Vista Celestial
Ocean-view villas with private infinity pools on a rainforest reserve above Uvita, facing the Whale's Tail
Vista Celestial, in the mountains above Uvita, looking down on the Whale's Tail
Vista Celestial is an all-villa hotel on 50 acres of private rainforest above Uvita, with the Whale's Tail sandbar in view from every villa. Each villa has its own infinity pool. It is a wellness hotel at heart, with a kitchen fed by its own garden, and it suits a couple who want the Costa Ballena from above rather than from the sand. Children are welcome, though the spa and the gym are for adults.
Why we choose it
- A private pool at every villa. Hot or cold, on your own ocean-view patio, so the view is yours at seven in the morning without walking anywhere.
- A kitchen that grows its own. The Salon serves three meals a day from the property's fruit and vegetables, the dinner changes daily, and there is a garden-to-table cooking demonstration.
- Two restaurants for one stay. Guests can also book the adults-only Clubhouse at Rancho Pacifico, the sister hotel, for happy hour and a four-course tasting menu.
Rooms and views
The Ocean View Villas are 1,000 sq ft (100 sq m), with a king bed, an oversized soaking tub, indoor and outdoor rainfall showers, a kitchenette and a patio with a lounge area facing the sea. Each sleeps up to 4 and can be set with one or two beds. Spa treatments can be done in the villa. The hotel also rents three-bedroom Garden Casitas a short walk from the restaurant; those are vacation rentals, so tell us if a group wants one and we will check.
On the property
The main pool is a saltwater infinity pool with a swim-up bar. The spa, adults-only, has two treatment rooms, a relaxation room, an ocean-view deck and a hot or cold plunge pool, and works with local chocolate and coffee scrubs. There is a hidden hot tub above the waterfall, a jungle yoga platform, a fire pit and a gym a 5 minute walk from the Salon.
The reserve has five miles of trails, over 100 fruit trees and 219 recorded bird species, and the hotel says spider monkeys have come back as the forest regrew.
Location and getting there
The hotel is 2 km northeast of the Uvita waterfall, about 3.5 hours from San José and 1 hour from Manuel Antonio, on a road that needs a 4x4, so we send one. The beaches, the Whale's Tail among them, are a 15 to 20 minute drive down the mountain. Check-in from 3:00 PM, check-out by 11:00 AM. Read more about Uvita.
Hotels we book in Uvita
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Vista Celestial | Rancho Pacifico | Kura Design Villas | Oxygen Jungle Villas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Boutique | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spa | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Check availability | See hotel | See hotel | See hotel |
Where it is
Your Costa Rican driver waits at arrivals and stops whenever you like on the way: fruit stands, a sloth in a tree, a bathroom.
If this hotel is full, we would look at
Your Costa Rica, starting in Uvita
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