El Mangroove Hotel

Costa Rica

A long, rectangular pool, lined with loungers and cabanas, stretches out towards the beach. And, lazing with a Costa Rican cold brew in hand, you might consider a dip in the sea, a trip to the nearby, artsy town of El Coco or an expedition along the Papagayo Peninsula to spot dolphins and devil rays. Should you conclude you’re happy to stay put, though, it’d be wholly understandable: the casual luxury at El Mangroove is hard to drag yourself away from. Surrounded by beachfront forests, tropical mangroves and backing on to a quiet bay, it’s a prime spot on the north-western coast of Costa Rica. With iguanas stalking the hotel grounds, a vast array of birdlife and the promise of nesting turtles nearby (from October to May), nature is at large. It's reflected in the assured and uncomplicated design of the hotel, which ensures all eyes are on the flora and fauna: generously-sized rooms with vast showers, canopy-level balconies and large picture windows creating an inside-outside flow.

There’s a choice of restaurants: recently opened Malú offers Mediterranean options, then there’s the more casual Matiss, and main restaurant Makoko, serving both dinner and breakfast. Start your day with plantain, avocado and the traditional gallo pinto , perhaps, alongside eggs from the nearby farm and an array of exotic fruit. For dinner, chefs confidently call on their surroundings with ocean-to-plate dishes ranging from reef ceviche (a sensational combination of sea urchin, hacha oyter and piangua) to cavatelli pasta with octopus. There's an impressive wine list too and a signature cocktail, Addictive Smokiness, that lives up to its name thanks to the coriander- infused mezcal, grilled pineapple juice, lime and bitters.

It’s no wonder El Mangroove borders on a ‘blue zone’ – just an hour down the coast at Nicoya, there’s the highest number of centenarians in the world. With an enviable climate, health-giving cuisine, lush, green vistas and the constant intrigue of animal noises in the surrounding forests, it’s hard to feel anything other than acutely alive.

Doubles from £469. 00 506 2291 7750, marriott.com

Words by Rachel Walker.

This review was taken from the March 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.