Gaia Hotel and Reserve

The most luxurious of Costa Rica’s many boutique hotels, situated on a hilltop near Manuel Antonio National Park

In the heart of Costa Rica’s most sought after tourist destination, with magnificent panoramic views over the steep forested hills around Manuel Antonio National Park to the Pacific beyond, Gaia Hotel and Reserve is very special indeed.

While most of the country’s hotels survive on kitsch interiors, rice-and-beans cuisine and towels sculpted into swans, Gaia is an oasis of sleek modern design, with a superb spa, and a rooftop restaurant to rival any in New York for the quality of its food and service. There’s a dedicated concierge for each guest, and a wealth of facilities to entertain you after you’ve visited the park. Floors are stone and polished hardwood, furniture is chic minimalist rattan and cream linen, beds are sumptuous, and bathrooms are absolutely state-of-the-art. There are swimming pools with wet bars; the Gaia suite even has its own pool with a view. This is a seriously grown-up retreat, perfect for sophisticated travellers, honeymooners and anyone wanting to combine rainforest wonders with pampering.

Highs

• Chic modern rooms, with classy design and every imaginable comfort
• Excellent service from warm and friendly professional staff - Gaia truly deserves its 5-star status
• Great location: very close to Manuel Antonio national park, but private and secluded in its own exclusive world
• Exquisite food, served in style, and a great rooftop bar
• Fabulous views from most rooms, the restaurant and pool
• Top notch holistic spa with inspired treatments, one of the best in the country - a reason to stay a day longer

Lows

• Some of the standard rooms are pretty small, and some of these have baths which require considerable agility to step into: ask when you book. There are Jacuzzis in most rooms, though, and the design is generally superb
• The hotel has its own guide to Manuel Antonio National Park, but we found him a bit offhand. If you want a really special guide to the park, book one through Tailormade Tours