Note: Part of my stay was covered by Parador Resort. All words and photos are mine.

When I was searching for a hotel during the Manuel Antonio portion of our recent trip to Costa Rica, one resort popped up over and over again: The Parador in Quepos.

Manuel Antonio is a must-see travel destination: a national park with beautiful beaches and the most bio-diversity in Costa Rica, within a country that touts the highest density of bio-diversity in the world. So, of course, I knew we wanted to visit the area and was happy to come across Parador Resort, which combines luxury accommodations with environmentalism.

Hotel Parador Rooms and Accommodations

The resort is tucked up high in Pacific coastline, which makes every building feel secluded. We had a suite that looked out to the ocean and gave us lots of room, including a jacuzzi tub on the patio. Everything was fully modern, with high quality touches of stone and brushed steel. They have a variety of room styles to meet many different size requirements!

The decor is highly Spanish influenced, with many old-world artifacts. The resort is actually privately owned by a family from Europe, which explains the sculptures and art seen all around the property.

I was even able to meet with one of the owners, who lives nearby! She sat with us at dinner and told stories of her family, how the hotel is run, what opportunities they provide for employees – and really gave me a sense that her “family” is the whole crew at Hotel Parador.

Microgreens – Farm To Table

As for food? There are four restaurants at Parador, although some were closed during our low-season stay. One program that the hotel is very proud of (as they should be) are their microgreens. To accent the resort’s commitment to the environment, Parador recycles and composts almost everything. This fertile earth is then used to grow microgreens in a special greenhouse on site. These are in every salad! General Manager Jorge took us on a tour…

Massage at the Spa

We were able to have a relaxing massage at Parador’s spa, right before a rain storm. (Low season = a bit of rain). The weather was actually timed perfectly to relax us almost right into a nap.

Pools, Beach & Grounds

Parador has three different pools on the property and all feel like a sanctuary against the world. Since the hotel is nestled way above the Pacific ocean, the views are specular. Also, because of its location in the hills, the Parador beach is a bit of a trek. The staff will give you a lift to the trailhead and then it’s less than a 5 minute walk on a easy trail to get there. And because the beach is tucked in those hills: also very secluded. The grounds themselves feel like a nature park – keep an eye out for the ropes above your head! They are there to help the monkeys stay off the road!

What can I say?

We were welcomed like family – and we continue to chat with Parador on social media regularly.

In a nutshell:
We can’t wait to visit our friends again… and again.