Florblanca

Rooms

Villas are surprisingly sumptuous, given the remoteness of the setting and the depth of the jungle. All are decorated to an extremely high standard and set back along little paths deep in pretty jungle gardens, so that each is guaranteed considerable privacy. Cream walls hold dramatic paintings of tropical flowers, and very sensuous canopy beds come with clouds of cushions, wonderful mattress and blissfully soft bedlinens (strewn with tropical flowers on your arrival). One and two-bedroom options are available, Deluxes have sea views.

The open-air bathrooms are also beautifully designed, with a leaf-shaped baths under overhanging palms and a curved wall behind your private garden to give perfect seclusion. There’s also a powerful hot shower and an organically shaped sink; even the outside loo is a fun experience. And no, there aren’t creepy crawlies over everything!

The Honeymoon House comes fully equipped with a kitchen, a refrigerator, an open-sided living room and a dining table for 4. The whole of the upper floor is the bedroom and it also has a small plunge pool. The Surf House (a newer addition that we haven’t viewed yet) is a great-value and slightly more rustic 3-bedroom beachfront villa - perfect for outdoorsy types.

Organic, biodegradable toiletries are provided in big bottles (no waste of plastic), scented with Plumeria flowers from the flor blanca tree. Fresh flowers, a hairdryer, free WiFi, bathrobes and safe boxes are all provided; some options also have minibars.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Mosquito net
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

You get truly excellent cuisine, in different settings, including a stylish bar by the pool with tables under an open roof, on steps leading down to the ocean. The cocktails are creative and the sushi is the best we've ever had.

Breakfast can be healthy or not. There’s good yoghurt and granola with fresh fruit or a Burrito of beans, avocado and cheese, also with fruit, as well as the usual eggs options. Tea and coffee are available all day - help yourself from the coffee bar.

Lunch here is superb: we sat by the pool and ate Greek salad with huge grilled shrimps, and seared rare yellow-fin tuna with Asian style noodles.

Dinner can be a laidback affair in the bar with cool music playing, or a totally private experience where the chef brings Pacific Rim flavours to freshly caught local fish. Staff are attentive and very friendly: you soon feel among friends.

Most romantic of all, ask for a dinner in the poolside gazebo: you’ll be completely alone, eating by candlelight from a table decorated with flowers: our amuse bouche of seared scallops on a bed of quinoa was sublime, followed by a tangy sea bass ceviche, then fettucini with spicy fish. Dessert was a delicate passion fruit cheesecake.

Features include:

• Restaurant
• Room service

Activities

• Walk down the winding path through leafy gardens to find an organic shaped infinity pool tumbling into a wider pool where you can swim backstroke and gaze up at flor blanca trees, heavy with scented white blossom
  
  
• Lie on hammocks slung between palms in a shaded part of the beach or sprawl on a lounger at the water’s edge
  
  
• At the hippy town of Montezuma (1 hour drive) you can stroll among the craft stalls and try out the organic food in the many restaurants
  
  
• There are waterfalls nearby, and a zip line adventure to try - Florblanca can arrange a guide and transport. Visit Rainsong reserve which looks after endangered animals; the birdlife is extraordinary
  
  
• Use the splendid yoga studio to practice on your own, or join daily ashtanga classes. Pilates is also on offer
  
  
• Surf boards and boogie boards are available to borrow and staff can arrange private lessons for beginners
  
  
• Swim from certain parts of the beach, but ask staff for the right spot as there are fierce rip tides in some areas. Too energetic? Lazily snorkel in the rock pools instead - the hotel has equipment available to borrow
  
  
• Florblanca can arrange a deep sea fishing expedition and horse riding along the beach

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Horse riding
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Well being
• Yoga
• Zip-wiring

Kids

Florblanca is geared towards adults, but older children (6 and over) are welcome. We think it would work well for families with adventurous or creative teenage children, who enjoy surfing, watersports, nature and art.

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The two- and three-bedroom villas are perfect for families of 4-6.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Florblanca is in Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula. This is on the west of Costa Rica, a 25-minute flight from the capital city San José.

By Air
Tambor (30km) is the closest airstrip served by domestic flights from San José. If you're coming from abroad, you'll fly into San José Juan Santamaria International (100km) then take an internal flight. Closer to Florblanca is the Manzanillo-Santa Teresa airstrip, a 20-minute drive from the resort but only reachable by charter flight. Liberia (200km) is also used, usually for charter flights from Europe or North America. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
Transfers from Tambor to Florblanca are available.

By Car:
It’s useful to have a car here, so that you can drive to the local sights. See our car rental recommendations. Think twice before driving from San José: it takes 6 hours, via the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera (arrive 45 minutes to an hour before the ferry leaves, to buy your ticket and get in line), and the last stretch is pretty rough. We'd suggest a 4-wheel drive to make the bumpy parts of the journey a bit more comfortable.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to Costa Rica and getting around