Xandari Resort and Spa: Costa Rica’s Best Luxury Resort

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If you’re wondering if you should stay at Xandari Resort and Spa in Costa Rica, you’re in the right place.

My partner and I stayed at this luxury eco-resort for a few nights when we visited Costa Rica and we absolutely loved it. We both agree it’s our favourite place we’ve ever stayed.

Located in the foothills of Alajuela, Xandari Resort is surrounded by rainforest and has incredible views over the Central Valley.

It was designed to be both beautiful and sustainable with colourful buildings and original artwork as well as farm-to-table dining and reforestation programs.

In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about staying at Xandari including details of the rooms, facilities, and things to do nearby.

So, keep reading if you’re ready to find out why Xandari Resort and Spa deserves a spot on your Costa Rica bucket list!  

🎨 What Makes Xandari Resort Special

Xandari Resort and Spa is the most beautiful and unique place I’ve ever stayed.

It’s built on a ridge overlooking the Central Valley and has fantastic views of the rainforest with the city and the mountains in the distance.

The property is actually a privately owned nature reserve, so the resort is surrounded by rainforest and even has its own walking trails and waterfalls.

It used to be a coffee farm, but the former owners restored the rainforest and designed the resort themselves to be both artistic and sustainable.

The buildings are all brightly coloured in shades of turquoise, purple, and orange. There’s also lots of handmade art inside and sculptures throughout the gardens. 

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📍 Xandari Resort Location

Xandari Resort and Spa is located in Alajuela Province just outside of Costa Rica’s capital city, San José.

It’s just 10km from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) which is the main international airport in Costa Rica. The drive from the airport takes about 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.

Since the resort is so close to the airport we spent the first two nights of our trip at Xandari, and it was the perfect introduction to Costa Rica.

However, one downside of staying there is that it’s not accessible by public transport, so if you don’t have a car, you’ll need to book taxis or tours to get around.

This is because despite being close to the airport, the resort is actually in a rural area surrounded by rainforest and coffee plantations.

The closest town is Tacacorí which is about a 5-minute drive or a 25-minute walk from the resort. It’s a very small town and doesn’t have many shops or restaurants.

It takes about 15-minutes to drive from Xandari to Alajuela town centre and around 45 minutes to 1-hour to drive to downtown San José.

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🛏️ Xandari Resort Villas

Instead of standard hotel rooms Xandari Resort and Spa has private villas which each have their own terrace with views of the valley or mountains.

There are 24 individual villas across six different categories.

The Star Villa is the largest one with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a full kitchen. On the other hand, the Prima Mountain View Villa is one of the smallest but the only one with a traditional palm ceiling.

The Prima, Prima Plus, Ultra, and Ultra Plus Villas have similar features but differ in size with Prima being the smallest and Ultra Plus being the largest.

We stayed in one of the Prima Plus Villas which had a spacious open plan bedroom and living room with lots of windows and a private terrace.

Some of the windows looked out onto a pretty little garden and others looked out onto the terrace with beautiful views of the valley.

Everything was clean and we had a comfortable king-sized bed as well as a kitchenette with a sink, mini fridge, kettle, and coffee maker.

There was no air-conditioning in the villa, but we honestly didn’t even notice because the rooms are designed to stay cool even when it’s hot and humid and they have ceiling fans.

The villa was also bigger than I expected. It felt like we were staying in a luxurious studio apartment rather than a hotel room.

🩵 Ready to experience Xandari Resort and Spa for yourself? Check rates and availability here!

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🩱 Xandari Resort Facilities

Xandari Resort and Spa has fantastic facilities including an onsite restaurant, a spa, and several swimming pools.

Restaurant and Bar

The restaurant was one of my favourite parts of staying at Xandari because the open-air terrace had some of the best views of the valley and the food was absolutely delicious.

Breakfast is included in the room rate, and you get access to the breakfast buffet as well as the “desayuno típico” (typical breakfast) which includes gallo pinto, eggs, and fried plantains.

