Playa Cativo Lodge

With spectacular views, open air layouts and exotic nature the lodge offers beautiful accommodations for every type of traveller. Each room has its own beauty, all overlooking the glistening Golfo Dulce and lush landscape, offering a chance to retreat and reconnect with nature. Your own piece of paradise. The lodge has a total of 18 guest rooms, each well-furnished with reclaimed hardwood and tilework handcrafted by local artisans. All rooms offer;

• Rain showers
• Ceiling Fan
• Biodegradable bathroom amenities
• Cotton bathrobes and slippers
• Binoculars
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Safe deposit boxes.

This room offers a king bed, sofa bed, and luxurious seating area. With amazing views across the grounds it comes with all the amenities you might need;

• Three à la carte, multi-course meals per day.
• Freshly brewed specialty coffees, and teas.
• Use of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkelling gear in Cativo Bay.
• A private Mindful Movement Session.
• The introduction to the tropical rainforest guided tour (2 hours).
• Meet and greet at the local airport with transfers to/from the dock.
• Round-trip scenic boat transfer (30 min).
• A “surprise and delight” in-room amenity.

With incredible 180° views across the sea and tropical gardens, the Luxury guest rooms provide comfort and luxury included is a King bed, sofa bed or two Queen sized beds. Included is;

• Three à la carte, multi-course meals per day.
• Freshly brewed specialty coffees, and teas.
• Use of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkelling gear in Cativo Bay.
• A private Mindful Movement Session.
• The introduction to the tropical rainforest guided tour (2 hours).
• Meet and greet at the local airport with transfers to/from the dock.
• Round-trip scenic boat transfer (30 min).
• A “surprise and delight” in-room amenity.

With a complementary mini-bar offering fresh juice, pastries and fruit (refreshed daily), this Room with panoramic views of the ocean and jungle which can be enjoyed on the large outdoor terrace- offer a King sized bed, Sofa bed and double-sink bathroom vanity. Included is;

• Three à la carte, multi-course meals per day.
• Freshly brewed specialty coffees, and teas.
• Use of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkelling gear in Cativo Bay.
• A private Mindful Movement Session.
• The introduction to the tropical rainforest guided tour (2 hours).
• Meet and greet at the local airport with transfers to/from the dock.
• Round-trip scenic boat transfer (30 min).
• A “surprise and delight” in-room amenity.

These stand alone bungalows have phenomenal views, a private outdoor terrace, private plunge pool, a complementary mini-bar offering fresh juice, pastries and fruit (refreshed daily). With a Kind sized bed these bungalows are the height of luxury. Included is;

• Three à la carte, multi-course meals per day.
• Freshly brewed specialty coffees, and teas.
• Use of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkelling gear in Cativo Bay.
• A private Mindful Movement Session.
• The introduction to the tropical rainforest guided tour (2 hours).
• Meet and greet at the local airport with transfers to/from the dock.
• Round-trip scenic boat transfer (30 min).
• A “surprise and delight” in-room amenity.

Set in the ultimate romantic atmosphere, El Gavilán gives a multi-sensory dining experience. Take an adventure through textures, flavours, colours and scents, with the fresh organic produce provided from the on-site organic farm, along with fresh seafood and organic poultry each menu is inspired by the local surroundings. Overlooking the Golfo Dulce there is nothing not to love about this restaurant. It serves la carte options, customized fine dining and a premium cocktail and wine selection in an extraordinary natural atmosphere.

Also available to be arranged at the lodge is a private candlelight three-course dinner under the stars, surrounded by the foliage of the rainforest, the sounds of tree frogs and waves. It is a beautiful memory that will be treasured for a lifetime.

With smooth breezes, glorious palm trees, perfect wines, and cuisine- El Gazebo can be enjoyed next to the lodges freshwater swimming pool. The perfect spot to watch an unforgettable sunset with an ice-cold Costa Rican crafted beer or a signature tropical cocktail. With the sounds of the animals and ocean you will feel completely relaxed and immersed in nature. An excellent selection of specialty coffees and teas are also available for your enjoyment.

The lodge prides itself on offering the chance to ‘Return to the Wild’, and that is exactly what customers receive. With 1000 acres of pristine, tropical jungle and the exceptional ecosystem of the Golfo Dulce on your doorstep, it is an exceptional ecotourism experience. Guests are encouraged to explore the natural wonders of this exotic environment, whether that be taking a tour of the tropical rainforest, hiking through Piedras Blancas National Park with its 35,000 acres of tropical rainforest or simply enjoying the beautiful Golfo Dulce sunset.

Playa Cativo Lodge makes for a stunning retreat, and provides exceptional facilities, services and activities in a way which puts the environment first. Many tours and excursions are also available such as a Bio-Luminescence Tour, Golfo Dulce Snorkelling, Pier fishing and Yoga, with many more on offer.

