Rosewood Puerto Papagayo Luxury meets Tropics in Costa Rican Oceanfront Paradise

The Challenge

The pristine northwest coastline of Costa Rica within Guanacaste Province on the Gulf of Papagayo is treasured for its tropical forests, varied wildlife and white sand beaches. The design approach required great sensitivity to the site’s natural contours, treading lightly and integrating with the native landscape and ecosystem. Rugged landscape and sweeping ocean views are major design drivers. The site’s natural setting provides natural shading and engagement, but changes from wet to dry with the seasons, requiring the design team to understand the exposure the structures provide and their impact on guest comfort and privacy.

The Design Solution

The architecture maximizes views by delicately lifting the structures up from the ground, gently integrating into the natural landscape and ecosystem. The terraced, low-rise, open-air structures are decentralized and sprinkled throughout the site to take full advantage of ocean vistas while amplifying privacy and tranquility. Minimized pathways alleviate scaring to the hills, allowing guests to maneuver laterally and vertically through the site comfortably and naturally.

The pools are gently cut out naturally through the site, allowing water to cascade down through the main spine of the resort, becoming a natural wayfinding element.

The signature treehouse suites offer guests intimate engagement with the Costa Rican eco-environment. The two-story suites emulate a butterfly cocoon that lift from the ground, bypassing treetop canopies that are accessed via trails and hanging bridges, creating an immersive experience with nature.

The Design Impact

Rosewood Puerto Papagayo radiates Costa Rican character with its use of locally sourced stone, hardwoods, artwork and handcrafted textiles and furnishings by local artisans, creating an authentic connection to this one-of-a-kind place.