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If your idea of paradise is soaking in hot springs with a cool drink in hand, looking at a volcano cone smoking in the distance, then check out our updated review of The Springs Resort in Costa Rica.
When you’ve been publishing hotel reviews since 2007 like we have, inevitably you have to return to luxury resorts that have survived and thrived for more than a decade to see how time has treated them. In some cases they have not aged well and we have to drop them from our listings.
Others have re-invested, expanded, or upped their game in such a way that they’re even better the second time around. That’s the case with The Springs Resort & Spa near Fortuna and Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.
Dining options have expanded substantially over the years. Although this Arenal hotel has 75 suites, there are as many dining and drinking options as you’d find in a place twice its size. There are four distinct restaurants with different Tico and international options, including sushi, plus you can order food and some of the bars. There are five of those, including two with Arenal views and one with that’s a swim-up bar from the hot springs.
The namesake springs themselves are a big draw of course, the real foundation of the resort and spa. In all there are 28 pools, hot springs, and waterfalls on the resort grounds. Some are in cozy grottoes, some out in the sun with panoramic views. If you don’t get relaxed enough by the warm waters, you can head to the spa. The Sanctuary Spa is a 14,000-square-foot rejuvenation center with reflexology and facials along with the soaks and rub-downs.
The menu includes a long list of wraps and massages. Each massage comes with tropical botanical oils created from local ingredients found throughout the region. Relax with a couple’s massage and revitalize yourself in a volcanic mud wrap.
The rooms live up to the promise of the public areas too, regularly rejuvenated over the years and stocked with plenty of amenities to please picky travelers. Every suite has a view of Arenal Volcano four miles away, including from a spacious outdoor terrace or balcony with hammocks and rocking chairs. You usually get this same view from your bed too through the glass or open doors. The interiors feel welcoming with local hardwoods, air conditioning, surround-sound systems, Nespresso machines, minibar, and palatial marble bath with whirlpool tub.
It you’re looking to step things up, go for the most recent addition to the inventory, Villa Palacio. At nearly 5,000 square feet, this detached multi-level villa is surrounded by plants providing privacy has a private garden and pool. Like all the others though, it still has great mountain views.
Competition in the area of luxury resorts in Costa Rica has heated up a lot since this Fortuna area resort opened in 2008, the year after Luxury Latin America launched. Through regular improvements and new offerings, however, it has remained one of the top places to stay in the interior of the country.
Source: luxurylatinamerica.com
