Looking to re-connect with yourself and nature? Ama Tierra is for you! Jill and Bob Ruttenberg are the greatest hosts I've ever had. You will eat three incredible healthy meals per day, do yoga, hike, see waterfalls, go to the beach, etc.. all this while saring the site with other interesting intellectual guests. They take care of eveything for you.. best place to stay in Costa Rica!

The fact that this review has taken 6 weeks for me to sit down for is testimonial to how amazing a time I had. I could have jotted down a few words a month ago, but AmaTierra was worth FAR MORE!!!
For starters...Jill and Bob-and every staff member I encountered-were the perfect balance of accommodating but not intrusive. I truly felt like I was visiting family in that I felt right at home. I was there at a slow time of year and was fortunate enough to have very individualized care...but I have a feeling that I would have felt that way if I had been amongst a full house!
I am a bit of a "critterphobe," but was prepared for the challenge of overcoming my fears of the dreaded scorpion or tarantula mentioned by other posters. My only complaint is that I never had a chance to test my recovery because the most "threatening" critter I encountered was a leaf-shaped moth! LOL....I woke up to one on my bed and thought it was strange that it had "crawled" from thje adjacent wall to the bed overnight. (PS...totally harmless!!) Having overcome my fears, I ended up leaving AmaTierra with a strange sense of connection with nature that had me welcoming-and longing for a scorpion sighting (as long as it wasn't in my bed). My biggest fear in life is snakes and to my fellow snake haters...NEVER saw one thank goodness!
I cannot explain the degree of connection with myself and nature that I gained at AmaTierra! There was a sweet and strange little Mot-mot who liked to hang out outside my casita door every evening. I had another one that greeted me a few times near the yoga studio and like to think it was my own private guide who had watched over me from my casita. .
The first night I was there, Bob told me to "just look up" and he was right!! In the Ama Tierra trees I was gifted by sightings of pairs of Scarlet Macaws, EIGHT chestnut bellied Toucans, woodpeckers, and oropendulums. Without doubt,, the most incredible gift was a large Keel-Billed Toucan who presented himself while I was sitting on the breakfast deck on one of my last mornings there. I still believe that he understood the gift he was giving me when he glided tree-to-tree within hand's reach in front of me. I could barely catch my breath and in fact, thought maybe I was losing my mind...until his mate flew from another tree to join him - and thereby confirmed his existence. I highly recommend that you spend some time alone with nature there while you have the chance!!
While there, I went on Victors included tour and would not have passed a chance up for that! Victor and his staff know their stuff and are committed to making sure you have great experience! I also HIGHLY recomend the Finca Daniel ZipLine tour over 11 waterfalls and including a horseback ride up the mountian to start! I will write reviews for both whcih includ some pointers for what to wear/briogn with you on these tours!
I am sure I have not presented AmaTierra in the light it deserves...much like a photo of the view from the yoga studio could never project the feeling and beauty you experience as you are standing there in the flesh. Just go! Just EXPERIENCE...AmaTierra!!!

PS...If you are fotunate enough to have the opportunity for evening yoga...do NOT pass it up! Listen to nature and look up!!!

I was looking for a place to travel to by myself to get away from the hectic day-to-day and immensely enjoyed my weeklong stay. This was my first solo trip abroad and I was a little nervous about getting to the hotel and feeling out of place at meal times. I didn’t have to be any reason to be concerned as a driver was waiting for me at the airport and mealtime was great everyone sat together and it was wonderful to meet new people from various places. The food was nutritious and delicious and although I did miss red meat the fish was great. Bob even had them prepare fried plantains for me when he discovered I was craving them ever since my last trip to Costa Rica.
I would strongly recommend going to the nearby waterfall. I loved swimming in the water and taking the perilous walk to the top falls. We were the first group to go after rainy season so there were no help ropes that they talked about putting in, but the view and swimming in the upper fall was well worth the climb.
The yoga studio was in a gorgeous setting and it was great to be in nature when practicing. The yoga was pretty basic but I expected that since guests are all different levels and I still enjoyed class. Bob and Jill are very welcoming and allow you to use the yoga studio when there isn’t a class so I went and practiced by myself.
The pool isn’t huge but it was refreshing after the hike back from town. The hiking trails around the property are well marked and lush. What sets this place apart from other places I’ve stayed is the personal attention that Bob and Jill give to you to make sure you are enjoying your stay. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and had plenty of time to relax in a spectacular setting and it was just what I needed. I hope to make it back again soon.

Aptly named Ama Tierra, this serene retreat celebrates natural diversity and is quite the zen epicenter in the verdant hillside of Costa Rica. Ama Tierra is co-owned and operated by Bob & Jill whose hospitality made this an exceptional experience. My solo holiday spanned the New Year, and was precisely what my soul called for, a reprieve from daily demands ripe with gentle breezes kissing early morning yoga sessions in a studio designed to perfectly frame the picturesque locale and canopies below, diverse creatures migrating across the valley and up the creek like toucans, scarlet macaws and white-faced monkeys.

Hearty breakfasts rich in flavor and texture were skillfully made and ample to satisfy without overindulgence. Light lunches and well inspired dinners made this retreat something to remember, long on ambiance and old fashioned interpersonal entertainment. Conversation and melodies courtesy of Jill on piano distinguished these hosts from impersonal larger establishments.

Wine selection - diverse, right down to the champagne on New Years Eve, discriminating connoisseurs: they have a selection for that. A chilean Cab named Caliterra became a fast personal favorite, full bodied, smooth finish. Bob was knowledgeable, informative and entertaining I learned quite a bit about Ama Tierra's origins, the region also of these two remarkable people who've made this retreat locale a true find.

The staff at Ama Tierra was helpful, friendly and eager to ensure my trip included EVERYTHING I was looking for, from deep tissue massage to seeing the elusive whitefaced monkeys on their way up creek at 5:30 in the morning (yikes but well worth the sacrifice of sleep).

If you are looking at excursions, the waterfalls and rope swing provided a great half day of enjoyment. Prepare to scale some rough terrain in pursuit of amazing pics. The natural beauty was breathtaking. Relaxation? The infinity pool and warm sun provided me with a sun-kissed glow, and opportunity to hear the macaws in their daily flight. Walking trails throughout the premises were long on color, texture and wildlife. There are a myriad of other spa services which I indulged in that were reasonably priced and gave my aching muscles that warm buttery feeling.

I love to travel to off the beaten path, and Ama Tierra's casitas nestled into the hillside provided ample privacy, serenity. They were well appointed and comfortable, giving me the sense that I was right at home were it not for the incredibly soothing din of the cicada's not indigenous to my hometown.

Start to finish, this holiday retreat was one of my most memorable, shared with guests from all over the world in the welcoming of Ama Tierra's Bob & Jill, and provided me with the resources to rebalance and begin 2012 with a fresh perspective. Though I rarely travel to the same place twice, Ama Tierra will be on my list of places to visit, again. Om.