My husband and I went to Costa Rica this past Thanksgiving. We arrived in San Jose on Thanksgiving Day around noon. Our private driver that we booked through the resort was waiting for us just outside the terminal which is always a relief when you are arriving for your first time in a foreign country. Our driver was very informative, friendly and accommodating during the three our drive to the resort.
After the(not going to lie) long, but beautiful 3 hour drive, we arrived at the resort. The staff was very friendly greeting us with a fresh cool towel and some tropical fruit juice. A woman went over our package (we chose the Adventure package – make sure you check out the packages they have available before booking) that we reserved which included all of our breakfasts and dinners. She gave us a list of activities that we could book, and pointed out the ones that we included in our package. Our room was large, beautiful and secluded. My husband mentioned that he was disappointed that there were two double beds instead of a King and immediately the Bell Boy offered to move us to another room with a better view and a King bed. The resort was full so we stayed the night in that room (#46). Despite the double beds, the room was actually pretty fantastic. It had a nice view of the rainforest (no volcano view) and was very quiet. I am glad that we were able to stay in two different rooms because it gave us a chance to see more of the Resort. Thanks to our 3 a.m. start to our travel day, we decided purely out of exhaustion to order room service. The food was very good and arrived quickly, but the menu for room service is VERY limited. Unfortunately, we missed out on the traditional Thanksgiving meal which was prepared in the restaurant.
We moved rooms around noon the next day. Our new room was just as nice as the first one, but had an amazing view of the volcano and the always important, king-sized bed!
We spent a lot of time relaxing and scheduled our activities around the weather. Since it is a rain forest there was really only one day that was completely clear, but the resort was very flexible on scheduling our activities. On the clear day we went on the Arenal Volcano walk. The guide was very informative, and the hike was fairly simple. You only hike to the base of the Volcano which the guide explained that it was for our safety. When we got to the base we got a excellent view of the Arenal Lake. On our final full day we went ziplining, which I HIGHLY recommend. I certainly wouldn’t classify us as adrenaline junkies, but wow, the views and rush from going those speeds over a canyon are indescribable.
The food was delicious and made from fresh ingredients. The breakfast buffets served a variety of American and Costa Rican foods. We tried several new fruits and enjoyed plenty of pastries and hot foods. The restaurant had a very relaxed feeling in the mornings and a romantic ambiance in the evenings. For dinner they had a full menu of international foods, and each night of the week had its own specialty. We felt comfortable wearing casual clothes, but there were some people who chose to dress up. The sushi bar was excellent, and it’s comparable or better than most sushi I’ve eaten.
Overall, the resort was amazing. It offered more amenities than we had time to take advantage of. The rooms were clean, private, and had everything you could need. They even provided a razor with shaving gel, and toothbrush and toothpaste. The resort was very private only having 50 rooms, and you really only run into other guests on activities and meals. Since it is more of a couples resort than a family it is a really romantic retreat. My husband and I were sad to leave, and will definitely have a return visit.
- Also Known As:
- Arenal Nayara Hotel And Gardens
- Arenal Nayara Hotel Gardens
- Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens Costa Rica/Arenal Volcano National Park
Region:
Costa Rica >
Province of Alajuela >
Arenal Volcano National Park >
La Fortuna de San Carlos
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge
Business Center
Fitness Center
Free Breakfast
Free Parking
Restaurant
Room Service
Suites
Swimming Pool
Wheelchair access
#1 Romantic Hotels in La Fortuna de San Carlos
#1 Family Hotels in La Fortuna de San Carlos
#1 Luxury Hotels in La Fortuna de San Carlos
#2 Business Hotels in La Fortuna de San Carlos
Price Range:
$$$
Hotel Class:4.5 star (4.5*)
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
-
Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens is a five star luxury boutique hotel that is widely recognized for providing premium luxury amenities and ultra-personalized service at surprisingly affordable rates. Located in the outskirts of the amazing Arenal Volcano, Arenal Nayara is an oasis of tranquility, where guests can experience a profound and organic immersion with nature, while living in luxury at the same time. Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, each one of our 50 spacious casitas (bungalows) provide an exclusive, ultra-luxurious retreat. Each expansive casita (ranging from 855 to 1905 square feet) includes a secluded garden with an outdoor shower and a beautiful terrace overlooking the volcano with a private, intimate Jacuzzi for two.
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