Reservations are now open for Costa Rica’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve

TPG has been crowned best hotel of 2024but 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 is now accepting reservations.

Guests booking rooms at Nekajui can now stay starting March 1, 2025. (Note, however, that new hotels frequently push back their opening dates because of construction delays, permitting issues and everything else related to construction and opening, whatever.)

Nekajui is located on Costa Rica’s iconic Papagayo Peninsula, and when it opens, it’s sure to be one of the best resorts in the country — and possibly Marriott’s portfolio. Nekajui, pronounced NEK-ah-wee, means “lush garden” in the local Chorotega dialect; It’s a fitting name for a resort nestled in 1,400 acres of tropical forest.

The resort offers 107 rooms and suites along with three treetop cabanas, so guests have a wide variety of accommodations to choose from. Additionally, its ultra-luxurious offerings include a four-bedroom Grand Villa, 36 private residences, and a giant 10-bedroom house. Many rooms, suites and villas feature terraces or balconies, soaking tubs, outdoor showers, plunge pools and sweeping jungle or ocean views.

According to a statement from the Ritz-Carlton, Nekajui promises “an epic journey that is as transformative as the destination.” The meal will include a signature restaurant, ​Puna, created by world-renowned Peruvian chef Diego Munoz. The restaurant serves a menu of Peruvian dishes and offers a Japanese-style Peruvian omakase experience with six seats. Other dining experiences include a cafe serving Costa Rican coffee and snacks, an international breakfast restaurant, a poolside bar and grill, and a Mediterranean-focused beach club Sea.

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

While Nekajui may 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 rainforest that surrounds the resort to experience three distinct ecosystems that coexist within a square mile. Activities include hiking, ziplining, canoeing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, boating and even playing on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course.

How to make a reservation

The lowest cash rate for 2025 is USD 1,580 per night. Marriott Bonvoy members can book rooms with points starting at 128,000 points per night, although the calendar shows many days of the year reaching significantly higher levels. The cost isn’t shocking because the Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are the top tier of Marriott’s portfolio.

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