Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve review

First impressions

At Nekajui, cultural immersion begins the second you arrive. The resort welcomes friends into an art-covered casita, designed within the type 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 folks believed possessed a therapeutic power.

After crossing by the courtyard, you may enter one other hacienda-inspired area 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 varieties offers a particular expertise. The entire lodging are spacious, with the base-level Ocean Reserve room measuring 872 sq. toes. All of them characteristic luxurious touches, which might embody balconies, plunge swimming pools or outside showers. And between their sweeping views and use of native supplies, they’re designed to deliver as a lot of the skin in as doable.

I stayed in an Ocean Vista Suite, which, at 1,711 sq. toes, offered greater than sufficient area for my household of three. An ocean-facing balcony occupied a lot of that area, with room for a family-sized desk, an outsized lounge chair, a plunge pool and an outside 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 friends to attach with nature. To 1 facet of the bed room was a big lounge and bar, with complimentary bottled water, tea and occasional and a minibar stocked with snacks and drinks for buy.

Eating at Nekajui

Nekajui affords a big selection of eating and ingesting choices — so broad, in reality, that you may keep for days with out seeing the identical menu twice, not to mention the identical menu merchandise. Its important eating places have completely different lunch and dinner choices, and every venue has its personal cocktail record. These with dietary restrictions will not be brief on selections, both, which is a rarity when staying throughout the confines of 1 resort.

Whereas a few of the eating places characteristic world themes, the hyper-local substances floor the menus right here in Guanacaste. And wherever you dine, fare is contemporary, accessible and superbly introduced.

Mirador
Breakfast is not included in any of Nekajui’s room charges, so you may pay to start out the day at Mirador — however it’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) bought excessive marks, too.

Niri Seaside Membership
This restaurant straddles the seaside and a tranquil, tucked-away pool and serves a Mediterranean menu 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 best way to go at poolside Mexican restaurant Brisa. I liked the guacamole ($19) and vegan chorizo tacos ($18).

Cafe Rincon
This cafe was our first cease every morning due to its world-class espresso and house-made pastries and candies. 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 contemporary and wholesome choices like smoothies ($16), good for fueling up earlier than or after a remedy or exercise.

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

La Casona
Sip impeccably crafted cocktails exterior on the hearth 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 depart the room, room service is out there 24/7.

Facilities and repair

• Service: The service at Nekajui was distinctive all through, however the greatest spotlight got here after checkout, after we realized we had by accident left just a few objects behind. Quite than mailing them, employees members insisted on driving an hour to our new resort to ship them that very same afternoon.
• Private concierge: All friends have a “Manzu” (or “good friend” 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 clothes shop The Explorers, which has an on-property outpost, can prepare off-site excursions.
• Swimming pools and seaside: The primary pool space and Niri Seaside Membership, which has seaside entry and a extra secluded pool, are related by a glass funicular.
• Health heart: The ability sports activities free weights and Technogym gear that overlooks the ocean. A devoted yoga room accommodates aerial follow and sound baths.
• Spa: The 27,000-square-foot Nimbu Spa & Wellness options treetop remedy rooms and its personal infinity pool.
• Children membership: Crafts, cooking lessons and desk video games hold youngsters ages 4 to 12 busy.

NIMBU SPA & WELLNESS

Nimbu arguably boasts the resort’s most spectacular views. Visitors can get pleasure from them proper from the remedy 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 definitely reachable from a number of U.S. cities. The drive from the airport takes about 40 minutes.

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

What it prices to remain at Nekajui and how you can ebook

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 seaside and treetop bar — will not be doable to succeed in by wheelchair.

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

Backside line

Nekajui masterfully integrates native substances and supplies all through the property, whereas weaving in native tradition and customs round each flip. Consequently, you may seemingly come away feeling such as you bought an ideal style of Costa Rica even with out ever leaving the resort.

Sure, a keep right here is costly — but when you should use factors to offset some or all of that steep room charge, it looks like a really strong selection 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.

Associated studying: