Living Large in….Costa Rica

Travelling doesn’t always have to be about chicken buses and dingy hostels. Sometimes you just need to live large; and no, I don’t just mean a swanky all-inclusive. If you’ve got a little cash to drop and want to see what Costa Rica has to offer the style-conscious luxury traveller with an adventurous streak, check out these places. Every one is unique, and each one comes with an environmental/sustainability streak—after all, this is Costa Rica.

Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort
A carbon neutral spa resort; if you think you know it but haven’t been in the last year, try again—it’s gotten much better.

Sitting at the base of active Arenal Volcano, the resort revolves around hot spring rivers that flow from the volcano and through the property.
A few km outside La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal Volcano
http://www.tabacon.com/

Latitude10°
Discreet (no signs, restaurant not open to public), intimate (6 bungalows), exclusive (several celebrities have been guests), top-notch food (a private French chef) and incredibly personal service.
The architecture is fantastic, with almost no walls, and open-air bathrooms—you can pee with the monkeys. Right on the beach. Pictures don’t even do it justice. Rabidly enviro.
Santa Teresa, Nicoya Peninsula. Just north of Malpais
http://latitude10resort.com/
**N.B. As of February 08, Latitude 10 was sold to nearby Florblanca resort. Some changes are to be expected

Rancho Pacifico
In the middle of rainforest at 2000ft, with stunning view over Pacific. Monkeys and toucans wake you up every morning. The intimate spa has no walls on the view side, and all food, chemicals and spa products are organic. Like staying at a wealthy friend’s private retreat. I find their website hard to navigate but a cool place.
Above Uvita, which is about 20 mins south of Dominical, between Manuel Antonio and the Osa Peninsula.
http://www.ranchopacifico2.com/

Arenas del Mar
Ultra enviro hotel, brand new (Dec 2007). More affordable than some of the above (about 220/night for standard suite) but a very well run, unique property. Best: the rooms, with awesome beds; you sleep so close above the shore it sounds like the waves are crashing at the foot of your bed.
On the short road with all the hotels between Quepos and Manuel Antonio Park
http://www.arenasdelmar.com/