My wife organized an overnight away from the children and dogs to celebrate my 44th birthday. Aside: having a wife is a blissful thing, truly it is. Los Altos De Eros is a boutique hotel and spa just down the road from us, in the hills overlooking beautiful Playa Avellanas. It takes about 45 minutes to reach by car from the Playa Conchal area.
This treasure, tucked away at the perfect elevation, far exceeded our expectations and successfully recharged our minds and bodies. If you are looking for an uncomplicated, soothing, and intimate experience, this is the place for you. After a scenic drive through lush mountains, farmland and jungle, you wind up the driveway and pop out into an exquisitely designed front elevation.
Just inside the doors, you are greeted by friendly staff, fresh tropical breezes and a lovely blue infinity pool that looks to send cascading waters into the valley below. The walkways around the pool are lined with guest rooms and are under cover to provide necessary protection from the rains, but the pool is entirely exposed.
Entry to Paradise
Los Altos De Eros feels like the Costa Rican home you wish you had designed for yourself, with plenty of room for guests and an open Balinese style living and dining area. The kitchen is adjacent so you can really develop a relationship with the chef if you like. She is remarkable at her job and crafts the most fresh and delicious meals. Also, her coffee is on point and very dark.
We arrived in time for a very late lunch just as the weekend group was checking out. Yanina, who has managed the hotel for fifteen years, greeted us warmly and showed us to our tastefully decorated room where we unloaded our bags. Guest rooms overlooking the pool are equipped with a private outdoor shower, an adjacent lounge area, air conditioning and wifi. By this point we were the only guests in the hotel as it was mid-week in the rainy season during Covid.
The meal was a gorgeous and authentic Caesar salad with fresh seared and blackened tuna accompanied by a chilled white wine. It was delicious and hit the spot and definitely the best Caesar I’ve had in Costa Rica. After lunch we grabbed our books and lounged by the pool. It rained a little so we put on our suits and slipped into the spa’s jacuzzi, a perfect spot for watching the amazing sunset.
Poolside Sunset and Private Dinner
The view from Los Altos De Eros stretches from the hills of Tamarindo all the way down toward Playa Negra. The sunset was spectacular and Enrique (the night manager) let me borrow his binocs to spot whales on the ocean below. After sunset, we showered and got ready for dinner.
Our poolside dinner consisted of sea bass and shrimp with local vegetables and mashed sweet potato. We again had a glass of wine with our meal. Both of us wanted cocktails but didn’t want to be challenging to the staff that was there only for us. Nothing against wine, we just prefer a cocktail when we’re celebrating.
After dinner we retired and slept unbelievably well in the well appointed room. We took advantage of being away from our morning duties (kids and dogs) and slept in. I was anxious for coffee by 7:00 but we didn’t actually get it until 8:00. That’s late for us, but it was delicious and dark. No complaints. The owner explained that they use a coffee that is local and supports charitable endeavors so we took the information and will look for the brand in our local shop.
Spa Indulgence
At 9:30 we began our spa day.
For a day spa treatment package you may select three treatments from a menu and then after your treatments you are served lunch, including wine. Your day wraps up in the afternoon by 2:00. I chose the 90 minute massage which was absolutely incredible, despite my concerns about how the therapist might deal with my recent spinal fusion surgery. She was awesome and careful, but still managed to make me feel like I was detoxing. Additionally, I had the cucumber facial and the volcanic mud wrap.
For someone like me who is not accustomed to so much luxury and self-indulgence, this was a little bit longer than what I might have chosen for myself if it wasn’t part of my package. Having said that, the services were so professional, the products were fresh and clean, and then we had the spa to ourselves, which made the whole experience feel incredibly energizing.
The spa is located just below the hotel so you have the same stunning views and the peacefulness of the jungle envelops you. In the green season, you might be as fortunate as we were to have the rains come during your treatments. Watching the rain come from the ocean, the magical sound of the rain, and the mist quietly settling in all around us was enriching and special.
This small boutique luxury hotel and spa is the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion, enjoy an overnight away, or to spend a long weekend recharging and soaking in the unique energy. Julia, Yanina and Enrique are friendly, knowledgeable and kind. One of the hallmarks of a truly well driven machine like Los Altos De Eros is the longevity and happiness of its staff and ownership. We felt so lucky to get to know them and we can’t wait to go back again.