Uvita, Costa Rica
Rancho Pacifico
Romance on High
What it is
An adults-only retreat in the rainforest with exquisite ocean views and a topnotch spa.
What it isn't
Standard-issue. Room options here include airy treehouses tucked into the rainforest.
What we think
You know service is exemplary when a hotel invests in 1:1 staff to guest ratio, as Rancho Pacifico has done. But doting service is only the beginning of your pampering here. This eco-lodge has kept luxury top of mind, including installing open-air treatment rooms in the rainforest spa that allow you to listen to monkeys howl while you’ve having one of the best massages of your life. To spread out, book a 1,350-square-foot villa; they’re each fitted with multiple decks, private infinity pools, full kitchens and open-air showers. Or, for the “only in Costa Rica” experience, we love the treehouses; each one feels extra private (shrouded by rainforest) and has an outdoor soaking tub that peeps out on the cacophonous rainforest below. Did we mention your stay includes a-la-carte breakfasts, a daily beach shuttle and zippy wifi?
You're here because
Anderson Cooper stayed here and raved about it: “What an extraordinary hotel!” If the scion of the tastemaker Gloria Vanderbilt said it, you know it’s true.
The Moment
Perched by a glass wall in the resort’s private restaurant, overlooking a sliver of Whale’s Tail beach, there’s nothing that could make you happier. And then your waiter hands you your celery cilantro gimlet. Oh wait, that did it: total bliss.
Restaurants & Bars
Rancho Pacifico- low-carb, spirited Latin/Tropical cuisine.
Location
About a three and a half hour drive from San Jose’s International Airport; they’re happy to arrange a private driver to ferry you to the resort and back in air conditioned comfort.