Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve evaluate

First impressions

At Nekajui, cultural immersion begins the second you arrive. The resort welcomes company into an art-covered casita, designed within the fashion of Guanacaste Province’s conventional haciendas. Past the casita’s 200-year-old door lie Nekajui’s courtyard and its distinguished ceiba tree, which the indigenous Chorotega individuals believed possessed a therapeutic power.

After crossing by the courtyard, you will enter one other hacienda-inspired house the place a citrus-tinged chilly brew of soursop leaves awaits. My husband and I sipped ours whereas admiring Nekajui’s artwork assortment, which options greater than 550 works by Latin American artists.

The rooms

Nekajui includes 107 visitor rooms and suites, and every of the resort’s many room sorts gives a particular expertise. All the lodging are spacious, with the base-level Ocean Reserve room measuring 872 sq. ft. All of them characteristic luxurious touches, which may embody balconies, plunge swimming pools or outside showers. And between their sweeping views and use of native supplies, they’re designed to carry as a lot of the skin in as doable.

I stayed in an Ocean Vista Suite, which, at 1,711 sq. ft, offered greater than sufficient house for my household of three. An ocean-facing balcony occupied a lot of that house, with room for a family-sized desk, an outsized lounge chair, a plunge pool and an out of doors bathe.

Inside, a king-size mattress confronted floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the ocean, and a flat-screen TV was hidden behind wood-paneled doorways to encourage company to attach with nature. To at least one facet of the bed room was a big lounge and bar, with complimentary bottled water, tea and low and a minibar stocked with snacks and drinks for buy.

Eating at Nekajui

Nekajui affords a wide selection of eating and consuming choices — so extensive, actually, that you could possibly keep for days with out seeing the identical menu twice, not to mention the identical menu merchandise. Its most important eating places have totally different lunch and dinner choices, and every venue has its personal cocktail checklist. These with dietary restrictions will not be brief on decisions, both, which is a rarity when staying inside the confines of 1 resort.

Whereas a number of the eating places characteristic world themes, the hyper-local components floor the menus right here in Guanacaste. And wherever you dine, fare is recent, accessible and superbly offered.

Mirador
Breakfast is not included in any of Nekajui’s room charges, so you will pay to start out the day at Mirador — but it surely’s value it. “Tray to desk” eating inverts the buffet idea as parts of fruit, bread and parfait come to you ($19).

Puna
Nekajui’s star is Peruvian fine-dining restaurant Puna from famend chef Diego Muñoz. Our favourite dish was the corn risotto ($32), and my husband’s scallop tiradito ($24) acquired excessive marks, too.

Niri Seashore Membership
This restaurant straddles the seashore and a tranquil, tucked-away pool and serves a Mediterranean menu which you can order to your lounger. I significantly loved the kale and charred broccoli salad ($19) and gazpacho ($16).

Brisa
Tacos and frozen cocktails are the way in which to go at poolside Mexican restaurant Brisa. I cherished the guacamole ($19) and vegan chorizo tacos ($18).

Cafe Rincon
This cafe was our first cease every morning because of its world-class espresso and house-made pastries and sweets. It additionally has a stunning lunch menu, and the gallo bowl ($19) with rice, black beans and plantains was a favourite.

Nimbu Spa & Wellness
Nekajui’s spa has its personal menu of recent and wholesome choices like smoothies ($16), good for fueling up earlier than or after a therapy or exercise.

Ámbar
This distinctive, open-air bar is suspended within the bushes, and it is the resort’s greatest spot for watching the solar dip beneath the ocean every night time.

La Casona
Sip impeccably crafted cocktails outdoors on the fireplace pits or inside whereas admiring the resort’s artwork assortment.

In-villa eating
Whether or not you want meals in a single day or simply do not wish to go away the room, room service is obtainable 24/7.

Facilities and repair

• Service: The service at Nekajui was distinctive all through, however the greatest spotlight got here after checkout, once we realized we had unintentionally left just a few objects behind. Relatively than mailing them, workers members insisted on driving an hour to our new resort to ship them that very same afternoon.
• Private concierge: All company have a “Manzu” (or “pal” within the Chorotega language) who they’ll textual content to rearrange actions, make reservations and extra.
• Actions: Nekajui affords many included actions like yoga, nature walks, water sports activities and stargazing. Journey clothing store The Explorers, which has an on-property outpost, can prepare off-site excursions.
• Swimming pools and seashore: The principle pool space and Niri Seashore Membership, which has seashore entry and a extra secluded pool, are linked by a glass funicular.
• Health middle: The ability sports activities free weights and Technogym tools that overlooks the ocean. A devoted yoga room accommodates aerial apply and sound baths.
• Spa: The 27,000-square-foot Nimbu Spa & Wellness options treetop therapy rooms and its personal infinity pool.
• Youngsters membership: Crafts, cooking courses and desk video games preserve youngsters ages 4 to 12 busy.

NIMBU SPA & WELLNESS

Nimbu arguably boasts the resort’s most spectacular views. Friends can take pleasure in them proper from the therapy rooms throughout providers starting from geothermal stone therapeutic massage ($499) to earth remedy ($409), which is a multi-sensory expertise that integrates clay pottery. Nimbu additionally options Central America’s largest hydrotherapy pool.

Child Friendliness

Location and logistics

Nekajui sits about 22 miles northwest of Daniel Oduber Quirós Worldwide Airport (LIR) in Liberia, Costa Rica, which is well reachable from a number of U.S. cities. The drive from the airport takes about 40 minutes.

To achieve the resort, Nekajui can prepare a non-public switch with a luxurious automobile firm, though that possibility can price lots of of {dollars} every approach relying on the car kind. For a extra inexpensive experience, take a taxi (fares will fluctuate based mostly on season and demand, however count on to pay round $60 to $100) or lease a automobile, as resort parking is free.

What it prices to remain at Nekajui and find out how to e-book

Accessibility

Nekajui doesn’t have absolutely ADA-compliant rooms as outlined by U.S. requirements, and sure areas of the resort — together with a few of its signature areas, like its seashore and treetop bar — will not be doable to achieve by wheelchair.

That mentioned, the resort can accommodate sure accessibility wants upon request. Service animals are welcome on the property.

Backside line

Nekajui masterfully integrates native components and supplies all through the property, whereas weaving in native tradition and customs round each flip. Because of this, you will possible come away feeling such as you acquired an awesome style of Costa Rica even with out ever leaving the resort.

Sure, a keep right here is expensive — but when you should utilize factors to offset some or all of that steep room charge, it seems like a really strong alternative for an ultra-luxe resort expertise. Between the eye to element, proximity to Costa Rica’s lush environs and attentive service, my keep was one I am going to always remember.

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