Where the rain forest meets the ocean

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase we will earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We chose these companies / hotels because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases.

Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, just minutes from Manuel Antonio, is situated in an 11-acre natural area. I promise that you will not find a better location, better views, nicer rooms or lovelier staff anywhere in Costa Rica. This place really goes above and beyond.
One way they go beyond is that this hotel and all Cayuga Hotels are focused on sustainability. The resort makes many efforts with solar panels used for heating water, chlorine-free ionization systems to clean the pool water, and a compost system to recycle organic waste.

When you first arrive you are greeted with the most delicious beverage that you’ve ever tasted. The restaurant is delicious (expensive of course but very worthy!). The staff is well trained, kind and available 24 hours a day. The staff is really what makes this place extra special. They know all the guests by name and are all extremely genuine people.

The two swimming pools are amazing for their view, but what I liked most was the (private) beach Playita. It has a funky wood loop hammock which is perfect for the jealous making Instagram picture ;)

The rooms were gorgeous and the view in our room was nice directly facing the beach, it was very relaxing because you could hear the waves at night and I got the best sleep ever. I also loved the fact they have complimentary yoga classes and the teacher impressed me.

The resort is full of wildlife at every point. Monkeys and iguanas were all around the hotel and were the main entertainment. We got to see a lot of wildlife such as an anteater, monkeys, birds of all kinds and many animals I have never seen before.

Arenas del Mar has it all and will be my first stop the next time I go to Costa Rica. On booking.com they get an amazing review of 9.4.

Best time to visit

Because Costa Rica is located between nine to ten degrees north of the Equator, the climate is tropical year round. Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much it rains during a particular period and not to the four seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. The year can be split into two periods, the dry season known to the residents as summer, and the rainy season, known locally as winter. The "summer" or dry season goes from December to April, and "winter" or rainy season goes from May to November.