Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort Member of the Cayuga Collection

My wife and I stayed at Arenas Del Mar for our 20th anniversary, and we had a wonderful time. I can’t say enough good things about this place. The views are amazing, the staff is helpful and kind, the food was amazingly delicious and the wildlife was plentiful and incredible. My favorites of the staff were Alex and Farlan. We really loved Playitas Beach and had a great time boogie boarding. Our experiences at breakfast were relaxed with great food, and great coffee and tea. We saw capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, iguanas, basilisk lizards, agutis, a toucan, sloths, and macaus. We are already planning our return trip in a couple years with our kids.

I don’t even know where to begin when describing how amazing of a time and how well I was taken care of here. The atmosphere: Holy s***. It doesn’t get better than this. The view from one of the restaurants is considered one of the 1000 places in the world you need to see before you die, and I can see why. Every where you look it is lush and mindbogglingly beautiful. The amount of wildlife on the property is not overstated, either. They literally take you around the grounds, winding along the cliff side, through the rainforest. The food: Chef’s kiss. I highly recommend being brave and trying out their typical Costa Rican options. You’ll get to try all sorts of exotic fruits and flavors. The staff: Idk if it’s the culture, or staff training, or what… but every single staff member went above and beyond for me and seemed to be genuinely interested in me and invested in making my experience as wonderful as possible. And they succeeded. From the administrative staff, golf cart guys, and my tour guides… everyone was awesome. The tours: I can only speak of the ones I went on, which were: whitewater rafting the Naranjo River, private surfing lesson, the coffee tour, and a private tour through Manuel Antonio national park. I had a great time doing all. All were worth the money. Extra kudos to Alvaro and Milak at the surf school who took great care of me when I got seriously nauseous! Experience as a solo traveler: I was the only solo traveler I saw during my 5 day trip, so I would recommend being very comfortable with yourself and traveling alone before going here. Because it was the rainy season, there were fewer guests overall, and therefore a couple of my tours ended up being private. Depending on your mindset this could be either lonely or a total luxury! Rainy vs Dry season: I was glad to never have to wait for a beach lounger or a table. I was told it’s MUCH more crowded and hot in the dry months, and much more expensive. I happened to get lucky with the weather during my trip - it mostly rained at night. There was one afternoon/evening with a major storm… which is the norm… and I wouldn’t have been happy with that every day. It’s a gamble in that regard. It is however the best time for whitewater rafting if you’re into that. Overall… this place was a dream. It was worth every cent. Just go!!!

We had lunch at Playitas restaurant down from the beach. Our party of 7, were amazed at the service and food. Our waiter Randall, was genuine and knowledgeable. Gave us a good laugh with his friendly demener, and also shared a lot of local information, that made our trip memorable. Five star for the restaurant and five star for Randall, we cannot wait for our next visit.

We were so excited to visit Costa Rica and we were not disappointed. We think what contributed to this being an outstanding trip was staying at Arenas del Mar. The resort and the staff truly helped make this adventure marvelous. The place is beautifully laid out. We were lucky enough to get one of the nicest rooms in the resort (the view and the room itself), and I loved the gorgeous beach. The attention to detail everywhere was great - the food (a full a la carte breakfast is included) and drinks were delicious. Also, the many excursions they offer! The people that work there are so knowledgeable, genuinely friendly and personable – each and every one we engaged with wanted to ensure we had a great experience. Even before we got there, the concierge team took excellent care of us with planning and answering questions (Jorge, Lucrecia, Grisneld); The amazing eco tour leaders – we were so lucky to go out with Maria Teresa many times and also a fun outing with Mau. Such knowledge and passion they have for the beauty of their animals, parks and home. I can’t list all the wonderful men who took our luggage, made sure we had water and drove us about in the golf carts as well as the van team they contract with. And, of course the wonderful ladies who brought us great food and drinks and laughs! Gaby, Karen, Carolina, Alexandra and Luisa. Oh, I can’t forget the monkeys who joined us on our balcony and at meals 😉. We were so impressed with the management of this property and their care for their employees. That flows straight through to those of us who get to vacation there. We definitely plan to visit another Calypsa property and hopefully this one again.

Our planned trip to Costa Rica to celebrate our anniversary was almost thwarted by Hurricane Milton but we managed to get out four days after the storm. Arenas Del Mar provided the perfect getaway. I have to say that it was because of the wonderful staff that were not only extremely attentive, but also caring enough to get to know you and make you feel that in that moment in time you belonged to their family. We got a lot of exercise in climbing the hills and steps. Golf carts are available at any time and very quickly should you need them to get anywhere on the property, including the beautiful private beach. I loved the capuchin monkey visitor that tried to steal my snacks that I was enjoying on the patio. You do need to beware of them if that is something that might bother you. I also had a squirrel monkey steal my banana at breakfast which made me laugh although my husband just gritted his teeth at the little thieves. I enjoyed two private tours with Maria during my visit, one to MA National Park, and another at night on the premises to find the nocturnal creatures. She is amazing at finding everything! It is a real thrill being one with the amazing creatures that live in the rainforest and on the beach, including a resident sloth. It is a beautiful resort and I hope to return one day.

The resort is amazing! You have the best of both worlds. The rainforest and the beach. Stunning views! We saw sloths, monkeys, iguanas and much more on the property! Manual Antonio National Park is very close that is a must! The staff was excellent. Very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend!