Hotel Aguas Claras

The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is nothing short of spectacular, and this particular stretch, down by the border with Panama, is something special indeed. You’d happily stay in a hastily constructed vacation rental to experience a setting like this, but, as you may have gathered from the context, you don’t have to — not while there’s a boutique hotel of the Hotel Aguas Claras’s quality.

It’s a family project, and a labor of love, established by an artist from San José and her daughter. Its most recent incarnation is new, following a 2017 renovation that leaves it in the state you see today: its suites lit up with bright colors and eye-catching modern furniture, its bungalows more rustic but no less elegant, and its biggest house, the five-bedroom Casa Floralia, a self-contained escape for a party of up to ten.

The hotel’s open-air Papaya Restaurant serves Afro-Caribbean comfort food surrounded by views of the tropical jungle, while DaLime Beach Club is just a few steps back from Playa Chiquita, a perfect sandy beach. Excursions include everything from surfing and snorkeling to wildlife tours, jungle hikes, and kayak trips — meanwhile right on Aguas Claras’ property you’re likely to spot toucans, macaws, monkeys, and even sloths.