Kura Boutique Hotel Member of the Cayuga Collection

Simply put, the Kura is a breathtakingly beautiful property and was an amazing hotel for us as honeymooners. It is extremely secluded, private, safe, and romantic. Images really don't do justice to the incredible 180-degree view of the coast centered on the town of Uvita and the Whale Tail. Our room was Master Suite #7. It was extremely spacious (I think 1500+ sf?), with a shower bigger than some bedrooms, and a super private patio with a pool, hammock, and lounge area. They service the room twice a day and even mop the floors both times so the room is always very clean. In the mornings, we woke up to the sounds of wildlife and got to watch toucans hanging out in the trees. We felt so relaxed and refreshed every day here. As for the hotel amenities, it is a small hotel so there is 1 restaurant / main pool area, but it is exquisite. The food portions are modest, but are very high quality with locally sourced ingredients, making us feel energized after every meal. The beef carpaccio, grilled chicken, spinach & ricotta ravioli, and steak were memorable. The cocktails were very unique and delicious. I also think the banana bread that comes with breakfast is the best I've ever had. There is also a free daily activity which we took advantage of (the rum tasting with a sunset view - incredible!) and they provide a daily complimentary round trip shuttle service into town. We had them drop us off at the national park by the Whale Tail which we explored and then did a walk all through Uvita which was a lot of fun. The staff knew us by name and were extremely friendly, conversational, and attentive. Some that we remember by name were our driver Janan, concierge Emanuel, and Noel, Willian, and Alonso who worked at the restaurant & bar. We really appreciated how much they made us feel welcome and cared for! My suggestion for improvement would be to notify guests ahead of time if construction will be taking place. There were 2 pools being built below the main pool and the noise was bothersome at times. Fortunately we were able to hang out by our room's pool instead, but not all guests had that luxury.

Overall such a wonderful stay at Kura! The staff truly make this experience wonderful! Every staff member encountered was very pleasant, helpful and always had a smile on their face. Our concierge team always checked in on us through messaging, they were very prompt in arranging any activities we wanted, reminded us of meal times and arranged room service along with checking in about housekeeping needs multiples times a day. The staff are very thoughtful and really want you to relax. We utilized the spa and did the mixology class on property which were both great! Room - We stayed in a Master Suite and the view was amazing, we literally spent half of our trip relaxing and enjoying the view from pool watching the sunset and not even leaving property some of the days! The only cons would be the location of the resort up the high mountain if you like to leave your resort often, this will require some planning and concierge scheduling transport which was simple but just not quick come and go and then secondly the resort only having the same menu daily. It's only restaurant and the food was very good at the restaurant but it would have been nice to have the menu switch every day or couple of days to offer some variety since a lot of people remain on property fr meals. Tips - bring mosquito repellant, bring an eye mask if you want to sleep in as the sunrises around 5:30am here and the curtains are not blackout, so the entire villa is bright by 6am. Otherwise great experience, magical views and absolutely loved our time here!

Kura…in the Japanese idiom it represents the art and intricacy of building small. If you want a 5star resort with a very boutique feel and personalized service, this is your place. From beginning to end, Kura and the entire staff over delivered in every aspect. Stunning views, wonderful cuisine, cocktails out of this world and a penchant for intimacy. We would like to call out a few members of the staff for their sheer magical and giving nature: Mauren, Alonso, William, Noel, Ivan, Esteban, thank you to all of you for making our experience one of the best ever! Pura Vida y a La Proxima!

