Category Archives: Luxury Travel Destinations

5 High-Quality Beach Hotels in Costa Rica

With the cold, biting winds of winter whipping about around you and with the frost practically stripping the surrounding foliage bare, it is no wonder that most people dream of taking a vacation on a beach shortly before the year ends. The complete antithesis of a harsh, wintry landscape, after all, is a vast and pristine shoreline facing a dazzling blue ocean and a warm orange sunset.

Costa Rica is one of those countries of the world that has been gifted with some of the world’s finest seaside hotels and resorts. Normally, these are kitted out with typical guest rooms, outdoor pools, and perhaps even a spa or two. However, if you are looking for some real luxury in the form of personal chefs, souped-up leisure facilities (e.g., private golf carts), and topnotch spa services, then you may want to take your pick from the list of our top five high-quality hotels on Costa Rica’s best beach destinations:

1) The Preserve at Los Altos

Costa Rica Luxury Beach Hotel - The Preserve at Los Altos

If an Asian-inspired luxury ambience is more your thing, then The Preserve at Los Altos should be right up your alley. This resort is massive at a total of 2,500 square feet, and you will find no shortage of comfort and luxury within it. From the plush and enormous beds in each suite to the state of the art kitchens in the Balinese-inspired penthouse suite, The Preserve’s accommodations are sure to appease even the most jaded and fastidious traveler. The beach is merely a stroll down the hill and there are a lot of activities available for guests on the resort (e.g., jet skiing, zip lining, etc.).

All the rooms in this resort are humongous, so it is also an ideal hotel for a memorable family vacation and the deluxe spa has a great view of the sparkling blue ocean.

2) Latitude 10 Beachfront Resort

Costa Rica Luxury Beach Hotel Latitude 10

Located just a few steps away from the foam-tipped waves of the Playa Santa Teresa or Santa Teresa Beach, Latitude 10 offers a more intimate option for vacationers who want a bit more peace and quiet. This exclusive boutique resort only has about five open-air casitas, but you are made to feel like the only guest upon arrival. Their friendly and capable staff will bring your luggage directly to your rooms upon check-in, and they will be more than happy to coordinate your activities for you. Should you feel tired from your trip, the resort’s huge and romantic four-poster beds should make for an invigorating nap or for a restful night’s sleep before a day’s worth of fun activities.

3) JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort and Spa

Costa Rica Luxury Beach Resort - JW Marriott Guanacaste

Don’t let its name fool you. The JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort might bear the name of a big hotel and resort chain, but there is nothing cold or sterile about its facilities. Nestled within the exclusive Hacienda Pinilla (Monte Carlo’s premiere luxury vacation home community), the sprawling property features an intricate network of plunge pools, a nearby exclusive beach, and an abundance of comfortable hammocks for the guest who feels like taking an impromptu nap. For the complete island experience, don’t miss their signature ceviche served in a coconut shell.

4) Hotel Punta Islita

Costa Rica Luxury Beach Hotel - Punta Islita

Regarded by many as the best luxury hotel in Costa Rica, this 3,000-acre property near the Samara Beach is pretty much a one-stop shop for the ultimate island vacation. Punta Islita Hotel‘s accommodations range from luxurious hotel rooms to opulent private villas. With its exquisite infinity pool, executive golf course, and numerous tennis courts, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave its premises. And if those aren’t enough to keep you occupied, the resort also offers cooking lessons, its own canopy tour, and sunset cruises.

5) Si Como No Resort and Spa

Costa Rica Luxury Beach Hotel - Arenas Del Mar

Si Como No is an eco-friendly hotel that is close to the Manuel Antonio Beach. The resort is a few minutes drive from the Manuel Antonio National Park and its rooms are spacious and comfortable, with balconies overlooking the Ocean. The food onsite is also scrumptious, and you are utterly spoiled for choice. Those who want to go for a swim can indulge in the property’s freshwater pools as well.

Clearly, if you have managed to save enough cash for your dream vacation, you might as well go all out on your accommodations to make all that hard work worth it. You only get to live once, after all, and there’s no point in doing things including vacations halfway.

Costa Rica One Of The Best Surfing Destinations Around The Globe

Surfing is fun, but doing it in the right spot may give you a new hobby. Welcome to Costa Rica, where surfing is a dream come true. Being the smallest country in Central America and ranked at the top of the most visited international destinations for surfers, this is the right spot to get the best out of your surfboard. Here are some of the reasons that make Costa Rica a worldwide top surf destination.