It was by far the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had (and I’ve had more than I can count).

For lunch and dinner, there’s an à la cart menu which includes typical Costa Rican dishes as well as some Mediterranean and Californian options. The restaurant also serves drinks and desserts.

The food was very fresh and a lot of it is actually grown onsite in the resort’s organic farm and orchard.

The only downside was that the restaurant was a bit expensive. It was worth it, especially since we were only there for a few nights but if you’re staying longer, I’d recommend checking out some local restaurants in Alajuela.

Spa & Yoga Studio

Xandari Resort has its own onsite spa called Ayura Spa which has five open-air, palm-roofed jalapas each with their own private hot tub and massage table.

I booked a 90-minute spa package which included 30 minutes in the hot tub followed by a 1-hour massage. It was the most luxurious spa treatment I’ve ever had but it was actually really affordable.

I was given fresh fruit and juice to enjoy while I relaxed in the hot tub, and I had an excellent view of the valley.

The hot tub was on the edge of the jalapa facing the valley but still covered by the palm roof so I was sheltered from the rain and could enjoy watching the storm.

There’s also a yoga studio, but I didn’t get a chance to join any of the sessions.

Swimming Pools

The resort buildings are surrounded by lovely well-maintained gardens with three swimming pools and two outdoor hot tubs set amongst them.

As part of Xandari’s commitment to sustainability, all of the pools are saline treated rather than chlorinated, and the hot tubs are heated by solar panels.

One of the pools is known as the Sunset Pool because it sits on the edge of the ridge with sweeping views over the valley that show off the sunset.

We didn’t get to go at sunset because we were there in wet season and it was rainy in the evenings, but we still enjoyed the pool during the day.

We actually loved being there in wet season because there was hardly anyone else there, so we had the pool and trails mostly to ourselves.

Walking Trails & Waterfalls

Xandari Resort and Spa is located on a 16-hectare (40-acre) private nature reserve with 4km (2.5 miles) of walking trails that lead to five natural waterfalls.

The rainforest is home to many native plants and animals and over 140 species of local and migratory birds have been observed at Xandari. During our stay, we saw a toucan, a hummingbird, and an agouti (a little mammal similar to a capybara).

We spent a couple of hours walking along the trails and stopping at each of the waterfalls. Some of them are quite small but the main waterfall is about 20m (65ft) tall.

It was so nice to be surrounded by nature, and we really felt like we were in the middle of the rainforest even though we were still on the property.

The trails are well signposted and easy-to-follow, so you don’t need to worry about getting lost.

Guided Tours

The resort offers several tours for an extra cost including a 2-hour nature tour and a morning birdwatching tour that goes for 1 to 2.5 hours depending on the group’s preferences.

The gardens and trails are fully accessible to guests so I don’t think you need to do a tour (we didn’t) but the guides provide information and can help you spot animals and birds.

They also have a free tour of the green house, hydroponic vegetable garden, and farm animals with information about the resort’s sustainability initiatives.

Other Facilities

• Laundry service (available from 7am to 3pm)
• Buggy service around the property
• Airport transfer (available on request for an additional fee)
• Free onsite parking
• Library, TV/DVD room, and a ping-pong table
• Two gift shops selling locally made products

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🌿 Xandari Resort Sustainability Initiatives

Xandari Resort has an Elite Level Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) which is the highest level awarded by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).

To achieve this, they have implemented a truly impressive range of sustainability initiatives including:

• The Plant-a-Tree program which allows guests to contribute to reforestation
• Farm-to-table dining with organic food grown onsite
• Onsite composting facilities and sorting of waste for recycling
• Use of biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning products
• No single-use plastic or plastic water bottles
• Supporting the community by hiring locally
• Use of locally made products and selling local handicrafts in the gift shops
• Assisting Tacacorí School with maintaining their gardens and recycling
• Making regular donations to various not-for-profits

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🌋 Things to Do Near Xandari Resort

Xandari Resort is an excellent base for exploring the Central Valley Region of Costa Rica and there are lots of cool things to do nearby.

