“Tropical dry forest luxury” is a motif I didn’t know I wanted or needed until our visit to Four Seasons Costa Rica. And since we happened to be there in August, during their rainy season, the grounds were actually quite lush and verdant, with exotic (to those of us in the US) flowers growing everywhere. After a long day of traveling, being greeted with a coconut water/rum concoction made all trials and tribulations melt away. The perfect start to a wonderful vacation. Here are some things that made our week-long visit stellar: - The people: Supposedly, Costa Ricans are among the happiest folks on earth, and while that seems impossible to measure, the ones we encountered made me a believer. Wil, Raul, and Jaime at Añejo, Kenneth and Fabian at the pool, and Luz in the restaurant were just a few who always addressed us by name, with a friendliness and sense of hospitality that stands above even the impeccable Four Seasons standard. - Resort layout: If you opt for a standard room, as we did, it’s likely that it will be in one of 3 main buildings, situated very close to the pools, restaurants, fitness center, etc. I loved leaving our room 5 minutes before our reservation and arriving right on time. - Rooms: Though we were offered a (pricey) upgrade at check-in, we declined it and were glad we did. Our beautifully appointed room had plenty of space for the two of us, and we wanted for nothing. I especially loved the screened-in porch; we had a few rainy afternoons and it was an absolutely perfect place for a summer nap, accompanied by the sound of raindrops and ocean waves. - Restaurants: While the food is good at the other Four Seasons beach resorts we’ve visited, our experience is that it becomes one-note after a few days. Not here. Pesce was our absolute favorite, but the others were also excellent (including Nemare, the steakhouse a short drive away). We went to a couple of the other Peninsula Papagayo restaurants not connected to the Four Seasons, but they were nothing special and we wished we would have just stayed put. - Booking airport transportation through the resort: Our arrival was marred by stormy weather that resulted in our aircraft being diverted to the San José airport. For a time, we didn’t know if we would make it back to Liberia, though through a stroke of luck we did, albeit several hours late. The Four Seasons transportation staff was monitoring the situation, and as we later learned, they were prepared to fetch us from San José had we been stranded there. That’s next-level service that made the extra cost worth every penny. - Free laundry facilities: Most would say that there’s no way they’re doing laundry on vacation, let alone while at a resort with room rates well north of a grand per night. I get it. But I loved the fact that I could put in a couple of loads during our week-long stay… it meant lighter packing and not checking luggage. And a couple of “needs improvements” things: - The pools have seen better days. Don’t get me wrong; if your plans call for nothing but sunbathing – that’s all I did – you will be able to do that successfully, and happily, frozen cocktail in hand. They do the trick, but for Four Seasons, they're nothing special (and even a little beat-up in parts). No more than 3 feet deep anywhere, the adult pool's proximity to the trees along the beach means that after only a couple of hours, you’re pulling leaves and pods and drowned insects out of your path. I hear they’re doing an overhaul of this area… good move. - Wi-fi is spotty in sections. It needs a boost, especially in this day and age. All in all, though, we had such a wonderful, relaxing time. Gracias and mucho gusto.…
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