A sanctuary for the body and mind, Lotus Wellness features a lounge, peaceful outdoor plunge pool and two treatment rooms. Surrounded by nature this spa has healing treatments and wellness experiences as well as the more traditional massages and facials. With guests always in mind it was designed as the ultimate place for relaxation, restoration, and rejuvenation.

Costa Rica has approximately 898 recorded bird species. Get ready to enjoy visiting one of the richest bird sanctuaries in Costa Rica. Due to the range of conditions; beaches, wetlands, grasslands and valleys, Costa Rica is a paradise for many migratory species. Tour duration: 2 hours.

Explore the stunning Piedras Blancas National Park and immerse yourself in your surroundings. On the tour learn about the ecology of the tropical lowland rainforest, experiencing different vegetation units. Tour duration: 2 or 4 hours.

Embark on a peaceful excursion and enjoy picturesque views of the forest, and remote farms. Sunrise and sunset is the best time to go to witness various tropical birds and wildlife. Tour duration: 4 hours approx.

Night time is when the rainforest comes truly alive. A guide will help you uncover and experience a whole other world. Tour duration 1.45 hours approx. See frogs, bats, insects nocturnal plants and flowers and other mammals of the nocturnal world.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s not to be missed is the Bio-Luminescence Tour. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. This tour will take you out at sea so you can watch in awe at this fabulous natural phenomenon by boat, observing as the water beneath glows and sparkles.

The Golfo Dulce is home to a variety of marine animals and mammals. See dolphins and humpback whales on this tour! Combine this tour with snorkelling for a fantastic day on the water to also see manta rays, whale sharks and sea turtles. A day to be remembered. Also available near the lodge is some of the best snorkelling in the Golfo Dulce, so go see it for yourself!

Helping the environment and community is key at Playa Cativo lodge. Learn how the Eco Lodge operates at 100% clean energy with its off-grid hydroelectric power and solar panels in this guided tour. This system has worked continuously for over 30 years and keeps doing so in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Also available is an Off-Grid Alternative Energy Guided Tour.

Enjoy Pier fishing. The lodge will pack a cooler with beverages and snacks so you can just enjoy an activity that has always been part of the lives of the Golfo Dulce villagers. Also available is deep sea fishing; Fish for marlin, sailfish, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna, amberjack, roosterfish, and other species.

A 10-minute scenic boat ride along the coast of Golfo Dulce will take you from Cativo Bay to Casa Orquideas Botanic Garden. Take advantage of all the exotic species on offer with this magnificent garden. It has a large variety of tropical plants, trees, and orchids. They have been collecting them since 1970.

In this peaceful retreat, gently exercise your body and mind. Alone or as a group you can relax and renew the body and spirit in a tranquil beachfront setting.

This tour will take you around the city Golfito & Puerto Jiménez. Puerto Jiménez has a wonderful beach where you can relax while taking in the superb beauty of the Gulf. Both cities have access to services like banks, clinics, drugstores, supermarkets, and souvenir shops.

Due to the lack of an electric grid it is a necessity to generate their own on-site electricity. At the lodge they create 100% clean electric energy by hydropower. In Addition to this the lodge heats water with solar panels. Nature and guests alike appreciate the silence and clean air provided by these systems in place.

Organic waste at the lodge is kept in order to compost and to produce fertilizer and rich soil, and then used in the lodges gardens and organic farm. As well as this to preserve resources, reduce pollution and reduce waste the lodge donate containers that can be reused and also have a collections centre where all waste is classified, separated and later taken to the Golfito recycling centre.

Grown on-site, many organic products such as; vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown. Organic produce grown on the lodge has meant the lodge significantly reduced their carbon footprint. The organic farm was created as initially the produce was grown hundreds of kilometres away- transported by diesel powered trucks this was not a sustainable practise.

Over 80% of the lodge is made from biodegradable or reusable products, and most unused construction materials were donated to nearby residents. Other sustainable actions that contribute to their goal to preserve the environment and natural resources are;

• LED technology that reduces energy consumption and pollution when replacing light bulbs.
• Solar-powered filtering system for the swimming pool.
• Four-stroke outboard engines in all the boats.
• Solar cloth drying system, are other sustainable actions that contribute to their goal to preserve the environment and natural resources.

Instead of guests bringing non-biodegradable shampoos, conditioners, soaps, and similar products the lodge provides bathroom amenities, as well as cleaning and laundry products, which are biodegradable and manufactured in Costa Rica to reduce carbon footprint and help the environment.

Conservation projects that Playa Cativo Lodge support are;

• Coral Gardening Project
• Acoustic of Spider Monkey
• Sustainable use of Wild Vanilla Species

Future projects include;

• Restoration of the mangrove coverage of Playa Cativo
• With the endangered species of trees a creation of a tree nursery
• Coral reefs and the Needle fish spawning areas in the coastal area of Piedras Blancas National Park.