Nayara Gardens

Replanted on land cleared for pasture by a previous owner, Nayara Gardens now occupies 12 hectares of recovering rainforest at the base of Arenal Volcano in northern Costa Rica. The property opened as a boutique hotel and has since reintroduced thousands of native species — palms, cycads, flowering trees, heliconias — creating habitat that now shelters resident sloths, howler monkeys, and over 900 recorded bird species in the wider Arenal region. Two pedestrian bridges hang above the canopy to protect trees and wildlife below. The Costa Rican government awarded the property its Four Leaves certification for sustainability.

Forty-nine casitas stand as freestanding structures distributed across the grounds. Each includes a private plunge pool on a garden terrace, an outdoor rain shower in a secluded alcove, and dual indoor rain showers with double vanities. The Arenal Pool Casita measures 97 m² and accommodates a king bed or two twins, plus a daybed. The octagonal Rainforest Pool Villa spans 105.4 m² with a wrap-around balcony, hammock, and views toward either the volcano's flanks or the forest canopy; natural light enters from multiple angles.

Spa Nayara occupies a standalone pavilion surrounded by trees; treatment rooms are open-air with thatched roofs and no walls, relying on ambient rainforest sound. The fitness centre overlooks forest. Complimentary activities include a guided nature walk on Mondays and Thursdays at dawn and daily yoga sessions at the sister property, Nayara Springs. Three restaurants operate on-site: La Terraza serves Latin American dishes with direct volcano views; Asia Luna applies local ingredients to Asian techniques; Nostalgia pairs European and Latin American wines with tapas using an Italian enomatic dispensing system. Seven mineral hot-spring pools fed by geothermal sources sit secluded within the forest.