Couple's Escape

A relaxing and inspirational quietly romantic 'escape' with an accent on outdoors and nature, active well-being, and more than a little luxury.

from £4275


'Couple's Escape'

What makes this trip special?

Vistas, volcanoes and villages

Vistas, volcanoes and villages

Central Valley

Keen to avoid the city during your trip? Costa Rica's Central Valley is great place to start or end a holiday - hotels tend to have gardens and/or swimming pools and are within close range of the international airport. There are lots of things to see and do in the area.

Fabulous white-water rafting

Fabulous white-water rafting

Pacuare

Arguably Costa Rica's finest white water and most spectacular river scenery, raft exhilarating class II-IV rapids that tumble through canyons, gorges and rainforest

Elegance in the city

Elegance in the city

San Jose (Grano de Oro)

Our favourite amongst the more upmarket downtown hotels in San José and home to one of the most highly regarded restaurants in the city.

Hideout on the Lost River

Hideout on the Lost River

Rio Perdido

A modern, stylish upmarket lodge set aside remote Rio Perdido ("Lost River") nestled in Guanacaste's tropical dry/dwarf forest region - characterised by dramatic gorges, tumbling waterfalls, wild rivers and thermal hot-springs.

Take your pick of pristine Pacific beach

Take your pick of pristine Pacific beach

Pacific beaches

Costa Rica's Pacific coast has a wide range of beaches, all different in character - some good swimming, others better for surfing, some more remote and focused on wildlife, others more lively with a good choice of restaurants, things to see and do etc. There are also many lovely hotel options - which is right for you will depend on your preferences for style of hotel and type of beach - contact us for help in deciding!

Itinerary map for Costa Rica 'Couple's Escape' holiday

Itinerary

  • Day      Overnight
  • 1 Xandari
  • 2 Xandari
  • 3 Pacuare Lodge
  • 4 Pacuare Lodge
  • 5 San José
  • 6 Rio Perdido
  • 7 Rio Perdido
  • 8 Rio Perdido
  • 9 At the beach
  • 10 At the beach
  • 11 At the beach
  • 12 At the beach
  • 13 At the beach
  • 14 At the beach
  • For the detail of each day click the ‘Day-by-day’ tab above.

Day-by-day itinerary for 'Couple's Escape'

DAY 1

Hill-top lodge and spa

You are met on arrival at the airport in San José and taken to Xandari Costa Rica, a gorgeous art-filled lodge and spa set among gardens in a former coffee estate with magnificent views across the Central Valley. You stay for 2 nights with time to relax. There are 3 swimming pools with sundecks and sun beds, a Yoga studio, and an on-site ‘Spa Village’ which offers its treatments in your own private palm-roofed jalapa with hot-tub and views to forest and valley. Walking trails lead from the lodge through its private forest reserve which has 5 waterfalls. Xandari’s terrace restaurant sources its fruits, vegetables and herbs from the lodge’s own gardens.

DAY 2
B

A free day to relax at Xandari.

DAY 3
BLD

Boutique lodge in the jungle

With an early start, you are taken to the banks of the Pacuare River to meet your rafting guides for safety training and an hour’s rafting class II-III rapids to the award-winning Pacuare Lodge where you stay for 2 nights. After lunch you are free to get involved in activities or relax and enjoy this very special location, off-grid in the wilderness with good food and a wonderful atmosphere for couples.

DAY 4
BLD

The lodge has a lovely spa and offers a great range of active options, including river-rafting, zip-lining, walking and mountain biking, and a very special invited visit to a Cabécar indigenous community.

DAY 5
BL

Grand Victorian mansion

You could leave Pacuare by cable gondola across the river to a waiting vehicle, or take an exhilarating whitewater rafting trip on class III-IV rapids to reach the road. You are driven to San José for a night of finery at a Victorian mansion artfully converted to an upper range hotel whose restaurant is considered one of the grandest in the city. Its fin de siècle style is complemented by the work of Costa Rican artists.

DAY 6
B

Hideout on the Lost River

Today travel to Costa Rica’s northwest into the Guanacaste ranchlands crossed by wild rivers with dramatic gorges and tumbling waterfalls. Here you stay for 3 nights at Rio Perdido (‘lost river’), an upmarket contemporary lodge in a 600 acre private reserve. Activities include swimming in a geothermal canyon with hot river pools and a range of hiking trails, plus mountain biking, tubing and a canopy zip line at additional cost. Rio Perdido also has a succession of outdoor swimming pools, a stylish alfresco bar and restaurant, and rather good spa to revive and restore you.

DAY 7
B

At Rio Perdido.

DAY 8
B

At Rio Perdido.

DAY 9
B

Pacific beaches

Beach time coming up. You travel onwards to the Pacific coast for a 6 night stay at your choice of oceanside hotel. Here are some ideas from many. We can help you choose. - Punta Islita: a sophisticated retreat on a verdant hilltop with stunning ocean views - Kurà Design Villas: an away-from-it-all hip hotel looking over the Pacific at Uvita - Ylang Ylang: alt-style ‘barefoot’ hideaway right on the beach on the south coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. - Alma del Pacifico: stylish upper range hotel with relatively easy access to a number of attractions - Cala Luna: a good option close to the bars and nightlife at Tamarindo - Harmony: a holistic natural retreat at Nosara with spa, yoga and a laid back vibe - Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas: minimalist contemporary design, your own private pool villa and stunning ocean views

DAY 10
B

At the beach.

DAY 11
B

At the beach.

DAY 12
B

At the beach.

DAY 13
B

At the beach.

DAY 14
B

At the beach.

DAY 15
BL

Depart Costa Rica

This morning travel back to San José where you have day use of Xandari Costa Rica, including lunch, before you are taken to the international airport for your flight home.

Guide prices for 'Couple's Escape'

options based on all year low season mid season high season peak season other season
Tango Mar (Standard room B&B) 2 people sharing £4,295 £4,685
Alma del Pacifico (Gdn bungalow B&B) 2 people sharing £4,275 £4,890
Ylang Ylang (Standard room HB) 2 people sharing £4,350 £4,675
Cala Luna (Deluxe room B&B) 2 people sharing £4,295 £5,000
Harmony (Cocos room B&B) 2 people sharing £4,765 £5,530
Punta Islita (Deluxe room B&B) 2 people sharing £4,595 £5,240
Casa Chameleon Catalinas (villa plunge pool B&B) 2 people sharing £5,755 £6,800
Kura (Jnr suite villa B&B) 2 people sharing £6,050 £7,255
Prices are per person and include:
  • all travel in Costa Rica
  • all accommodation
  • meals as indicated (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
  • shared services of rafting guides at Pacuare
Prices do not include:
  • international flights
  • items of a personal nature such as drinks, tips, laundry, etc
  • any optional excursions you may buy locally
  • travel insurance
  • airport and departure taxes

Customer reviews for 'Couple's Escape'

Recent reviews are shown here from holidays based on this initial design. In each case the itinerary may have been modified (a little or a lot) to suit the individual traveller.

Average

Seasonal information for 'Couple's Escape'

Along this route in January

Day Location Max °C Monthly rainfall
1 Xandari 26°C rainfall 21mm
2 Xandari 26°C rainfall 21mm
3 Pacuare Lodge 27°C rainfall 234mm
4 Pacuare Lodge 27°C rainfall 234mm
5 San José 24°C rainfall 14mm
6 Rio Perdido 30°C rainfall 33mm
7 Rio Perdido 30°C rainfall 33mm
8 Rio Perdido 30°C rainfall 33mm
9 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm
10 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm
11 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm
12 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm
13 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm
14 At the beach 32°C rainfall 3mm

Typical weather for January

rainchart

Max °C figures are the average daily maximum temperatures for the month. Rainfall is the average precipitation for the month.

Hotels for 'Couple's Escape'

Days 1 - 2

Xandari Resort & Spa

near Alajuela
rating

Average rating 4.8 (59 ratings)

This resort is the creation of architect and artist Sherril and Charlene Broudy, who envisioned a paradise reflecting the natural beauty of Costa Rica. There are 24 spacious villas decorated with original art and custom-designed furniture, hidden away on a lush 40 acre coffee and fruit plantation which overlooks Costa Rica's Central Valley, just 20 minutes drive from San Jose airport. All villas have a private terrace with garden views, a walled-in sun area, ceiling fan, minifridge, coffee maker, safe, haridryer and either a king bed or two full beds.

Within the resort there are two lap swimming pools, a 125ft outdoor "Sunset Pool", two outdoor heated jacuzzis, 4km of scenic trails with rivers and natural waterfalls, an open-air restaurant which sources its food from the fruits, vegetables and herbs of the plantation’s gardens and has a dining room with a panoramic view of the Central Valley, and a yoga studio and full-service "Ayura Spa Village" offering a range of massages and treatments in five private palm-roof jalapas with an open-air jacuzzis and stunning views over the surrounding area. There is also a TV/DVD room, small reading library and gift shop.

Guided birdwatching and nature walks in the hotel grounds can be arranged at additional cost at reception.

An excellent place to start or end your trip.

Xandari Resort & Spa
Day 5

Grano de Oro

San José
rating

Average rating 4.6 (54 ratings)

Our favourite amongst the more upmarket downtown hotels in San Jose, Grano de Oro is an elegant place to stay. It is located a short drive from the heart of downtown in the west of the city near the Parque Metropolitano La Sabana and the Museum of Costa Rican Art. Formerly a private Victorian mansion it has been extended over the years and now has 40 tastefully decorated rooms in different price categories. The hotel's impressive dining room has been crafted in fin du siecle style and it is considered one of the top spots to dine in the city. There is a small internal patio filled with tropical plants and two roof-top jacuzzis with a couple of sun loungers should you tire of sightseeing. Room facilities include A/C, ceiling fans, pillow-top mattresses and fine luxury linens, mini bar-fridge, flatscreen cable TV, espresso coffee-maker, direct telephone, hairdryer, robes and a safe. Additional amenities at the property include a fitness centre, small gift shop, laundry service (at additional cost), in-room massage therapist, small gift shop, iron and ironing board, secure parking.

Grano de Oro
Restaurant patio
Days 6 - 8

Rio Perdido

Guanacaste
rating

Average rating 5.0 (1 ratings)

Rio Perdido is a modern, stylish, upmarket lodge set in a 600 acre private reserve nestled in a remote part of Guanacaste's tropical dry/dwarf-forest region which is characterised by dramatic gorges, tumbling waterfalls, wild rivers and thermal hot-springs.

The lodge is a perfect base for those looking to combine adventure and relaxation.

Each of the Rio Perdido's 30 stand-alone, tastefully decorated bungalows have A/C, mini-bar, coffee station, terrace with hammock, wifi, flat screen cable T.V. East Bungalows are 452ft2 with two twin beds which can be moved together to form a king-sized bed. Larger Center Bungalows are 750ft2, with a king or two queen beds, floor to ceiling windows, private outdoor shower and high definition projector and AV system. Guests are transferred around the property by electric golf-carts

Facilities include a swimming pool, a striking restaurant and bar area view view out over the forest canopy, spa and excellent gift shop .

Activities possible include 20 plus miles of on-site hiking trails of varying lengths in the reserve (which is accessed by a 200ft hanging bridge), thermal canyon with hot river pools, mountain biking, tubing, canopy zipline.

It has been awarded a 'Green Leaders' Platinum property award by Trip Advisor for its exemplary practices in sustainable operation.

The lodge is 1.5hr drive from Liberia airport

 

Rio Perdido
Aerial view of property
Days 9 - 14

Alma del Pacifico

Playa Esterillos Este
rating

Average rating 4.7 (28 ratings)

Alma del Pacifico is one of the few good quality beach hotels in Costa Rica that is actually set directly on the beach, so you can walk out of your room and on to the sands in a few steps. The style is colourful and original, as spacious and comfortable rooms have the feel of an upmarket Mexican villa. Most of the rooms enjoy a view of the landscaped garden, opening out on to the sands behind. The thatched open-air restaurant looks onto the garden and the beach and there is a lovely swimming pool and a spa. Alma del Pacifico is also a good choice for honeymooners.

Alma del Pacifico
View of swimming pool