Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Collection — Hotel in Cajón

We started our Costa Rica vacation this summer by staying at the Hacienda AltaGracia. It was simply one of the most pristine and wonderful places I’ve ever been.|We flew into San Jose and had the staff meet us as we left the airplane. They took us by shuttle to a private immigration terminal after ensuring they knew which checked-in bags to pick up for us. The private immigration area was the size of two large rooms – stocked with refreshments (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) snacks and coffee/tea. The staff made it a breeze to clear customs/immigrations and shortly after, we were taken with our bags and all to the domestic terminal to fly on the charter to the hotel. The charter was a large Cessna craft and after the initial trepidation of how tight a squeeze it was, you settled right in and got excited. The journey is under an hour and at low altitude, so you get amazing views of San Jose, the mountains, and then in/out of the clouds as you get into the cloud forest. The runway comes quick and is a gravel runway that parks you right into front of the hotel staff waiting to pick you up for a short drive to the reception area.|Fabian and Daniel were our two “compas” and made sure our entire stay was taken care of. They communicated in person and by WhatsApp to make sure every question and need was taken care of. The property itself is absolutely stunning. The flora/fauna are gorgeous and there is a garden right in the heart. The reception area is cozy with a local boutique and an absolutely fantastic coffee bar with too many delicious coffee, non-coffee and pastry options to count. You get a great tour of the area prior to check in and once things are ready you are dropped off. The entire resort is walkable but for the hilly upslope areas, golf cart rides are a simple phone call away.|The rooms are out of this world. Sprawling, gorgeous, technologically up to date with smart shades, blackouts, easy to connect phones/iPads to TVs and beautiful surrounding spaces. We had a lovely plunge pool and an awning to enjoy every morning as we awoke to the morning birds and cloud forest tranquility. The bed and sheets are insanely comfortable. |We took part in a lot of activities at the resort. Horseback riding was a blast – Evelyn and Carlos took us all throughout the resort and up the mountain. The panoramic views were breathtaking and the horses personalities were hilarious. We had a 4th of July dinner at the stables where they did a bunch of cool games followed by an awesome meal of fish, beef and chicken that were grilled there and with bonfires and festivities abound. |The spa is beautiful and serene. There is a yoga pavilion right behind it tucked into resort with mountain views all over. There are trail, ponds, and trickling creeks throughout. There is a butterfly garden that the children loved in the middle of the resort with numerous species fluttering around.|The pool and restaurant area – both for the adults only part and the family one – are awesome. The food is great, service outstanding, and the views stunning. The water is heated and they have a bunch of pool toys and floaties available as well.|The resort is all inclusive. Enjoying the morning coffee, fresh juices, pastries and breakfast was a treat. The poolside menu had so many delicious options and the dinner menu rotated with creative meals every night. You wanted to try so many new things because you sort of felt obligated with it all being at your fingertips!|Our hands down favorite time was with Anisha and the river bath. Our daughter turned 12 and this was part of her big day. It was a mesmerizing experience that combined a spa/meditation/cold plunge with this incredible cleansing and personal experience in the river downstream from the resort. I can’t say enough about Anish who make the entire experience for our family one of the most memorable times.|Overall – this is a gorgeous resort with so many amenities that just blow you away. From the moment you arrive and see the charter, to arriving on the resort and just walking through – it’s a sprawling resort but it feels like only a few people are there at any given time but you just look one way or the other and friendly staff is right around the corner with a smile to assist. |The hotel is something special. It truly captures the Pura Vida mentality and every staff member went out of their way to make our family feel special and that every need...

We started our Costa Rica vacation this summer by staying at the Hacienda AltaGracia. It was simply one of the most pristine and wonderful places I’ve ever been. We flew into San Jose and had the staff meet us as we left the airplane. They took us by shuttle to a private immigration terminal after ensuring they knew which checked-in bags to pick up for us. The private immigration area was the size of two large rooms – stocked with refreshments (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) snacks and coffee/tea. The staff made it a breeze to clear customs/immigrations and shortly after, we were taken with our bags and all to the domestic terminal to fly on the charter to the hotel. The charter was a large Cessna craft and after the initial trepidation of how tight a squeeze it was, you settled right in and got excited. The journey is under an hour and at low altitude, so you get amazing views of San Jose, the mountains, and then in/out of the clouds as you get into the cloud forest. The runway comes quick and is a gravel runway that parks you right into front of the hotel staff waiting to pick you up for a short drive to the reception area. Fabian and Daniel were our two “compas” and made sure our entire stay was taken care of. They communicated in person and by WhatsApp to make sure every question and need was taken care of. The property itself is absolutely stunning. The flora/fauna are gorgeous and there is a garden right in the heart. The reception area is cozy with a local boutique and an absolutely fantastic coffee bar with too many delicious coffee, non-coffee and pastry options to count. You get a great tour of the area prior to check in and once things are ready you are dropped off. The entire resort is walkable but for the hilly upslope areas, golf cart rides are a simple phone call away. The rooms are out of this world. Sprawling, gorgeous, technologically up to date with smart shades, blackouts, easy to connect phones/iPads to TVs and beautiful surrounding spaces. We had a lovely plunge pool and an awning to enjoy every morning as we awoke to the morning birds and cloud forest tranquility. The bed and sheets are insanely comfortable. We took part in a lot of activities at the resort. Horseback riding was a blast – Evelyn and Carlos took us all throughout the resort and up the mountain. The panoramic views were breathtaking and the horses personalities were hilarious. We had a 4th of July dinner at the stables where they did a bunch of cool games followed by an awesome meal of fish, beef and chicken that were grilled there and with bonfires and festivities abound. The spa is beautiful and serene. There is a yoga pavilion right behind it tucked into resort with mountain views all over. There are trail, ponds, and trickling creeks throughout. There is a butterfly garden that the children loved in the middle of the resort with numerous species fluttering around. The pool and restaurant area – both for the adults only part and the family one – are awesome. The food is great, service outstanding, and the views stunning. Enjoying the morning coffee, fresh juices, pastries and breakfast was a treat. The poolside menu had so many delicious options and the dinner menu rotated with creative meals every night. Our hands down favorite time was with Anisha and the river bath. Our daughter turned 12 and this was part of her big day. It was a mesmerizing experience that combined a spa/meditation/cold plunge with this incredible cleansing and personal experience in the river downstream from the resort. Overall – this is a gorgeous resort with so many amenities that just blow you away. From the moment you arrive and see the charter, to arriving on the resort and just walking through – it’s a sprawling resort but it feels like only a few people are there at any given time. The hotel is something special. It truly captures the Pura Vida mentality and every staff member went out of their way to make our family feel special and that every need...

I can't say enough nice things about Hacienda AltaGracia- the property, employees, food, spa, service and overall experience are like nothing I have ever experienced before.

From the moment you arrive in San Jose, you are welcomed in the flight bridge and are escorted to the domestic terminal—skipping the main customs line and having a more relaxed, fast, private experience.

We opted for the private plane to Hacienda AltaGracia. This experience is certainly for the thrill seekers. While it was efficient (we left when we were ready rather than waiting for others), we opted for the shared plane for our departure because we felt a bit more secure in a bigger plane.

Once we arrived at the property the staff welcomed us with a drink and an easy check in experience. They had our itinerary printed for us in our room and numerous welcome activities.

Everyone has their own butler or "Campos" at the resort and they will help arrange anything for you from a golf cart ride to dinner to room service. We had Paolo and Brandon and felt like we hit the jack pot!

That being said, there wasn't a single employee that didn't go above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. They remembered our names, dietary restrictions and took the time to tell us about their background and learn about us. We left feeling like part of the family and sad to leave.

We LOVED The Well—our massages were incredible and the Spa itself is stunning.

I love to workout on vacation—I have stayed in 5 star resorts in Southern France, Portugal, Greece , London & the US and this is the best gym I have seen!

We loved the Waterfall hike experience with Diego and a cute doggie named "Chispa" (a local dog that sometimes likes to join the hikes).

While we were skeptical, night one we did a "family style" dinner with a horse show and we LOVED it. It was nice meeting other people at the resort as you see the same people throughout your stay.

We also did the dinner in the garden and that was so amazing. The burrata and tomatoes were out of this world.

The one thing I would say, is unless you're staying more than 5 nights, you don't need to leave the resort. We went to the beach one day and while it was very well done and a good experience, we found ourselves wanting to get back to the resort because we loved it so much.

Our room was amazing, the shower was HUGE, room service was always prompt and our favorite part of the night was turndown service with a "hot water bottle" to keep your bed warm. Our kind Campos also were nice enough to leave some treats during our stay as it was my mom's birthday.

As mentioned in other reviews, the resort is spread out but it is a wellness resort and my mom and I like walking so we actually enjoyed our "digestive walks" and being one with nature. If that's not for you, the property is ALWAYS offering you a ride/getting it to you ASAP.

I was worried the food would be subpar (all inclusive) and I might get tired of it. This was FAR from the case, there were so many options and they accommodated a variety of dietary restrictions. My mom is allergic to onion and they always made her special guac and even ceviche (to marinate throughout the day). The cafe has delicious treats (I loved their cookies) and coffee (highly recommend the coffee tasting).

Specific to our trip, we had an issue missing a flight connection so we arrived a day late. The hotel didn't skip a beat. They were flexible in readjusting our scheduled activities and check in. They communicate on WhatsApp and couldn't be more flexible/accommodating.

This is a hidden gem and the only complaint I can make is: I don't know how any resort will live up to my experience at Hacienda AltaGracia. I can't wait...