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

Expect reasonable comfort in unbelievably wild settings. Most accommodations are in small hotels, lodges, and cabins run by hands-on owners, many of them foreigners who fell in love with the country during a vacation here and stayed. Generally speaking, the farther south and more remote the lodge, the more expensive it is. Bad roads (causing supply problems) and lack of electricity and communications make hotel-keeping costly, especially in the Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce, where a fresh egg can cost up to a dollar. When comparing per-person prices, take into account that most of these places include meals, transport, guides, and unique locations.

The country's premier eco-lodges are almost all in the Southern Zone, ranging from simple tents to sophisticated lodges. But keep in mind that if you yearn to be close to nature, you have to be prepared for encounters of the natural kind in your shower or bedroom. Keep a flashlight handy for nighttime trips to the bathroom and always wear shoes.