Playa Cativo Lodge

Set on Costa Rica's incredible Osa Peninsula and surrounded by the Piedras Blancas National Park, Playa Cativo Lodge is surrounded by incredible natural beauty.

The rooms are furnished in a colonial plantation style with hand-painted bathroom tiles, light wooden floors and walls, latticed wooden furniture and delicate white curtains. Locally-sourced materials, such as reclaimed hardwoods and tiling by local artisans, are used extensively. The rooms have rainshowers and king-sized beds and overlook the beach or the ocean, with views of the surrounding rainforest.

The El Gavilan restaurant serves divine Costa Rican dishes, using produce sourced straight from the lodge's farm and other local producers. Choose from the list of ice-cold Costa Rican craft beers or sample the tropical cocktails as you take in the views of Golfo Dulce from the terrace. ‘Pura vida’ is the Costa Rican motto, and its connotations of purity and joie de vivre are exemplified in the beautiful, traditional cuisine served up at El Gavilan.

Playa Cativo Lodge has a comfortable library with an extensive selection of books, from novels to natural history tomes on Golfo Dulce and the surrounding area, and the diverse wildlife to be found here. There’s also an irresistible outdoor freshwater swimming pool, where you can relax with a drink surrounded by palm trees. The hotel’s beautiful tropical gardens are alive with a diverse population of exotic birds, mammals and butterflies.

You can be as active or inactive as you like during your stay here. Those looking to unwind will be lured by the sandy beaches and swimming pool, while adventure seekers can go kayaking through the Rio Esquinas mangroves, hike in the national park, go on a guided expedition to the nocturnal rainforest, and paddle board, snorkel or swim in search of dolphins and whales. The Piedras Blancas National Park is a beautiful area which is home to a rich diversity of wildlife, including jaguars, two-toed sloths and glass frogs.