Some places change you for the better. Those are the ones that stay with you even years after your visit with a longing to return and experience them all over again. Nayara Springs Resort in the Arenal Volcano Park and rainforest of Costa Rica is one such place; a place humming with the rare harmony of nature and luxury, relaxation and adventure.
I was wondering if it were still as wonderful as I remembered, then learned they’ve recently been awarded Three MICHELIN Keys in the new MICHELIN Guide hotel rankings making them the first hotel in Costa Rica to receive that level of distinction.
The Arenal Region
The three Nayara resorts are located deep within the lush rainforest of Arenal Volcano National Park near La Fortuna, Costa Rica, about a 2 hour drive from San José’s international airport. (I highly recommend pre-arranging your transfer to the resort.)
Yes, three resorts which are connected by scenic walkways through the rainforest beautifully showcasing the bio-diversity of the region (more on that later). While Nayara Springs is for adults only, Nayara Gardens and Nayara Tented Camp welcome both couples and families.
The resort is set in view of the iconic Arenal Volcano — once one of the world’s most active — and surrounded by tropical foliage, hanging bridges, rivers, jungle trails, and birdsongs.
Arrival & First Impressions
Pulling into the lush foliage of the property, you feel transported from the ordinary and recognize you are privileged to be somewhere between nature and luxury. The lobby is warmly decorated and cozy with a welcoming staff, and the wonderful aroma of Costa Rican coffee wafting down from the upper level cafe.
From there, a porter loads your luggage onto one of the golf carts, gives you each an umbrella (it is the rainforest after all), and gives a tour of the amenities along the winding path to your villa.
The image I’d had in my head from the online photos was a bit different than reality. I’d imagined the rooms being more isolated and deep in a jungle. They are actually just very meticulously planned and well landscaped to give each the feeling of complete privacy while being much more practical to move about the resort.
The landscaping is a wonder in itself. Again, the word that comes to mind is harmony — a perfect blend of natural and added flora and fauna: orchids, huge palms, koi ponds and natural streams, and a number flower species I’d never before seen. (The region boast over 700 flora species.) Nayara has been recognized for it’s sustainability programs and is even a sloth sanctuary.
The Springs Villas — Pure Luxury
If there was an edge of disappointment that we weren’t secluded in a jungle treehouse, it melted away when we entered our villa. Not just the size of it, but the thoughtful layout was perfect. To the left of the entry was bountiful closet space, a large bathroom with double vanity areas, and a walk through, dual rain head indoor shower overlooking the private outdoor shower. To the right, a vaulted bedroom with a large four-poster canopy bed set before a cozy seating area.
The highlight though is that the wall of windows across from the bed opens up to your personal outdoor area. Every villa features its own private plunge pool fed by natural mineral hot springs. The spacious outdoor area has table seating perfect for room service breakfast, lounge chairs, and my favorite – a hammock. Thoughtfully, the outdoor seating is all covered. So, the space can be enjoyed even in the gentle rain showers.
Rocking in a hammock to the sound of tropical birds singing and the gentle patter of rain. It is living the dream.
Spa & Wellness
If your villa isn’t relaxing enough, the resort also offers an award-winning spa with treatments that harness local elements — volcanic mud, coffee scrubs, cocoa therapies. Rather than a typical spa location, Nayara has several pavilions located around the property that while open to the canopy of trees remain warm and comfortable with the same goal of bringing your relaxation into harmony with nature. It is an unique indulgence you should not miss.
Similarly, the yoga pavilion has the feel of being nestled inside a luxuriously polished tree house. The fresh forest air is scented with calming incense, the soothing voice of class instructor blends with her soft chimes and the bird songs. Even if you don’t typically do yoga, I would give this a try. It was truly one of the most peaceful experiences I’ve ever had, and where I first recognized why yoga lovers consider the art a practice of mind, body and soul.
Nature & Adventure
Even though it’s peaceful, don’t think this place is only for relaxing. The Arenal area is also ideal for a range of activities from exploring the Arenal Volcano National Park and it’s hanging bridges with a local naturalist or visiting a wildlife refuge to zip-lining, white-water rafting, and volcano excursions. My husband and I did both a coffee and chocolate tour, and the hanging bridges tour which were both fun and very educational.
On the rainforest tour, our naturalist guide helped spot rare birds and animal life while explaining fascinating facts about the rainforest as we made our way past waterfalls and up through the forest canopy on a series of fixed and suspension bridges. He also had to let us know that the monkey’s have the right of way on the bridges.
Even though we did see the sloths, the most exciting day, was when I joined a group to rappel waterfalls. There is a note that one should not have a fear of heights, as this trek included rappelling down a cliff, 3 waterfalls, and doing a “monkey drop”. The highest being into a 350 foot deep canyon. It was fantastic!
Dining — Culinary Highlights
Between the three resorts, you have 9 restaurant options you can enjoy on property from traditional Costa Rican fare to elevated international cuisine, both casual and fine dining. Our favorites were: Ayla (Mediterranean), Asia Luna (Latin-Asian fusion), Mis Amore (Italian), and Nostalgia Wine & Tapas Bar. Each venue puts an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and creative preparations. There are of course additional bars serving interesting craft cocktails. How many places can you enjoy an early evening drink and watch the sun set in view of a volcano?
We were celebrating an anniversary while there. So, we made a reservation at their fine dining restaurant, Besame Mucho. The evening began as we walked down a candlelit tile path to a small private room strewn with rose petals. Our attentive server started us with a glass of Champagne, then brought out a perfectly timed series of incredible courses that tasted as good as they looked. On returning to our villa, we found the sitting bed and area table also covered in red rose petals, along with another bottle of Champagne and a box of lovely house made chocolates.
Final Thoughts
Nayara Springs gave us more than we’d hoped for in our first visit to Costa Rica, a place made for wellness, relaxation and adventure. We had an exceptional experience here, and would highly recommend it for honeymooners, wellness travelers, nature and adventure lovers, anyone seeking a peaceful, romantic escape with privacy and luxury. Nayara Springs excels at providing 5-star service that was so unobtrusive it seemed almost invisible. The MICHELIN recognition further confirms Nayara Springs’ global status as a must-visit luxury retreat in Costa Rica.
Want to experience Pura Vida for yourself? Whether planning honeymoon travel, birthday or anniversary trips, or simply a luxurious bucket-list escape, send us a message from the Contact tab, and we’ll have one of our travel advisors reach out.
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