EVERY SURFING SPOT IN COSTA RICA GIVES THE BEST EXPERIENCE

If surfing at the same spot over and over gives you boredom, then Costa Rica is your answer. With hundreds surfing spots, Costa Rica has a lot to offer. Not only are these surfing spots less crowded, but also have clear waters, safe, and most importantly the waters have the best waves compared to other places.

With these unbelievable features, most of the Costa Rica’s surfing spots are found at the top list of the best surfing spots around the world. To get a clear understanding why Costa Rica is the best when it comes to surfing, here are brief descriptions of some of the best surfing spots in the region.

PLAYA PAVONES

Not only is Playa Pavones beautiful, but its weather favors surfing most of the time. The waves are superb, the waters are clear and the best part is that if you can’t let go of your surfboard, then Playa Pavones will prove quite a challenge, why? There is more than enough distance to cover.

SALSA BRAVA

If you are looking for a place to spend more time, then Salsa Brava has the greatest offer. Located in the Puerto Viejo’s Caribbean Coast, this is a place to make your weekend the best. The water is clear, it has among the best surfers doing all sorts of tricks just to make you envious. It has the largest and the most powerful waves compared to other places and stopping at the sharp coral reef’s floor makes it the best place to turn surfing into a competition.

PLAYA GUIONES

Most of the time it is not about the name, but the number. From Intermediate to pro surfers, Playa Guiones is a place to start your surfing lesson and end it as a master. There is more than enough number of schools to back up the fact that it is the most preferred surfing spot in Costa Rica. The intensity of rolling waves is notably flexible. They drop down to favor beginners and rise to give the advanced surfers a challenge, hence making it the best place to learn everything about surfing.

PLAYA HERMOSA

If you’ve never surfed before but interested in surfing, then Playa Hermosa is the place to start your journey. From massive to reasonable swells, this spot suits everyone interested in surfing for many reasons that are, clear waters, being safe for surfing and more. Playa Hermosa gives you a chance to try all sorts of tricks, learn new skills and lastly an opportunity to compete with the good, the better and the best surfers around Costa Rica.

In summary, Costa Rica is a dream home for surfers. The waves favor both the beginners and the pros, it also offers top surf schools at some of its surfing location, for example there are several top notch surf schools in Jacó and Manuel Antonio (Central Pacific Coast) and in Guanacaste (North Pacific Coast) is located what we consider to be the top surf school in Tamarindo Costa Rica (Tamarindo Surf Academy). There is a lot to do and a lot to learn, and if surfing is your dream sport, then you have nowhere to stop, but Costa Rica. If you ask me why is Costa Rica a worldwide top surf destination, there is a chance you won’t wait for all the answers.

Costa Rica An Ideal Yoga Retreat Destination

Well being is a term that encompasses both mental and physical health. Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that adopts a holistic approach to uplift the well being of both your brain and body. Drawing from centuries of wisdom, the art of yoga aims to soothe your nerves and bring in touch with your inner self. Yoga enriches you both spiritually and physically, transforming you into someone at peace with yourself and your surroundings.

It is true that in the hustle of our daily busy schedules, we often forget to take care of what truly matters-our well being. These days yoga is gaining popularity because it points out the need of physical and mental harmony . More and more people are opting for yoga retreat vacations to escape the mundane schedules and get closer to themselves. An yoga retreat touches your soul and brings you a lot closer to the elusive inner peace.

Among the popular yoga destination options, the beautiful Costa Rica is a perfect choice. The beautiful island has a transcendental beauty that brings you close to nature . Sprawling yoga retreats are located by the pristine beach. While you meditate, the warm sun rays caress your skin while the sea breeze gently grazes by. Leaves rustle and the waves create a music that transports you to a world which is only your own.

Yoga retreats like Cala Luna are one of the main reasons why we consider Costa Rica a great yoga destination option. Not only are the facilities world class, but so are the experienced yoga trainers. The trainers are greatly learned in the art of yoga and exude an aura of such wisdom that you instantly feel safe under their tutelage. Located in Langosta Beach, Tamarindo, Cala Luna Boutique Hotels and vilas offer you a beachside yoga retreat that you will never forget.

Costa Rica a great yoga destination option offers you an escape from the dull monotony of everyday life, under its clear blue sky by the crystal blue sea. A yoga retreat vacation is guaranteed to rejuvenate you and unveil a source of vitality within you that you never knew existes. You feel refreshed, wiser and at peace. There is no better feeling, is there?

Thus if you are getting bogged down by the rat race of everyday, book yourself a yoga retreat vacation in the stunning islands of Costa Rica . You deserve to paper yourself. Namaste.

