorgeous views of the mountains. The lodge's spartan but fresh rooms above the restaurant can accommodate up to four. The lodge is named for a twisted-wood pelican—one of dozens of idiosyncratic sculptures carved out of tree roots that now reside in a rustic museum on the property. The owners are eco-conscious, and they are part of the consortium that can arrange everything for a climb up Chirripó, from park reservations to transportation to porters to lodging.