Which Nayara Resort Should You Book? A Travel Advisor's Honest Take

Nayara is one of those properties that comes up constantly when clients ask about Costa Rica, and for good reason. But the question I get almost every time is: which one? There are three Nayara resorts at Arenal, and they are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong one for your trip is a real thing that happens, and it is avoidable.

I have stayed at Nayara Springs, toured all three properties, and I regularly plan Costa Rica trips pairing Arenal with the Pacific coast. This reviews who each property is for, when the splurge is worth it, and where I would send you based on what you actually want from the trip.

The Short Version

Nayara Springs is adults-only, intimate, and built for romance. Nayara Tented Camp is the most dramatic and immersive of the three, and my top pick for families chasing a genuine wow factor or anyone marking a milestone. Nayara Gardens is the family-friendly option with more space, more programming, and a slightly more approachable price point.

All three share the same setting: Arenal volcano, Costa Rican rainforest, and wildlife that shows up without warning. What changes across all three is everything else.

Nayara Springs

Springs is adults-only, and it shows in every detail. The villas are intimate, the atmosphere is quiet, and every room has a private plunge pool fed by the natural hot springs on property. This is not a resort that is trying to be all things to all people. It knows exactly what it is.

I recommend it for honeymoons, anniversaries, and any trip where disconnecting from everything is the entire point. If you are traveling as a couple and want the most romantic version of Costa Rica, Springs is the answer. 

Nayara Tented Camp

Tented Camp surprised me the most on my visit, and I say that having high expectations going in. The tents are genuine structures with real beds, beautiful design, and private pools, but the rainforest immersion is unlike anything else on property. You are not looking at the jungle from a terrace. You are inside it.

This is my top pick for families who want the biggest wow factor, and also for anyone celebrating something worth remembering. The setting alone justifies the splurge. Kids who have stayed here talk about it for years. So do adults.

If you want to feel genuinely inside Costa Rica rather than adjacent to it, Tented Camp is the one.

Nayara Gardens

Gardens is the family answer. More space, more programming, and the flexibility that traveling with children actually requires. It is the least intimate of the three and the most practical, and I mean that as a compliment. Not every trip needs to be the most dramatic version of itself.

If you want the Nayara experience without committing fully to the Tented Camp splurge, Gardens delivers. The rooms are beautiful, the grounds are well designed for families, and the shared hot springs and restaurants across all three properties mean you are not missing out on what makes Nayara special.

My Actual Recommendation

Nayara Tented Camp if you want the most memorable stay, for families chasing a real adventure or anyone marking a milestone. Nayara Springs for couples, honeymoons, and adults-only escapes. Nayara Gardens for families who want the Nayara experience with more breathing room and a slightly lower entry point.

I would happily stay at any of them. This is not a situation where one is good and the others are merely tolerable. It is more like ranking desserts at a very good restaurant. Someone has to come third. It does not mean the cake has failed.

One More Thing

A lot of people pair Nayara with a few nights on the Pacific coast, and that works beautifully. But my slightly unpopular opinion: Costa Rica deserves more than one trip. Between the hot springs, the hanging bridges, the wildlife, the food, and the genuine pleasure of doing nothing in a plunge pool with an Arenal view, Nayara earns a full stay on its own.

If you are planning a Costa Rica trip and not sure which property fits, I can help you choose the right room, pair Arenal with the beach if that is the plan, and book at the same rate you would find yourself. No planning fee, no markup on the room. Tell me where you are in the planning process and I will build the right trip around it.