Photography provided by Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
Mention Costa Rica, and images of rainforests, volcanoes and toucans instantly come to mind. Yet in this small country of outsized biodiversity, nature reveals surprises at every turn. Exhibit A: Peninsula Papagayo, one of the rarest ecosystems on Earth, located in the Guanacaste province along the northwest coast, where the shoreline meets tropical dry forest. Here, ceiba trees shade heliconias and orchids while howler monkeys announce the dawn and whales breach offshore. It’s this combination of elements that invites visitors to breathe a little deeper, move a little slower and rediscover what balance feels like. Once a backdrop for eco-adventure, this landscape has recently become the stage for something bigger: the rise of Costa Rica’s era of restorative luxury.
Photography provided by Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
Across Peninsula Papagayo, a new lineup of properties is redefining the relationship between nature, design and wellness, revealing how the country’s pura vida ethos continues to evolve. At Nekajui, a freshly minted Ritz-Carlton Reserve perched above the Pacific Ocean, the feeling is particularly palpable. This adults-centric retreat, which opened last year, leans into its biophilic setting through design by Luxury Frontiers, the studio behind some of Africa’s most iconic tented camps. Rooms and suites champion transitional indoor-outdoor living and feature motifs from Chorotega culture (an Indigenous group with strong roots in Guanacaste). Meanwhile, dramatic architecture — including a suspension bridge that links treetop structures and a glass funicular gliding down to the beach — creates a sense of discovery at every turn.
Photography provided by Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
At its heart, Nekajui celebrates the healing power of nature. With live birdsong as a soothing soundtrack, mornings begin with wellness activities ranging from vinyasa yoga to unique offerings like “animal flow,” a yoga-gymnastics hybrid directed by primal motions and poses. Movement continues in the open-air jungle gym, where state-of-the-art equipment creates opportunity for grounding strength work overlooking panoramic island views. Hydrotherapy is a daily ritual at the infinity-edge vitality pool, which boasts a six-part circuit of varying temperatures and bubbling geysers that soothe muscles while framing the Pacific beyond. In fact, it’s the largest hydrotherapy pool in all of Central America.
Photography provided by Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
This water world is just one part of the 27,000-square-foot Nimbu Spa, featuring volcanic mud wraps, herbal compresses and aromatherapy with Juanilama essential oils in oceanfront pavilions. It’s also one of five statement-making pools cascading throughout the property, complemented by hiking trails that lead to hidden viewpoints and dining that honors the region’s seasonal abundance. Signature restaurant Puna and waterfront Niri Beach Club use local seafood and produce as blank canvases for clean eating and culinary ingenuity, turning each meal into an expression of place. Morning coffee at Café Rincón is brewed with hand-picked beans from all seven national harvest regions, which can also be paired with local cacao.
Photography provided by Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
Anchored along Guanacaste’s most coveted beaches, the Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo continues the narrative of renewal. The property that first defined Costa Rican luxury in 2004 has been transformed for today’s traveler thanks to an extensive renovation marking its 20th anniversary. The open-air Wellness Shala, designed by Mexican firm Arquitectura Mixta, rises among the trees and hosts yoga, meditation and ancestral healing sessions.
Sound therapy with José, the resort’s resident practitioner, has become a hallmark experience, employing instruments that create vibrations that ripple through the body and merge with the natural world. The reimagined, two-story fitness center rivals a top, big-city gym, while dining reflects Guanacaste’s commitment to nourishment: 80% of ingredients are sourced from nearby producers, fishers and ranchers, ensuring each dish feels as local as its setting.
Photography provided by Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Farther down the coast, the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique, which opened in September 2025, reinforces the region’s devotion to balance and connection. The property’s ocean-view spa offers treatments steeped in Indigenous rituals, which echo the harmony of design, culture and environment that now defines Guanacaste. Designed by an acclaimed architectural team, the hotel is sustainably built with natural materials to support the property’s Earth-friendly sensibilities.
Photography provided by Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
With opulent lodging options backed by some of the world’s most renowned hospitality brands, Peninsula Papagayo has emerged as a gold standard for wellness, where winding trails double as sites for meditative bliss, spas utilize volcanic soil and sea salt, fitness spaces open to the elements, vitality pools revive body and spirit, and restaurants honor local heritage. Every experience reflects the idea that, here, opulent offerings celebrate connection, not excess. And in that convergence of natural beauty, purpose, design and possibility, Peninsula Papagayo steps onto the scene as the go-to destination for restorative luxury.
