Nayara Tented Camp Full Review
Relax in Costa Rica
Nayara Tented Camp full review
Moises Arias
"It is nice finding that place where you can just go and relax..."
Costa Rica has quickly become the premier go-to travel spot for me. First, the country boasts the most beautiful landscapes and views! In addition, I like the fact that there isn't an overabundance of tourists in certain areas; particularly in La Fortuna where I stayed.
CraigThetraveljunkee
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La Fortuna is a small town in Costa Rica, northwest of its capital city, San José. It’s known as a gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park, which has two volcanoes. Active Arenal Volcano is still laced with lava flows. Hot springs dot the foot of the volcano, on the thermal Tabacón River. Dormant Chato Volcano has a crater lake and rainforest trails leading to La Fortuna Waterfall, with its natural pool. There were plenty of locals with whom to interact in the town, and from what I could see, many of the resort guests took advantage of the countless amenities and restaurants on the property at Nayara Tented Camp.
Services and Facilities of the Resort
The resort is a collection of three Nayara properties sharing the same grounds and amenities: Springs, Gardens, and Tented Camp. General services available at the resort include Wi-Fi, room service to villas, restaurants, a full spa, and laundry service.
Resort Rooms
On a visit a year ago, my fellow travelers and I stayed in the garden villa which is situated at the bottom of the hill and rainforest. We were lucky enough to snag one of the ultra-luxurious Tented Camp villas on the hill with a clear unobstructed view of the Arenal Volcano.
Each spacious tent was situated on stilts to maximize the stunning vistas with a minimal footprint. The room was furnished with a four-poster king bed flanked by mosquito nets. It was 1,700 square feet of space consisting of two twin day beds, a private plunge pool fed by natural mineral hot springs, a terrace daybed, table and chairs perfect for playing cards, eating dinner, complimentary laundry service, with minibar included, and turn down service. Check out their website here for a full list of what’s included in the Tented Camp Experience.
Food
There are four separate restaurants on the property, each with a different theme which allows variety during dining experiences. Breakfast is included in the stay, and for lunch or dinner, there is an option for room service.
Breakfast was curated specifically to a guest’s taste; you simply complete a daily breakfast card, hang it outside your villa door before 10 pm each night, and at the time you, the staff is promptly knocking on your door ready to serve your breakfast, indoor or al fresco.
On our first night after we arrived, we were tired from traveling, so we ordered in, and needless to say, the meal from the onsite restaurant Amor Loco was amazing. I definitely recommend taking advantage of the room service.
Things to do
A Tour of the Property
For those who like to take a leisurely stroll, this is definitely the place for you. As you walk through the woods, you will appreciate the vast reforestation work that was done on the property. You will enjoy plenty of opportunities to check out the beautiful landscape, view the various bird species that freely roam the grounds, and you may even see a few butterflies, or get a chance to see the elusive sloth.
The Spa and Yoga Experience
There is a full-service spa on the grounds that provides fantastic service. From facials, to foot rubs, body scrubs, and of course a huge array of massages. In addition to the spa, there is also a full-time yoga instructor at the resort, who can provide you the experience of performing your favorite yoga moves starting at 8:30 a.m. each morning.
Organized Adventures
The resort provides “Naturalists In-House Guides” that are available to assist you with booking any excursion or tour you’re interested in, on or off the property. Activities range from visiting the waterfall, nearby thermal springs, Volcano tours, hanging bridge tours, zip-lining, and nature walking. The prices vary depending on the activity you chose.
Relax by the pool
Each tented villa has its own private infinity-edge pool that gives the illusion of spilling off into the rainforest. This pool would definitely rank as one of the best or most amazing pools you’ve ever dipped your toes in. If you are someone who loves to take pics by the pool, this is the pool for you. Your Instagram followers will definitely be pretty jealous.
We enjoyed our stay, taking advantage of the pool as much as possible. A couple of nights we hung out in the pool until the late-night hours, only to go inside and crash, wake up, and jump right back in the pool the next morning. The only time we weren’t in the pool was when an occasional rain shower came through, and that would only last about five minutes at the most.
Visit theTown of La Fortuna
While staying at Nayara, you should definitely take a cab ride down to the town. It’s about 10 minutes by car, and the price was only $10 USD one way into town. Once there, you have the option to walk around and look at the many shops, eat at one of the local restaurants, or shop at one of the locally-owned grocery stores like Super Christian Number 4 on the main street in town.
We walked around the town for a couple of days and even took a lot of photos in the main park. If you stand in the right place, you can get a photo of the water fountain, the old church, and the Arenal Volcano all in one shot.
Nayara Tented Camp Review
My Overall Rating - 9 out of 10 Stars
We absolutely enjoyed ourselves. From the moment we stepped foot inside the check-in area we were greeted like royalty. Everyone was so friendly and super professional. They welcomed us with a free excursion to take at any time while staying at the resort.
If want to get away and UNPLUG from the trappings of home life, work, family, etc, Nayara Tented Camp is the place to do so. Even if you’re thinking long-term, La Fortuna would be an excellent choice. I’m already planning my return visit back to La Fortuna and I’ll definitely stay here at Nayara again. I recommend this place to everyone.
This was my 2nd time to Costa Rica, by far not my last. As the old saying goes, it's not Goodbye it's HASTA LUEGO!!
PURA VIDA
CraigThetraveljunkee
Great information. I’m putting Costa Rica on the list!!