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Review of our family stay at Isla Chiquita Glamping Hotel in Costa Rica
Imagine glamping on a small island in Costa Rica, dotted with palm trees. Monkeys jump from tree to tree and you’re having a cocktail in your hammock.
The sun is going down while the sky gets orange and you have dinner on the deck of the restaurant. After dinner, you go to bed in your luxury safari tent in the jungle. You fall asleep to the sounds of the waves.
Sounds like a dream, right? I will tell you a little secret… this island exists. Welcome to Isla Chiquita, located in the picturesque Gulf of Nicoya, in Costa Rica.
Isla Chiquita: some history
For more than 40 years the island was home to Tía Nora. She bought the island a long time ago because she loved fishing in the surrounding waters.
Six years ago, she decided to share her little paradise with the world and they decided to build a glamping hotel on the island. Step by step, the glamping resort grew and now it’s one of the most unique places in Costa Rica to spend the night.
As far as we know, Isla Chiquita Glamping Hotel is also the only ‘hotel’ located on an island in Costa Rica and your only option for an island getaway in this beautiful country.
What is glamping according to Isla chiquita
Glamping is a term used for accommodations that combinate ‘glamour’ and ‘camping’ (hence the word glamping).
As you can find on their website, it ‘blends the adventure and eco-friendly appeal of a camping holiday with the comforts and amenities of a traditional hotel‘.
But Isla Chiquita is much more than that. They ‘elevate the glamping experience with premium tent accommodations featuring plush bedding, organic bath products, and lounging decks with gorgeous ocean or tropical forest views.‘
Furthermore, the luxury glamping tents are located on the ridge so everybody gets to enjoy a splendid view of the bay.
All tents have their own bathroom with shower and toilet. In the tent, there are amazing beds, a minibar, and a deck with comfortable chairs so you can enjoy the view. Some tents even have their own private swimming pool.
Our experiences of glamping at Isla Chiquita in Costa Rica
Arrival on Isla Chiquita Island
When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff, waving palms and a fresh passion fruit juice. They brought our bags to our tent by the golf carts and we could ride along. Something the kids were very enthusiastic about!
Our luxury glamping tent
From the moment we saw our tent, we fell in love. The setting in the woods and views over the ocean are fantastic! And the interior is totally our style! Minimalistic but luxurious at the same time with a lot of wood and fun details!
We enjoyed sitting on the deck, watching over the ocean. Our kids played with their toys and we did some yoga in the morning. In the evening we had a drink and listened to the sounds of the jungle.
The only downside, maybe, is the steep trail up to the tents (especially if you have one in the back). The view comes at a price ;-). But, if you don’t feel up to it, the staff is more than happy to take you up with the golf cart.
The food
Harry’s bar and restaurant is an experience on his own. The food is delicious, the view from the terrace unforgettable. You can enjoy lunch and dinner there.
Breakfast is served every morning next to the beach while the sun is rising and parrots or other birds play their best songs. A magical setting and the perfect beginning of the day.
We also love the fact that all products come from local farmers and local fishermen.
Experiences on Isla Chiquita
Besides the pool, spotting monkeys (which our girls loved), and a walking trail on the island, one of the other complementary activities they provide is a kayak or SUP. Our family loves to kayak and they told us you can go around the island in about 1-2 hours. Perfect!
We left early in the morning to avoid the heat. While fish jumped out of the water we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. On the other side of the island, you can make a stop for a swim on a secluded beach. Bring your snorkels and explore. With a little luck, you’ll see a spotted eagle ray.
There are also other activities to book. During the evening you can take a private boat and go out to see the bioluminescence. They also have day tours like visiting Isla Tortuga or fishing tours.
We chose the cooking lesson. We made a tropical ceviche together with their friendly chef. He explains the favors and ingredients. After mixing all ingredient’s you can enjoy your own tropical ceviche while watching the sunset.
Sustainability
We love how they focus on protecting the environment and making their footprint as small as possible.
On the island, they have many solar panels to supply the tents, the restaurant, and offices with electricity. Even the water for the showers is heated with solar panels.
The water of the bathrooms in the safari tents is recuperated, filtered, and used again for other purposes such as watering the garden.
And as said before, the food in the restaurant is cooked with locally sourced products, produced or caught by local people.
Digital nomads
We understand many people go on a vacation to disconnect. But being a digital nomad family, connectivity is very important to us.
And that’s exactly what we loved here. The WiFi and internet speed are very fast. Every tent is individually connected to the internet. Perfect for longer stays and people who want to work online from anywhere.
How to get to Isla Chiquita
Isla Chiquita is easy reachable. You can take the ferry from Puntarenas (which is 1u50min from San José). When arriving at the small harbor in Paqueras they pick you up with their own private boat.
If you don’t like boats or want to arrive in style, you can also come by helicopter straight from San José.
After visiting Isla Chiquita, you can easily extend your vacation in, for example, Santa Teresa or Samara. Both are perfect for surfing or enjoying the beach!
We loved our stay in Isla Chiquita. The combination of glamping, their facilities, and experiences, discovering the island, and eating their delicious food in the restaurant is an experience you will never forget!
If you want to book your own stay, you can find all the information on their website.
Although this stay at Isla Chiquita Glamping hotel in Costa Rica was hosted, this article expresses our own opinion, as always.
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