Costa Rica’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve is now open for reservations

21.12.2024 - 16:35 / thepointsguy.com / Marriott Bonvoy

TPG has crowned the best hotels of 2024, but 2025 is already shaping up to be a spectacular year for new hotels — especially in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. One of the most exciting openings of 2025 is Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica, and it's now accepting reservations.

Guest reservations at Nekajui are now open for stays starting March 1, 2025. (However, it's worth noting that new hotels frequently push back opening dates because of construction delays, permit issues and everything else that comes with building and opening, well, anything.)

Nekajui is on Costa Rica's iconic Papagayo Peninsula, and once open, it's sure to be one of the finest resorts in the country — and potentially the Marriott portfolio. Nekajui, pronounced NEK-ah-wee, means "lush garden" in the local Chorotega dialect; it's a fitting name for a resort tucked into 1,400 acres of tropical forest.

The resort offers 107 rooms and suites alongside three treetop tent accommodations, so guests have plenty of accommodation types to choose from. Additionally, its ultraluxury offerings include a four-bedroom Grand Villa, 36 private residences and a whopping 10-bedroom home. Many rooms, suites and villas include terraces or balconies, soaking tubs, outdoor showers, plunge pools, and sweeping jungle or ocean views.

Nekajui promises "an epicurean journey as transformative as the destination," according to a statement from Ritz-Carlton. Dining will include a signature restaurant, Puna, from world-renowned Peruvian chef Diego Munoz. The restaurant serves a menu of Peruvian dishes, and it offers a six-seat Japanese Peruvian omakase experience. Other dining experiences include a cafe serving Costa Rican coffees and snacks, an international breakfast restaurant, a poolside bar and grill, and a Mediterranean-focused beach club.

Nimbu Spa & Wellness, the resort's 27,000-square-foot spa center, is set to feature Latin America's largest hydrotherapy pool, a slow focus on well-being, and treatment cabanas suspended in the trees.

While Nekajui might be a great place to sit back and relax, Costa Rica is full of adventure. Guests can take advantage of the 250-acre Palmares Preserve jungle surrounding the resort to experience three distinct ecosystems coexisting within 1 square mile. Activities include hiking, zip-lining, canoeing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing and even playing on an 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course.

The lowest cash rates for 2025 come in at $1,580 per night. Marriott Bonvoy members can book with points starting at 128,000 points per night, though the calendar shows many dates throughout the year reaching significantly higher. The cost isn't shocking considering Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are