The amazing boat ride from Sierpe dock, through the Sierpe River estuary and into the ocean sets the right tone for arriving at this exceptional place. The dozen cabanas are sited right near the warm (85 degree F.) ocean, at the base of a hillside that offers a large tract of intact primary rainforest full of endemic and migratory birds, countless flowers that attract an unbelievable variety of hummingbird species, and a stream where several peccaries were rooting about the underbrush one morning.

Accommodations are lovely: local hardwood floors and interiors, a terrific shower with plenty of hot water, and endless bird calls and chirping cicadas. Only criticism would be that the beds were a bit too firm and the sheets a bit harsh on chigger bits I'd acquired elsewhere. Scarlet macaws' screeching around dawn might prevent sleeping in, but since wildlife tours all begin very early, that pre-dawn wakeup usually is for the best.

Food was consistently extremely good and well-prepared: wonderful choice of copious breakfast items, including a very hot fresh salsa that does wonders for any egg dish and really enhances traditional gallo pinto. Lunch and dinner were always copious and of the highest quality, including very good salads. The endless supply of the very freshest local fruits and home-baked cookies was hard to leave behind, as was the exceptional attention from restaurant manager Mario and from waiters Yvon and Leland. The fruit-based tropical cocktails were among the best I've tasted anywhere, anyplace. Be prepared for periodic visits of white-faced Capuchin monkeys into the open-air dining area, which nearly every guest found charming.

As an avid birder, the area around Copa may be the best place I'd ever visited. Between an absolutely unforgettable tours into the mangrove forests along the Sierpe River, an unguided coastal hike south toward Rio Claro, a tour to Sirena Station in Corcovado NP and some climbs up the hillside behind the resort, I spotted some 50 species of birds I'd never seen before, whether endemics I'd missed on previous trips to CR or migratory North American warblers spending winter in the tropics. A few, like the Cinnamon and White-winged becards, Yellow-billed cotinga, American pygmy kingfisher, Golden-naped woodpecker, Long-tailed woodcreeper, Bare-crowned antbird, Scrub greenlet, Blue dacnis, Long-billed starthroat and White-crested coquette hummingbirds were uncommon. Seeing a pair of Great black-hawks mating on a rock beside the turquoise ocean was a highlight, as were the many species of parakeets and parrots flying by in small flocks.

The mangrove trip, guided by Vincente was probably the most biologically intense, starting with considerable time spent at the base of high ocean rocks where boobies, magnificent frigatebirds and white ibises were nesting. Inside the Sierpe estuary we saw a large boa and a porcupine not very high up in the canopy, two 3-toed sloths calling to each other with the softest whistling sounds far above the water, scarlet macaw courting in a tree directly overhead, a large alligator and a caiman in the shallows.

Boat trip to Cano Island was also sensational, especially the numerous large pods of Spinner dolphins frolicking in the bow wake, flocks of brown and red-footed that settled on the water to catch fish missed by the dolphins, leaping eagle rays and a couple Olive Ridley sea turtles that we properly approached a crawl. As the only diver on what was primarily a snorkeling trip, I received exceptional attention from divemaster Mauricio during two 35-minutes dives where a handful of white-tipped reef sharks and some king angelfish were the highlight. Divers should be aware that, like HI, this is not a coral-rich site, and the nutrient-rich waters meant less visibility than in many tropical locations.

A hike from the beach to La Sirena ranger station was worthwhile, especially being able to get within 25' of an adult Baird's tapir and seeing bands of several monkey species, a 3-toed sloth and white-face coatimundi up in the canopy. The boat ride back let us see waterfalls, seabird rookeries and ocean caves of exceptional beauty.

Want to end this review with special thanks to facility manager, Johnny Ramirez, a terrific and caring young guy with a lovely little family. Johnny works awfully long days and goes way beyond the call of duty to ensure that every guest can fully enjoy their stay. He's also got a terrific eye for spotting and helping guests photograph birds.

In summary Copa de Arbol is pricey, but the exceptional quality of what they offer, along with the pristine remote setting, fully justifies the cost. Very glad we stayed a full week. Owner Mike Michaelsen deserves a lot of credit for creating such a unique and well-staffed place.

The best at Drake.
Remote, Friendly and fun folks, Great healthy food, staff and management.
Dillon, our waiter, John the manager and Mike the owner were the nicest people
friendly and responsive. The boat travel to and from was excellent with Maurice and Hans
lovely natives and informative. The resort it self set between the jungle and ocean, the pool
the view the Best! Wildlife , a herd of wild bores made the grandkids day.
Great fun filled 3 nights, great and modern 5 star cabins in the Jungle...........

It was a fluke. The boyfriend and I were hiking out from Drake Beach when we saw the property. With a few days left unbooked, we decided to check it out.

So, what did we find? A 5-star paradise in the middle of nowhere! With a recently completed infinity pool. Intriguing.

Keeley greeted us and invited us upstairs to check out the open-air ocean-view dining room. No pressure. We booked a few nights without even seeing the rooms or rest of the property. It was pricey (even with a huge discount - long story), but ended up being absolutely without a doubt worth every penny and more.

The cabina(s)...

We stayed in two different cabinas, and both were very nice. The first one was great, but the second was a two-story, two-bedroom castle nestled amongst the trees. That's what Copa de Arbol means: top of the trees. We slept in the upstairs room, which featured windows on every wall as well as its own sitting balcony overlooking the ocean. It's a pretty amazing experience to wake up to the sounds of crashing surf, exotic birds, and distant (yet no less intimidating) howler monkeys.

