If you’ve ever found yourself between a rock and a hard place – say, a choice between the best Costa Rica luxury resorts and your top private villas – then you’ve probably found yourself working through a list of comparisons. This vs. that. One thing over another. Etc. etc. Because you can’t have it all. Right?
Not quite. In Costa Rica, you can have it all – in part, because many of our villa rentals are located within the best Costa Rica luxury resorts. And that means that you can enjoy the privacy, comforts, and amenities of a private vacation home, paired with the convenience, services, and amenities of a resort or luxury hotel atmosphere.
And, yes, we’re biased. But have a read and you may find you’re biased, too.
Comparison: Luxury Amenities
Fancy a waterslide? Ask us about Casa Bonita Beach!
Costa Rica luxury resorts do very well with luxury amenities, offering everything from resort pools and golf courses to onsite spas and restaurants.
The thing is, the country’s luxury villas can match all those amenities – and then some. If you’re interested in resort amenities, then choose a home within a resort community. For example, our Hacienda Pinilla vacation rentals grant you access to the resort’s full list of amenities, from a championship golf course and tennis courts to an onsite Beach Club, restaurants, and hiking and biking trails.
And then, private villa rentals are just that: private. They add their very own, just-for-you amenities, including private pools and bubbling hot tubs, outdoor kitchens/grill stations and hammock gardens, game rooms and saunas, in-home cinemas and private libraries. It’s a definite case of you CAN have everything.
Comparison: Luxury Services
While we’re on the topic, let’s talk services. Because there’s a misconception that luxury hotel services are only available at hotels. And at least in Costa Rica, that’s not true.
Granted, Costa Rica luxury resorts and hotels have great services. As we mentioned, you’ll often find spas, golf courses, tennis courts, concierges, and an array of other service-based amenities onsite. But you’ll also find them at your private luxury villa rental.
At Luxury Villas Costa Rica, it begins with our exclusive 5-star concierge service, which includes a dedicated concierge who will help, guide, and host you throughout the planning process and your stay with us. From planning tours and transportation to coordinating in-country needs like grocery purchases and in-villa spa services, check-in processes and private chefs, your concierge will be on call throughout.
For an even more luxurious experience, we offer Elite Services – our highest service tier – to enhance your stay. Our Elite services include daily housekeeping, available Monday through Saturday (excluding holidays); daily breakfast service, offering your choice of a traditional Costa Rican breakfast or your favorite alternative; snack & beverage prep, to include daily snacks, cocktails, and beverages, with optional poolside service; and laundry service.
Comparison: Interiors, Privacy & Comfort
This might be a given, but hotel rooms cannot compare to the privacy, comfort, and spaciousness of a private villa rental. And we know – it’s all relative. But objectively, even the best Costa Rica luxury resorts and luxury hotels in Guanacaste, Costa Rica are, by definition, shared spaces with shared amenities among all guests.
Whereas the average luxury hotel room measures 650 square feet – and splash-out suites usually top out around the 1,000 square-foot range – our spacious luxury villas range from 1,600 square feet (for a 2-bedroom condo) to 13,000+ square feet (for a 6+ bedroom estate).
Beyond the benefit of space to spread out and actually live, a luxury vacation home affords additional comforts, warmth, and convenience, with the just-like-home (in a good way) amenities you don’t want to vacation without, like an always-available washer/dryer and squishy sofas, private bathrooms for everyone and TVs far enough from the kids’ or in-laws’ rooms that you can catch up on your favorite shows at night.
And then, there’s the luxury of knowing you’re covered when it’s raining outside or you simply want to relax for a day. Enjoy your private pool. Watch a movie together in your private cinema. And enjoy the privacy. Because you simply won’t get that at luxury hotels in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Comparison: Meals & Dining
There are three kinds of travelers out there: 1) The ones who love eating out for every meal on vacation; 2) The ones who love eating out for special meals on vacation; and 3) The ones who prefer to eat in, whenever possible.
Both resorts and luxury hotels in Guanacaste, Costa Rica offer excellent dining and restaurant options for that first kind of traveler (although private homes do, too; see below!), with many offering free daily breakfast and the best offering one (or more) onsite restaurants. That said, the second and third types of travelers will encounter challenges, as most rooms and suites don’t offer kitchenette or full kitchen facilities.