The Best Beach Destinations in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is home to one of the most vibrant natural environments across the world. It attracts many tourists every year to its immaculate beaches as well as tropical rainforests. It’s essentially a world-renowned beach vacation destination because of its great range of exotic beaches that offer plenty of remarkable activities for the visitors to enjoy. Diverse landscapes normally offer habitats for the rich flora and fauna, and for the tourists it offers all types of adventure tours such as zip-lining, sport fishing, whitewater rafting and mountain banking among others.

If you are looking for an unforgettable beach vacation, you can pack your summer outfit and head to any of the following beach destinations in Costa Rica:

Playa Montezuma

This particular tiny beach town is located at the southern part of Nicoya Peninsula. Even though it retains a sense of uniqueness, it has definitely weathered fame. Vegetarian yoga enthusiasts, European backpackers, and UFO seekers normally choose this destination over many other beaches in Costa Rica. Waterfalls are usually what set this destination apart from the others. It also stretches for several miles with a number of remote spots to plunk down your mat or towel.

Tamarindo

It’s one of the most popular beach destinations in Costa Rica. It has a 3 kilometer clear sand beach and also exquisite in nature. Its warm blue water and stunning sunsets makes it to be one of the tourists favorite beach towns in Costa Rica. This beach offers quite a wide-range of extensive services and activities to the visitors such as sport fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, and horseback riding. Tamarindo offers its visitors a wide range of accommodations, from all inclusive resorts to luxury boutique hotels, vacation rentals, beach hotels, hostels and more. Being a surf town you can find a lot of surf schools, surf-shops and surfboard rentals.

Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio is located in Costa Rica’s central pacific in the province of Puntarenas. This is one of the first beach destinations to become famous in Costa Rica. The region’s most beautiful beaches are located inside the Manuel Antonio National Park, the beach is calm and also the views from some of the hills approaching this park are enchanting. Manuel Antonio is also one of the outstanding habitats for the jeopardized squirrel monkey.

The Beaches Located Around Playa Samara

Located on the north pacific coast, Playa Samara is good enough by itself. However, if you happen to venture slightly beyond it, you will actually find several good and also least developed beaches located along the Guanacaste coast.

If you are planing on coming to Costa Rica and want to experience the best of Costa Rica, we highly advise you to plan your vacation with the help of a specialized travel agency that knows the country. For example if you are a birding enthusiast and want to plan a birdwatching trip to Costa Rica, one reliable travel agency we know and we can recommend is  https://www.costaricafocus.com/ they offer custom Costa Rica birding tours with the best guides.

In our opinion, the above are some of the best beach destinations in Costa Rica that will ensure anyone a vacation of a lifetime.

The best Manuel Antonio Costa Rica hotels

Luxury Manuel Antonio hotels offer tourists great deals and comfortable accommodation. One of the best Manuel Antonio Costa Rica hotels, is the Preserve at Los Altos. This is your premier gateway to the extraordinary culture and people of Costa Rica and its beautiful natural landscapes. The Preserve at Los Altos can ensure a comfortable vacation like no other in hotel in Manuel Antonio. The place provides its guests with a relaxed luxury resort experience. From the hotel you can easily explore the astounding nature in the tropical preserve and beyond.

The Preserve at Los Altos is located along a quiet portion of the mountain, close to the Pacific Ocean. This unique location makes the accommodation at the hotel a serene beach resort with a peaceful mountain feel. The resort features an open-air design that combines direct access to natural surroundings with five star amenities. Guests there will quickly discover why The Preserve at Los Altos isn’t just another ordinary resort or hotel in Manuel Antonio. There are unique features that make this place truly special.

Tourists who chose to stay at the Preserve will always feel taken care of by the friendly and yet professional staff. The hotel’s personnel strive to give ensure their guests the confidence and comfort to explore the natural beauty of Manuel Antonio. These luxurious accommodations at this hotel aren’t just simple rooms. The Preserve at Los Altos features spacious three-bedroom residences. Each of them is boasting ocean view balconies, private elevator access, and state-of-the-art kitchens. This is the perfect place to relax and the perfect home away from home.

Los Altos offers not only increased comfort but space as well. The unparalleled guest services combined with their private residencies are greatly appreciated by all the guests at Los Altos resort. The Preserve’s staff has decades worth of hospitality experience and that translates into best knowing how to cater to the needs of guests of all ages. Even if the resort is locally operated it provides a touch of international standards.

