What is it like to stay at Playa Nicuesa in Costa Rica?

What is it like to stay at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge?

The extraordinary Costa Rica eco-lodge is designed sustainably with lodge buildings tucked into the forest back from the beach. All construction is from beautiful tropical hardwoods taken from naturally fallen or farmed trees, and recycled materials.

For accommodations at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, there are three one-bedroom cabins, one cabin suite, one two-bedroom cabin, four rooms in the two-story Mango Guesthouse, and the two-story three-bedroom Jaguar House. All beds are either queen or twin-sized.

The one-bedroom cabins are very private, surrounded by forest to give you the unique feeling of nature everywhere. The cabins are built up from the ground on stilts, and feature a wall of louvered doors that you can open completely for panoramic views, or close for more privacy and at night. Cabins have one queen bed with mosquito netting; there is a ceiling fan, lights, safe box, closet, large plastic box to keep things dry, flashlight and oversize umbrella (handy in the rainforest!). The unique bathrooms have an open-air garden shower surrounded by high walls. Fabulous, natural, biodegradable bath products are from Costa Rican company Raw Botanicals. Two of the cabins are near to the main lodge building and one is closer to the beach.

The Cabin Suite is the newest accommodation at Playa Nicuesa Lodge. Near to the main lodge building, this cabin has a paved path and ramp all the way there and accessible features for persons with disabilities. The Cabin Suite has all of the features of the one-bedroom cabins, but is much larger with a sitting area, and a folding partition wall that can create two separate bedrooms if so desired.

The two-bedroom cabin also is like the single cabins but larger with two completely separate bedrooms connected by a sitting area that can also be converted to a third bedroom. There is one shared bathroom with the signature open-air shower. The two-bedroom cabin can accommodate up to five persons and is ideal for families with young children.

Located near the main lodge building, the two-story Mango Guesthouse contains two private rooms upstairs and two private rooms downstairs, each with their own private bathroom and open-air shower. Upstairs rooms have a small balcony sitting area, and downstairs rooms have a private terrace deck. For groups of six to 10 persons, reserving the entire Mango Guesthouse is ideal.

The Jaguar House is a good fit for larger families. The two-story house near the beach has three bedrooms, a living room, two bathrooms, and a very large upper deck looking out to the forest. Listening to the waves will lull you to sleep at night.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is located on a 165-acre private preserve by the Osa Peninsula on Golfo Dulce in southern Costa Rica. The property borders the Piedras Blancas National Park. To get there, drive or fly (NatureAir or Sansa Airlines) to either Puerto Jimenez or Golfito. Nicuesa Lodge will pick you up by boat and transfer you to the lodge (about 30 minutes one-way). Included in lodge rates are all meals, boat transfers, all taxes, all meals and snacks, unlimited self-guided hikes on preserve, use of kayaks, snorkeling and fishing equipment.