Most travellers head to Costa Rica for one thing. Nature. It’s one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Encounters with rare and spectacular wildlife abound and the opportunities to explore unspoilt jungles and wander pristine beaches make Costa Rica a true Eden.
Epic natural landscapes and unrivalled biodiversity also makes the country a top spa destination. After all, nothing soothes the soul quite like the sight of an endless tree canopy. Nor is there anything quite as relaxing as a deep tissue massage in the paradisiacal setting of a rainforest. Plus, volcanic mud has exceptional medicinal qualities and exotic ingredients like coconut and coffee are as good for our skin as they are for our stomachs.
The best eco-friendly spas in Costa Rica endeavour to showcase stunning natural landscapes while simultaneously providing guests with luxurious mind-body rejuvenation. They collaborate with the local environment, using all-natural organic ingredients in treatments that will leave you renewed and restored, ready to see Costa Rica’s famous beauty with fresh eyes.
These wellness spas are also committed to sustainable practices—preserving ecosystems for future generations and giving back to the community. As part of the new eco-luxury movement, they prioritise the planet and local people as much as pampering. The result is a spa experience that feels as wholesome and authentic as it does heavenly.
So check out our rundown of the top eco luxury spas in Costa Rica—each chosen for their impeccable blend of indulgent comfort, therapeutic know-how, and sensitivity and love for the natural assets of this unique country.
The 7 best spas in Costa Rica
- Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa
- The Springs Resort
- Nayara Springs
- El Silencio Lodge & Spa
- Gaia Hotel and Reserve
- Hotel and Spa Poco a Poco
- Kurà Boutique Hotel
Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa
Built around healing hot springs and in 900 acres of tropical rainforest, Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa is located just west of the awe-inspiring Arenal volcano.
The resort was first opened in 1993 and is now a 102-room hotel and a leading hot springs destination, featuring 18 different natural pools. While many hot springs hotels in the area heat the water mechanically, Tabacón’s network of waterfalls and pools are a balmy 25 to 50 degrees Celsius naturally, heated by the volcano alone. This makes the hotel a top contender for the best spa in Arenal Costa Rica.
Hydrotherapy works serious miracles and so no matter how stressed you are when you arrive, it will only be a matter of minutes before you’ve joined the other guests, lounging around the jungle in just slippers and a bathrobe.
Next, book into the wellness spa for a session in the hot tubs or treatment in the open-air bungalows, tucked away between the trees. Listen to the sounds of the wildlife as you enjoy a facial using only local and natural ingredients, or a signature Tabacón massage with real volcanic clay and medicinal thermo-mineral water.
Address: Noreste de Centro de la Fortuna de San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela, Nuevo Arenal. Opening days and hours: every day, 10:30 am - 5:30 pm Price range: $$ Website: www.tabacon.com
The Springs Resort
No list of the best Costa Rican spas would be complete without mentioning the world-famous The Springs Resort and Spa. Located in the Arenal region, it sprawls out over 165-acres and is one of the leading luxury destinations in Central America. And, yes, it even featured on Keeping up with the Kardashians.
The hotel’s spa is a mammoth facility that offers six different types of body wraps—including one with volcanic mud, of course—as well as seven types of massage, five body polishes, six facials, plus unique feet and hand treatments. If anything, you’ll have too much choice.
We recommend heading to the spa after visiting the pumas and ocelots in the resort’s wildlife rescue reserve. Calm your beating heart with a four hands massage, where two therapists simultaneously get to work resorting your body to its proper balance. Probably one of the best massages in Costa Rica.
Address: 9 km West & 3.5 km North from the Center of La Fortuna, 21007 Opening days and hours: every day, 8.30 - 9:30 pm Price range: $$$ Website: www.thespringscostarica.com
Nayara Springs
The adults-only and super eco chic Nayara Springs has a relaxed and romantic feel and is popular with honeymooners in particular. Also located on the edge of the Arenal National Park, it’s nestled among the pristine rainforest and features 16 different private villas for guests to stay in, each with its own plunge pool fed by natural hot spring water.
The hotel also features a day spa where visitors can enjoy a massage out on the elevated open deck, scented candles flickering in the evening light, and the enigmatic sounds of the rainforest and tropical gardens all around you.
Treatments feature local ingredients such as chocolate, coffee, and sea salt. We recommend a hot stone massage or a chocolate scrub, in particular. Or there’s the signature Nayara treatment, 100 minutes long and featuring a volcanic mud massage, towel wrap, and facial.
Afterwards, head to the sauna, followed by the Jacuzzi and an outdoor shower. Or enjoy a meal prepared by the hotel kitchen, with its emphasis on sustainable food with zero food miles. While it might not be the best vegan restaurant in Costa Rica, it definitely has some good veggie options.