When we read the reviews of Kura prior to booking our stay we both said there is no way it’s THAT nice. We were wrong. We were pleasantly surprised with the little details that Kura has thought of. Like someone waiting with warm towels and a drink every time you pull up to the entrance after a day of exploring. Twice a day housekeeping with an awesome turn down service. A concierge team that makes you feel like you’re the ONLY guest in the hotel. Calling us both by our first names with every interaction made us feel like family/friends with the staff. The staff was the friendliest we’ve encountered at any hotel anywhere. They provided an iPad upon check in that was our method of communicating with everyone, looking at menus, making dinner reservations or anything else you need. The star of the show is the view. Words cannot describe the sight, sounds and smells you experience staying on top of a mountain in a rainforest overlooking the ocean. Privacy is obviously a priority and most rooms only have 3 walls with the ocean facing wall open or has a sliding glass door. It was great taking showers in the open air! The architecture was amazing and the food is 5 star. You won’t want to do or eat anything off the property because it’s all so good. But if you do they will take care of setting up anything you want with great care. One of our tour guides that works regularly with Kura said they really look after “their people”. When we left for our morning excursions our room was made up and cleaned to perfection. We both had the same thing every morning for breakfast because what we chose was so good and we looked forward to it every morning. My girlfriend is a vegetarian so they happily removed the bacon from her breakfast burrito. The only negative was the limited vegetarian selections for dinner. One of which (Spinach Ravioli) wasn't available every night we were there. When we went for dinner, housekeeping would come in again and make up the room, put on some mood lighting, light candles, leave little gifts, draw the curtains, etc. It seems like we were constantly saying “wow” during our 4 night stay. The pool area seems to be made for Instagram photos. There isn’t a better place to spend time. We ate at the restaurant, in a pool lounger, room service, it was all perfect and handled with great attention to detail. Everyone mentions the drive up the mountain. And it’s no joke. You can NOT get there with a normal car. Only a 4x4 will do and it’s not for the feint of heart. But that part is only about 10 minutes of the drive. But honestly that almost adds to the coolness of the property. Like when you get there it wasn’t easy and you felt like you just climbed Mount Everest and now you get to enjoy the spoils of your effort. We know that anyplace we stay after this is going to have to be pretty extreme to impress us more than Kura did.

Our stay at Kura was outstanding. The property is hard to get to but so worth the extra effort! With only 8 rooms, it’s a very personal experience. Things we loved: - The view!! Just wow. This is one of the most stunning views of the ocean I’ve ever seen. - The sunsets!! Every night we had drinks by the pool and watched the sunset. - The pool. Never crowded. - The room. We had a standard room. It was small but had everything we needed. A/C worked well and the nightly turn-down service was so appreciated! - The food. Every meal was delicious. The breakfast was exceptionally good and they have a very large selection. - And of course….. the staff! Everyone was kind and caring. They felt like family by the time we left. Pura Vida!

Usually the best things take work. Kura ( “ cure-a” ) is worth every ounce of effort. The 4x4 only drive up the mountain road is tough ( forget cars, they will pick you up and drive you to the top ) and you question the decision until you step out and meet someone like Emanuel. One of the most incredible sunset facing views in Costa Rica and a guy who certainly understands pura vida…..if not lives it! The pool, dining area converge with the bar ( oh Mercy…..she is one of the dining and bar staff with incredible smile and endless “ how can I help you “ attitude that exudes from each and every staff member ) as an area that makes this adult only love nest close to heaven. The architecture is sleek, clean and allows nature to be viewed at every angle. Impressive work from this Costa Rican owner and his bio- friendly partner. They do a wonderful job in this 8 room/villa facility. In room 4 we were next to some minor construction/expansion that seemed to be carefully managed so as not to disturb. Looking straight down at the “ whale tale” from your bedroom made hammer and nails disappear. The room was like every other aspect of the facilities well thought out details: clean, contemporary in style, up dated. Room staff was extremely efficient and silent in their services daily and nightly. Huge shower looking over the mountain top, down to the Pacific Ocean. Food? Incredible…..no need to take the drive into Uvita as this 10+ year veteran chef had a great variety, well executed and presented menu at each seating. Impressive for sure. Alonso is there to make you enjoy every sip, every bite, every bit….. Whether you go and just stay all day by the pool, or utilize the beautifully thought out Kura after a days hike, make the effort!