Arenas del Mar
Look out over the Manuel Antonio coastline from the bubbly confines of your patio's hot tub while staying in the suites at Arenas Del Mar, a beachfront resort settled in the rainforest off the southern side of Quepos Point.
read more closeArenas del Mar features two restaurants, two bars, two pools, a spa, access to both the secluded cream sands of Playitas and the area's best surfing on Espadilla Beach, plus in-house conservation and culture tours.
Rooms
Stay in one of 38 suites spread across two beaches and 11 acres of rainforest with views encompassing the Pacific Ocean, Manuel Antonio National Park, Espadilla Beach or Arenas Del Mar's private nature reserve.
Ocean Breeze Suites, $513 in the wet season (April-Nov.), include private terraces overlooking the National Park and Espadilla Beach with personal hot tubs, deck chairs and French doors that open into each of the Suites' two rooms. Suites have a master bedroom and bath with a king-sized bed, tiled shower, dresser and safety deposit box. The common room includes its own couch (which the hotel can turn into a hideaway bed), glass table, wicker chairs and a separate bathroom with its own shower. Amenities include A/C, fan, Wi-Fi, flat screen TV, coffee maker, hair dryer and minifridge.
Restaurant
For lunch, head over to Playitas Beach (by golf cart of course) to dine at the more casual of Arenas del Mar's two restaurants, Playitas. Slurp, sip and savor one of the house special cocktails like the tropical sangria, $7, blended with Malibu rum, orange juice, lime juice, coconut cream and a splash of red wine or settle on a more traditional refreshment including margaritas, mojitos and pina coladas. The lunch menu serves up beachside gnosh like the tropical spicy tuna wrap, $15, with Cajun-spiced tuna, mango, avocado, lettuce, wrapped in a flour tortilla served beside a heart of palm, corn salad.
Dinner is a slightly more elegant affair, served at El Mirador, the hotel's main restaurant. The menu covers its bases with a variety of chicken, seafood, and beef dishes with a small selection of pastas and vegetarian choices. While it's one of the few restaurants in Manuel Antonio to offer NY Strip, $24, served with grilled potatoes and vegetables, the dish doesn't quite live up to its price.
Services & amenities
Golf carts ferry guests around the hotel from the parking lot to reception or the beach along paved trails winding through Arenas del Mar's private nature reserve, a secondary rainforest with furry residents that include sloths, capuchin monkeys and raccoons; look for them on the hiking trail that loops through the property. In-house tours include on-property bird watching, educational tours showcasing Arenas del Mar's sustainable practices, surfing lessons at Espadilla Beach and a cooking class where guests learn how to make tortillas.
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