The Preserve at Los Altos provides great facilities for entertaining their guests, including an exclusive Manuel Antonio beach, an infinity pool, an ocean view spa, a fitness center and Karola’s restaurant. The various amenities make the place the perfect destination for couples, families, and groups. The spacious private accommodations at the Preserve are suitable for two people, to just as much as six. This is a safe, fun, and exciting place to spend a tropical vacation in Costa Rica. Here you’ll have the chance to experience the animal life, plant life and many other aspects of what make a tropical rainforest so special.

Another awesome hotel in Manuel Antonio is Si Como No Resort and Spa , this eco friendly resort offers amazing ocean-views, one adult only pool, one family pool, 3 restaurants, four types of rooms and much more, feel free to check out their client’s reviews in Tripadvisor .

Dream Vacations Fulfilled by Amazing Costa Rica Tours


Are you looking for the perfect place for your next venture with a dream vacation that’s not yet been fulfilled? Let it all come true with the best sightseeing spots, ideal climate, wild adventures, and endless Costa Rica tours to try, altogether an ultimate paradise that leaves you with nothing more to ask for!

Costa Rica is a place to fall in love with, located in the middle of the tremendous Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the country is filled with magnificent landscapes that are draped in different climates. Every nature lover’s desire will surely be met, as well as anyone’s imagination manifested to the extremes. The splendor of the place elicits appreciation of both simple joys in life and luxurious indulgences.

Nature’s harmony is in perfect balance in this great place, which makes its wondrous beauty absolutely shine through. This brilliance renders visitors spellbound by the magic of the moment, whether a solo adventurer, couples entwined in the power of love, families spending quality time together, and friends roaring for endless fun without limits! Most vacation packages are tailored to each individual or group’s specific needs. Enjoy an unbeatable time with everyone close to you and create priceless memories with that will last a lifetime.

Embark in rainforests and flourishing jungles brimming with life! Get a glimpse of the biodiversity it holds. See blue frogs, leatherback turtles, monkeys, beautiful birds and many other amazing creatures. Head on the challenge of Costa Rica tours such as whitewater rafting, have a blast of river wild adventures, dare to go surfing, try the canopy zip line, go hiking, or go on a birding tour with Costaricafocus.com and do basically whatever nature calls for!

If you prefer a more serene ambiance, simply set foot upon the shores. Be in awe with the magnificence of pristine beaches with crystal clear waters, splashing white waves, showered with the rays of the sun which altogether gives off a magnificent setting. Enjoy stunning attractions, view the breathtaking scenery of colossal mountains and volcanoes, and learn about many interesting things in the rich culture and history of the country.

Hop on the perfect dream vacation in store for you, and even just a single day is deemed highly valuable with no time put to waste. However, one day is truly not enough and if time permits you, then go and revel in its beauty for a couple more days, or go round in a full blast exploration of the entire country! Do it in style and utmost comfort with a streamlined itinerary drizzled with amazing Costa Rica tours for an unforgettable experience.

Vacation Planning: Classic Summer Vacation Ideas for Families


Summer is full of life. The weather is good, and the kids have closed school. Everything screams vacation. Summer is the holiday season, and you shouldn’t let the train pass you. With proper planning, you can afford a trip that your family deserves. Regardless of your budget, you can find many summer vacation ideas for families.

If you’re out of ideas, plan with the classic summer holiday themes in mind. Some traditional ideas that never disappoint include:

A Visit to the Beach

Many of us love the beach. I have never met anyone who has outgrown the love of being in the water on a hot, breezy afternoon. A mere mention of the beach conjures images and memories of the beautiful and hot sand, the ocean and its breeze, and all the smells and sights. Of course, there is also the sipping of cocktails as you watch the sun and the gorgeously tanned bodies.

Your family will love a plan that includes a beach. Depending on your budget, schedule and preference, there are many beautiful beaches to choose from; local and international. Let me share a few excellent places.

How about practicing your Spanish in Barcelona, Spain? The city of Barcelona is a great tourist attraction. The beaches are out of this world not to mention the acclaimed historical and cultural masterpieces.

Your French is better than your Spanish? Hone it at St. Bart’s, the tiny Caribbean outpost that has amazing villas and palm trees lined beaches.

If foreign languages bother you, Florida and Southern California have beautiful, warm and sandy beaches. You will enjoy an exotic domestic vacation at a cheaper price.

A Caribbean Cruise

A cruise around the exotic and beautiful Caribbean is a memorable experience. Your family will enjoy the time in and out of the cruise ship. Over the past decade or so, cruises have become increasingly popular for a handful of reasons.