Address: 4 Miles West from La Fortuna Town, Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos 21007. Opening days and hours: every day, 10 am to 8 pm Price range: $$$ Website: www.nayarasprings.com
El Silencio Lodge & Spa
If peace is your priority, there’s no better place for you than a spa whose name literally means silence. At the Costa Rica wellness retreat of El Silencio, the only sounds you’ll hear are those of cascading waterfalls and nearby wildlife. And while it’s not the best spa in San José, Costa Rica, at only 90 minutes from the capital, it’s definitely the best one nearby.
Immersion in nature is total in the misty cloud forest of Bajos del Toro. And the hotel’s Escencia Spa is the perfect place to enjoy a rejuvenating wellness treatment, each of which uses natural and eco-friendly healing ingredients, including herbs, fruits, and seeds from the hotel’s organic greenhouse.
The open-air treatment rooms feature heated beds while the wellness spa’s unique Conical Room is designed to channel the essential life energy of the cloud forest. There are also meditation sessions and yoga classes on the alfresco deck. Environmental stewardship is a central ethos at El Silencio. Hence the Hummingbird Garden and Meliponary bee haven—plus the fact guests have the opportunity to plant their own trees. Everything the hotel does is a celebration of the country’s biodiversity, as it seeks to foster a deep sense of connection with nature among all guests. Definitely one of the best spas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Address: Bajos del Toro 21203, Alajuela. Price range: $$ Website: www.elsilenciolodge.com
Gaia Hotel and Reserve
If it’s an eco retreat you’re after, then you’re in good hands at a hotel named after the Greek goddess of Earth. The Gaia Hotel and Reserve was built on the former Jardin Gaia, a centre for orchid conservation and wildlife rehabilitation, and the same dedication to sustainability persists in the hotel’s practices today.
Located on 15 acres of jungle near the Manuel Antonio National Park, this sleek and sophisticated eco chic resort has its own nature reserve as well as a programme that seeks to re-introduce scarlet macaws into the national park.
So as you settle down for a session in the hotel’s Terra Spa, you can relax knowing that nature’s being taken care of. This small but exceptional wellness centre features six treatment rooms and the decor, with its blend of stone, wood, and greenery perfectly complements the incredible rainforest views outside.
Environmentally friendly ingredients include honey, ginger, volcanic clay, coffee, and coconut. Afterwards, rinse off with a Vichy Rain Shower, move on to a Thermo Therapy session in the Aromatherapy Steam Room, or sweat it out in the Finnish sauna. Oh, and did we mention the hair salon?
Address: Manuel Antonio 2.7 km, Provincia de Puntarenas, Quepos. Opening days and hours: every day, 9 am to 7 pm Price range: $$ Website: www.gaiahr.com
Hotel and Spa Poco a Poco
Situated in the otherworldly cloud forest of Monteverde, Poco a Poco, like the name suggests, is rather small, but this makes for an intimate retreat that’s even more conducive to relaxation.
The hotel’s environmentally friendly Naroa spa uses organic ingredients harvested from the jungle around the house and all treatments are carried out by skilled local therapists. So while you’re relaxing, you’re also helping to develop the organic goods industry in the nearby town and encouraging a responsible and sustainable approach to the environment.
Nature takes centre stage at this resort where you’ll be hard pushed not to leave without a renewed love for planet Earth, especially after spotting exotic birds such as the Quetzal, or any of the thousands of species that make Monteverde cloud forest one of the richest ecosystems in the world.
Address: Puntarenas Province, Monteverde. Price range: $ Website: www.hotelpocoapoco.com
Kurà Boutique Hotel
Kurà Boutique Hotel is a pioneering force in the eco luxury movement with its unique vision of tropical minimalism and intelligent sustainable travel. This ultra-eco-friendly wellness retreat is located on a private ridge behind the Marino Ballena National Park on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast and features six exclusive bungalows, a salt-water infinity pool, and a world-class wellness spa. Expect sophisticated contemporary construction, gorgeous gardens, panoramic views, a highly personalised service, and, of course, optimum relaxation.
Over at the Spa Shà, one of the most acclaimed treatments is the Kurà Paradise, a couple’s massage that takes place by candlelight and includes a post-massage wine and fruit plate. A true recipe for romance.
Or try Shà’s signature massage, which combines Swedish, deep tissue, shiatsu massage, and acupressure, offering blissful relief for worn-out bodies, and ending with a cleansing face mask.
This Costa Rican wellness retreat doesn’t simply pay lip service to sustainable and environmentally friendly causes—it’s a central part of all business operations. The hotel only buys and hires local, providing year-round work for the local community, and has eliminated single-use plastics from the resort. There’s an on-site organic garden too.
Address: Private Rd Puntarenas Uvita de Osa. Opening days and hours: every day, 1 pm to 8 pm Price range: $$$ Website: www.kuracostarica.com
