Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Costa Rica / Golfito / Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge
Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge
Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica · Independent · Core Luxury
There is no road to Playa Nicuesa. Michael and Donna Butler bought an abandoned cacao plantation on the Golfo Dulce in 2001, barged in a backhoe, and opened the lodge in April 2003 on 165 private acres with Piedras Blancas National Park at their back, about ten rooms and never more than thirty guests. The cabins use fallen timber and roofs of recycled plastic banana bags, and the boat ride in is the front door, with humpbacks and dolphins in the gulf.
- 10 rooms
- Opened 2003
- Neighborhood: Llano Bonito
About Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge
- You can reach the lodge only by boat: 165 private acres on the Golfo Dulce, backed by Piedras Blancas National Park, with no road and no neighbors but the forest.
- Michael and Donna Butler bought an abandoned cacao plantation in 2001, the year they married, lived in a one-bulb cabin, and barged in a backhoe to build.
- Opened in April 2003, with timber from fallen trees, roofs of recycled plastic banana bags, spring water fed down from the mountain, and solar power.
- Michael Butler's favorite hour is a sunset kayak on an empty Golfo Dulce, then a cocktail and a chef's meal back at a lodge that caps the house near thirty guests.
History
Founded in 2003 by environmental enthusiasts, the lodge was constructed using salvaged hardwoods and sustainable practices to blend seamlessly with the surrounding rainforest. It is located on a 165-acre private reserve directly adjacent to Piedras Blancas National Park and has received Costa Rica's highest sustainability awards. The property remains a family-owned sanctuary dedicated to conservation and providing immersive nature experiences for its guests.
The setting
3 km from Golfito Airport.
Restaurants and bars
- Playa Nicuesa restaurant (treehouse-style restaurant) — Restaurant · South American cuisine (Lonely Planet)
Experiences
- Sustainability Tour — A daily tour explaining all aspects of the lodge, including recycling, composting and passive solar drying.
- Foraging and jungle walks — Guests forage through the rainforest sampling native fruits such as pejibaye, wild cashew, mimbro, water apples and termites.
- Edible Garden tour — A tour that takes guests from raw cacao beans to finished chocolate cake.
- Kayaking — Kayaking is offered; the New Key to Costa Rica notes kayak use is free for guests.
- Snorkeling — Snorkeling at nearby shallow reefs and from the lodge's dock.
- Fishing — Guests can go fishing, as described by Travel + Leisure and Travel + Leisure's Ultimate Guide.
Amenities
- Private beach access with snorkeling and kayaking
- Yoga deck with daily classes and wellness services
- Open-air garden showers in jungle-chic cabins
- Guided rainforest hiking and wildlife tours
- Farm-to-table dining featuring fresh local ingredients
- 165-acre private reserve with boat-only access
Open Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More hotels in Golfito
- Playa Cativo Lodge — Independent · Core Luxury
- Cielo Lodge — Independent · Accessible Luxury