One of the best things to do near Xandari is to visit Poás Volcano National Park which has two crater lakes connected by trails through the cloud forest.

The viewpoint is an easy walk from the carpark and on a clear day, you can see Laguna Caliente, the hydrothermal lake that fills the active crater.

Unfortunately, it was foggy when we visited so we weren’t able to see the crater lake, but we still really enjoyed walking through the cloud forest.

The national park is about a 50-minute drive from Xandari, and tickets must be purchased in advance. Staff at the resort helped us book tickets and transport and even packed us a breakfast box to eat on the way.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens is another popular place to visit near Xandari. It’s a privately owned nature park and wildlife refuge with five waterfalls and walking trails through the cloud forest.

It also has the largest wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica with over 100 species of animals including jaguars, sloths, hummingbirds, and scarlet macaws.

La Paz is about a 50-minute drive from Xandari and a 40-minute drive from Poás Volcano so you can visit both in one day.

This full day tour combines Poás Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and a tour of a coffee plantation. Hotel pickup, entrance tickets, and lunch are all included.

🌿🌋 Click Here to Book Your Volcano, Waterfalls, Wildlife, & Coffee Tour! 🦜☕

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💰 How to Get the Best Rate at Xandari Resort

Xandari is a luxury resort so prices can be a little bit steep, but we were able to get a really good price by visiting at the right time of year.

Costa Rica’s wet season runs from May to November and while most tourists are put off by the threat of rain, I actually think it’s a great time to visit.

Prices and crowds are significantly lower in wet season, and it’s also called “green season” because the rainforest is lush and the waterfalls are full.

We visited in October, which is one of the rainiest months of the year, but we still had a fantastic time.

It did rain most evenings, but we had plenty of sunshine during the day and we managed to do so much. We also really enjoyed the lack of crowds and, of course, the lower prices.

So, if you want to experience the beauty of Xandari Resort for an affordable price, book your stay during green season!

🌿 Click Here to Check Prices and Availability at Xandari Resort and Spa!

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✅ Xandari Resort Pros & Cons

While I absolutely loved staying at Xandari Resort, there are some potential downsides. Below is a summary of the pros and cons to help you decide if it’s right for you.

Pros

• Surrounded by nature with private walking trails and waterfalls.
• Incredible views of the Central Valley and surrounding rainforest.
• Unique architecture and design with colourful buildings and original artwork.
• Excellent facilities including three pools, an onsite spa, and a restaurant.
• Farm-to-table dining with organic ingredients grown onsite.
• Sustainability certification and initiatives.
• Close proximity to SJO international airport.
• Easy access to Poás Volcano and La Paz Nature Park.

Cons

• Upper mid-range to luxury pricing with no budget rooms.
• No public transport and few shops or restaurants within walking distance.
• No air-conditioning in the villas (we didn’t find this to be an issue as they are well designed and have ceiling fans).
• No amenities or activities specifically designed for children.

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❤️ Final Verdict: Is Xandari Resort and Spa Worth It?

Staying at Xandari Resort and Spa was one of the highlights of my trip to Costa Rica and I can’t recommend it enough.

It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed with colourful buildings and lovely gardens surrounded by rainforest.

The private villas feel more like luxury apartments than hotel rooms and everywhere from the rooms to the restaurant to the spa has amazing views of the valley.

Since the resort is located on a private nature reserve, you can enjoy the walking trails and waterfalls as well as the onsite spa, swimming pools, and restaurant.

Xandari Resort is both luxurious and sustainable and it’s the perfect place to begin your trip being so close to Costa Rica’s main airport.  

Whether you’re just looking to relax and immerse in nature or you want a more adventurous trip, Xandari Resort is an excellent choice. I’m sure you’ll love staying there as much as I did!