Rancho Pacifico, Costa Rica – Wild Luxury Above the Pacific
If you’re the kind of traveller who likes your jungle wild but your bed huge and sheets crisp, Rancho Pacifico is precisely where you need to be. High above Uvita, on Costa Rica’s gloriously unspoilt Pacific Coast, this adults-only rainforest hideaway is the stuff of daydreams. Think modern treehouses, plunging views, double rainforest showers, and food that makes you pause.
Set within a private 50-acre rainforest reserve, Rancho Pacifico feels like it’s in its own world. You’ll hear the rumble of howler monkeys before your morning coffee, spot toucans from your terrace, and fall asleep to the sound of rain tapping on the trees. This is off-grid luxury done right—intimate, immersive, and unapologetically connected to nature.
Puma Treehouse, Rancho Pacifico
The treehouses and suites are modern, spacious and open to the elements in all the best ways. Your private deck is vast, with a swinging chair for lazy afternoons, and floor-to-ceiling glass that keeps the rainforest close, even from your enormous bed. Bathrooms are a real highlight—double rainforest showers and freestanding bathtubs that open out into the jungle. If you love indoor-outdoor living, this place nails it. I stayed in Treehouse Puma, a steep descent and tricky incline but oh, the views!
There’s a yoga deck tucked away under the trees, but truthfully, you might prefer to do what I did, which was to roll out a mat on your own terrace and move through a flow with the sound of birds and no one else around. It’s that kind of place—everything feels personal, unhurried, and beautifully natural.
If you're up for the waterfall hike (and you should be), be prepared. You’ll need hiking boots, a backpack, and a stick—plus a decent level of fitness and no breathing issues, because the terrain is steep and can be slippery (try and avoid straight after a down pour). But the reward? A glistening, jungle-fringed waterfall that feels untouched by the world. Sadly no Tarzan either.
There are also birdwatching walks, jungle hikes, and boat trips to Marino Ballena National Park, where you might catch a glimpse of humpback whales or dolphins playing in the surf. And when you're ready to collapse, the infinity pool has plenty of sun loungers in the sun or shade—the pool is small but perfectly placed for a post-adventure float.
The food is a real highlight here. You’ll eat like royalty—tropical fruit breakfasts, zingy ceviches, and beautifully cooked seafood under the stars. Everything is fresh, local, and cooked with genuine flair, know-how and passion.
There’s a small jungle gym, too, for those who fancy a stretch or sweat between hikes and hammock time.
But what truly elevates Rancho Pacifico is the people. The staff are warm, intuitive and full of heart. They remember your name, your drink, your favourite spot by the pool. Because honestly, what good is a beautiful hotel without brilliant people?
Rancho Pacifico isn’t for those after bling and glitz (though the space and design of the suites and treehouses are almost on a par with Aman, some thoughtful/personal touches wouldn’t go amiss). It’s for you if you value authenticity, nature and deeply thoughtful hospitality. It’s a place where you can switch off, breathe in the wild, and return home somehow lighter. Just don’t forget your boots like I did.
Why stay? Contemporary luxury with great service. On their website it says they’re a ‘resort’ - they’re not, they have eight suites/treehouses and are very much a boutique hotel.
Highlight: The food, the service and the setting.
How to get there? Four-hour drive or transfer (USD 230) from San Jose airport. Gatwick has a direct flight or you can fly from Heathrow via Madrid. I flew from San Jose via Miami and for this an ESTA is needed even if you are flying through the USA in transit (and once in Miami, you still have to go through passport control and then back through security)
Stayed: March 2025