Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica: 02/01/2010

Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica combine nature with sophistication.

February 9, 2010, San Jose, Costa Rica. Starting from the tropical Victorian and finishing with relaxed beachfront architectural style, Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica manage to maintain a balance between natural surroundings and upscale elegance. Located in the most beautiful parts of the country, eight hotels that form this well-known luxury boutique group give relaxation a new meaning.

The journey throughout Small Distinctive Hotels and their individual, but equally luxurious tropical architectural style starts in San Jose, the capital, with Grano de Oro hotel, the classic jewel that breathes sophistication with every corner of its Victorian atriums and corridors, filled with the ambiance of old days, and decorated with heavy armchairs, Persian rugs and crystal chandeliers. The Grano de Oro restaurant, central to the hotel, is considered to serve one of the best cuisines in town.

The next stop on the journey through Small Distinctive Hotels takes you two hours away from San Juan, to the central agricultural region of Costa Rica, where Casa Turire hotel, surrounded by farms and mountains, awaits visitors who arrive through its wide palm tree alley and get immediately immersed into the gracious charm of the property and its surroundings, reminiscent of a colonial plantation home. Casa Turire distinguishes itself with pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, and private balconies overlooking manicured gardens and lawns, where you can spot wild birds or farm animals.

From there, if you continue towards the Pacific side of the country, Villa Caletas is a must-see property, perched on a high cliff like a fantasy castle, where tropical Victorian style gets elevated to the new heights with a touch of neo-classical décor and design details. The hotel offers 360-degree panoramic views from its white terraces hanging on cliffs and disappearing into the blue swimming pool water that seems to suddenly drop down into nowhere and is only stopped from flowing by red majestic columns that integrate into the atmosphere of relaxed majestic atmosphere. Each room and suite at Villa Caletas has different theme and décor, with each item personally picked by the owner, Dennis Roy.

Not far from Villa Caletas, down the Pacific coast, is Arenas del Mar hotel, located in the Manuel Antonio National Park. Arenas del Mar gives a different twist to luxury tropical architecture: here, it is very intimately intertwined with the nature, staring with its thatched roof, and finishing with breathtaking views of Manuel Antonio National Park and Pacific Ocean. Every guest room makes you feel a part of the nature, as each spacious terrace has a big outdoor Jacuzzi, the shadow of palm trees and a company of visiting monkeys. The feel of luxury and sophistication is preserved even in the middle of spectacular nature.

Continuing down the Pacific, you would arrive to Cuna del Angel, nestled in the remote area of southern Costa Rica, and unique in its tropical colonial style permeated by statues of angels and colors of sky and clouds. Elegance and tranquility of hotel’s architecture and décor blends in with the astonishing natural world that surrounds it, as this is one of the most remote, untouched areas of the country. Cuna del Angel combines native and Costa Rican styles. Palapa, the central building of this unique hotel, was designed as an area of homage to local ancestors. Its architectural design is based on the “Boruca” traditional ceremonial dwelling, a symbolic expression of this Costa Rican indigenous culture. Its circular shape generates was designed to project energy towards the sky through its conic roof. Every detail in the décor of this unique hotel is related to peace and harmony.

Capitan Suizo, another beach hotel, is located at the northern part of the Pacific, in Tamarindo, showcases a distinctive style of relaxed beach architecture. Built right on a white sand beach, and surrounded by multiple species of local animals and birds that call hotel’s grounds their home, Capitan Suizo offers elegantly decorated bungalows and rooms, lost in lush tropical gardens, with a centrally located pool and restaurant.

Traveling back to the interior of the country, this architectural journey inevitably takes us to Peace Lodge, a hotel that combines rustic luxury with natural surroundings of a cloud forest and the famous La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Surrounded by mist and moist leafy greenery flourishing at this mountaintop location, Peace Lodge hotel features handcrafted canopy beds, original stained glass, illustrated artwork, fireplaces and custom Jacuzzi tubs, all in the setting of natural stone and wood.

And finally, for some truly unique experience on how sophisticated tropical architecture blends in with diverse, luscious nature, the path goes to Florblanca, located by the Pacific on the very tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Designed for privacy and exclusion, this hotel features open air villas, built from natural stone hidden amongst verdant nature, and covered with natural wooden roofs. Elegant integration with nature continues at the sophisticated open air restaurant, yoga studio and sparkling pools. Florblanca was designed in Balinese style, which permeates its every details of décor and general feel of the place.

ABOUT SMALL DISTINCTIVE HOTELS OF COSTA RICA

Small Distinctive Hotels unites Costa Rica’s most luxurious boutique hotels, located throughout the most beautiful, diverse and interesting regions of the country. The hotels in the group include: Grano de Oro, Villa Caletas, Peace Lodge, Casa Turire, Cuna de Angel, Florblanca, Capitan Suizo and Arenas del Mar. Costa Rica is a perfect combination of tropical weather, exuberant nature, adventure activities, friendly people, and a stable democracy, and this hotel group makes it easy to visit its most amazing parts, such as Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Guanacaste, Corcovado and other jewels. Small Distinctive Hotels are located by active volcanoes, beautiful beaches, majestic waterfalls, and offer such activities as horseback riding, white water rafting, mountain hiking, jungle zip-lining and more. To find out more, please visit www.distinctivehotels.com.