Boutique Beachfront Hotel Tucked Amid Costa Rican Jungle

Where the edge of the jungle meets the Pacific Ocean on the rustic Nicoya Peninsula, you’ll find the Hotel Florblanca. Rustic wooden villas, thatch-roof palapas, and a waterfall that cascades into the pool make up the campus at this boutique hotel, which has Balinese-style architecture heavily influenced by the natural environment. The hotel is committed to preserving the fragile ecosystem around it, too; they have an eco-friendly policy that includes water conservation, animal protection, and recycling.

Eleven freestanding villas are spread out across the property, nestled amid jungle foliage. Relax in your open-air living room or trot out to the patio, where you’ll find a handcrafted hammock for two. From the villas, a path leads down to the wide beach, where natural pools form at low tide. Here, you can kick your feet up on a lawn chair and enjoy food and beverage service.

At the breezy onsite restaurant, Nectar, executive chef Spencer Graves prepares fresh seafood and sushi, as well as beef, duck, lamb, fish tacos, salads, and burgers. The wine cellar is stocked with varietals from Central and South America, or you can opt for a signature cocktail made with local fruit and the tears of a lovelorn toucan.

Spa Bambú, designed by San Jose architect Jean Garnier, hovers above tranquil pools beneath a leafy canopy. In the bamboo-lined treatment rooms, aestheticians perform a variety of spa services, including various massages ($90+), facials ($85+), mani-pedis ($45+), and body wraps, such as the Costa Rican coffee and almond scrub ($150). The resort also has a fitness center and an open-air yoga studio, where professional instructors lead free classes twice daily.

What makes Hotel Florblanca eco?

• Sustainable Tourism–certified hotel
• Staff cleans up the beach in front of the hotel daily
• Recycling and organic composting program
• Biodegradable cleaning products
• Pressurized kitchen-sink faucets to reduce water consumption
• Electric cars used to transport laundry and merchandise on the premises<p>

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: Renowned Surfing and National Parks in Unspoiled Natural Setting

Santa Teresa is quickly becoming a popular Costa Rican vacation destination, but the area remains relatively unspoiled and free of mega-resorts. There are plenty of activities to do in the area immediately surrounding the hotel, though.

Less than 100 yards from Florblanca’s villas is a 2-mile wave break where you can surf year-round. Surf instructors provide lessons and starter boards for beginners. You can also rent a mountain or cruiser bike at no charge to explore miles of nearby trails and roads. Hotel Florblanca offers an array of guided excursions, such as kayaking, horseback riding, snorkeling, and ziplining.

At the far southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, about 7 miles (12 km) away, you can explore one of the country’s oldest protected parks, the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve. The name translates to “White Cape,” a moniker that was bestowed centuries ago due to the guano-covered rocks that speckle the beach in dry season. Keep an eye out for brown pelicans, armadillos, anteaters, monkeys, coyotes, and Gilligans.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.