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

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Along with one of the best sunset views along the coast, this comfortable ecolodge on a high cliff bordering Ballena Marine National Park has spacious, airy cabins and a forest trail to a pristine beach. Wood-and-stone cabins, spaced out along a garden path that descends from the open-air main lodge, have huge bathrooms with spacious showers. Trails wend through dense primary forest down to the wide sweep of almost-deserted Playa Arco and to a private, natural swimming pond. Electric car owners can charge up for the night at the hotel's electric charging stations. Breakfasts are hearty, served in the hotel's contemporary restaurant Aracari, which is also open to nonguests. Along with contemplating nature, you can nurture your inner self at the huge, otherworldly yoga platform or pamper your outer self with a massage. For more space with a view, request a suite or deluxe room.

In one of the most beautiful mountain settings imaginable, this yoga-centric riverside lodge, reminiscent of a Himalayan temple, is pure pleasure, from the lush flower gardens to the sophisticated room design to the open-air yoga studio within sound of the rushing river. The two-story lodge has six double rooms with two single beds each and modern bathrooms; five suites and casitas offer more privacy and self-catering facilities. Breakfast is included and dinner is by reservation. You can order a packed lunch or be on your own for lunch. You can soak in the swimming pool and hot tub or cool off in a natural river pool.

You may feel as though you're on a luxury safari when you step inside one of these spacious South African tents perched on sturdy wooden platforms cantilevered over a rushing mountain river. There's lots of headroom, electricity for reading lights and fans, comfortable beds, and—even more civilized—a private, spring-fresh bathroom with hot shower just a zippered compartment away. You can enjoy bird-watching and river views from your own veranda, hike forest trails to a nearby waterfall or follow the stepping stones to explore the other side of the river, bask on a sun-baked rock in the middle of the river, or go horseback riding. This campers' paradise is the creation of an energetic, eco-minded Dutch couple. Breakfast is excellent—tropical fruits, homemade bread, granola, and Dutch pancakes are highlights—served in a stylish, open-air lodge with Wi-Fi. For guests who prefer to stay in the lodge, there are three comfortable rooms. Tea and coffee are available, but there's no restaurant.

For serenity and mountain greenery, you can't beat this lodge in a secluded valley with panoramic views and the opportunity to see hummingbirds and some of the 200-plus highland bird species on the lodge's list, including the resplendent quetzal. Accommodations are in three wooden cabins, where each room has its own private veranda and tile bathroom with skylight. Try to get room 1 for the best views. In addition, there are two spacious junior suites with fireplaces, kitchenettes, sunken whirlpool baths with views, and king-size beds. Now open to the public, the hotel's Los Colibríes Restaurant, serves tico and international cuisine.

Set in a riotous garden filled with fuchsias, hydrangeas, and hummingbirds, Trogón Lodge is more picturesque hideaway than hiking-heavy destination. It has comfortable wooden cabins with white-tile bathrooms with rain shower heads and beds topped with snow-white duvets, flannel sheets, and rafts of plumped-up pillows; electric heaters and extra blankets also guard against the chilly mountain nights. One superior suite perched in solitary splendor has a king-size bed and a whirlpool tub with a panoramic view. Excellent meals featuring fresh trout are served at tree-trunk tables in a cozy restaurant with a wood stove, and a bar and dining terrace gaze out over the trout ponds and the river. Quetzal-watching along 3 km (1.8 miles) of trails, and waterfall hikes are some of the diversions.

This three-star affordable resort hotel, with two pools and tennis courts is upriver from Dominical Beach on exquisitely landscaped grounds filled with orchids, bougainvillea, and hibiscus. It's especially popular with families, with mini golf and four family rooms with kitchens and two double bedrooms. The bigger junior suites have king-size beds and cable TV. Every room has a/c, a private porch, a mini-refrigerator, and a sink. Plants and elegant table settings fill the thatched-roof Crocodile Grill restaurant, notable for its excellent seafood at reasonable prices. A huge, luxurious pool has a swim-up bar and handsome teak pool furniture. Day passes, including lunch, are available to non-hotel guests for $27 per day.