Nicely decorated, KILLER bathrooms and water pressure, comfy beds, sweet linens, and air conditioning. The only very minor nit is that there are no closets or storage space. Just thought this was kind of weird - because everything was so thoughtfully designed.

Amenities...

+ Three-level infinity pool with hot tub. Perfection.

+ Beautiful bird-watching loft above the dining room.

+ All-inclusive meals. A necessity due to the remote location. However, the food was just decent. We did have a few standout dishes (snapper sashimi and fresh fish tacos). However, the old-fashioned menu didn't measure up to the caliber of this five-star hotel. I'd love to see them doing simple dishes done elegantly, highlighting the fresh local ingredients. Don't get me wrong, we licked our plates clean. But the place is so over-the-top amazing, it would have been really nice to see an equally sophisticated, local menu to match.

+ Onsite biologist and tour guide (whale watching, mangrove kayaking, diving, night walks!)

+ Gorgeous primary jungle hiking trail just behind the property

+ Beach-front location with free access to paddleboards and kayaks

+ Includes boat rides to/from Drake Bay (5min boat ride, 40min walk, NO cars)

+ Kind, attentive staff...mad props to the owner, front desk, manager, boat crew, waitstaff, maitre d, and even the housekeeping ladies who greet you with a smile and refreshing cold towels after a long day of dirt, sunscreen, and seaspray

Experiences...

+ I was at the pool chatting with owner Mike when all of a sudden...he spots whales! He invited us to jump on his boat and ride along false killer whales. One of the most amazing, magical hours of my life. It's was an experience that you can't put a price tag on, but ended up being free, thanks to Mike. The crew even went out of their way to intercept some honeymooners they were expecting so the couple could also enjoy the experience.

+ Again, I was reading by the pool when the maitre d' runs down to tell us that a troop of capuchins had just invaded the open-air dining room. Amazing! It was an intimidating but thrilling experience to see these guys so close. It probably wasn't so great for them to be so close to humans, but I can't lie that this was pretty rad for a city girl.

+ We lost our iPhone 5 cable pretty early on in the trip. The manager Johnny happened to overhear us and offered to charge both our phones with his own cable on his own time. A small thing, but thoughtful - really helped us out of a jam.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Copa de Arbol and can't wait to return!

My husband and I stayed for 4 glorious days at Copa de Arbol Beach and Rainforest Resort in mid-January, 2013. There’s little I can add to the other stellar reviews of this superlative resort, except perhaps to talk about the extraordinary hospitality we received.

We arrived at Copa de Arbol in a fun, adventurous way – via boat from Sierpe.
From the first moment when the boat captain took our hand in his to help us aboard,
we knew that we were in for something special. Thank you Tony and captains Hans and Pinkie for all the safe and fun cruising! When we arrived at the resort, several staff members waded into the water to help us ashore – it was like arriving at Downton Abbey!
That first warm greeting was echoed throughout our stay.

Soon after settling in, I realized that I hadn’t been in touch with my daughter for a few days, and I hadn’t brought a phone or a computer. I was quite anxious, but front desk experts Johnny, Keely, and Dylan set me up with their computers and helped me
contact home.

When my husband Stephen, an accomplished woodworker, admired much of the construction, Mike the co-owner had Minor the carpenter take him to the on-site carpentry shop, where they browsed around together.

Mario and Ivan are masters of the bar and dining room, and Miguel is the genius chef. Everyone was careful about Stephen’s allergy to red snapper, and always gave him a beautiful alternative appetizer or entrée (he missed some wicked good ceviche.) One evening after dinner, I asked Ivan to teach me how to fold the table napkins as he had. We cleared a table, and Ivan and Mario gave us an exhibition and tutorial on fancy folding! They must know 20 designs apiece, and I remember two.

Like many reviewers, I appreciated that the dining room tables were separate, and
each had a perfect view of the jungle and ocean. However, for Mike’s birthday, Mario
set up the tables family-style, and the staff and guests ate dinner together.
Several guests and staff had gone fishing that day, and Miguel made amazing tuna sushi as an appetizer and grilled mackerel for the entrée. It was a lovely evening.

Mauricio, the biologist guide, took us on two excursions, one to Corcovado National Park, and one to Cano Island. Besides sharing his knowledge with us, we had meaningful, free-wheeling discussions on many topics, and we learned about his hopes for the future.

A shout-out to Kate, a waiter, who shared with us her unique perspective as a new ex-pat.

On our last full day at the resort, my husband and I walked into town. Although other guests seemed to get there and back with ease, we were really tired when we arrived at Aguijita. The resort’s boat was in town after having dropped off some departing guests, and came back to the beach to pick us up and bring us “home” to Copa de Arbol.

Although this doesn’t fit my theme, do consider that Copa de Arbol is the ONLY RESORT in Drake Bay with beautiful, private, AIR-CONDITIONED casitas. Guidebooks describe the Osa Peninsula as “sweltering” and “steamy,” and they’re not kidding. It was great to return to a cool room after a day spent exploring.

Mike and co-owner Jason took many years to build this gorgeous resort, and along the way they cultivated relationships with local people. They’ve brought people onto staff whom they know well, whom they trust, and who share their vision. It’s a pleasure to know that our visit contributes very directly to the local economy. We’re very fortunate to have visited Copa de Arbol Rainforest and Beach Resort in Drake Bay, and to have experienced their EXTRAORDINARY HOSPITALITY. We were treated as we would treat someone in our own home. Thank you so much!

P.S. Next time I’m going fishing.