Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo
COST: $$$$$
Costa Rican architect Ronald Zürcher drew inspiration from butterfly wings and the backs of armadillos in designing the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, set on a steep hillside between two Pacific beaches. Its 145 rooms and suites are outfitted with indigenous hardwood and stone, sliding louvered doors, verandas, and a palette of deep reds, browns, and yellows; most have plunge pools. Before the resort opened in 2004, getting to this pristine but remote promontory in the northwest of Guanacaste required chartering a plane or navigating bone-rattling potholed roads. Now, major airlines fly direct from the United States to the airport, and newly paved byways make the 29-mile trip from there to the hotel considerably smoother. Conscious of the area’s physical splendor, the resort does what it can to minimize its impact. Arnold Palmer created a golf course lauded by Audubon International for its eco-sensitive design; black and gray water is recycled; and during construction, the habitats of local species were left intact.
As Featured In...
From Travel + Leisure Family, Apr 2005
“'The country's first fully stocked luxury hangout. It has an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, four pools (including a walk-in kids' pool), and a high-tech teen center.'...” MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure, Jan 2005
“There's even Morgan's Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge, inspired by the pioneering Costa Rican ecolodge Lapa Rios....” MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure, Jun 2004
“Before the resort opened its 153 rooms and suites in January, getting to the Pacific coast of northern Guanacaste required chartering a plane or navigating bone-rattling potholed roads. Now major airlines fly direct to the nearby airport from the United States...” MORE>>
From Food & Wine, Apr 2004
“Costa Rica, known as an eco-tourist heaven, has three new hotels that promise luxury and great food. On the north Pacific coast, Four Seasons Costa Rica boasts three restaurants; Papagayo specializes in local seafood...” MORE>>
From the T+L 500
Tico-style resort flanked by two beaches on a lush, secluded peninsula.
- Stats:
- 153 rooms; 5 restaurants; 2 bars.
- Competitive Edge:
- Costa Rica's most luxurious property.
- Rooms to Book:
- Those in Building No. 2, for a central location; 4th-floor rooms have Pacific panoramas.
- Don't Miss:
- Picking your own fish for dinner, right off the boat of a local fisherman.
lastArticle = 4/2005 and lastAward = 01/2008
