We were very lucky to be able to get a room at Xandari for our last night in Costa Rica. We had been travelling about and wanted to be close to the airport. I had checked the website and really liked what I saw.

First off it is a little hard to find. We had almost given up when we finally saw it. But, from the secure entry to the resort until we left the next morning, we were well taken care of. We only wished that we could have spent more time there.

I definately felt that the staff here, all of them are well trained and understand how to treat a guest. From the gentleman at the front desk who checked us in and escorted us to our room, to the wait staff who served an absolutely fabulous meal at dinner, the staff were very pleasant and helpful. The food was amazing, by far our best meal in Costa Rica.

The room - well what can I say? Stunning, and every little thing has been thought of. An umbrella at the door, waiting for you in case it rains, a beautiful outdoor style shower (but indoors), comfortable beds, a collection of great novels, wonderful spa-type amenities. Note - there is no air-conditioning, and normally this would be an issue for us - but here in the hills of Alajuela it is cool in the evening, and the villas are designed to allow a cross breeze through. IT was actually chilly in the middle of the night and I was glad there was extra comfy blankets in the armoire. Loved all the original art. Loved the beautiful gardens.

Can't wait to go back someday and use the spa.

Xandari is located in the mountains above San Jose, with stunning nighttime views of the city. We stayed the first two and final night of our Costa Rican adventure, in two different casitas, both of which were lovely, beautifully decorated and comfortable. The only challenge, if you are driving yourself, is that it's a bit hard to find. We ultimately did find it, in the dark after traveling all day, so it's not impossible.
The staff was nothing short of wonderful, very attentive and helpful. We stored our excess luggage with the hotel for the week that we were gone without incident. My husband realized that he had left his iPod in the room when we were awaiting our flight home, and when he called the property, they had already e-mail him, awaiting instructons as to how to return it.
The breakfast buffet, included with the room, is very nice. Dinners were unremarkable but convenient; fish is consistently overcooked.
Don't miss the gardens and waterfall!

Xandari is a lovely, small, quiet, artistic hotel located in the hills/mountains outside of San Jose. The views from the rooms are gorgeous, and the orchard and hiking trails on-site are great.

It is relatively low-density, so polls and grounds are not crowded. The food is healthy and very high quality. Service is top notch.

Xandari provides the unique type of experience that you would except from an extremely high-end resort.

Note that our room did not have A/C. We were fine with this -- weather was very temperate. If you are they type of person that is looking for a climate controlled corporate experience, look elsewhere.

This hotel is stunning. It is great for adults but please don't bring kids here. It is very sophisticated but at the same time relaxed and not abit snobby. The villas are gorgeous. We got a complimentary upgrade to the finest villa which had a livingroom and a beautiful balcony overlooking the valley. The architecture and art is in soft, modern undulating lines and brilliant colors - aqua, hot pink, royal blue. The food is fantastic. All fresh ingredients and not very expensive. The complimentary breakfast is scrumptuous with many fresh juices and smoothies! You can take an onsite van to many sites while you are there. We went to Poas Volcano which was great and Paz Waterfall Park which was nice but I thought overpriced ($32 a person). Also, later on we went to the Osa Penisula and got to see most of the wildlife that was in the Waterfall Park. - The spa is stupendous. You have your own bungalow with a hot tub that looks out over a tropical garden. There were great hiking trails on the property. Everywhere you went it was quiet and not crowded in any way. It was truly heaven. We will always remember our time at Xandari.