Hidden Gem Resort in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica!
Sharing my experience at Shana by the Beach in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica.
Lately I’ve been much more of an impulsive, last minute travel planner vs. the girl who plans her trips months in advance. My trip to Costa Rica was the perfect example of this. I booked everything less than a month before my departure.
If you know anything about February in NYC, it’s probably one of the dullest months of the year. Valentine’s day also falls in February and as a single girl at the age of 39 who was contemplating freezing my eggs, I NEEDED a break and more specifically to somewhere where I could both immerse myself in local culture & relax on the beach.
As I started my research into Costa Rica, I quickly realized that there were several places I wanted to go and that I’d have to work out transportation but more importantly I’d have to create my own itinerary that was a bit off the beaten path. I knew I wanted to go to Manuel Antonio in the South part of Costa Rica but I also wanted to see a ton in the northern part of the country. I also booked one way flights, so I was flying out of the Northern side from Liberia airport, while I flew into San Jose.
So I spent a night and the following morning exploring San Jose, but embarked on my journey to Manuel Antonio the next day. While I was researching hotels and locations, I knew I wanted to stay not in Quepos, but in the “Manuel Antonio” section of hotels (closer to Manuel Antonio National park) and after hours of research came across 2 resorts that caught my eye. I believe it was due to availability (I was there for the Valentine’s day holiday & February is high season in Costa Rica) but I ended up booking 2 resorts that were practically next door to each other.
The first one was here at this beautiful resort. I didn’t get too many photos as I only spent one night here and the next few nights at the next resort, but this place is a total hidden gem and steal. It’s the perfect location for solo travelers, more specifically b/c it didn’t break the bank! Here you can see how stunning the sunset view was from the adults only infinity pool!
A few notes: Due to the limited availability, I didn’t get my usual king bed, nor a room with an ocean view and instead opted for a standard room/jungle view. They do offer a variety of stunning rooms with Ocean views, studio suites equipped with kitchens, and Jungle Rooms with private pools.
There’s a bar at the pool & the adults only infinity pool pictured above is on the other side of the bar. I happened to be there on Superbowl Sunday so you can see how packed it was & where all the American’s were hanging out!
There’s also a stunning path to a secret/hidden beach pictured in the gallery below, along with tons of other amenities (not all pictured) including an onsite Spa, Fitness center & on site restaurant. You can also book tours of Manuel Antonio National Park & other excursions directly through the hotel! I’ve shared some photos of the hidden beach along with a hotel room tour on my instagram here!
You can find more photos of the property, check out the rooms & book your stay here.
*Disclaimer: I am an affiliate of booking.com I receive a small percentage of commission made on bookings booked through my links.
