Punta Islita is fabulous. The views are breathtaking and the staff could not be more wonderful. We were able to tour all of the rooms while we were there, and they are all very nice. Every room has a beautiful view. We stayed in a deluxe room, which was quite comfortable and has its own little backyard and hammock. All other rooms have small pool.
If you are thinking of staying in a two or three bedroom villa, all I can saw is WOW! They are huge--with large open-air living rooms and complete kitchens. The 3 bed villas are all a little removed from the rest of the hotel (5 minute walk max), but the hotel will come pick you up in a shuttle any time you don't feel like walking.

The food at the hotel was overall good. (We had a few things that were fantastic and a few that were only so-so.) For ceviche-lovers, we tried 3 different types and loved them all! Breakfast is included in the rate of the room, and is quite yummy. Its tropical fruits, fresh juice, yogurt, breads and cereal. There's also a menu to order from if you want something heartier. The bars definitely lived up to our expectations as well. (We tried the swim-up bar stools and they worked quite well.)

My fiance and I both got massages, and they were amazing. An hour massage runs between $75-85, and they have a page full of different types. The spa also offers facials, body wraps and scrubs, manis and pedis, etc. We also went on the zipline canopy tour. It is definitely worth doing, but it is an hour long activity, not a full day excursion. The hotel also has horseback riding, surf lessons and board rentals, ATV tours, kayaking, nature tours, a driving range, and deep sea fishing.

According to my fiance (as I never actually set foot in the ocean), the beach is amazing. The sand is a little rocky on the shore, but in the water there are no rocks, no seaweed, and no animals.

We couldn't read enough information on Hotel Punta Islita before our trip, so I wanted to make sure I did a review! We went there for our honeymoon and stayed 6 nights and actually just got back yesterday. We were a little worried about going as May begins the rainy season in Costa Rica. Another traveler at our hotel said that the rainy season doesn't *really* begin until May 15 on the coast, but who knows? I can say that we were in CR for 10 days total starting May 7 and it rained only 1 day in Punta Islita and all 4 of the other days when we were traveling inland.

Getting there was so much fun for me! I HATE flying, but my husband talked me in to flying NatureAir to get there and I am glad he did. It was a pleasant experience and took us less than an hour to get there. A little bumpy on the small prop plane, but very professionally-run business and it was fun looking out the window at the beautiful CR scenery. Seriously, doing this you land on a tiny airstrip in Punta Islita, which felt very "Fantasy Island" to me. They basically threw us and our bags out on the tarmac and the plane literally waited only until the van came to pick us up before they took off. Anyway, I'd fly there instead of driving. It was a bit pricey ($250 RT pp), but saved time and the heartache of driving... which can be anywhere from 4-6 hours we heard from San Jose.

The facilities are beautiful. The Costa Ricans are a proud people and the grounds are well taken care-of with lots of fruit trees and flowers and all overlooks a large bay. We stayed in a casita and it was worth the money! It was very large, with a living space, porch, hammock and nice bathroom with a big tub. Our bed was phenomenal. Huge, with lots of down padding. If we could have taken it home, we would have! We loved the plunge pool. I remember somone on TripAdvisor warning that it is a "cold" jacuzzi and that is worth mentioning! It's basically like having a little pool in your "backyard," but it's nice when it's hot out. The pool in the main building is very nice with a swim up bar. We never had a problem finding a chair there or at the beach. The walk to the beach was about 10 minutes and a bit taxing even for us (we did a marathon in Feb.). There is also a shuttle service that will take you to/from the beach if you don't want to walk.

