Hotel Punta Islita

Hotel Punta Islita is a boutique luxury property perched on a forested cliff above the Pacific Ocean in the remote community of Punta Islita, in Guanacaste's Nandayure canton approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Sámara. The hotel's location at the end of a rough unpaved road — or a short flight from a private airstrip — ensures a level of seclusion not found at the more accessible beach resorts of northern Guanacaste. The resort's signature arrival is the funicular: a cable-assisted car that descends from the main cliff-top complex through dense vegetation to a private cove beach below, linking the elevated hotel with the Pacific shore in a way that has become one of Costa Rica's most distinctive hotel experiences. Architecture integrates cliff-top casitas, suites, and bungalows into the hillside, each capturing ocean views through terrace gardens and open-air living areas. The design favors natural materials — volcanic stone, hardwoods, woven textiles — that age gracefully in the humid coastal environment. Hotel Punta Islita has a strong artistic identity: the Museo Comunitario Itinerante de Arte (Itinerant Community Art Museum) extends into the adjacent village, where local homes, fences, and public spaces display murals and sculptures produced through a long-running collaboration between the hotel and invited artists. The main restaurant serves organic and locally sourced cuisine, with ceviche, fresh Pacific catch, and classic Costa Rican preparations featured alongside contemporary dishes. The terrace tables offer panoramic Pacific sunset views. The infinity pool, positioned at the cliff's edge, is among the most photographed in Guanacaste. Spa services draw on indigenous healing traditions and tropical botanicals. Yoga, birdwatching, horseback riding, ocean kayaking from the private beach, and guided hikes through the surrounding forest and farmland complete the activities on offer.