Here’s Where Celebrities Stay in Costa Rica’s Ultra-Luxe Papagayo Peninsula

With its stunning biodiversity, round-the-clock security, and ultra-luxurious properties, the Papagayo Peninsula on Costa Rica’s northwest has become a magnet for celebrities. The list of stars who have visited its 15-mile coastline and 31 pristine beaches reads like a guest list to an Oscars after-party:  Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and, most recently, Anant Ambani (the Indian billionaire whose wedding featured a performance by Rihanna).

It’s easy to see why. The peninsula is essentially a 1,400-acre gated community that places a premium on privacy and sustainable luxury. Although there are a few big resorts (including a Four Seasons, Andaz, and a soon-to-open Ritz Carlton Reserve), development is sparse, and 70 percent of the land is protected. Traffic is minimal; instead, monkeys, iguanas, and the occasional jaguar have free reign.

Nature lovers can go snorkeling, volcano hiking, diving, kayaking, and whale watching. Wellness and fitness enthusiasts have plenty to do, too — there’s golf, yoga, surfing, mountain biking, ziplining, and tennis — and that’s not counting a new sports park. There’s even a marina that caters to superyachts. So, where do the elite stay?  Here are the top four villas in Papagayo that appeal to celebrities and the ultra-rich.

Villa Avellana

Who Stays There:  Tech entrepreneurs, bank CEOs, music producers, and entertainers

The Property: A modern, teak-and-glass villa on a secluded cove with red land crabs, white egrets, and turtle nests. Opened in 2023, this three-acre retreat feels like a hybrid between a tech billionaire’s pad and a boutique resort. There are many places to socialize, including indoor and outdoor dining areas, an 82-foot-long lap pool, a bocce court, multiple lounge areas, and a private corner of the beach.

Rooms: The 10 bedrooms are airy and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces that face the ocean or tropical forests. With more than 33,000 square feet of living space, the villa can comfortably host a mid-sized wedding, a multi-generational family, or a group of 20 friends.

Location:  Villa Avellana is on a gated cul-de-sac on Playa Prieta, a remote beach with no homes except for the Prieta Beach Clubhouse, a members-only club with a full gym, restaurant, beach chairs, and other perks. Villa guests have access. Playa Prieta’s mellow waves and shallow waters are perfect for beginner surfers.

Activities: A 42-foot-long Boston Whaler yacht (and a 12-foot dinghy) are included with the villa, so everything in the Gulf of Papagayo is a quick ride, whether surfing at Witch’s Rock or spotting dolphins. The villa also has a massive stash of water sports equipment, including electric jetboards, paddleboards, snorkeling gear, and fishing poles. Everything else – including ziplining and volcano hiking – is an SUV or helicopter away.

Best perks: The villa has a dedicated staff that includes a top-notch chef, a resident beach expert, a concierge, a barista, a mixologist, and a general manager named Thomas, who can book anything upon request, whether it’s a last-minute tennis match, a massage in a private cabana, or going spearfishing for wahoo.

Price: $45,000 a night, all-inclusive.

Casa Los Olas

Who Stays There: Billionaires like Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, who stayed there in August with his newlywed wife, Radhika Merchant

The Property:  Possibly the most expensive property on the peninsula, Casa Las Olas is a post-modern, three-story temple built on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Designed by the Peruvian-Costa Rican architect Jaime Rouillón, the rose-colored villa was completed in 2022 and has 18,000- square feet of living space spead across three discrete levels. Plus, it is fully managed by the Four Seasons Resort, which means you can order room service if you don’t feel like having a private chef whip up a snack.

The Rooms:  There are six bedrooms, including two primary suites on opposing sides of the villa, each with balconies, outdoor showers, and soaking tubs overlooking the bay. The main living room has double-height ceilings and a wall of glass that retracts for seamless indoor-outdoor living. There is also a children’s room with bunk beds, a gym, a chef’s kitchen, and separate service quarters—making it easy to host up to 16 guests.

