Luxurious Getaway on Idyllic White-Sand Beach

Evoking the atmosphere of an elegant Spanish villa, the resort today spreads across 5 acres of lush gardens, offering posh accommodations in a picturesque tropical setting. As the resort's centerpiece, a statue of the pre-Columbian ancient Indian chief (and hotel namesake) Diria overlooks an expansive swimming pool with a cascading natural-stone fountain. The Tropical Poolside rooms envelop overnighters in bright colors, and beds come piled with overstuffed pillows. Later in the day, the room’s private terrace or balcony overlooking the pool makes for a relaxing spot to admire the sunset or provide color commentary for games of Marco Polo.

Each Getways deal includes a dining credit (about $250 USD for a three-night stay and about $500 USD for a five-night stay) at Tamarindo Diria’s restaurants, including a multistation breakfast buffet. After catching a fish earlier in the day, one can have it cooked by the chefs at Matapalo Restaurant, an open-air eatery where diners enjoy Costa Rican cuisine beneath a massive matapalo rainforest tree. Just steps from the resort, the Pacific Ocean provides once-in-a-lifetime snorkeling over coral reefs populated by porcupine fish and stingrays. A poolside deep-tissue massage is welcome after a hike through the dry forest or a morning playing 18 holes at one of the nearby championship golf courses.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Aquatic Adventure in Natural, Tropical Paradise

Resting along Costa Rica's northwestern coast, Tamarindo draws Costa Ricans and international travelers alike with its white-sand beaches, dry forests, and mangrove estuaries. With average temperatures hovering between 71 degrees and 81 degrees Fahrenheit, Costa Rica’s climate sets the stage for aquatic recreation year-round, drawing surfers to ride the waves at Pico Pequeno, a reef break just outside the Tamarindo Diria Beach & Golf Resort. On scuba excursions, divers swim alongside eels and sharks near the Catalina Islands. The area's natural habitat nurtures exotic marine life, such as the giant leatherback turtle, which migrates to Tamarindo's 1,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge each winter to lay eggs and finish their Christmas shopping. And though influenced by its North American and European tourists, Tamarindo's shops and restaurants embrace the area's native Costa Rican culture with authentic Latin fare and handmade crafts.