PENINSULA PAPAGAYO, COSTA RICA — Costa Rica is the epicentre of all things “eco.” Eco-lodges, eco-treks, eco-tours, eco-eateries — the list goes on. The ubiquitous prefix, however, isn't the first thing that springs to mind when one thinks of the upscale Four Seasons chain of hotels and costa rica resort, which last year opened its first property on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste province, the least populated, sunniest and driest part of the Central American country.
But after you drive past the enormous white-marble sculpture fronting the resort's guardhouse, and pass through the 18-hole Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, you are presented with a vision that amalgamates, on a much grander scale, the tree houses, cloud-forest lodges and thatched-roof cabanas that cover the rest of the country.
AmbienceFrom the three-piece salsa band playing in the open-air lounge to the nearby cigar roller, the resort leaves no doubt that you're vacationing in Central America. But this isn't your typical hive of all-inclusive hedonism. Its à la carte approach means that guests simply sign for meals, drinks and spa treatments, imbuing the place with an air of quiet restraint. It's quite relaxing to know that having to eat and drink to get your money's worth is not a concern.
More next week