Florblanca resort is the only place you need to go in Costa Rica!

My boyfriend and I spent several days at Flor Blanca and we were extremely impressed with all aspects of our stay. We arrived late in the afternoon on a Friday and despite the fact that the horseback riding guide was supposed to be off on Saturday, the concierge made special arrangements so we would not miss this special experience…and special it was. We rode back on the beach as the sun was setting. It was the highlight of our entire 11 day trip!

In addition to going above and beyond to make the horseback riding arrangements for us, the staff went out of their way to make us feel special. We were even offered a room with a different view the second night we were there because another villa had opened up. The villas were unbelievable with amazing attention to detail and luxury. (You’ve not lived until you’ve taken a rainfall shower in your private outdoor bathroom!)

We also took a private surfing lesson which was fantastic. With waves to suit all levels of ability, Santa Theresa (within walking distance) has some of the best surfing in Costa Rica. All sorts of other outings such a canopy tour, waterfall tour, and monkey sightings are available as well. Florblanca offers the ultimate in adventure vacation experiences in the lap of peaceful luxury.

The food at Flor Blanca was by far the best we ate during our trip. It was extremely well thought out and they had dishes to suit a variety of pallets. The Chef even took the time to come out and personally introduce himself to us.

With a spa, and yoga studio (and fabulous workout facilities being constructed) this small and intimate resort has all the amenities of the larger resorts without the annoying children or hokey, touristy touches.

We plan to come back to Costa Rica, but Florblanca will probably be the only place we stay. My recommendation would be to call them and they will arrange for a charter (very cost-effective in Costa Rica) flight to the local airport and transportation to the resort. You don’t have to worry about anything but showing up in San Jose!

If you are considering a trip to Costa Rica, this review is a must read. If you are taking kids, you may want to read a different review. This review is geared toward couples like us (20's-30's, active, kidless, seeking fun times, beautiful views, relaxation, and the occasional active excursion). I read thru all of the reviews and listened to the people at Costa Rican Expeditions and finally made a "best guess" as to what our 12 day vacation to CR would include. We started by staying a night in San Jose and made an early morning rafting trip to the Pacquare River. We did the connoisseur trip (which I would recommend) so it was just one raft with my girlfriend, myself and 2 others. It was nice, not spectacular. We went from the Pacquare to Hotel Arenal at the Arenal Volcano. We were told the volcano was active and you could see the flow of lava in the evenings. What we weren't told is that the volcano is covered by clouds 99% of the time (never did see lava). We did the hanging bridge tour, which was ok...
saw some monkeys and a sloth...nice scenery often interrupted by screaming kids running back and forth on the bridges. We made a trek into la Fortuna, a tourist trap complete with a Burger King, Churchs Chicken and Las Vegas style hot springs resorts with flashing neon signs a bus loads of tourists streaming in to "soak" in the hot springs that flow from the ground (not my idea of fun). We were scheduled to stay at Hotel Arenal for 4 nights but cut it short...not at all what we had envisioned. We flew from la Fortuna to Punta Islita, a 5 star rated resort that sounded like paradise. Punta Islita was nice, but certainly not a 5 star resort. The food is 2 star food at 5 star prices (since the resort is very remote, there isn't any other place to eat/drink/hang out other than the resort). The bar is only open until 10pm. The rooms are utilitarian. There isn't much to do. The canopy tour was fair. 15 people waiting their turn to spend 20 seconds hanging from a harness...don't expect to see any wildlife or beautiful scenery...there is none. We also paid for "river kayaking", that turned out to be "pond canoeing". The river is nothing more than brackish backwater that rises and falls with the tides...so you get to paddle upstream both ways as the tide goes in and out. The beach area at Punta Islita is nice...the surfing sucks but the lounging area is pretty nice (unfortunately its a 10 minute walk each day to the beach). We got massages on the beach which were excellent. Not much to do here, bring a book. Again we encoutered lots of kids. Punta Islita is at best a 3 star resort.

From Punta Islita we traveled by land to Florblanca...a 3 hour trip that was very entertaining and gave you a chance to see the "real" Costa Rica. Nice. Florblanca is simply breathtaking. The pool area made the pool at Punta Islita look like a dump...it was simply incredible. The grounds are beautiful. Wildlife is everywhere. Situated right on the beach, the place is very intimate (just 8 cabins) and truly caters to the needs of it's patrons. The rooms....
wow. The attention to detail, the intimacy, the beds....again, wow. We were fortunate that we did not begin our trip at Florblanca because it would have made the remainder of the trip VERY disappointing. No kids. No crowds. We went on excursions by ourselves with our personal guide. Surfing, horseback riding....all first class. Riding horses thru a 6000 acre ranch, monkeys, the ocean, heading back at sunset on a horse on the beach....incredible. The food was priced the same as Punta Islita...but NO comparison in quality. This is 5 star food, from a 5 star chef. The facilites were fantastic....a small massage compound right on the beach with a complete spa menu, free internet access (Punta Islita charged for EVERYTHING), a short walk to a small surfing town (Santa Theresa). My only regret was that we didn't get to spend more time there. When we go back to Costa Rica we will spend all of our time at Florblanca. There is no need to go anywhere else.

