Costa Rica - Perez Zeledon
Part one of our Costa Rica adventure!
WHERE WE STAYED
Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Collection, named the #1 resort in Central American by Travel & Leisure in 2025 and featured on Condé Nast Traveler's inaugural Triple Crown list. This resort is escape for those seeking total wellbeing, unbridled adventure, and cultural edification. This serene 50-casita resort spans 180 bird-song-filled acres of untamed tropical forest, coffee farm, equine stables, organic chef’s gardens, and Casa de Agua, a holistic wellbeing center and home to the Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute. At Hacienda AltaGracia, every moment is designed to feel effortless — from sunrise wellness rituals and nourishing cuisine to immersive adventures shaped by the rhythm of Costa Rica’s mountains. Here, days unfold with intention, freedom, and a deep connection to nature, culture, and self. Included are all meals and non-alcoholic beverages, restorative movement classes, exclusive resort amenities, and a curated calendar of daily programming celebrating wellness, adventure, and local culture. Prior to arrival at AltaGracia, we were sent the weekly agenda of on property activities as well as additional excursions that they would book through a third party.
✈ The standout impression from our experience was the warm, attentive, and impeccable service by all of the staff. Every group is assigned “Compas” (your compañeros or guides), who are available 24 hrs/day via WhatsApp text for any reservations, arrangements, tips, or needs during your stay. No matter where you wandered on the grounds, there was always a staff member with a warm smile and a “buenos días” or a “pura vida!”
WHERE WE ATE
El Cultivo at Hacienda AltaGracia The chef's garden at AltaGracia is a key component of the resort's holistic experience. Connecting with the land, which grows native produce and herbs, creates a deeper understanding and appreciation of food and its provenance. The open-air kitchen plays host to a series of culinary and mixology workshops, celebrating indigenous Costa Rican ingredients.
Grano at Hacienda AltaGracia A pure, soulful expression of Costa Rican ingredients and Latin American culinary rituals, Grano is the chef’s laboratory. Warm, inviting and rustic in style, the dishes served tell a story – of a place, traditions, ingredients. Influenced by cuisine throughout Central America, the menu hosts a rich palette of flavors with great variety and ever-changing food and beverage journeys. The menu changes daily as they are accustomed to many guests dining here nightly.
Las Brisas at Hacienda AltaGracia Offering a rotating menu that includes items from Picoteo and classic poolside favorites, the food at Las Brisas is perfect for enjoying a leisurely afternoon. The palapa bar serves beer, wine, and simple, fresh fruit juice-driven, aperitif-style cocktails for chaise lounge imbibing.
OUR ITINERARY
DAY THREE: We had a morning flight from Miami International airport to San Jose airport in Costa Rica where we arrived and were greeted by Hacienda AltaGracia staff and escorted by private car to a private customs concierge. This process was seamless and so much less stressful and chaotic than normal customs. Once our passports were approved, we were escorted back to the terminal to await our small charter plane flight to the resort. Hacienda AltaGracia organizes and includes this small charter flight to property as part of your all-inclusive package. The flight is 30-45 minutes as opposed to a five and a half hour drive over rugged terrain. Once we landed at the resort, we were greeted by our compa for the duration of our stay. He gifted us a cacao pod necklace and welcomed us to the pura vida lifestyle of Costa Rica. We arrived on property after a short drive, where our compa welcomed us to AltaGracia with a fresh fruit beverage from the resort garden. We were given a tour of the main areas of property and then dropped off at our Casita. We opted for the Casita that included a plunge pool and it was worth every splurge! We ended our first evening with a Garden Dinner at El Cultivo where we were given a tour of the garden and enjoyed a cocktail and bites along the way as well as a five-course meal made exclusively with elements from the garden (it was vegetarian and we did not miss the lack of meat/fish one bit) cooked in a wood burning oven alongside a cocktail/wine pairing while we enjoyed the sounds of a solo guitarist. We ended night one completely in love with the Costa Rican lifestyle!
DAY FOUR: We started the morning with yoga in a shaded outdoor studio, listening to the serene sounds of nature. After yoga we went to the Mercado and enjoyed cold brew coffee (made with local beans) and a few house-made pastries. We followed coffee by partaking in one of the resort activities - Art of Cacao, where the executive chef walked us through the history and journey of the cacao plant and we enjoyed a few bites and treats (the hot cocoa was divine). Our afternoon plans involved enjoying our plunge pool, ordering room service for lunch and watching the World Cup final, vamos España! For dinner we walked around the beautiful grounds and enjoyed dinner at Grano.
DAY FIVE: We enjoyed a slow morning with coffee in our Casita followed by a beautiful walk to Casa de Agua for an afternoon of spa treatments. We opted for the couples package where we each enjoyed a massage and facial followed by lunch by the indoor pool and salt room. After a day of pampering, lounging and relaxing in the pools, we opted to order room service and enjoy dinner in our beautiful Casita.
DAY SIX: We woke up and headed to the Mercado for another cold brew and pastry breakfast followed by a few hours at one of the many pools and enjoyed a poolside lunch at Las Brisas. Afterwards we walked to the resorts stables where we enjoyed a tour, met ten of their twenty-four horses and fed them bananas (horseback riding is also an option for an additional cost). We learned about some of the flora, fauna, insects and animals that are native to the mountains of AltaGracia as well. We walked back to our Casita and showered to get ready for our last evening. We dined at Grano again and ended the night having a glass of wine on the deck by the firepit looking at the stars.
DAY SEVEN: We headed out to a local airstrip where we took a private plane from San Isidro De El General to Liberia airport for the beach part of our Costa Rican adventure!
