Villa in Dominical

Rainforest meets Pacific horizon here, on a hillside above Dominical where the jungle canopy thickens, and the sound of the ocean drifts up through the trees. The drive in — just under half a mile of unpaved road requiring a 4x4 — marks the transition from the coast highway's easy rhythm to something slower and more intentional. Five minutes to the beach. Ten to Dominical's surf breaks and open-air restaurants. And yet, arriving feels genuinely removed.

The entrance sets the register immediately: a Torana-style gate opens onto grounds where Balinese-inflected architecture has been layered over the raw material of the Costa Rican landscape. Glass walls dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, drawing in light and greenery in equal measure. The kitchen — designed by an award-winning cookbook author — is equipped and stocked for serious cooking, with the kind of layout that invites a long afternoon of preparation as much as a quick breakfast before the beach.

Five suites are distributed across two floors. On the ground level, the master opens directly to a terrace and the infinity pool, with a private outdoor rainfall shower positioned to face the trees. A second ground-floor suite offers a king bed, a work desk, and a queen pull-out — slightly more sheltered from the main flow of the house. Upstairs, three king suites each have private balconies looking out over the jungle canopy; the ocean can be heard, if not always seen. A glass-ceiling library loft sits apart from the sleeping quarters — a quiet room that earns its name.

Getting here from San José takes roughly 3.5 hours by road. Private shuttle transfers run $350–$450 each way; premium 4x4 rentals can be arranged and delivered to the villa. For those preferring to cover the distance by air, a 45-minute scenic flight to Quepos followed by a short transfer is the quickest option — or a private plane for groups of up to ten. The concierge team handles all of the above, along with private chef dinners, sailing excursions, ATV tours, zip lines, and beach outings. Preferences can be submitted before arrival.

Construction is active approximately 100 meters from the property, generally confined to weekday daytime hours. A boundary wall has been added at the entrance to reduce both noise and sightlines to the site.