My husband and I just returned from the most amazing week-long stay at the Hotel Punta Islita. We were long overdue for a vacation and wanted a place that mixed beach-lounging with adventure (cue Costa Rica). However, we also wanted a hotel that struck a balance of feeling "boutique-y" and slightly off of the main grid (the opposite of a large, Disney-land hotel), but still one that had enough things to do when we had tired of reading in a lounge chair. The Punta Islita fit the bill perfectly!
We flew into Liberia and rented a small SUV. It took us exactly 2 1/2 hours each way, using our GPS unit we rented with the car. Contrary to what I had read, the roads were paved for 80% of the trip. The last 10 miles or so were on a dirt road, and lead us through a shallow river at one point (kind of fun even though our rental insurance would have been voided had we got stuck). There is an alternate route to the hotel that allows you to avoid crossing through the river, but it adds an additional 30-45 minutes to the trip. Being so eager to start our vacation, we took our chances.
Once we arrived at the hotel, the property and the incredible views were what struck me first. The hotel sits along a hillside, giving all rooms and common areas of the hotel breath-taking views. There are two pools- an infinity pool at the top of the property near the restaurant and lobby, and another pool down near the beach next to the beach bar & grill. Both have swim up bars- a great place to read your book while drinking an umbrella drink.
I can't say sing high enough praises for the hotel staff. It was refreshing to meet so many people that were so nice and genuinely cared about our experience there. No request was too much and there was always someone to help you, without feeling pushy. Andrea and Miguel were especially fantastic and taught us about the "Pura Vida" outlook on life. Blended drinks at the bar were very good and reasonably priced ($7-8). The food at the Barrancho Beach club (down by the beach) was great...wood-fired pizzas, tasty ceviche, and a stand-out burger. Dinner up at the 1492 restaurant was only average. We consider ourselves "foodies" and dinner was overpriced for average food at the main restaurant. There is one restaurant in town- Cambute- which is a little above average. If culinary experiences are high on your vacation priority list, this is probably not the place to go because you are limited to the 2 hotel restaurants, and the one restaurant in town.
We did a couple of activities while we were there. We went zip-lining which was fun and reasonably priced ($40ish per person). We heard that the zip-lining in other areas of Costa RIca (Arenal area) is better, but this was our first time so we had no other comparison. I would highly recommend the horse-back riding. The trail is beautiful- up into the hills, through the lush forrest, and ending up galloping along the beach. We saw monkeys along the way, and took some great photos at a look-out point at the top of the hill. I also had the Hot Stone Massage at that Casa Spa. Incredible! I have had massages in luxury hotels all over the world, and this was up there with the best.
We went during the "green" (read = rainy) season, which ended up being just fine. It rained briefly each afternoon, but nothing that ruined a beach day for us. We stayed in the least-expensive room and I was really impressed with it. We had a very comfy bed (down comforters, down pillows, nice linens), a flat screen tv, nice shower/bathroom, and my favorite- a private patio with a hammock overlooking the ocean. Listening to the monkeys howling and the ocean waves crashing from that patio was pure bliss. Another benefit to going in the green season was that the hotel was only about 1/4 of capacity, making it feel like our own private resort at times. It felt like a "one-on-one" date from the Bachelor at times with our dinner table overlooking the ocean and no one around. Very romantic! In fact, we remarked several times that the resort would be a fantastic place for a wedding, if anyone is looking for that type of venue.
I could go on and on, but to sum it up- take the leap of faith and book your vacation here. You will NOT be disappointed. :)