Gaia Hotel And Reserve – Adults Only
What We Love
- Rate includes a 20-minute massage, facial or reflexology treatment per person, per stay, plus one guided hike through the 14-acre nature reserve
- Arrival gifts: cool, lemon-scented towels and a tropical welcome drink
- Daily à la carte breakfast is included in the Jetsetter rate
- The open-air La Luna; don’t miss the panko-crusted tuna or the signature Gaia tenderloin
- Kind and professional staff
- READ MORE: Find your perfect Costa Rica vacation
What To Know
- Only the Suites, Deluxe Suites and Villas have Jacuzzi bathtubs
- The ocean is seven minutes away, and a free beach shuttle runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily
- This is a certified green hotel, and the tap water is safe to drink
- Costa Rica’s dry season is December to May; during the rest of the year it can rain for several hours a day
- Free WiFi
Amenities
- Bar
- Eco-Friendly
- Free WiFi
- Gym
- Handicap Accessible
- Parking On Site
- Pet-friendly
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Spa
Overview
The Look
In honor of its namesake Greek goddess, Gaia Hotel & Suites exudes a reverence for the earth, with its panoramic coastal views, three pearly white buildings and 14 acres of twisting jungle. Upon entering the white-on-white digs, guests are served lemon-scented towels and cool tropical drinks. The walls display the owner’s personal Latin American art collection, including photos he took for National Geographic and works by Ecuadorian artist Eduardo Kingman.
Bed and Bath
In the 22 rooms, suites and villas there are beds with 500-thread-count Italian linens, flat-screen LCD TVs, expansive en suite tiled bathrooms (some with Jacuzzi tubs), all done in a calm palette of cream walls, hardwood floors and oversize windows that offer breathtaking jungle and ocean views at every turn.
Beyond
Equally impressive are the views from the three-tiered infinity pool, where sunbathers sip cocktails from a swim-up bar. And in the intimate Terra Spa, the free 20-minute mini-massages are made even more soothing by the lush jungle backdrop. At the five-star La Luna restaurant, such dishes as succulent Tico-style ceviche and thick tenderloin steak are accompanied by daily drink specials (from a Gaia sunset cocktail made from a myriad of juices to Costa Rica’s famous guaro liquor), all of it served alfresco against a technicolor sky. Come morning, a free breakfast spread of huevos rancheros, sweet mango juice and fresh coffee fuel reserve excursions led by an enthusiastic, certified nature guide, who spins tales of the jungle and its superlative wildlife.
In the Area
Once a center for orchid conservation and wildlife rehab, Gaia’s 14-acre nature reserve now has fantastic hiking trails; a free guided tour embarks Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7am. And Manuel Antonio is just over a mile away, offering some of the country’s best opportunities for spotting sloths, monkeys, toucans and more. For parasailing, snorkeling, dolphin encounters, fishing, water-skiing and boat excursions, the Gaia concierge can recommend a tour outfitter that fits guests needs.
How to Get There
Reviews
I have traveled all over the world and stayed at incredible hotels. This is one of the best ever. We were met at check-in by Nancy who said she was our concierge and would help us with whatever we needed. We were greeted with a fruit drink and a tour of the facilities (four pools for 22 rooms). She offered to set up any tours we needed which she did. She showed us our room which was large (20' x 12') which had a queen-size sofa bed in it. It also had a balcony. When I said that we needed two beds since I was traveling with my son, she said this was only the living room, the bedroom which was 18 x 10 was in the room in back. And it only got better. We told her we would eat in the dining room that night which overlooked the jungle, the mountains, and the ocean and was open-air, so she asked whether we had food allergies. That night, the waiter unaided told us he would take care of our food allergies. Incredible. When we missed our free drinks and tapas which were offered on our day of arrival, Nancy said no problem that we could get them on day three. She set up all our tours for us. We changed one at the last moment which again was no problem. The staff was incredibly nice including Yendri the dining room manager. During our first breakfast, a man came over and introduced himself as Boris the owner. He gave us his phone number in case we needed anything. Given the reasonable cost relative to the value, we received royalty treatment for a middle-class cost. Go there today.
We had a great time at Gaia Hotel. Rooms were nice, staff was friendly and accommodating. The golf cart shuttles made trips up and down in the resort made it trouble free. Loved the dining room view.
Nancy was our private tour guide at Manuel Antonio and boy did she find us animals galore. She was fun to be with, had an amazing eye for spotting sloths, monkeys and other animals, and took some fabulous pictures for us through her telescope spotter. She's one of the best tour guides we've ever been with and we do a lot of wildlife travel.
Request her!
Gaia hotel is absolutely breathtaking! From the moment you arrive they are friendly and attentive. The views are extraordinary and we cannot complain about a thing so far. The food, spa services and tours they offer are fantastic! We will definitely be back and recommending this place to our friends and family! Highly recommend taking the Manuel Antonio Park guided tour! We saw sloths, and several kinds of monkeys, lizards, iguana, snake, bats, hummingbirds, and lots of strange insects. Our guide through the hotel was extremely smart, spoke 7 languages and was a delight! The ATV tour was also out of this world! Can’t say enough about the spa and restaurant as they are both topknot has! Don’t debate, choose Gaia you won’t regret it!!!