It's been almost 2 years since my boyfriend and I stayed here and we still reminisce about Hotel Punta Islita. I've stayed in many fine resorts in the world but there is something very special about Hotel Punta Islita.

The hotel itself is gorgeous. The beach is picturesque. The food is wonderful (and we are new yorkers-meaning accustomed to great restaurants). The service was extremely friendly and professional. We still remember Franklin, the bartender, who we had many laughs with. The standard rooms are kind of on the small side but they are clean and well furnished. There were butterflies fluttering around the grounds and they were particularly delightful when we woke in the morning. The sunsets are remarkable. We loved the hammock, which each room comes with. If you are looking to getaway from it all, Punta Islita is the right choice. They say there is a zipline but I don't remember that being a big attraction. The concierge were very helpful though with activities. My boyfriend surfed but I choose to hang out on the beach with a cocktail. I wanted to relax after a lot of La Fortuna and Monteverde adventuring. I highly recommend this resort.

My wife and I plus our son aged 18, daughter aged 15, daughter aged 10 spent 7 nights in Hotel Punta Islita in January. We struggle to find fault with the property.

From the point of arrival to our departure, the service was outstanding.

Our daughters suffer from serious allergies wich I had advised the hotel of in advance ... we did not have to explain this on arrival ... anyone who needed to know, knew.

Two other examples, from many:

- We had a 4X4 which was pretty dirty after more than week of Costa Rica roads, rivers etc ... it was parked close to reception for 10 -15 minutes while I sorted out the details of our departure ... when I returned to the 4X4 it had been cleaned ... no charge!
- We departed by air and the hotel arranged for most of our luggage to be forwarded by road to San Jose ... 8 pieces of 9 were waiting for in San Jose when we arrived ... the 9th piece had been forgotten ... to our surprise it arrived about midnight

The villa we stayed in was excllent ... maid service was first rate and unobtrusive.

The location is special ... remote ... uncrowded beaches ... spectauclar scenery ... superb wlldlife ... if you are not intimidated by the roads (which are not nearly as bad as the guide books suggest) there is plenty to explore.

There are plenty of cheaper options, but few offer this balance of price, service and value.

Congratulations to the staff ... they get it!

Definitely a hotel to return to.

Utterly Utterly incredible! We left the Hotel Punta Islita on Thursday and we can't wait to return next year. The accomodation was beyond compare, the staff were friendly and the location was astoundingly beautiful. A fantastic way to start the year! I absolutely defy even the most cynical of couples not to be blown away by the romance of the place.

We booked a suite with a jacuzzi for three nights and stayed in one of the casitas for the last night. I honestly think that the suite was much better than the casita, despite being cheaper.

Hotel was a little difficult to book directly (as it had to ba all done by fax etc) but incredibly well worth it.

The only minor criticism we would have is that everything shuts at 10pm which can be a little early but as there was so much we could do in the mornings we didn't mind so much.

I would reccomend this Hotel to any couples who are looking for a fantastic getaway (although expect to be asked if you're on your Honeymoon!) I would say probably don't go if you are single or looking for a place to party as the pace of the area is decidedly slow!

This place was amazing! The attention to detail was impressive at every turn. We loved that it was small enough that we knew the staff by name and they knew us as well. We thought the food was great and the views beautiful. We were looking for a place to relax on the beach and that is exactly what we found. We took advantage of a good walk down to the beach and back, but if you're not up for it a shuttle will take you. The spa offers services both down by the beach and up near the entrance. We enjoyed the secluded open air beach spa and our massages were fantastic - my skin still feels wonderful. I was there with my husband and some friends, but feel that we could easily take our young children with us and have a great family vacation. We hope to return soon!