The Gist:

At first glance, Tabacón Grand Spa & Thermal Resort is so grand I'm reluctant to believe it qualifies as “eco.” It's a virtual Disneyland of natural wonders—a five-star retreat in the shadow of an active volcano, with an intimate network of rivers heated to hot-tub perfection at their source. Stone footpaths meander through the property, flanked by flora straight out of Dr. Seuss; guests can opt to soak in the steaming river or sip Cacique cocktails at the swim-up bar before retiring to one of 114 elegant rooms. This is Mother Nature at her most civilized…and it's something to behold.

The Digs:

As a three-year member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Tabacón has successfully balanced a quiet European sophistication and a healthy dose of Asian exoticism with a decidedly American quest for variety. This balance is evident in the common spaces and rooms; everywhere I look, there’s an exotic wood carving, a surface of polished stone or a handful of fresh flower petals. And it’s clear in the hotel’s cuisine, as well. Executive Chef Imade Budiana joins me for lunch one day, and he’s only too happy to touch on the principles of Ayurvedic cooking as he pulls a batch of steaming naan from his Tandoori oven—a recent addition that perfectly complements his global à la carte menu and buffet.

The Draw:

Until the eruption of the long-dormant Arenal volcano in 1968, tourists had little incentive to visit the tiny agricultural hamlets nearby. But once it recovered from the blast, the village of La Fortuna finally began to earn its name—rising from the ashes to become one of Costa Rica’s most-visited locales. On our hike to the volcano-viewing area, my guide, Pablo, fills me in on Arenal’s geological personality. Because basalt has such a high melting point, he explains, we won’t see the bright-orange liquid lava that one might associate with Hawaii or Brazil. What we do see, though, is no less thrilling: a parade of SUV-sized boulders being shot out of Arenal’s mouth.

The Spa:

Since its no-holds-barred renovation in 2006, The Grand Spa has garnered a great deal of media attention—and I'm happy to find that it's well deserved. I have a warm-up soak in the main building's luxe Jacuzzi, then Marisela guides me down the footpath to my secluded open-air bungalow. I've chosen the Tabacón Package, a volcanic mud wrap and facial mask followed by a warm melon oil massage; all products are certified organic and sourced nearby. The mud is so warm and the towels so toasty that I actually nod off during the facial, lulled into a savasanalike state by the drowsy hum of the jungle. Later, Marisela wakes me gently and guides me to my private, volcano-heated pool—where I'm invited to rinse and swim before my final rubdown.

Why It's Green:

As an active member of Costa Rica's Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program, Tabacón is living proof that luxury and responsibility need not be mutually exclusive. In fact, one of the first things I notice about my room (once I get over the volcano outside my window) is the high-tech “energy cop” on the wall; this brilliant keycard-activated gadget makes it impossible to leave the lights or air conditioning on when you leave your room.

During my detailed facilities tour with Melanía López Herrera, we talk about the hotel's extensive conservation and recycling program—all trash is hand-sorted daily—as well as its efforts to support the local community. In addition to a matching guest donation program that contributes an estimated $61,000 per year to area schools and children, the hotel's employee-run “Green Brigade” is involved in wildlife preservation, reforestation programs and the management of the hotel's organic herb garden. Tabacón is currently awaiting Official Carbon Neutral certification.

Tabacón Grand Spa & Thermal Resort is in La Fortuna, which is a 35-minute flight from San José aboard Nature Air—the World's First Certified Carbon Neutral Airline. www.tabacon.com.

The Gist:

Arenas Del Mar isn’t technically part of Manuel Antonio National Park, but don’t tell that to the monkeys. Just a few minutes’ walk from the park itself, the hotel’s remote cliffside location—along with its owners’ serious commitment to conservation—have made it a haven for local wildlife. En route from Quépos, our driver pulls over three different times to point out various critters in the trees: a frolicking family of squirrel monkeys, a three-toed sloth snoozing on a branch and more iguanas and basilisks than I can count.

The Digs:

Arenas Del Mar is one of just eight members of the Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica, and it’s easy to see why. Its rooms offer the perfect blend of big-city amenities and luxurious local touches; my suite has free wi-fi, a flat-screen TV and a breezy ocean-view patio with a turquoisetiled Jacuzzi tub. I take my breakfasts poolside, with a panoramic view of Cathedral Point; Playitas, the casual café on the beach of the same name, serves up flavorful traditional lunches. For dinner, it’s upscale continental cuisine at El Mirador. But my favorite discovery by far is the delightful Guaro sapo, a muddy-looking cocktail of ginger, lime and sugarcane liquor.

