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Costa Rica has long been a popular destination for travelers seeking either leisurely stays or adventure travel. But visitors to the ultra-luxurious resort community of Peninsula Papagayo can easily have both.
Located just 45 minutes northwest of Liberia Guanacaste Airport and right on the Pacific Ocean, Peninsula Papagayo has been welcoming both short-term guests as well as those looking to buy permanent residences, as well as some of the world’s most famous five-star hoteliers and real estate developers, for 20 years.
Anchored by the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo and the Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, the property is busier than ever amid a whirlwind of new developments that have launched in the last year or are coming soon.
The Andaz, to start, just added a new collection of turnkey, wholly-owned condominium residences. The five low-rise buildings—with two-bedroom villas or two- to three-bedroom penthouses—are designed to blend in with the contrasting natural ecosystems, evoking a more harmonious ambiance. And that mood continues inside with contemporary interiors that are infused with natural materials, neutral hues, and textiles from Guanacaste. The penthouses also feature one-of-a-kind rooftop terraces with open-air living rooms, plunge pools, and daybeds.
The original cornerstone to the peninsula, the Four Seasons Costa Rica is in the process of a major expansion while continuing to remain open. Last fall, the Four Seasons added the Virador Beach Club, a retreat away from the resort with an oceanside eatery and lounge focused on Mediterranean flavors, while adults can enjoy an infinity-edge pool and private cabanas.
Meanwhile, kids can enjoy the new Kids for All Seasons program. Inspired by the flora and fauna of the magical mangroves of Peninsula Papagayo, Kids For All Seasons underwent a complete transformation led by Polyanna Paraskeva of Polyanna & Associates. The Athens-based architect has created functional learning spaces exclusively for children throughout Europe and made her Latin America debut with Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo.
And later this year, nearly 20 acres on Peninsula Papagayo’s east plateau is being transformed into a next-generation sports park, a center for nature-meets-movement activities for all ages from surfing and swimming to yoga and climbing. Adjacent to the sports park clubhouse, a landscaped green space the size of a soccer field has been designed to unite the community. Residents and guests can mingle over lawn games, pick-up sporting events, and pop-up food trucks. There will be a surf simulator, a water park, paddle and pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, an outdoor amphitheater for festivals and live music performances, and a dog park alongside the multipurpose lawn.
Peninsula Papagayo still has several new openings coming in the next year, including the addition of a new Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, the Nekajui, which will be Central America’s first ultra-luxury boutique resort and branded residences when it is scheduled to open by the end of 2024.
Amid the expansion projects, a major focus for Peninsula Papagayo has been promoting sustainable luxury tourism and development, focusing on significant steps to minimize its environmental impact while supporting local communities. The property has worked with the local community for over two decades through its award-winning program, Creciendo Juntos. This program supports education, health, and employment in the local area. In addition to community outreach efforts, Peninsula Papagayo says it has taken significant action to minimize its environmental impact, focusing on critical areas such as water, waste emissions, and biodiversity to protect ecosystems and reduce their footprint.
Peninsula Papagayo also presents an ongoing series of lectures illuminating the importance of biodiversity. The talks aim to better understand the current status and importance of ongoing research projects at Peninsula Papagayo, including the coral restoration project, and provide recommendations towards a better coexistence with local wildlife and fauna.
Peninsula Papagayo has several employee-driven initiatives to build closer ties to the community. Women of Papagayo, for example, is a grassroots initiative founded by a group of women working at Peninsula Papagayo with the goals of establishing a platform for women to interact and connect as well as bolstering awareness and support of Creciendo Juntos and female talent across Costa Rica.
While it would be easy (and possible) to spend all of one’s leisure time at one of the white sand beaches or under an umbrella near one of the many pool decks, there is seemingly no limit to the number of activities available to guests. As one of Peninsula Papagayo’s preferred partners, luxury travel operator Black Tomato can curate activities and itineraries for any type of traveler or group, from culturally immersive to out-of-the-box experiences that members might never otherwise consider.
With offices in both the U.S. and the U.K., Black Tomato agents are available to organize all imaginable travel details, including guides, hotels, transfers, experiences, and special access to sites that might be hard to reach on one’s own. Within Costa Rica, Black Tomato can coordinate with local tour companies to bring guests on hikes and picnics near waterfalls, charter champagne sunset cruises, or arrange for private surfing lessons with some of Costa Rica’s top instructors.
And for those who don’t want to venture from the hotel or residence, the Marina Papagayo alone is enough to delight both those who want to explore under the sea or indulge on a yacht above water. Not far from the Andaz Residences, the 180-berth area was purpose-built to host watercraft up to 200-feet long. Travelers can plunge 1,500 feet below the surface at nearby Isla del Coco—a small UNESCO-listed island ranked as one of the best dive sites in the world—to explore exotic marine life in a custom-built submersible.
To the west, the Costa Rica Thermal Dome’s nutrient-rich waters attract many aquatic species including blue whales who come to feed on the abundant zooplankton and phytoplankton thrust to the surface by a convergence of wind and sea currents. Throughout the coastal waters surrounding the Peninsula, ocean enthusiasts can dive with a wide array of sea life from reef fish and giant manta rays to sea turtles and sharks, or swim with giant dolphin megapods that number in the thousands.
Getting to Peninsula Papagayo is relatively simple as many major airlines have direct flights from the U.S. to Guanacaste (LIR) Airport. (And many of those flights depart and arrive around the same time, so signing up for the airport’s Fast Track service is a worthy investment. It will have you through immigration in both directions within minutes.)
The airport also recently expanded with the new private jet terminal and the renovation of an existing hangar within the terminal area. GA Flight Support, a private jet ground handling company with five years of experience, is partnering with Coriport to begin the development in the upcoming months, with completion expected in 2024. Services provided by the new terminal will include refueling, aircraft cleaning, personalized attention for passengers and crew members, and transportation to hotels.