Hotel Bosque Del Mar Playa Hermosa

Set along the shores of the gray-sand Playa Hermosa (which means "beautiful beach" in Spanish), Bosque del Mar is a contemporary boutique hotel that stylishly embraces both its jungle and beach surroundings. The airy lobby with tall ceilings and stone floors flows seamlessly toward the sea and the hotel's restaurant, transitioning along a red wooden deck built around volcanic boulders and tall trees that soar through the three-story cantilevered ceiling.

The two-tier Niromi restaurant with its generously spaced granite-topped tables and curvy wood chairs, offers guests, mostly couples and active seniors, a comfortable place to dine from early morning to night without losing sight or sound of the ocean. One story above the restaurant, the breezy Nya Lounge is a coordinated cacophony of brightly colored floral-print chairs and sofas surrounding small wooden cocktail tables. A popular spot for happy hour and after dinner drinks, the lounge offers a birds-eye view of the ocean through the tree canopy.

The hotel's modern, ocean-meets-jungle style is constant throughout the property. Two-story buildings clad in wood, glass, and metal blend with the forested surroundings, a modern pool is surrounded by a rich wood deck ringed with matching lounge chairs and cafe tables, and the buffer of sand between the hotel and the beach is illuminated by colorful lanterns, strung in the low branches of dramatic native trees, some leaning in horizontal lines toward to sea.

Playa Hermosa Bosque del Mar Hotel is set in a quiet beach community consisting of gated residential developments, restaurants, and a few hotels and bed-and-breakfast properties. The hotel is set back from the road, tucked in a forested area that borders the gray sands of Playa Hermosa, a one-mile stretch of beach that lies between Playa del Coco to the south and Playa Panama to the north.

• 10-minute drive to Playa Panama
• 12-minute drive to Playa del Coco
• 20-minute drive to Playa Ocotal
• 25-minute drive to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Liberia
• 70-minute drive to Tamarindo
• 80-minute drive to Santa Rosa National Park
• 90-minute drive to Rincón de la Vieja National Park
• Four-hour drive to Juan Santamaria International Airport, San Jose

The hotel has 35 rooms set in modern, two-story buildings as well as a huge three-bedroom Penthouse Suite located on the third level of the main building, above the lounge and meeting rooms. The majority of the rooms (20) are Junior Suites, equipped with two queen beds, small separate living rooms, garden and pool views, and the chance to connect to other rooms via a door on the terrace. Garden View and Ocean Front Suites are similar in design, offering long bedrooms with either two queen-size beds or one king bed and separate living rooms with sleeper sofas. The terraces of the Ocean Front Suites are larger, offering direct views of the ocean and elevated hot tubs.

All of the rooms feature a similar design. Floors are finished in beige ceramic tile, wood furniture incorporates red mahogany, accent walls are painted soft yellow or lined with stacked stone, and colorful but generic beach-inspired canvas artwork provides the finishing touches. Also expect a bit of local flair in the form of rattan accents and details such as seashell lamps. Most bedrooms feature tall wood headboards with diagonal strips of carved wood, white linens with duvets, subtly striped blue bedspreads, and red accent pillows and matching throws. Custom wood closets are stocked with safes and offer plenty of space to hang and store clothing in drawers and on open shelving. The small living rooms are furnished with sofa beds and coordinating chairs in either taupe fabric or a bright floral print. The living rooms also feature wall-mounted flat-screen TVs and freestanding bars stocked with wine glasses, mini-refrigerators, and coffeemakers.

Most suites offer large windows (with coordinating drapes that can be closed for privacy) that look out toward the gardens or beach. Glass doors open to wood-deck terraces with two small chairs and a table, ideal for sipping coffee and observing wildlife, most notably birds, iguanas, and howler monkeys. Bathrooms are spacious and offer more features, such as make-up mirrors and baskets of toiletries, than other Costa Rican hotels at this price point. Most of the suites have bathrooms with wide vanities and big sinks, as well as huge walk-in showers with glass walls and linear drains lined with river rocks.

The three-bedroom Penthouse Suite on the third floor is designed to evoke the feeling of a private beach house. It features a one-bedroom suite with two queen beds and a living room, separated by a dual-sided floor-to-ceiling privacy wall with shelving that displays beach-inspired decor. The suite has its own entrance, accessed by passing through the game room, an open-air space with a billiards table and coordinating lounge chairs in cobalt blue. At the front of the third floor is a two-bedroom suite. A king-size bed is set on an elevated platform overlooking a long living room that opens to a huge private terrace. A second, smaller bedroom features one queen bed and an en-suite bathroom. The residence also features a separate kitchen and dining area finished strikingly with a zebra-wood dining table with eight white chairs, a long breakfast bar, and a chef-worthy kitchen with stainless steel appliances and white Carrera marble countertops.

The hotel features a large open-air restaurant with two tiers of seating, one on an elevated stone floor platform and the other along a deck, closer to the surrounding greenery and ocean. One story above the restaurant is the hotel's cocktail lounge, an airy space with a large crescent-shaped bar and plenty of seating in bright, floral-print chairs, allowing guests to view the ocean through the branches of the surrounding tree canopy. While the beach with its gentle waves and soft gray sand is the main attraction for guests, the hotel also offers a lovely blue-tiled pool and whirlpool, surrounded by huge trees and encircled by a wooden deck with lounge chairs and cafe tables.