Art Villa in Uvita

Above Uvita, the land climbs steeply out of the Pacific and the rainforest closes in. The house sits near the top of that slope, in the canopy, with the sea showing through the trees below. It’s a bold building for such a setting. Bare concrete walls rise straight out of the jungle, softened by tropical wood and long stretches of glass that put sunrise and sunset in nearly every room. Some of the walls are hand-painted in patterns that pick up the movement of water and the forest outside, and the floors are laid with handmade Nicaraguan tiles. The effect is part gallery, part treehouse, and fully open to the green around it.

Inside, the proportions are generous. The living space is open and runs out to a garden terrace and an infinity pool that seems to hang over the treetops. The kitchen is properly equipped for long stays and private chefs alike. Five bedrooms each have their own bathroom and air conditioning, and beds are draped in mosquito nets, a reminder that the jungle is right there.

This is the largest of the villas in a small boutique resort, and guests share a set of facilities that make it easy to stay put. There’s a spa with sauna and cold plunge, a professional fitness room, and a covered space for yoga or pilates. For children there’s a 30-metre water slide, a large trampoline and a jungle playroom, enough to fill days without leaving the property. Breakfast can be arranged with local Costa Rican and international dishes, and the concierge can bring in a private chef, a bartender, a massage therapist or a yoga instructor on request.

For larger groups, the house can be booked together with the neighbouring villa on the property, a three-bedroom house sleeping six. Taken as a pair, they give a family or group of friends up to sixteen guests in two separate homes, each with its own pool, while sharing the same grounds.

The villa is entirely private, and a villa manager is on hand throughout the stay, with security and maintenance on site. Playa Hermosa is about a kilometre away. Uvita is roughly three hours’ drive from San José, or a domestic flight to Quepos followed by around forty minutes by car, and the concierge can arrange either, as well as a rental car. Fibre-optic internet keeps work within reach. Hot water comes from a solar system, so it takes five to ten minutes to come through and can run lukewarm on overcast days. Insects and wildlife are part of the setting. The neighbourhood is quiet, so outdoor noise stops at 9pm and the house isn’t suited to parties.