By contrast, even the most modest vacation rentals offer a full kitchen and luxury homes add on chef-read, gourmet kitchens so you can meal-prep, whether you simply want to brew a fresh pot of coffee in the morning and are planning to grill up your catch-of-the-day. (And remember, our Elite-tier homes also offer daily breakfast prep!)
What’s more, as we’ve already mentioned, many of our luxury homes are located within Costa Rica luxury resorts offering onsite restaurants. For example, Hacienda Pinilla offers several onsite restaurants and our Tamarindo vacation rentals are often within walking distance of dozens of restaurants. The best of both worlds!
And with that, if you’re now considering a vacation home over a resort or hotel, then here are a few curated suggestions that may fit your resort-amenities, villa-privacy requirements:
Casa Breeze
Playa Conchal | 5 Beds | 5 Baths | 12 Guests
Secreted into the prestigious surrounds of Reserva Conchal – and just a 2-minute golf-cart ride to the beach! – Casa Breeze is a stunning 5-bedroom villa, home to an array of striking amenities, including a private pool, a fully equipped kitchen, and spacious living areas.
But first, its location: Within Reserva Conchal, a spectacular and established community, your rental grants you access to an onsite championship golf course, spa and Fitness Center, tennis courts, restaurants, hiking and biking trails, a wildlife refuge, and the Reserva Conchal Beach Club, with a beachfront infinity-edge pool, international restaurant, bar, beach gear, and onsite activities, including snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and more.
Of course, you’re here for more than your surrounds and in that, Casa Breeze delivers with luxurious amenities, including fairway views, outdoor living areas with an infinity pool and waterslide, a top-floor honeymoon-suite-style master bedroom with balcony, and our Elite Service (including daily housekeeping). Welcome to paradise!
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Flamingo Blu
Flamingo Beach | 5 Beds | 6 Baths | 12 Guests
Flamingo Blu is one of the most luxurious vacation homes, in one of the most hidden-gem Costa Rica destinations
If you’re the type of traveler to define luxury in terms of privacy and seclusion, then Flamingo Blu will fulfill your every wildest luxury dream: Set on a quiet hillside that arcs down toward the curve of Flamingo Beach, this exquisite vacation home is a true work of art.
Built completely in the round – Flamingo Blue radiates outward from an inner courtyard – this home plays architectural homage to light and air, natural landscapes and ocean breezes. Natural light streams in through every window and open door, tracing its path from east to west, fanning illumination throughout the villa.
Outdoors, a spectacular infinity pool stands as showcase, spilling down the mountainside toward the lapping Pacific waves. Don’t want to take a swim? A curving sun deck serves as a spectacular – and sun-drenched – spot to relax, read a book, and enjoy famed Flamingo Beach sunsets. Sunsets that are all yours. As we said, privacy.
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Villa Sueno
Playa Dominical | 4 Beds | 5.5 Baths | 8 Guests
Where ocean views, infinite potential, tranquility, and culinary delights converge, Villa Sueno (Spanish for Dream Villa) is a breathtaking spectacle: 180º panoramic ocean views that unfold before your eyes. An infinity pool that becomes your refuge. A backdrop of thick jungle and expansive sea. A dream all your own.
Villa Sueno is a bit like having the best of Costa Rica luxury resorts right in your own backyard – literally! The infinity pool will become your favorite spot, as you embrace the sensation of floating in cool waters while cocooned by nature’s lush greenery. A private gym offers a treasure trove of possibilities. And the yoga deck will become your haven.
And then, there’s the fine dining, whole foods grocery store, charming café, and nearby spa – all, just a leisurely 2-minute walk away. In the heart of this haven, you’ll find yourself amidst the soothing whispers of the jungle, and your neighbors are the swaying palms and majestic trees that envelop the surroundings. Villa Sueno is an experience that defies description.
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Want to Talk More about Costa Rica Luxury Resorts vs. Villas?
For a country smaller than West Virginia, Costa Rica is vast and our holiday options are many.
So really, it begins with you: How do you define luxury? What are you most looking forward to? What’s important to you in your accommodations? What do you want to see and do while here? And where do you want to go?
At LVCR, we have two specialties: Costa Rica luxury vacation planning and you. Yes, you. Because a great vacation is rooted in heart – in what you and your group hope to get out of your travels. So please, tell us why you’ve chosen Costa Rica and what you dream for your holiday travel. If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, even if you haven’t whittled down your wish list, we can help. We love to help.
So please, peruse our Costa Rica destinations. Dream a little (and a lot). And then, get in touch! We look forward to it.