The Draw:

Though it’s Costa Rica’s smallest national park, Manuel Antonio boasts an unequalled variety of flora and fauna. During our three-hour tour, we are treated to up-close views of mantled howler monkeys, a white-nosed coati (a cousin to the raccoon), the crowd-pleasing three-toed sloth, a pair of long-nosed bats, a coconut-eating agouti (a large, ground-dwelling rodent) and even the notoriously shy eyelash viper. Our guide, Maurilio, explains that the competition for jobs like his is fierce, so ticos study feverishly in their spare time and invest their own money in highpowered telescopes. We’re especially happy to be viewing the six-foot spectacled caiman from a safe distance.

The Spa:

On the day of my check-in, it starts raining the minute I slip into my room—so an afternoon visit to the Las Brisas Spa seems an obvious choice. Ditto for anything called “Chocolate Tides,” so I quickly change into my plush robe and slippers, grab one of the hotel’s huge umbrellas and pad over to the spa. Las Brisas is built right into the hillside, with floorto-ceiling windows that bring the jungle inside—mercifully, without the humidity or ever-present bugs. Paloma’s tiny hands are deceptively strong, and the locally sourced cocoa body rub and facial scrub are the olfactory version of a fivestar dessert. It’s two hours incredibly well spent; I’d gladly skip dinner and fall directly into a deep sleep, but I’m looking forward to some chocolate I can actually eat.

Why It's Green:

Arenas Del Mar hopes to be the first five-star hotel to receive Five-Leaf Certification—the highest attainable level—from CST. The hotel’s Sustainability Manager, Kalinga Rodríguez, helps me understand exactly what’s required for a Best in Showlevel award. We discuss the ionized “sweet water” swimming pools; the extensive organic garden and composting facility; the meticulous recycling center; the solar-paneled roof on the administrative offices; and their participation in the Squirrel Monkey Conservation Alliance. But for me, the highlight is the small, state-of-theart laundry facility—where computerized equipment using biodegradable detergents removes water so efficiently that conventional dryers are all but unnecessary.

To get to Arenas Del Mar, fly Nature Air from San José to Quépos—a quick 15-minute flight. The hotel will shuttle you the remaining 20 minutes to the resort. www.arenasdelmar.com

The Gist:

Costa Ricans have an expression, pura vida, which is used for just about everything—for hellos and goodbyes, as an exclamation of indifference or as a general expression of one’s delight at the great fortune of living in a place like Costa Rica. If I could choose just one experience that perfectly captures the spirit of this saying, it would be my time at the Lapa Rios Ecolodge, located on the tip of the Osa Peninsula. In many ways, it’s a microcosm of the country itself: wild, intimate and over-the-top lovely, with an earthy opulence that’s appropriate for hikers and honeymooners alike.

The Digs:

I’m a hiker, not a honeymooner—but I have to admit I’m seduced by this place. My bungalow is a deluxe version of our beloved childhood tree house, with tropical bamboo furnishings, a siesta-inspiring hammock, glossy wood floors and lots of sexy mosquito netting. I have three showers, and I manage to use them all; the secluded garden shower after a morning at the beach, the waterfall shower following my afternoon trek and the solar-heated tile shower before dinner at Brisa Azul. I choose the charred chayote soup with black bean relish, followed by mango mole chicken alongside my Chimi cas (a local cocktail of lemon, sour guava, vodka and triple sec).

The Draw:

Lapa Rios gets the highest marks from Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines—and it’s obviously about more than mere accommodations. The Ecolodge is part of a 1,000-acre preserve overlooking the rocky point where Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific Ocean, and acts as a crucial wildlife corridor and buffer zone for the adjacent Corcovado National Park. Simply put, it’s one of the last, best wild places left on Earth.

Not surprisingly, everything about the Lapa Rios experience is designed to help guests enjoy nature with minimum impact. The Ecolodge has four trained naturalists on staff, and more eco-tours than you can imagine, including “Wild Waterfalls,” “Sunset Birds” and the “Golfo Dulce Dolphin Tour.” There are also a few wonderfully unexpected offerings, like “Play Soccer with the Locals” and “Pigs, Twigs and Garbage,” which teaches guests about the Ecolodge’s sustainability practices. I opt for a morning surf session with Polo; the slow-rolling right point break is perfect for longboarders, so I get two hours of pure bliss in the jade-colored, 83-degree water. Then I’m off to learn about pigs and twigs.

