Post by CBATL on Jul 8, 2016 22:30:19 GMT -5
Costa Rica isn't exactly off the beaten path for travelers, but the southern part of the country hasn't been much of a tourist destination and has mostly just been a farming region. Three years ago Hacienda AltaGracia opened up as a resort, it was originally a banana plantation and then converted into a private equestrian center than slowly evolved into a 850 acre property with 50 casitas. The smallest entry level casitas are 1,200 sq feet and the larges 2,300 sq feet so it really is like staying in a home. The property is set right in the heart of the mountains overlooking the San Isidro valley about a 35 -40 minute flight from San Jose either by commercial flight to the valley or by private hotel planes to the hotel landing strip. The resort has the largest spa in Central America, it's own wine shop, artisan crafts shop and equestrian center with 50 horses on property. There are mountain biking, rafting, ziplining and ultralight flight activities available and of course horseback riding, in fact Virtuoso clients get a free 30 minute horseback ride for two. The resort also arranges tours of nearby coffee and sugarcane plantations and local indigenous villages. AltaGracia is the only property in Central America currently on the Conde Nast hot list, and it's a different way to experience Costa Rica