No one in the party wanted to leave, two of us thought about asking for jobs. We were met by Eric, "The Driver", at the small airport and were brought to the grocery. After provisions were secured, up the mountain we went. I have a terrific fear of heights, yet he made the ascent very calming. The 6 of us were met by Adrianna, Alex, Mel and Oval. Oval is the man. Alex welcomed us, gave us the tour with Adrianna and then took us to the house. Wow! No TV, radio, computers... I admit we were a bit lost for the first few hours. We went down for food and beverages. Alex Segura is an amazing chef and very open to feedback, but what could we criticize? Everything was very, very good. We did not get to meet the owners as they were taking a very well deserved vacation, but the rest of the staff was superb. Anything you ask for you get. 5 days was not enough. If you go ask to meet Pena, he will show you things that only an experienced jungle guide can pick up on, and he can fix anything. We only left once for dinner to switch things up a bit on the last night, they recommended a place called Poseidon. It did not disappoint. Thank you again Adrianna, Alex, Mel, Oval, Pena, "Benny" and the great environmental services staff that kept our house pest free for the week. The girls will have you speaking Spanish by the end of your trip! Great job guys.

Rancho Pacifico is heaven. It's high up a coastal mountain on a perch overlooking undeveloped rainforest jungle canyon and hillside. Here's some of my thoughts about what makes it unique:

1. The staff is amazing. When we left, we really missed them. They are so friendly and unpretentious. They are also fun and really enjoy the company of their guests.

2. We stayed in the upper tree house. This is like having a private residence that is elevated in the jungle canopy and out of the line of sight of ANYONE. Well worth the extra money.

3. It IS a long drive up the mountain to get there. But the staff accommodates and shuttles you up and down and you never feel stranded. This place is best suited for those wanting to relax and unplug for a while...

4. My favorite moment was taking a two hour nap in the afternoon during a huge storm with the jungle breezes flowing through the room.

5. Pick your outings carefully. You don't want to spend all of your time driving up and down the mountain and being shuttled to different parts of Costa Rica. We were a little under-whelmed by the "mini National Geographic Tour" (a long drive to get there and did not see a lot). By far our favorite outing was the horseback riding. It is pretty close to the resort. There is a "Beach Ride" and a "Jungle Ride." We did both (separate days). The beach ride is amazing because there is nothing like riding a healthy, well-cared for horse at full gallop across the sands of an EMPTY Costa Rica beach! The jungle ride is amazing because you ride into a VERY rugged jungle to see a towering waterfall. And we saw much more wildlife here than during the Nat. Geo. tour. We highly recommend this!

6. We were concerned about bugs, mosquitos and heat when we arrived. We went in July and there were NO mosquitos. There were occasional - and really cool - bugs that would show up in your room. But they were rare and part of the fun experience. I was convinced that we would need air conditioning.... but I was wrong! RP is so high up the mountain that it is much cooler up there. The rooms don't have air conditioning and you absolutely don't need it.

7. The food is SO good! We met a couple that was staying at Oxygen resort (which is sort of nearby) and they were asking if it was possible for people not staying at RP to eat at the restaurant. We told them no, it's for guests only (which is true)! Dinner is 5 courses and you get to choose every night based on two meal options. We ended up taking tons of pictures of the food because we wanted to remember it. We never do that!

We can't wait to go back someday. When we were checking out, we got a call from the owner, Sylvia (who was in Montana at the time) to thank us for our stay. Very nice touch.

We could not have been happier with our 4 nights at Rancho Pacifico! We were in a spa suite & found it to be perfect for the two of us. We where even offered an upgrade to a tree-house & kindly declined because we loved where we were so much! Like previously mentioned the food & drinks are AMAZING. We ate every meal & probably drank every cocktail possible and everything was outstanding. I don't eat gluten and as soon as Chef Alex heard this he made sure every meal I had an alternative. Marlon may be the best bartender & waiter in all of Costa Rica...true story.
The car ride up to the resort is an adventure and don't think anyone could put it into words, but once you get a glance of the grounds & the view you realize it's totally worth it. There are several hiking trails on/around the resort, but be prepared it's not for the unfit. The hike to the waterfall is gorgeous & if it was anywhere else in the world there'd be tour buses lined up to heard tourists to it!
We did have spa treatments (massages & facials) and found them to be good, but not earth-shattering.
We left the resort one day to check out the "beach club". We lasted there about 2 minutes. My only critique/advice to RP would be to not send guests there. It was a tacky mess.
Thank you everyone at RP for the wonderful experience...we're already talking about when we should return!

The Good:
Great secluded rain forest getaway for a perfect honeymoon! Every meal was phenomenal, and the chef takes great care to accommodate your every request. Majestic views of the forest and the ocean below with tons of wildlife at your doorstep. The extensive list of available activities were all easily coordinated through the hotel, and they were able to keep our trip running smoothly. Most rooms are very secluded with amazing views, and I would definitely return again.

Caution:
This did seem to be the nicest place in the area, but a few things to keep in mind:

Although the actual distance up the mountain is not far, it is a solid 20 minute drive in a 4x4 low to get up to RP. I might suggest renting a car, but be sure you know how to drive a 4x4 up a steep mountain. Transportation costs can get high with it costing roughly $20 each way up and down the mountain in a cab. If you like the convenience of being able to come and go and to visit other nearby towns, be prepared to pay $80 round trip.

The room was cleaned daily and was a great setup, but our wooden bed was incredibly loud and if you are in a lodge suite there is a good chance you will hear your neighbors talking because of the open air style of rooms. Also, neither of the 2 hot tubs on premise ever got hot - more of a luke-warm soaking tub I guess.

All in all we had a great experience and loved every minute of it. The food might be the best part!