Ylang Ylang Beach Resort

Rooms

There are 6 individual dome-shaped Bungalows, reached along a pretty path through vegetation. They were designed by the owners with wooden doors, triangular windows and handpainted interiors of palm trees on yellow rag-rolled walls. Each one is either on the beach or facing the jungle, and all are close to the pool with their own little balcony with a lounger – ideal for enjoying your perfect view of the ocean or forest.

Coco Joe’s is a deluxe split-level bungalow with 2 bedrooms. It only has an outdoor shower, but is more private and ideal for honeymooners or a family (if the children share the queensize bed). Also good for families, the Colibri Bungalow comes with two queensize beds, an ensuite shower bathroom as well as an outdoor shower.

Three split-level Family Beach Suites are in a separate building at the end of the path leading to the domes. Each has twin queensize beds downstairs and a loft with kingsize bed and balcony upstairs.

In the same building are more compact Standard Beach Rooms, each with 2 queensize beds and their own outdoor sitting space. There are hammocks on the beach for guests in these rooms to enjoy.

All rooms and bungalows have an overhead fan and useful spotlights either side of the bed for reading, air-conditioning, pool and beach towels and complimentary toiletries. Family Beach Suites have a fridge and basic cutlery and crockery in case you want a picnic, along with a little sink. Mosquito nets are provided for the 'green' season (May to September), though they’re mostly for decoration as there are far fewer bugs here than in the central Pacific.

If you want to get very close to nature, the 8 smart Cabinas each have a little balcony with chairs facing a pretty area of lawn planted with palms – a great space for children to play in – and you can catch a glimpse of the sea through the trees. They’re tall enough to stand up in and stand atop wooden slats; the windows are mosquito screened to keep bugs away.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Minibar/fridge
• WiFi

Eating

The food at Ylang Ylang is imaginatively prepared to make the most of the local fish and tropical fruits, with diverse international influences, and will appeal to all palates - and those with a sense of adventure. My Mahi Mahi stuffed with white wine and mussel sauce was delicious, as was the grilled chicken Thai Teriyaki-style. There’s also barbecued jumbo shrimp kebab, some creative sushi combinations and several vegetarian options.

Breakfast starts with fresh fruit and juice, and then you choose from a list of cooked options, with some delicious pancakes or eggs with Gallo Pinto (the ubiquitous rice and beans) on offer. The rates include breakfast and dinner, and there’s a long happy hour from 3-6pm, tempting guests to stay on the premises rather than make the 15-minute trek along the beach to Montezuma.

Ylang Ylang’s restaurant is a pleasant place to hang out, a vaguely Mayan-style building, open to the waves, with a wide terrace area, all prettily lit at night for a romantic atmosphere. The views are tremendous and the feel is distinctly of a tropical island, with carved stone pillars, exotic animals carved into the stone bar, and warm sea breezes wafting through. Note that non-residents often pop in for happy hour, so you might want to wait a while if you fancy a quiet dinner.

Features include:

• Children's meals
• Minibar/fridge
• Restaurant

Activities

• Tortuga island is a popular day trip. You'll leave Montezuma at 10am for a gorgeous 45-minute boat ride alongside dolphins and turtles to this pretty island, where there's wonderful snorkelling. Each tour group (and there will be several) has a barbecue lunch. In season you can also spot orcas and humpback and pilot whales out at sea
  
• Surf boards and boogie boards can be hired. Nearby Playa Grande is a great place to learn to surf. The instructor comes in the morning or afternoon, depending on the tide, for a 3-hour lesson
  
• The canopy tour of 1.5-2 hours takes you to 3 platforms on 9 zip lines and then on to the Montezuma waterfalls, 20 minutes' walk from the town. Kids can do this too
  
• Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, the first reserve founded in Costa Rica, is nearby. There’s a lovely hike down to a great beach, which takes 2 hours. The reserve is 30 minutes' drive from Montezuma; transport can be arranged
  
• Curu Wildlife Refuge (45 minutes’ drive away) has even more animals and you can visit it with Ylang Ylang’s own guide, Eduardo, who speaks English, Spanish and German
  
• Hike directly from the beach up beside a waterfall, or take the horse riding tour, ideal for novices, to deserted beaches and rainforests
  
• Go deep sea fishing for tuna. Any fish you bring back can be cooked up by the kitchen staff
  
• There’s a lovely Hatha yoga space where gentle classes are held every morning from 9.30-11am, with views straight out to the ocean. All levels are catered for
  
• Enjoy a massage in the small tented spa, or try Pranasage - a combination of yoga and massage
  
• Swim in the pool or by the beach, though watch out at high tide for submerged rocks. You can also make the 25-minute walk to Playa Grande: a gorgeous long beach with a wild feel. Ask in reception for tide times, as the path can get cut off at very high tides

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Fishing
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Nightlife
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Surfing
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

All ages are welcome; we think it's best for primary school age children and teenagers. Our kids absolutely loved the pool, beach and abundant wildlife. Keep a close eye on younger children because of the setting and strong sea currents on the beach.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

We'd recommend a Family Beach Suite, which sleeps 6, and has a fridge and basic cutlery and crockery, along with a little sink. Standard Beach Rooms sleep 4 and lead right onto the beach. Alternatively book 2 Bungalows or Cabinas if you have older kids happy to have their own room. For a small family (2 adults, 1-2 younger children), book Coco Joe's Bungalow or Colibri Bungalow.

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 30 minutes
• Medical clinic: 15 minutes
• Hospital: 25 minutes by air

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Ylang Ylang Beach Resort is on the Nicoya Peninsula on the west coast of Costa Rica, a 25-minute flight from the capital city San José.

By Air:
Tambor (24km) is your closest airport, served by domestic flights from the capital city San José. If you're coming from abroad, you'll fly into San José Juan Santamaria International (140km) or Liberia (190km); click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport:
The hotel can collect you from either airport. A transfer from San José - see Rates - will take 5-6 hours. Eduardo will pick you up at the airport or another hotel.

By Boat from Jacó:
One quick way of getting here is to take the taxi boat from Montezuma to Jacó - it takes an hour and costs US$35-40pp. There is also a private water taxi/speed boat from Manuel Antonio to and from Montezuma.

By Car:
You don’t really need a car once you’re in Ylang Ylang, as you’re more likely to walk to beaches, or organise trips into nature reserves with local guides. If you do want to drive check out our car rental recommendations, but think twice before doing the drive from San José: it takes 6 hours, via the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera, and the last stretch is pretty rough. The ferry can’t be booked so you'll need to arrive an hour before it departs to buy a ticket and get in line. If you do drive yourself make sure you rent a 4-wheel drive.

From Montezuma, everyone has to take the hotel’s own shuttle service, which operates, in theory, on demand. In practice you may have to wait an hour to be driven along the beach. When you check out of the hotel, the shuttle runs at either 7.30am or 11am, to coordinate with the ferry from Paquera. Luggage can be stored at Sano Banano until you feel like walking over to collect it.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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