Arenas del Mar

It’s the beach, baby. All 38 rooms have views of white sand beaches and rainforest near Manuel Antonio National Park, and it’s a short hop down to the beach from the hotel. The resort is surrounded by 11 acres of nature reserve, with private nature trails. If you’d rather experience nature from a distance, like from a lounge chair with a drink in your hand, there are two pools, and all guest rooms feature air conditioning, internet access, and flat screen cable televisions. To get even further into the relaxation zone, there is Las Brisas Spa, which offers massage, wraps, facials, and a Basaltic Hot Stone massage. There is even a massage and facial designed for kids. El Mirador restaurant serves Costa Rican cuisine and an extensive list of New World wines, and overlooks the park and Espadilla Beach. The Playita Snack Bar serves lighter fare and tropical drinks right next to the beach.

• Solar panels heat water for the hotel and the pools.
• The pools are cleaned using a copper-silver ionization system rather than chemicals.
• Serious recycling programs are in place
• including reusing gray water from the hotel for irrigation for the grounds.
• The roof tiles are recycled plastic made from discarded plastic bags from the banana industry.
• Most staff members from the local area.