Just to clarify: We made reservations to stay at Latitude Ten. That property and Flor Blanca were recently bought by a new owner and Latitude 10 will now be known as Flor Blanca Reserva. Guests at Reserva will be able to use the Flor Blanca hotel but Reserva will remain only for those guests staying there. The two properties are a five minute walk on the beach from each other.

I think the only changes that will happen at Reserva are that the prices are higher. In our case, double. And there is a rumor that children under 12 will no longer be welcome.

Latitude 10/ Reserva is amazing. My husband and I spent five nights their with our two children, 6 and 10. We shared two bungalows. The women who organize your life are amazing. Think mango smoothie and they make one appear. Want to go surfing, they know who will teach you. Need a place to eat on the awesome chef, Sebastian's night off, they point you toward the perfect secret place.

We had spent a week hiking and traveling and were happy to not do too much. The pool, the hammock at the beach, the large chairs in the main house proved amazing. Many reviewers have gone into perfect detail here....let me just add to make sure that you go snorkeling in the tidal pools near the hotel at low tide. Stunning and so simple.

We did walk over to Flor Blanca. We had a massage, sat at the bar and had a drink, used the internet and let the children play in the many hammocks. We were happy to walk among the zillions of hermit crabs at dusk and go back to our haven down the beach.

I hope the new owners will leave it as it is. Perfect.

Latitude 10 was everything I expected. Personal service, unique accomodations, and a beautiful and remote setting.

I was somewhat worried when I learned a week before my arrival that Latitude 10 had been purchased by the owners of nearby Florblanca. I became even more concerned when I saw that the new room rates were substantially higher than those I booked and the meal plan had been eliminated. I had read issues about rates and prices at Florblanca suddenly being charged at higher rates than previously represented.

My concerns were unfounded. My previously booked rate was honored. The meal plan no longer existed, but the prices for meals were not at all out of line for the quality of meals prepared.

I am not at all sure how best to describe this resort. It is personal and intimate. An ideal place for honeymooners, or couples just looking for a place to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of the city.

The layout of the resort is well designed. The center of the resort is the clubhouse/dining room. The pool is immediately in front of this meeting/dining area. On each side of the clubhouse are the master suites, both considered ocean front. The three junior suites are actually behind the clubhouse to the left, right and center. All the suites are separate standing structures hidden amongst the landscaping.

For those worried about privacy, each suite can only be reached through its own pathway. There is no reason to go down the pathway (at least for the master suites) unless you are going to that particular suite. Although the roofs and parts of the side of the stuctures can be seen from the clubhouse, they are each just far enough away and surrounded by the jungle to be quiet and secluded.

Although I said above the resort is an ideal place for honeymooners and couples, it was also perfect for my family of five, with an 8 year old, 14 year old and 16 year old. In fact, during part of our stay, all but one of the bungalow/suites were occupied by families with kids of all ages. And all of the kids loved it! It was amazing how much fun the kids could have when there was no tv, internet or cell phone available.

But you honeymooner's and couples don't worry. First, it was Easter break. My guess is there are very few other times of the year when families will be traveling to a place like Latititude 10. Second, the suites are secluded enough that I doubt the kids were an issue for the couples that were there during our stay, except perhaps around the pool, And finally, I was told that one of the new policies being implemented by Florblanca, is that no more children under age 12 will be allowed.

While I would take my kids there again in a second, I must say that when we walked into our Master Suite, I said to my wife, this would be alot more fun if it were the two of us. The suite was beautiful, with dark woods, romantic lighting and candles, and an open air design that is difficult to describe. The attention to detail was evident at every turn. And the ventilation could not have been better. In the heat of dry season, the breeze at night (along with the whisper quiet ceiling fan) kept the room extremely cool and comfortable.

The outdoor bathrooms were also stunning. Nothing quite like taking a shower outdoors! My son especially enjoyed seeing a monkey in a tree above him while he was taking a shower!

Others have raved about the food and staff, and those raves were well deserved. We enjoyed all of our meals (and drinks!)and thoroughly enjoyed the personal attention we received from all the staff. They knew just the right amount of attention to give and were always there if needed.

If we had a special request, the request was met, whether asking Sebastian to make something special for the kids, or having any one of the staff giving input on the next days activities. The new ownership would be well served if they make as few changes a possible to the stafff and how they serve their guests.

I always try to think of what things could be improved. With Latitude 10, that list is small. My wife pointed out there were no robes, kleenex, or blow driers in the room. Her point was for that kind of money, they should provide those type of amenties. Probably a valid point. The only negative comment we could come up with on the meals was that soups were not Sebastion's strength. They were good, but they were not spectacular like everything else he prepared.

One thing guests should be aware of is that some of the representations on the new website have not yet come to fruition. There is no wireless internet service in the rooms yet and if each room has a four wheeler, that was news to us. My guess is those are amenities planned for the future that have not yet been added.

We had a wonderful stay at Latitude 10 and will recommend it to our friends as a place to go with or without kids. We are hopeful that on spring/easter break weeks and Christmas, the resort will consider relaxing its kids policy and allow children under 12 during those time periods because I would hate to have to wait 3 or 4 years to return with my family.

Regardless, we plan on returning. Latitude 10 is a special place and provides a unique environment that should not be missed.