During a wilderness hike arranged by the newly renovated Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, my guide’s expertise included everything from spotting howler monkeys and tamanduas, to citing the many recent multimillion-dollar home sales in the area.
As I learned more about the luxury real estate boom, I thought it seemed perfectly fitting that Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo had committed to elevating its offerings via a recent multimillion-dollar renovation of its lifestyle spaces.
In fact, I had arrived at the property the day it unveiled some of the most significant transformations that took place during its three-month closure. “A modern reflection of the coastal resort lifestyle” is how Peninsula Papagayo developers Mohari and Gencom describe the property refresh, which includes the new Virador Beach Club and hilltop Wellness Shala, as well as a reimagining of the Kids For All Seasons play area and a sustainability-focused refreshment of the Arnold Palmer-designed golf course.
The sentiment couldn’t be more apt; throughout my stay, I felt “like a spoiled cat,” as I heard one guest put it, as I was pampered with peak beachfront luxury that still retains a strong sense of place and “pura vida.”
The property represents “a modern reflection of the coastal resort lifestyle, according to Four Seasons.
Credit: 2024 Four Seasons
Virador Beach Club
For me — a toddler mom on my first grownups-only trip — the crown jewel in the renovation was the adults-only Virador Beach Club, designed by award-winning Mexican architecture firm Grupo BV by Jorge Borja. The club includes three distinct areas: The Cabanas, La Playa beach area, and the beachside eatery and lounge.
Located just above the resort’s gentle beach, in an area that previously housed the original adults-only pool, Virador Beach Club is a spectacular embodiment of contemporary luxury. The property elevated a new infinity pool 6.5 feet above the ground and added a barrier between the Virador area and La Playa below to provide privacy and make the already beachfront view that much more stunning. Meanwhile, The Cabanas, an area within Virador with four private cabanas overlooking the infinity pool and beach beyond, come with a host of amenities.
These include a dedicated bartender (our bartender, Cindy, was a master of intuitive service), a welcome drink, a bottle of sparkling wine, a 45-minute chair massage and a gift. Alternating between dips in the infinity pool and doing absolutely nothing in the cabana felt so decadent that I felt guilty for enjoying myself so much away from my baby. The benefits of having a dedicated bartender also included never having an empty glass, as well as ensuring all food and beverage needs were provided seamlessly and promptly.
While cabana reservations begin when the pool opens at 8 a.m., I was out on a surfing lesson with the property’s wonderful surf school partner, SurfX, until 10 a.m. The SurfX patio was also reimagined as part of the renovation. Hoping for breakfast — but knowing the Virador menu began at lunch — I stopped by Latin grill Bahia to grab something for takeout. Instead, restaurant staff asked where I was headed; then, through the magic of walkie-talkies, Cindy presented my breakfast within minutes of me checking into my cabana — all of my dietary restriction requests perfectly accommodated, and my coffee piping hot.
The on-site Virador Beach Club beachside eatery
Credit: 2024 Four SeasonsWellness Shala
While Virador remains the pinnacle of my Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo experience, the Wellness Shala came in a close second, with its beautiful views and Costa Rican take on biophilic design — inspired by the graceful flow and movements of the Guanacaste winds. The one day I tore myself away from the cabana was to visit the Wellness Shala for a birth chart reading, one of a handful of wellness and spiritual experiences offered at the nature-inspired space, which is nestled high above the main resort area. Just looking out from the platform at the expanse of greenery and waterway below helped me breathe a bit deeper.
Accessible by golf cart followed by a brief walk up a trail of winding wooden steps, the Wellness Shala is a stunning, open-air space built using sustainable materials in collaboration with local artisans. The birth-chart reading was a new experience for me, and the mushroom-shaped platform felt like the perfect place to be discussing big spiritual questions such as my greater purpose (research and communication, as per the reading) and my greatest challenges (interestingly, also communication). I also visited the Wellness Shala for a morning sound healing, and daily yoga classes are offered, as well.
Chef Khaled Natour uses family recipes at the eatery; hummus is featured on the menu.
Credit: 2024 Four SeasonsRenovated Spaces
On days when I wasn’t being pampered at the Virador Beach Club cabanas, the first-come, first-serve cabanas by the Bahia and Blanca pools felt wonderfully relaxing; these spaces received privacy upgrades as a result of landscape enhancements in both.
In fact, all the renovated pool areas — which were resurfaced with new decking and have new, lush landscaping — felt fresh and integrated into the landscape, offering many private areas for a quiet respite. I lounged before and after a restorative spa treatment, dining on a delicious plate of vegan nachos and indulging in a pina colada made with local rum. I may not have had a dedicated bartender at the Bahia pool, but the intuitive service at Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo can be found everywhere.
The only renovated hotel restaurant eatery and lounge is Virador Beach Club, which replaces a small beachfront bar area. Re-envisioned as a lively Eastern Mediterranean restaurant serving menu items inspired by Chef Khaled Natour’s family recipes, the eatery uses local ingredients for menu items such as freshly baked Jerusalem bagels, matbucha (Moroccan tomato salad) and a truly amazing hummus.
All other restaurants have received menu and sourcing updates from a new executive chef, Emiliano Rabia Sottil, who started in 2022 and has been steadily bringing in more local ingredients.
Each day, while shuttling between meals and pools, I would pass the Kids For All Seasons space. I couldn’t help but imagine returning with my husband and 15-month-old when she is a little older.
If the Kids For All Seasons refresh is anything to kids like the cabanas at Virador Beach Club were to me, then it's sure to be another special, restorative trip.