We really liked the food, overall. It is pretty expensive for Costa Rica, but I can't say that I felt nickeled and dimed. For the price, you get what I thought were HUGE portions and have the option of eating at the main room 1492, the Borrancho Beach Club or going offsite to one of two local restaurants (the Monkey Bar or the one down the hill- can't remember the name). Loved the beef tenderloin with gorgonzola (gigantic peice of meat!) and the nacho salad (more nacho than salad) at 1492, the shrimp pizza at the beach club and the shrimp at both the monkey bar and the other place. The free continental breakfast is okay. Good fruit and cereal, but pretty basic. The coffee is great, of course. Seeing a sunset at the Monkey Bar was great. It was fun to eat outside the hotel and the shuttle took us over. I personally loved the drinks at this hotel and drank myself into mojito, pina colada and frozen mango margarita oblivion in both pool bars. Costa Rican beer is also quite good. I would have appreciated some faster service at the bars/restaurants for a hotel of this caliber, but I also must say that it was nice to get into the relaxed vibe of the people. They do not hurry! My husband and I called it being on "Costa Rica time." To be honest, it was sad to come back to the hustle and bustle of the USA. Also wanted to note that they do not have cabana servers. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice addition to their services.

We got to know the staff really well, as the hotel wasn't terribly crowded. There are current videos to rent in the guest lodge, books and magazines to read and it is a beautiful open air feeling with this wonderful aroma burning all day long (incense? flowers?). We also did some activities, which were fun and reasonably-priced. The hotel has a zipline tour, which was a kick(not terribly long or high compared to others in CR but a rush still and definitely felt safe) and horseback riding which we also enjoyed. We saw howler monkeys on the horseback trip and cantered along the beach. Such fun!

I was seriously depressed for perhaps two days after leaving Punta Islita. We had to go back to the Central Valley and it was cold and rainy and just not the same! It's crazy that the weather and topography can be so varied in CR's different regions. Anyway, we loved that the biggest decision at HPI we had to make each day was whether or not we wanted to go to the pool or the beach. This place is perfect for honeymooners. All we did was sleep in late, lay in our hammock admiring the beautiful seascape and drink coffee, read books on pool chairs and the few activities at the hotel. It was quiet (not much after 10p), but heavenly for me who just wanted to relax after the wedding mania. If you want to relax, come here! Perfect for couples! Not good for traveling with friends or families with children, but if you're in love and want a serene beach setting, come to Punta Islita!

Just got back from a 2 week trip in Costa Rica and stayed two nights at the Punta Islista. If you are looking for a luxury resort then this is it. The grounds were beautiful, the food was excellent, bartenders make a great drink (except for Mojitos...trust me) and the staff could not have been friendlier and more accomodating. The resort is expensive (especially for Costa Rica) but you get what you pay for here.

This is not an all inclusive resort so you won't find buffet crazed gringos here...thank god! Also, unless you are willing to travel quite a distance there is not much else to do but hang out in the resort. Once again, if you are looking to unwind, relax and enjoy the beautiful beach & scenery this is it.

FYI - If you are going to stay here and are traveling by car make sure you arrive when the River Ora is at low tide. You have to cross the river to get to the resort. I suggest a 4 wheel drive vehicle. For my trip, that was around 11 am. If the river is at high tide you might be out of luck and have to spend the night or wait out the tide.

Punta Islita was the last stop on a 3 week trip to Costa Rica. This is a stunning location and a wonderful hotel in many regards. However, I was upset at the amount of construction the hotel is engaging in to build new condos and a golf course. This means unecessary destruction of secondary forrest in the long run and construction noise and litter from crews and trucks in the short run. The hills around the hotel have huge areas that have been cleared for future construction leaving unsightly blemishes in the forrest. For a hotel promoting social responsibility in tourism it was a sad sight. It also meant that we saw far fewer birds and wildlife than on any other stop on our trip. That said, the beach and setting are lovely. The pools are large and attractive. The rooms are rather spare but have amenites many other hotels in CR don't have (AC, TV etc.. but it's all functional and not esthetically chosen). Also, the hotel does charge excessive amounts for water, food and the like. Moreover, the dining option in the main restaurant were limited to somewhat mediocre continental food for dinner (lunch was far better). You should definitely check out the local Monkey Bar for an amazing view and good local food. At the end of the day, for my money I far preffered Lapa Rios in the Osa peninsula. But for those who want to travel and yet find the comforts of home (golf, tv's, AC, Shuttle to the beach etc..) this is a great location in a still unspoilt area.