When you step into a Ritz Carlton Reserve, you are entering the creme de la creme of the Ritz Carlton portfolio. We took our annual summer trip to Costa Rica, a country we know very well, and had to check out the brand new Ritz Carlton Reserve Nekajui, located in the prestigious Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica. Today we’ll share with you our full experience of this stunning property, as well as weigh in on the staff members, restaurants, fitness center, and all of the other property amenities.
Get ready for loads of Nekajui Pics – of the entire resort! If you want to get even more inside info, here’s our complete video tour!
Where is Costa Rica’s Peninsula Papagayo?
The exclusive Peninsula Papagayo is located on the northwestern Pacific coast of Costa Rica in the province of Guanacaste. There is a lot of protected land here, as they aim to preserve the beauty of the area while welcoming tourism. Featuring coastline of more than 30 beaches, this is a secluded area home to lavish resorts such as the Four Seasons, Planet Hollywood, and the Andaz.
You’ll also find the Marina Papagayo, which docks and services boats and yachts coming into the Peninsula Papagayo. Depending on exactly which part of Papagayo you are visiting, the drive is 18 – 25 miles from the airport in Liberia, making it one of the most accessible parts of the Pacific Ocean you can reach rather easily on newly paved roads – something Costa Rica is NOT known for.
Nekajui – a Ritz Carlton Reserve, is the latest addition to this area.
Entering This Luxurious Haven
Nekajui means “lush garden,” and the entire property gives that vibe while displaying hints of Mexico, Spain, and Portuguese architecture. We took a video of our entire trip, (see below) starting with our drive through the Peninsula Papagayo private entrances. Expect to go through numerous checkpoints and be sure to drive under the 40 KPH speed limit, or you will get stopped by an officer on foot. It happened to us twice!
Once you get to the Ritz Carlton Reserve, you’ll be greeted at the “La Casita” in front of the main building by your “mantu.” This is the equivalent of your personal butler, who is ready to wait on you hand and foot. Our mantu changed during our stay and we had Ozzy for two days and Fernanda for the rest of the trip. They will give you their phone number to add to WhatsApp and you can contact them with any request, large or small. They will pick you up in golf carts if you don’t feel like walking, make dinner reservations for you, and book excursions for you. We got attentive service from them and they are there to make your stay a memorable experience.
Ozzy gave us a tour of the property and all the amenities. He showed us the main pool, the beach club, the tree house bar, the dining options on premises, la Casona bar, and Cafe Rincon, a coffee shop that is named after Rincon de la Vieja volcano.
Rooms at Nekajui
As part of our status with the Marriott Bonvoy Program, we were upgraded to an ocean view suite with a plunge pool that heated up into a hot tub. The view was gorgeous and very well appointed! I can’t speak for any other rooms on premises, but the guests we met all raved about how nice their rooms were. Here’s a few photos of the ultra exclusive accommodations. Ours even had outdoor showers where we could rinse off and look at the private treetops dinner experience, which sadly we didn’t have a chance to partake in.
The Niri Beach Club
Day one started off relaxing at Niri Beach Club. You can get to the beach club by taking over 400 stairs down a hill or using the “funicular,” which is an elevator that goes from the tree tops off the left hand side of the main pool and bar area directly to the beach club. We had drinks, cooled off in the pool, and snacked on an Iberian ham flatbread that was right up our alley!
We dined at the Niri Beach Club that evening. It was the best food option on premises, in our opinion. It’s largely an Iberian-inspired menu with dishes like a whole grilled fish, pork bellies, and prawns.
Puna
If you are into sophisticated dining experiences, Puna is where you’ll want to dine. Featuring modern Peruvian cuisine, which always excites us, this restaurant was somewhat of a letdown for us. We met some people at the pool that tried to warn us the menu was very weird, but we went anyway. We should have taken their advice.
If you are a meat eater, there isn’t much on the menu for you to choose from other than an over-priced steak. I had a dish featuring risotto and corn, both of which I’m very fond of, and it was very forgettable. The look on my face here says it all.