Camping and Wilderness Adventure

If you love camping and having fun in the wild, you won’t lack awesome destinations. Find a park that offers diverse activities. A destination that complements camping with fishing, hiking, air balloons, and grilling out can be fun. Such a trip can involve a simple and affordable weekend getaway.

Summer means fun. Nothing should stop you and your family from relaxing and letting go. Let your imagination run wild. Plan wisely, stick to your budget and let your wishes and desires take you places where work and stress do not exist.

Awesome Family Vacation Ideas For Everyone


Family vacation ideas are good because they allow the whole family to take part in them. They are different from those loner trips and allow from babies to grandparents to come along. Let’s take a look at a couple of ideas.

Zoos

There’s no doubt that zoos are one of the best places for families to hang out at. They can eat popcorn, very long hotdogs with big thick sausages in them and still spend an awesome time checking out some awesome animals. Everyone can get along and feed monkeys, giraffes, fishes and even get to see the big cats like lions or tigers. The good thing also is because there is always a zoo near you, no matter in what country you are. You can always find a zoo in most places within driving distance.

Safaris

Now if your family are a bunch of crazy animal lovers, then you guys are surely going to love safaris. The deal though is that the best ones are usually in far places, especially in Africa. So going to the best ones might require you and your family to travel.Safaris are an ideal place for you to go whenever you have a long vacation. Not only do you get to see awesome animals such as lions, giraffes, monkeys, hyenas, but you also get to see the wild. There is certainly nothing better than to drive a Jeep under the sun and contemplate vast terrains of thin grass, dirt, a few trees and the breeze of moistured leaves on wet trees.

Picnics

Do you know of a forest nearby? How about a camping place? These places are awesome if you just want to relax together with your family on a kitchen towel, and open up a basket full of goodies and delicious things for everyone to eat.The best times of the year to have picnics is during the summer under hot weather. You guys might be strong enough to head out for a picnic in the snow or in the cold season, but they are surely remarkable under sunny weather conditions. This because you can dress up light clothes, wear sandals and just enjoy the breeze of the warm wind and sun rays as you degustate some amazing delicacies.

These are some ideas for you and your family to get started. Surely you are going to have a lot of fun preparing for your next vacation, and don’t forget to let us know what you guys do in your vacation.

Useful Luxury Beach Vacation Ideas for Couples


There is no doubt that a well planned luxurious beach vacation can help you strength the bond between you and your lover. It can give you a chance to relax while being pampered with the quality service you deserve. A luxury beach vacation should be well planned for you to enjoy it to the maximum. People differ in taste thus you should know what your couple likes and dislikes for an effective vacation planning. It can be very frustrating to take your loved one for a beach vacation only to realize that your partner did not enjoy it as you expected. You should be creative when choosing a beach so that your vacation can be enjoyable. The following are some luxury beach vacation ideas for couples that can help you to plan romantic and lovely vacation.

Consider the Taste and Preferences of Your Partner

When planning for a beach vacation taste and preferences are the major factors that you need to consider so that you can select the best destination. The idea that works better most of the time is by choosing a beach that is overseas. This will help you to experience a new environment that will make you will feel that you need each other in this foreign environment. There are many gorgeous beaches to choose from which includes Hawaii, Caribbean, and Phi Phi Island Thailand among many other beautiful beaches in the world. Choosing an overseas beach can give you an opportunity to surprise your sweetheart by taking her to a beach of her dream.

Have Flexible Budget

Vacation expenses can vary unexpectedly thus a flexible budget is crucial. It can be very frustrating to run out of cash while on a vacation just because you did not plan properly. You should make sure that you have a budget that can accommodate any luxury your lover desires. This is the only way you can show how much you treasure her/him. Some of the things that can affect your budget includes unexpected expenses such as last minute tours and activities.

Choose a Beach That Has a Variety Resorts That Offer Luxurious Accommodation Options

This will ensure that you will be able to find different offers and deals for your luxurious getaway. Some romantic beaches that have exotic resorts where you can dine and spend include Miami Beach and Dubai among other famous beaches.

Consider Opting For a Big Not Overcrowded Beach

Large beaches offer enough space where you can relax and have fun without being disturbed by other tourists who might be on vacation. Some of the beaches suitable for couples who want to engage in activities such as beach walks, playing, swimming, and sunbathing among other interactive and romantic activities includes Pink Sand Beach Bahamas, Caladesi Island and Tulum Mexico.

A comfortable beach vacation can help you reconnect with your partner both emotionally and spiritually. The above ideas can help you plan a lovely and romantic vacation to be remembered for the rest of your life.