Kinkara Luxury Retreat — Hotel in El General

This is a unique place situated close enough to San Isidro (Costa Rica's second largest city) to be convenient, but far enough away to be entirely private (due to the large area of land that the retreat sits on.) The tents are clean, well maintained, and nicely appointed in terms of fan, lights, water, umbrellas (usually needed) and comfortable mattresses.

The trails surrounding the property are nicely groomed and beautiful--an easily accessible trail follows the river that runs alongside the tent village, for example. There are hammocks to relax on and small swimming holes to dip in, and a lot of wildlife to see if you slow down and take your time.

The staff at Kinkara is unassuming, helpful, and kind. Check in was loads easier than at a hotel, and check out took about 5 minutes or less (also significantly shorter than most hotels, especially in Costa Rica.) The lobby area also serves as a hangout spot where you can get a drink, or just relax and enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

The restaurant serves a sort of prix fixe arrangement, which really makes it more relaxing, as you don't have to toggle through a menu. If you have allergies or food preferences, it'd probably be a good idea to let them know in advance and I'm certain they would try to accommodate. The food itself was fresh, healthy, filling, and unexpectedly chic for such a small venue. Ditto for the cocktails. I had a local kombucha/mint based libation, and it was sophisticated and delicious. The service at dinner was also top notch and pleasant.

Other notables: the massage was expensive for the area, but well worth it. The firepit is lit (weather permitting) at 6pm every night and is a nice place to relax with a glass of wine after dinner. While you can probably get there without a 4x4 vehicle, be sure to stick on the main access roads and don't take the back routes (often suggested by Waze) during rainy season. Also, be sure to try the pineapple basil juice...

One word: relaxing. This is the kind of place you need to visit at least once in a lifetime to escape from your daily stress. PROS: Friendly staff. They did everything to assure our stay was great. amazing landscape relaxing and spiritual atmosphere food: Organic and delicious. Dinners cost about $30 pax (non alcoholic beverage and taxes included). And believe me: they worth every single dollar. Cocktails $10 each. Also great do the horse riding. They’ll take you to a natural swimming river and a top of hill with amazing views. tents site is stablished near a river and you can hear it all night while sleeping. Almost therapeutic. bathrobes for traveling to the spa inspired bath houses. Great experience. power bank for your electronic devices.

CONS: the average temperature at day is around 27 C (70 F), therefore, tents get really HOT. Despite having a solar fan it won’t help much. However…do you really want to go to such a nice retreat and plan to spend all day locked in a tent?…I don’t think so. they have 3 strict food times: breakfast at 8 am. Lunch at 1 pm and dinner at 6 pm. You must be sharp. Therefore, if your dining habits are away from this schedule, it could be very inconvenient. The nearest restaurant is like 20 to 30 minutes away (depending of what you want to eat).

In my opinion, pros are way more relevant than the cons. You won’t regret visiting this place. Your body and mind will...

We stayed here for 5 days and loved it! Three things stand out about this place: the food, the service, and the views! I know everyone says it, but the food at Kinkara is incredible. I don't think you'll find anything like it in the area. It's an inspired combination of local cuisine and fine dining. Highly recommend getting the lunch/dinner package. The cocktails, beer, and wine selections are small, but high quality. ||||The service was also top notch. The staff went out of their way to take care of us, often proactively recognizing when we might need something. Eric, Marco, Kate, and Melanie all stood out, but there were others whose names I didn't catch who did as well. ||||Finally, the views... I could have sat on the deck of the main building and looked at that expanse all day. It was beautiful whether it was bright and clear, colored by rolling clouds, or the lights of the city shining at night. We also enjoyed hiking around the property and discovering the many cool spots like the sweat lodge and swimming holes. ||||My wife isn't a tent person, but even she complimented the quality of the lodging and how easy they made it. I definitely recommend taking some time to enjoy this...