Arenas Del Mar Beach And Nature Resort Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

The beach

Guests get their first introduction to Arenas del Mar's impressive natural setting the moment they arrive at the hotel: After receiving damp cloths and drinks at a small open-air reception area, they'll get driven in a golf cart up a steep, winding road surrounded by lush rainforest. By the time they arrive at the open-air lobby, which looks like a large beach hut, complete with wooden support poles and a straw roof, they might have already seen some bit of wildlife, like an iguana, a sloth, or a white-faced capuchin monkey. And that's no accident -- Arenas del Mar went to great lengths not to disrupt the surrounding ecosystem. For example, before constructing the hotel, developers studied the native monkeys and built in areas that wouldn't interfere with their daily routes.

It's not just the design that's eco-friendly: Initiatives like solar panels, an underground electricity system, and chlorine-free ionization system in the pools allow the resort to respect the environment in its daily operations.

But the hotel's most impressive feature just might be it's access to two beautiful, white-sand beaches. Arenas del Mar has the best beach access in Manuel Antonio: It's under a five-minute golf cart ride to the sand, and the beaches are far superior to those at Los Altos and Buena Vista Luxury Villas.

View on a Larger Map

This beachfront resort is set on an 11-acre property in Manuel Antonio and a few miles south of a slightly larger town, Quepos. The entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park -- home to spectacular preserved rainforest, exotic wildlife, and several perfect white-sand beaches -- is a short drive away.

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Costa Rica, and one of the most popular with tourists. Its lush forests are full of howler monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys, sloths, tucans, parrots, and more, and line gorgeous stretches of perfect white sand. (Namely: Playa Espadilla Sur, an uncrowded beach that occasionally has rough surf; Playa Manuel Antonio, the park's most popular beach, with tidal pools and good snorkeling; and Playa Puerto Escondido, which has a blowhole in the rocks that shoots up water at high tide.) Just about every sort of outdoor activity is available in or near Manuel Antonio: hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, water sports, boating, horeseback riding, waterfall rappelling, canopy safaris...the list goes on.

• 3-hour drive from San José (about $5 on a local bus; $40 using a shuttle service such as Gray Line, Interbus, or EasyRide; $120 for a taxi; or $170 for a private shuttle)
• 5-minute golf cart ride to on-site Playitas, a small, clothing-optional white-sand beach (although we didn't note any nudity when we visited)
• 5-minute golf cart ride to Playa Espadilla, a long, active beach outside of the park stretching most of the distance between Punta Quepos and Cathedral Point
• 15-minute drive to Manuel Antonio National Park entrance
• 10-minute drive to Quepos
• 1-hour drive to Jacó, a party-friendly beach town to the north
• 1-hour drive to Playa Uvita, a stunning beach to the south located in Marina Bellena National Park, where you can watch humpback whales between December and April
• 4-hour drive to Corcovado National Park, one of the country's best --and most remote --National Parks, with untouched beaches and diverse wildlife
• 5-hour drive to La Fortuna/Arenal

Ocean View Premium Suite

All rooms include:

• Organic hotel-brand toiletries
• Flat-screen TV
• Mini-bar
• Safe
• Coffeemaker
• Large terrace
• Free Wi-Fi and wired Internet

Room types:

• Ocean Breeze Superior Rooms: King bed; terrace with rainforest or partial ocean views
• Ocean View Superior Rooms: King bed; DVD player; microwave; cordless phone; iPod dock; terrace with ocean views
• Rainforest Suites: King bed; separate living area with pull-out sofa; outdoor terrace with Jacuzzi and rainforest or partial ocean views
• Ocean Breeze Suite: King bed, separate living area with pull-out sofa; terrace with Jacuzzi and rainforest or partial ocean views
• Ocean View Premium Suite: King bed; separate living area with pull-out sofa; two bathrooms; DVD player; microwave; wireless phone; iPod dock; terrace with Jacuzzi and ocean views
• Connecting rooms: 1,650 square feet; two bedrooms with king beds; separate living area with pull-out sofa; two terraces; three full bathrooms; ocean or rainforest views

• Las Brisas Spa is open daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and offers massages ($45 to $130); facials ($60 to $110); wraps and scrubs ($75 to $120); and manicures and pedicures ($35 to $50)
• Two swimming pools: one near the lobby, with great ocean views; one next to Playitas Restaurant and Bar, near Playitas Beach
• Acess to two beaches: Playitas, a lovely clothing-optional beach, and Espadilla, the longest beach in Manuel Antonio area

• El Mirador: Serves breakfast and dinner; open 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily
• Playitas Restaurant and Bar: Beachside bar serving sandwiches, sushi, salads, hamburgers and pizzas; open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily