We booked one night at Nayara Springs and then moved over to Nayara Gardens for the rest of our four-night stay. If you’re not familiar with the property, it’s actually three separate hotels connected by footbridges on one hillside in Arenal Volcano National Park: Nayara Springs (adults-only), Nayara Gardens (family-friendly), and Nayara Tented Camp (the newest, most exclusive, all the way at the top). We went as a couple without kids, so the adults-only angle at Springs was part of the draw — but as you’ll see, the property surprised us in a few ways we didn’t expect.

First Impressions

We flew into San José, and it’s about a three-hour drive from there to the hotel. The transfer was comfortable — they even stopped along the way for a snack — and we arrived at night, checking straight into our room at Nayara Springs.

First impression: the rooms are enormous, genuinely bigger than most hotel rooms we’ve stayed in anywhere. Every amenity you could ask for was there — slippers, robes, an outdoor shower, his-and-hers sinks so far apart they felt like they were in separate wings. But the real signature move is that every room comes with its own private plunge pool, filled with natural thermal hot springs water. That’s the thing that makes Nayara Nayara, and it delivered from minute one.

The Plot Twist: Springs vs. Gardens

Here’s the part of the trip that actually surprised us. We assumed Nayara Springs, being the adults-only, presumably more exclusive property, would be the upgrade — and that Gardens, the family-friendly side, would feel like a step down.

It was the opposite.

Because Springs sits lowest on the hill, the views from the room are mostly jungle canopy — pretty, but not dramatic. Gardens sits higher up, has been recently renovated (parts of it are still being renovated now), and the newer rooms actually felt nicer than Springs. From our thermal plunge pool at Gardens, we looked out over the full rainforest canopy — a completely different experience than the handful of trees we saw at Springs.

If we had to pick a favorite between the two, Gardens won, hands down. And the best part is you don’t lose anything by staying there — you can still walk down and use Springs’ adults-only pools and areas any time you want, even though it wasn’t actually the better of the two.

The one hiccup of the whole trip: our plunge pool at Gardens wasn’t heating properly. Springs’ pool had been very hot, and then ours suddenly wasn’t. We flagged it to staff, and they confirmed something was broken and got it addressed. My takeaway: if your thermal pool isn’t hot, say something immediately — it’s clearly not the norm here.

The Rooms — 10/10

Across both properties, the rooms were spotless, huge, and thoughtfully appointed — slippers, robes, outdoor showers, private thermal plunge pools in every single room. The beds were genuinely comfortable, which after a day of hiking or lounging by the pool made a real difference. Each room also comes with its own TV, so on a rainy night you could just get cozy and watch something without any extra ask. And in the middle of the rainforest, we didn’t see a single bug in either room, which honestly still surprises me. Gardens’ rooms had the edge for us because of the renovation and the views, but both were a genuine 10/10 for comfort and design.

The Service — 10/10

This is where Nayara actually separates itself from other luxury properties we’ve stayed at. Staff knew us by name across the entire property — including at Tented Camp, where we never even stayed. One night we asked the concierge for something very specific: a margherita pizza, delivered to an exact spot, from an exact restaurant, with a specific chili oil, every single night. They just did it — no pushback, no “that’s not really how it works.” It happened every night without fail.

They also made vegetarian options for me at every restaurant on property, no exceptions. Turndown service happened every single night without fail. It’s some of the most attentive, quietly above-and-beyond service either of us has experienced anywhere.

The Vibe — 10/10

The property nails the balance between adventure, relaxation, and pure indulgence. Golf carts shuttle you anywhere so you never have to worry about the walk, and umbrellas are stationed everywhere — it rained while we were there and we genuinely didn’t notice, because staff had us covered before we even asked. A couple of the restaurants had live music in the evenings, which set a great tone for dinner. There’s also a separate bar built for nightcaps — wine on tap, a cheese cart, and a solid whiskey selection — that became our go-to for winding down. Add in the rooftop pool at Tented Camp with a genuinely good crowd and excellent cocktails, and the natural thermal spring pools up the hill (more on that below), and this might be the single most unique property we’ve stayed at.

The pool scene deserves its own mention, too. The Gardens pool was great — a totally different feel from Springs, and each pool actually had its own distinct cocktail and food menu, so you weren’t drinking the same thing wherever you sat. Every drink we had, at every pool, was fresh and genuinely delicious. Special callout to the pool at Springs — home to the best-tasting margarita either of us has ever had. I think it was called the Emerald Margarita and it had pistachio and yuzu flavors.

Where We Ate

We stayed on property for all four nights, and honestly didn’t feel like we needed to leave — there are multiple restaurants across Nayara, and each one gave us a different flavor profile without ever repeating. Every meal we had was excellent, and, as mentioned, they went out of their way for vegetarian options everywhere we went, including at Tented Camp, which we visited but didn’t stay at.

Breakfast deserves its own callout — genuinely one of the best hotel breakfasts we’ve had, and they’ll bring it straight to your room if you’d rather not leave the plunge pool.

We tried the Italian restaurant, Mis Amores, which was great, and they basically let me create my own pasta. Also, there were a couple fine dining restaurants, one of which we tried, Amor Loco, which was excellent. It was a tasting menu, cozy atmosphere with live music. There was also an Asian restaurant, Asia Luna, which again, so accommodating for vegetarian food and great quality.

Also, special mention – they have their own Gelateria on site (Lyla’s) – how cute is that?

We honestly didn’t get a chance to try every single restaurant on property, so I can’t speak to all of them individually, but everything we did try cleared the bar easily.

What We Did

Natural thermal spring pools: One of the coolest, most unique things about this property. You walk up the hill to a set of natural thermal spring pools open to all guests, and it feels like a private pool experience out in nature. They bring food and drink directly to you at the springs, so you never have to leave the water. We haven’t experienced anything quite like it elsewhere.

Hanging bridges: This one was a nice, casual excursion that gives you feel of really being out in the rainforest. It’s an easy, low-key walk — great if you’re traveling with a family, but if you’re looking for more adventure or a bigger payoff, I’d recommend something else.

Wildlife on property: This deserves its own mention. We saw sloths (including a mother with a baby), monkeys, and toucans all just wandering the grounds. There’s a small coffee bar set up right near the sloth sanctuary area, so you can sit with a cup of famous Costa Rican coffee and just watch them for a while — a low-effort, high-reward way to spend an hour.

The Bottom Line

Quick take:

Rooms: 10/10 — huge, spotless, genuinely comfortable beds, a private thermal plunge pool in every room, and not a bug in sight Service: 10/10 — staff knew us by name property-wide, nightly turndown without fail, and requests as specific as a nightly custom pizza order were just handled, no pushback Vibe: 10/10 — golf carts and umbrellas everywhere, live music at dinner, a dedicated nightcap bar with wine taps and a cheese cart, and natural thermal springs with food and drinks brought right to you

This is genuinely one of the best all-around luxury stays we’ve had. Nayara nails the full arc of a trip — adventure, food, ambiance, and service — and does it with a level of attentiveness that’s rare even at this price point. If you’re deciding between Springs and Gardens, don’t assume adults-only means better: Gardens’ views and newer renovations made it our favorite of the two, and you still get full access to Springs either way. If you go, budget a night or two at Tented Camp as well — we didn’t stay there, but based on what we saw, it might be the best of all three. This is a splurge property, not a budget one, but for a couple looking for a mix of rainforest adventure and five-star pampering, it’s worth every bit of it.

If you’re after beaches instead of jungle, here’s my Anguilla guide.