Why It's Green:

When John and Karen Lewis sold everything to buy—and preserve—a chunk of Costa Rican rainforest in 1990, they raised a few eyebrows in their native Minnesota. Today, the Lapa Rios founders are the rock stars of the eco-tourism industry, continually raising the bar for like-minded hospitality providers around the world. There are many factors contributing to Lapa Rios’ Five-Leaf Certification: their efforts in wildlife protection, pollution control, waste management, sustainable development, community involvement and of course, their collaboration with The Nature Conservancy to secure a conservation easement for their land. But perhaps most important of all is their unfailing devotion to one simple idea: that a tree left standing is more valuable than a tree cut down.

From San José, fly Nature Air to Puerto Jiménez (about a 50-minute trip). A Lapa Rios driver will meet you at the airstrip and shuttle you the remaining 45 minutes to the Preserve. www.laparios.com

The Gist:

After a week of total immersion in Costa Rica’s natural wonders, the Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn offers the most appropriate way I’ve found to see Costa Rica’s bustling capital city: as a blanket of twinkling lights in the distance. At an elevation of 4,000 feet, the 40-acre preserve and plantation has a unique microclimate that’s ideal for cultivating coffee and pampering guests, with lower temperatures and humidity than much of the country. And with a location just 15 minutes from the San José International Airport, it’s the perfect bookend for your eco-adventure.

The Digs:

There’s a whimsy at play in each of the Inn’s 11 suites and two master suites; the floors and countertops are crafted with polished hardwoods, and the walls are festooned with colorful hand-painted murals. Even the architecture is quietly playful, with loads of odd-shaped windows, domed ceilings and nary a 90-degree angle. My meals at the Inn’s cozy El Tigre Vestido restaurant—a traditional casado for breakfast and a four-course European dinner, crafted from local ingredients—are both top-notch. When I do finally wander back to my room, there are two tiny dark chocolate frogs on my pillow. It’s the perfect ending to an already sweet day.

The Draw:

Due to its modest geographic footprint, Costa Rica ranks 12th in the world for coffee production—yet it’s consistently in the top five for quality. Resident coffee guru Leonardo Vergnani knows his stuff, so he’s the perfect ambassador between unsuspecting visitors and this surprisingly complex industry. During our two-hour tour, we learn about symbiotic planting with native higuerón shade trees, banana plants and vetiver grass; the astoundingly rigorous standards for organic certification; how coffee is cultivated, picked, dried and roasted; and even what caffeine looks like after it’s been removed from the beans (hint: don’t ask). The tour culminates in a cupping session, during which we get a glimpse of just how serious—and rightfully so—Leo is about his beans.

The Spa:

Given my last spa experience, my choice at El Targua Spa shouldn’t be much of a surprise—who can resist a treatment called “The Tiramisu”? There’s a sunny tiled tub in my private treatment room, and it’s filled with an aromatic bath of organic coffee, clove and citrus. After a wonderfully fragrant soak, Shirley gets busy with a honey-almond exfoliation, followed by a moisturizing body wrap and rejuvenating facial. Throughout the treatment, she quietly explains each of the Raw Botanicals-brand products she’s using; they’re all sourced here in Costa Rica, near Manuel Antonio. We end with a full-body massage using Mango Dream Cream, which is very dreamy indeed.

Why It's Green:

“I’m not what you would call a tree-hugger,” says Hans Pfister, President of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality (www.cayugaonline.com) whose company manages the sustainability operations for Costa Rica’s greenest hotels. “It’s just the right thing to do.” As we tour the Finca—which also has a coveted Five-Leaf rating from CST—I find that they’re “doing right” down to the smallest detail. In addition to solar-heated water, an ionized swimming pool, an on-site greenhouse, dual composting facilities and an advanced recycling center, the hotel’s roof tiles and pool chairs are made from 100% recycled banana leaf bags. And those gorgeous hardwood floors? They’re made from lumber salvaged decades ago during the construction of national highways. It’s just one more way Costa Rica is paving the way for a greener future.

The Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn is located in Santa Bárbara de Heredia, about 15 minutes from San José International Airport. www.fincarosablanca.com