FLAGSHIP COSTA RICA

To start your holiday, you will fly into San Jose, Costa Rica’s buzzing capital, where you'll stay two nights in the delightful Finca Rosa Blanca, a coffee plantation just outside the city. With breezes scented by the ground beans and views framed by lush colourful gardens, take it easy and tuck into fresh seafood, swim in the infinity pool and soak up the panoramic views over the Central Valley. You’ll be able to go on a coffee tour of the farm, learning how the red coffee fruits are processed, dried and roasted onsite, as well as understanding the history of Costa Rica’s coffee industry. Indulge in a cupping session, or catacion, and if you travel in season, you’ll have a chance to pick and taste the ripe coffee berries straight from the plant. After two nights in the elegant yet funky inn, you’ll feel energised and ready for your adventure ahead.

Flying deep into Costa Rica’s peaked countryside, you’ll head for the breathtaking mountains of the Perez Zeledon region. Overlooking the San Isidro Valley, the Hacienda AltaGracia will be your home for three nights of horse-oriented activity. The estate used to be a coffee plantation, covering over 800 acres, and has over 40 well-groomed steeds in their palatial stables, meaning you can explore the fragrant and fertile valleys from the heights of the leather saddles. Visit the onsite spa, ideal for tired muscles and sore thighs, and then wallow in the monumental swimming pool to wash away any remaining stress. If you want to see the area from a different vantage point, wake up early for a morning flight in an ultralight aircraft or hook up to a zip line and fly through the treetops, with no early wake up required!

Continuing south along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, you’ll reach the uber secluded Playa Cativo, a wonderfully secluded oceanfront lodge hemmed in by rainforest and accessible only by boat. Set near the Corcovado National Park, the largest and most untouched tropical forest in the country, you can spend your days following the walking trails through the forest, swimming in the peaceful waterfalls, going on a canopy tour and spotting various species of monkey and even glimpsing the rare jaguar, ocelot, tapir and anteater. The lodge is also fringed by an incredible coastline with endless coves and beaches, fresh-water lagoons and an ocean horizon interrupted only by breaching whales. Grab some snorkelling gear and explore the marine sanctuary at Cano Island, a beautiful reef with white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, parrotfish, 19 species of coral and a whole range of iridescent fish.

An explosion of colourful flowers, singing birds and dramatic views of Arenal Volcano, it’s no wonder Nayara Springs was voted one of the most romantic hotels in South and Central America. An adult-only, intimate hotel on the outskirts of La Fortuna, Nayara Springs will be your indulgent base, as you wobble across hanging bridges suspended above the rain forest, dip your toes into the thermal pools and follow the paths, on foot or horseback, to the beautiful La Fortuna Waterfall. During your stay, you’ll head out with a naturalist guide to the western side of Arenal to explore the foothills of this once active volcano. On reaching the top of the latest lava flow, you’ll be able to take in the superb views of Arenal Lake while your guide details the history of the mountain and points out the diverse plant and wildlife.

For the final three nights of this signature trip, you’ll be whisked away to the hidden gem that is the Papagayo Peninsula. Hemmed in by golden sands, lush mountains and deep blue Pacific waters, the Four Seasons Resort is perfectly positioned as both a beachside retreat and a jungle getaway.  You can join the expeditions to the different rainforests along the peninsula, taking a few final photographs of howler monkeys and scarlet macaws as you go, or take to the sea on a boogie board, in a kayak or on a boat. If you can’t decide between the forest or ocean activities, perhaps a few hours practicing your swing on the 18-hole championship golf course will help you make up your mind. During one of the three nights at the Four Seasons, you’ll experience the exclusive Taste of the Stars, where you’ll be served a menu of cocktails and culinary treats infused with meteorite dust as you watch the southern sky through a powerful GPS-guided telescope and snap beautiful photographs– taking home a very special celestial souvenir from a holiday you’ll never forget.