Overall it’s a very nice restaurant and the vibe is nice, but the food wasn’t for us. Your mileage may vary and I have to say the ceviche appetizer was the lone bright spot for us here. Next time, we’ll gladly visit their friendly bartenders on the terrace bar but won’t be dining here.
The Nimbu Spa
Perhaps the biggest wow factor for us was the Nimbu Spa. Walk to the left edge of the property and you’ll find the spa as well as a state of the art fitness center that spill into the largest hydrotherapy pool in Central America.
We didn’t get any spa treatments nor did we see the treatment rooms, but they gave us access to this area without any booked spa services and we started each morning there. We started each morning with the following ritual – coffee, sauna, steam room, hot tub, and cold plunge pool. We repeated the hot and cold therapy circuit several times and felt amazing! Then, we’d dip in the infiniti edge pool and let the jacuzzi jets relax our muscles before laying on the hydrotherapy beds that overlook the Pacific Ocean from Peninsula Papagayo. If you want any reason to know how this property got the prestigious Ritz Carlton Reserve title, just visit the Nimbu Spa pool and you’ll be convinced that this property is very worthy.
Cocktails and Food at the Pools
We were very fond of the food served at the pools. It goes far beyond usual pool bites like hamburgers and chicken tenders. We had chips with guacamole, fish tacos, and the aforementioned flatbread. Many of the Ritz Carlton hotels use local ingredients to showcase the area.
Drinks, while pricey, were always made very well. The main pool has a drink of the day cart with freshly made cocktails each afternoon. When we were there, we were lucky enough to have margaritas with freshly muddled starfruit and jalapenos. You can choose your fruit of choice and have them make it however you’d like. This was a big hit, but do know that these drinks are priced accordingly and also come with a service fee for the “tableside” service. It was a little bit of sticker shock seeing that bill, but we had a great time and chalked it up as an experience.
Kids Club
There is a small area for kids to play at, but other than that, and of course, the pools, there isn’t a lot for toddlers to do here. Although, it’s not a bad home base to stay at if you want to enjoy some of the nearby attractions (like other beaches, zip lining, etc) that you can get to from Costa Rica’s Peninsula Papagayo.
Coopers Speak Easy
Perhaps the coolest thing about the luxury resort is that there is a speak easy on premises! It’s called “Coopers.” This is named after Simon Cooper, the COO of Marriott, who sadly past away last year. The secret bar, located behind the check in desk at Puna, is a tribute to Mr. Cooper. While it’s top secret, and very small, I have to share some pics of our multiple visits there. Ask your mantu what the password is and they will make you a reservation.
Other Things Worth Noting About Ritz Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica
From the moment you check in, you’ll be nestled deep in the luxury frontiers of Costa Rica. We felt a renewed energy being on the property and enjoyed everything from the suspension bridge (which had great vantage points) that brought us from our room to the main property amenities, to the nature walks, to the indescribable caves on the beach, and beyond.
We especially liked the activities offered at the Ritz Carlton Reserve Nekajui, from the snorkeling (which I have to say is better in the Grand Caymans but still worth it since it’s included) to the coffee making class, to the wine tasting. We didn’t get a chance to do any of the water sports excursions, but that was our choice as we had done that many times over at the W Costa Rica, which is just about 90 minutes away.
In Summary
If you are looking for the latest luxury hotel in Costa Rica, look no further than Nekajui. They treat guests like gold and give you the most serene views from every room. It’s no wonder Condé nast traveler said “it feels like you’re staying at a particularly prosperous friend’s cultivated estate” when citing the low occupancy despite it being such a sprawling property. From activities, to seeing wildlife like monkeys, to just lounging at the beach or pools, you can’t go wrong at this Ritz Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica.
About Tim Schmidt
Tim Schmidt is a 20+ year Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer. A Fort Lauderdale-based "Digital Nomad," he enjoys traveling as much as possible with family and friends. AllWorld is his escape to document all of his adventures, including being a hardcore "foodie." He has property in Costa Rica and visits several times each year and is happy to offer his expert advice for planning your trip. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