Location: Situated on a bluff high above Pietra Bay, Casa Los Olas affords complete privacy from the water and road. The 1.5-acre grounds are covered in thick jungle, and the house is set back and not visible from the private road.

Activities:  Guests have full use of the amenities and excursions available to Four Seasons guests, including easy access to two beaches (Playa Virador and Playa Blanca) and an 18-hole golf course. Guests can also choose from a long menu of outdoor and cultural activities, including dinner cruises, scuba diving, and waterfall hikes.

Best Perk: Although this villa is not directly on the beach, every room has ocean views. The soaking tubs in the primary bedrooms have perfectly framed views of the crashing waves below. And when you’re swimming in the dramatic 100-foot infinity pool, it feels like you’re floating out to the Pacific.

Price: $45,000 a night, high season; $23,000, low season. A personal attendant, private chef, and activities are extra. The villa is also for sale for $25 million.

Andaz Costa Rica Resort

Who Stays There: Shonda Rhimes, DJ Walton, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky

The Property:  The most affordable villas on this list are at the Andaz Costa Rica. A row of three-bedroom penthouses opened earlier this year, measuring 2,407 square feet, with views of Culebra Bay.  Each covered roof deck has a plunge pool, day bed, wet bar, and plush seating.  Though the villas are separated from the main hotel, guests can access the resort’s other offerings, including three beaches, four pools, four restaurants, and a spa with a gym.

The Rooms: The primary bedroom has a small terrace and a soaking tub with bay views. A full kitchen and bar invite in-room dining. The living area has a retractable glass wall that slides open, bringing the outdoors in. With two smaller bedrooms and a sleeper sofa, the villa can accommodate up to eight.

Location: The Andaz is near the gated entrance to the peninsula, just past the marina.  The villas were built along the highest ridge, above the resort’s other guest rooms.

Activities: The resort has 153 guest rooms, which means it offers a wide assortment of weekly activities, including water sports like kayaking and snorkeling, wellness exercises like boot camp and sound healing, classes on cooking and weaving, and even a kid-friendly party.

Best Perk: The Andaz recently opened Casa de Playa, a beach club at Playa Nacascolo, a broad strip of white sand that is arguably one of the peninsula’s nicest. A cabana with Champagne service can be reserved. The club is a 10-minute boat ride from the resort.

Price: $10,000 a night, high-season; $4,000, low-season.

The Hive

Who Stays There: Fortune 500 CEOs, hedge funders, and former professional football players

The Property: If you love design, art, motorcycles, and bees, then the Hive was built for you. Opened in 2023, every room in this meticulously crafted villa is staged like a designer showroom. The 17,500-square-foot property stitches together elements from Central American, European, and Asian architecture – and manages to feel both rarified and cozy. Visitors enter through a golden Moroccan-style door leading to an art-filled foyer, a vaulted great room, and a stone terrace with perfectly framed views of the Pacific.

The Rooms:  Each of the six bedrooms has water views and is lavishly furnished with antiques, handwoven rugs, custom wallpaper, and theatrical lighting. The primary bedroom, which has a vaguely royal Asian theme, has a wood-carved headboard, a vaulted ceiling, and two gold bathtubs. A modern bedroom with contemporary furniture and corner views is at the other end of the split-level villa. The villa sleeps up to 16 guests, with plenty of privacy between rooms.

Location: The Hive is located atop a secluded bluff overlooking Bahia Huevos, a pristine bay with few, if any, visible neighbors. It is at the end of a quiet street with a thick jungle and a few houses.

Activities:  A full-time concierge is on-call to arrange whatever activity you can think of, whether it’s collecting honey from a local beekeeper (it’s called the Hive, after all), throwing clay with an Indigenous potter, fishing for marlin, or monkey-spotting on a private farm.

Best Perks: The infinity pool, which is right off the terrace, is carved from vast slabs of aquamarine-colored stone that echoes the blues and greens of the Pacific. It may be the peninsula’s most photogenic setting for sunset cocktails.

Price:  $24,900 a night, high-season; $14,900, low-season.