Esh Hotel & Spa, a member of Design Hotels, sits in Nosara’s Playa Guiones area, between the Nicoya Peninsula jungle and the Pacific beaches of Guiones and Pelada. This boutique retreat for adults and teens aged 13 and over is shaped around wellness, privacy and a close reading of the landscape: semi-exterior rooms and villas open toward garden or canopy views, with earth-toned interiors, custom furniture by local artisans, Costa Rican artwork, rain showers and, in selected categories, outdoor bathtubs or private plunge pools. The atmosphere is calm rather than showy, with concrete, wood and shadow doing much of the work. Dining centres on Almar, where Pacific and Mexican coastal flavours meet local and organic ingredients, with a breakfast bar and Ember & Ash for cocktails. Vitalis Spa adds massages, beauty rituals, yoga, Pilates, sound journeys and a pool for slow days after surf, wildlife walks or beach time.