Gaia Hotel and Reserve

Gaia Hotel and Reserve, in the rainforest of Manuel Antonio

Gaia sits in coastal rainforest near Manuel Antonio National Park, on land that was once a centre for plant and wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. The forest around the hotel has been kept much as it was, which is why the wildlife here is part of the stay rather than a tour you book.

It is a small, quiet hotel for couples and older travellers: a place for a honeymoon or a slow few days after a busier stretch of a trip.

Why we choose it

• A 3-tier infinity pool. The pools step down the hillside in three tiers, looking out over the forest canopy.
• Its own reserve. Gaia keeps a private reserve and runs a Scarlet Macaw Program, so conservation is something you see, not just read about.
• Quiet by design. The hotel is built for adults and a calm pace, with the Skylounge for sunset and Terra Spa for the afternoons.

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Rooms and views

There are four kinds of accommodation. Studios suit a couple for a short stay, and the Suites and Loft Suites give more space, with balconies looking into the rainforest.

The Two Bedroom Villa works for a family or two couples together. For guests in a wheelchair or with limited mobility, the hotel suggests its Jungle View Suite; we contact the hotel first to confirm it for your dates.

On the property

La Luna Restaurant is the hotel's dining room, and the Skylounge is where guests gather for a drink as the light goes. Terra Spa does the massages and treatments.

The reserve runs into the forest behind the rooms, and the Scarlet Macaw Program is part of the hotel's long work with the wildlife of this coast. Ask about walks in the reserve with a guide, when it is easiest to see what lives here.

Location and getting there

Gaia is in Manuel Antonio, close to Quepos and the national park, on the Central Pacific coast. From here we arrange a morning in the park with a naturalist guide, a catamaran trip or mangrove kayaking, with your driver taking you straight back to the pool.

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