Botanika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton

I happened to stumble upon this gem by being a Hilton Honors member and I am so glad to have found heaven on earth. The location was remote and in the middle of the rainforest. So worth the 3+ hour ride from Manuel Antonio and the 30 minute flight back to San Jose. We were a party of five and had the two-bedroom family apartment that was exquisitely designed and filled with amenities. Which proves you can visit the jungle and not have to “rough it”. The pool was great the food was delicious the staff was accommodating, the weather was perfect and the wildlife was on full display. Can’t wait to my next visit here.

It was the best. Katherin, Tatiana, Marisol, Mauro, and Cory were the best they really made us feel welcome and like we were at home. This is a must come place with kid friendly activity’s and some for just adults. There’s ziplining, fishing, and more. It may be a lot of flights depending where you are but it is so worth it to come. -Nico Rosenberg

Highly recommend this diamond in the rough, you are basically part of the rainforest. We have visited Peninsula Papagayo multiple times in CR, this was the first visiting the Osa Peninsula & Botanika Hotel...and so glad we did. The resort is well maintained, rooms are great. We had a two bedroom suite which makes it perfect for families. The room had multiple thermostats so you can have different temperatures by room. One of the bathrooms is accessible from the living room/kitchen and bedroom...so you do not have to walk through a bedroom just to get to the bathroom. They give the option of choosing from a handful of different kinds of pillows upon request. The staff is friendly. They go out of their way to make sure your stay is fabulous. The food at the restaurants is nice. you will not walk away from breakfast hungry. Highly recommend going to Hard Croc Fisherman's Bar & Restaurant in the Crocodile Bay lodge - you won't regret it. So many lovely plants, flowers, and animals. The gym is MASSIVE. There are multiple trails to walk. Highly recommend going on the Wildlife Lagoon Trail before 7:00a to see the crocodiles. The pool area layout is nice. They provide 30 & 50 SPF sunscreen. The only negatives for the resort the chairs at the pool are NOT comfortable and there isn't any music/speakers on the side of the pool that has the cabanas. You are minutes away from the PJ airport. Some reviewers have mentioned they are annoyed by the sound of the planes leaving during the day - but it is basically like hearing someone with a lawn mower for a minute or two. Best part is when you check out they drive you right to the airport and you can walk onto the plane as you are already checked in at the hotel. The hotel will drive you into town if you would like to visit a grocery store or restaurant.

Our stay exceeded every expectation. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the natural beauty of the grounds, the immaculate and comfortable rooms, and the outstanding hospitality of the entire staff. Every detail was thoughtfully handled, creating an experience that truly deserves a 20 out of 10. We would highly recommend this property to anyone seeking an exceptional getaway.

We used Hilton Honors points to stay at the Botanika for 6 nights at the beginning of the rainy season. The weather was fine -- even great. Sunny most mornings and some rain most afternoons. Our stay was fantastic (with a few exceptions mentioned later). The setting is lovely, surrounded by plant and wildlife (think flocks of parrots and macaws flying overhead, monkeys swinging from the trees, toucans and howler monkeys screeching poolside). The pool is sprawling and beautiful. There are ample towels, plus umbrellas and cabanas spaced reasonably for privacy. The pool bar and restaurant is convenient, and the staff there -- and everywhere at the hotel -- are gracious, friendly and helpful. There are two hot tubs attached to the pool, though only one was working while we were there. Another hot tub is available to all guests on the 5th floor of Building One. We stayed in a 4th floor king suite with kitchen. It was comfortable and pretty well equipped (though we had to buy or ask for a few kitchen supplies). The beds are very comfortable and we appreciated the many pillow options. The decor is modern and minimal. Pretty, but the kitchen area, especially, could use a little more finishing -- some art on the walls or shelves. Our biggest disappointment was that both floor-to-ceiling windows were covered with so much grime and algae that it darkened the rooms and we literally could not see out of them ... a bummer when part of the delight of being in a space like that is seeing out the windows to the treetops! The sliding doors to the balcony were clear, though. The balcony was a great space to enjoy the treetops and wildlife, even in the rain. It did not feel private though -- many other balconies very close by. We were there in the low season so the rooms that would have looked onto ours weren't occupied. If we go again, I'd choose a room that faced away from pool with a balcony that would be more private. Our stay included daily breakfast in the restaurant. The setting was amazing -- an outdoor, cushioned booth right next to the gardens where we watched birds, monkeys, and a few raccoons. The staff was sweet and kind and patient with our needs-improvement Spanish. A special shout-out to Tatiana, who remembered our names, our food preferences, my food allergies, etc., and who was a delight to chat with each morning. Kudos to the chef, too, who was very creative and accommodating in adjusting menu items to address my food allergies. The food was delicious. Sadly, we weren't made aware, until check-in, that the restaurant would be closed for dinner for our entire stay. That was a real disappointment, as we'd planned to dine there several times after full days of exploring. We never stay at resorts and normally prefer locally-run hotels or vacation rentals, and we were a little uneasy about staying at a big American chain property when visiting Costa Rica. This stay was fantastic, however. A truly

We had a wonderful and memorable stay at Botanika. Set in the heart of the rainforest, the hotel’s location provided easy access to everything we wanted to see and do. The hotel itself was spotless and well maintained with comfortable and spacious rooms. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, making our stay feel truly special. We will visit again!!