A new luxury beach hotel has opened near Playa Hermosa on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast, adding another high-end option to one of our country’s busiest tourism routes. Amarena Canvas Beach Hotel is located within the Místico beach community between Jacó and Esterillos, about 94 kilometers from Juan Santamaría International Airport and six kilometers from Jacó, according to the hotel’s own location information.
The property is being promoted as a low-impact lodging concept built around tented villas rather than traditional concrete hotel structures. The project includes 16 Balinese-style tented villas designed as complete private residences. Each unit combines a bedroom, bathroom, terrace, pool, and lounge areas, with structures that can open up to 360 degrees to connect the interior space with the surrounding beach and forest setting.
The hotel’s opening shows Costa Rica’s continued push into boutique luxury tourism, especially along the Pacific coast, where developers are increasingly selling privacy, nature access, and sustainability as part of the travel experience. Amarena is part of Místico One of a Kind Beach Community and gives guests access to Madresal Beach Club, along with amenities such as a spa, Kairos Bar and Restaurant, room service, yoga classes, beach equipment, Wi-Fi, and free parking.
The project required an investment of more than $4 million and includes 16 lodging units ranging from 50 to 100 square meters, according to details reported by El Financiero. The same report said the structures were manufactured in Indonesia and moved to Playa Hermosa, using materials selected for their resistance to salt exposure in an oceanfront setting.
The hotel’s main pitch is its “living without walls” design, a model that avoids permanent, high-impact construction and relies on luxury tent architecture. The rooms include private pools and outdoor tubs, while the design avoids heavy foundations in an effort to reduce impact on the local soil and ecosystem.
Amarena’s opening also comes as the Central Pacific continues to attract those looking for easier access from San José compared with more distant beach destinations. Playa Hermosa is already known for surfing and proximity to Jacó, while nearby attractions include Carara National Park, Marina Los Sueños, and Manuel Antonio National Park farther down the coast.
For travelers, the property appears aimed at the upper end of the market rather than the traditional beach hotel crowd. A two-night stay for two adults in early June 2026 was listed at roughly ₡255,190 to ₡407,758, depending on room type and booking conditions.
The opening adds to a wider trend in Costa Rican tourism: smaller, design-heavy properties trying to balance luxury travel with environmental branding. For Playa Hermosa and the Central Pacific, Amarena gives the region another high-end lodging product at a time when Costa Rica is competing for travelers who want nature, comfort, and beach access without moving too far from the capital.
