“Already planning our next visit!”

Punta Islita deserves all the outstanding reviews! The staff and facilities made our trip to Costa Rica a truly relaxing vacation. The staff was warm and hospitable and we knew many of them by name before we left. It's luxury without the pretension. Food, bar, location and activities were all excellent - saw howler monkeys, surfed, kayaked to the ocean and watched migrating whales - all without more than a 20 minute drive (which is good, because the roads in CR leave a little to be desired!). Don't miss a stroll into the little village of Islita and see some of the local art and crafts.

“Beautiful hotel/property with excellent service”

Punta Islita is in a very remote location. Most of the roads in the area are dirt or gravel. The location, the property and the beach are beautiful! The service here was excellent. With Marvin's help, we upgraded to a bigger room after our 2nd night. Both rooms had a beautiful ocean view. Marvin was extremely helpful with anything we needed. The service at the beach and the main restaurant was also great. For lunch they would set up a table for us to eat right near the beach. Antonio in the main restaurant was very friendly and professional. The rooms are clean and well kept. The only negative is that you could hear people in the room next to you. The walls or ceiling should be a little thicker or more soundproof. Overall I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

“Great Getaway”

The resort at Punta Islita is wonderful. It took about 2 hours by car to the resort from the Liberia airport. The roads are not too bad, there is a small river crossing, but truly, the ride to the resort made sightseeing a pleasure. Our concierge was also very helpful and gracious. We were greeted as we pulled up to the resort with refreshing towels and we waited by the infinity pool while he checked us in. We also were given complementary drinks and they were delicious. We visited during the "green season" and it was as though we had the resort to ourselves. It did rain every night, but, the resort does provide each room with a large golf sized umbrella. Lunch and Dinner at the resort was reasonably priced and the food was delicious. We participated in the activities sponsored by the resort- zip lining and kayacking. Both were great experiences. It goes without saying, you should be moderately in shape to be a guest of Costa Rica. The hotel does provide a shuttle that departs every 30 mins. The to the beach walk is lovely as it takes you thru all the separate lodging and then the golf course and you get to appreciate the mango, star fruit and other indigenous flora and fauna. We did have ants in our room, however, our housekeeper did a great job at sweeping them out everyday. It really is to be expected when you are staying at a resort surrounded by such lush flora. We saw monkeys in the trees adjacent to our hut. It was very surreal. The spa was great too

“secluded and beautiful”

Those who want shopping and other people, Punta Islita is not for you. The hotel was simply beautiful and the employees were accommodating. We rented a car and drove the 2 1/2 hour route to the resort. We were greeted with cool cloths when we exited our car and were treated royally for the rest of the trip. Since the resort is so secluded, the food options were limited; we visited during the off-season, so the beach restaurant was closed during the evenings. We ate at Combuta, a little restaurant near the town of Islita for three evening meals. The menu at the main restaurant, 1492, was limited, and we wanted more diversity. Recommend the art gallery in the town of Islita for souvenirs; they are made by locals and are reasonably priced. We will return for a visit and enjoy all of the beauty and service.

“OMG! What a Paradise!”

This is one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever visited, with a perfect and harmonious combination of nature and luxury. This place doesn’t take all the credit it deserves, such as being listed among the best hotels in the world as posited by recognized magazines, a reason why potential guests may underestimate its beauty, luxury and excellence through its reviews and pictures shown on the Internet. When you see the entrance and the welcoming they give you as you stare at the beautiful amenities, you won’t have any desire to leave the place, which is perfectly convenient as it is quite far from near by places. The first day, after a rough drive (went during winter season and river was running water so we couldn’t go through that path and took the long route instead), we booked a couple’s massage. OMG! What an experience! It was a chocolate, full body, 4-hand massage, after which you are left alone to go and shower by the plants and the birds to then come back into a hot tub with champagne for two. DO IT! The food, although somewhat pricy, it was awesome, worth every penny. We also did the zip lining tour, which was an incredible experience too. Fruity drinks (alcoholic too) are made with natural fruits and are AMAZING! The amenities are simply great. We had a private hot tub in our bedroom. The pools are crazy beautiful (did I say the food was great?...). And the service, extraordinary. These people know how to treat a guest.

“Would love to go back when the monkeys are out”

My wife and I loved the whole experience of this beautiful, remote, enchanting property. We got rejuvinated and cherished every moment. I was disappointed that we saw no monkeys as we have seen at other locations.

“Still grinning, still glowing!”

We had read about Punta Islita in a couple of publications and we were intrigued by its stated commitment to sustainability. After finally experiencing it first hand, we recommend it with wholehearted enthusiasm! There is a wonderful aura to this property. Beautifully secluded, its natural setting is stunning and its character unspoiled. Although we knew about the hotel’s close relationship with its neighboring “pueblitos”, the reality surpassed our expectations. The mostly local staff greeted us warmly, with service attitude that stood out in jovial spontaneity. Requests were handled with care and attention. During our first dinner, we ordered a delicious tropical banana flambé. I tried to record the flaming spectacle on my camcorder. When I embarrassingly admitted to missing the “record” button, our waiter brought more fruit and extended the show enough to let me capture the scene. Without pause and with a big grin! The kayaking adventure was amazing and my favorite break from urban madness. The sounds, the scents, and the exuberance of the mangrove were uniquely soothing. We started our adventure in careless chatter and soon hushed in awe of our surroundings. I just wish we had scheduled a longer stay to try out the other activities, especially the sea-turtle expedition and the monkey safari. Our room was superb. Spacious and bright. We even had a private terrace. Enjoying the ocean view and sipping wine while cradled by a hammock was simply perfect!

“remote but of unparalleled beauty”

The location is remote, on the slope of a hill leading down to the ocean. The lower "cassitas" are very picturesques, surroundede by beautifull gardens and pathways, giving the area the feel of a village. The villas higher up are amazing, with all the amenities to live indepentently, including a swimming pool. They are build combining a modern and rustic style. The large living room had several resident lizards, and one of the bathrooms had a resident bat, and the garden had an amazing array of buterflies and birds, to be watched and photographed in the early morning sun. We could hear howler monkeys in the distance and flocks of green paraquets could be seen congregating in the nearby trees. The breakfast was good, but the dinners were superior, served under a huge canopy-like thatched roof. The beach is somewhat pebley and the waves are gigantic, but you can alawys swim in the infinity pool next to the reataurant or the one down by the water. They both have swim-up bars, and serve flavorfull drinks. The staff was well organized unitrusive and very friendly. Visit Punta Islita, if you like nature and luxury.

“Beautiful hotel, friendly staff, well worth the journey”

We had a terrific time at Hotel Punta Islita. Travelers should be aware of the rainy season in Costa Rica -- heavy rainfall directly affects the condition of the remote roads that lead to the hotel. My wife and I were unable to reach the hotel on our first night in-country due to river washouts, and had to try again the following day. The staff at the hotel are the friendliest people I've ever met in my life. The food at the restaurant is delicious. The hotel grounds are beautiful, well-kept, with just the right amount of encroaching jungle and nature. We spotted howler monkeys in the trees fifty yards from our bungalow, shared our walks with iguanas and parrots. The only problem we experienced was a leak in our room from the heavy rain on the first night of our stay. The hotel staff was incredibly responsive and accommodating, and we settled into a new bungalow within the hour. There are many things to do here -- ziplining, horseback riding, wildlife sightseeing, kayaking, spa treatments -- and I definitely recommend trying everything you can. We stayed for ten days, but would rather have stayed for a year. We'll definitely be going back.

“Beautiful, remote resort!”

Hotel Punta Islita is an absolutely beautiful resort with excellent, caring staff. It is in a remote area, so if you are going to drive, be sure you are able to arrive before sunset, or you may get lost like we did! This is a perfect place if you are looking for a quiet, relaxing getaway.