Five-Day Costa Rican Honeymoon at Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas

This property is located on the Guanacaste Coast of Costa Rica near the small town of Las Catalinas. Casa Chameleon has twenty-one cliffside villas and three restaurants. Sentido Norte Restaurant is where you will have your daily breakfast and can also purchase lunch or dinner. The quaint town of Las Catalinas is a short golf cart ride from the resort, where you can access the local beach and more dining options. After booking with this property, you will receive a guide detailing all of the many activities and services that the concierge can arrange for you.

Tip- Fly into Liberia Airport, which is only an hour from the property. The best time of year to go is the end of November through March as this is the dry season.

For lodging, I would recommend staying in a "sunset villa" which is located facing the ocean and has epic ocean views. We stayed in Villa 21 (21 Prieta) which had the best view of a sunset I've ever seen from a hotel and a small personal plunge pool. One warning is that this property is cliffside, so be prepared to walk quite a few stairs to get to and from the main pool/restaurant and the front entrance.

I would suggest the following as an itinerary for those who are seeking a mix of relaxation and adventure:

Day 1: After breakfast at Sentido Norte, I recommend hiking/walking the Punta Penca trail (1.3 km) to get a feel for the area. For those seeking a more strenuous hike, try the McHenry Peak Loop (4.1 km). Following the hike, you can put on your swimsuit and head up to the large infinity pool located in front of Sentido Norte Restaurant for poolside drinks and lunch. In the evening, I recommend venturing down to Las Catalinas town for dinner at Ponciana Restaurant.

Day 2: Breakfast at Sentido Norte. If you are feeling adventurous, book an ATV tour through the hotel concierge. Other options include: horseback riding, zipline canopy tours, jet skiing or kayaking. Return in the late afternoon and order a room-service lunch to eat on the patio at your plunge pool. Tip: Do not leave any food scraps outdoors as local wild animals will join you on your patio! After a relaxing afternoon, get dressed up and go to Sentido Norte Restaurant for dinner (make sure you have a reservation). Tip: Arrive early to bar area before your reservation to enjoy the sunset while having a drink.

Day 3: Breakfast at the property. Take a golf cart ride down to the beach at Las Catalinas and spend the morning swimming, sunbathing or kayaking. Take a break for an outdoor lunch and drinks at the Celeste restaurant. Tip: Look up into the trees and you may see some local monkeys lounging. After lunch, head back to the property/your villa. In the late afternoon, we went on a sunset catamaran with the group Panache Sailing. The hotel concierge can book this for you and arrange for transportation to the dock station. The sunset cruise had an open bar and amazing fresh fish and fruit.

Day 4: Since you have been enjoying the coast for the past few days, it's time to head into the rainforest! We booked an all-day trip which visited: Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, Parque Nacional Volcan Tenorio-Rio Celeste hike and a sloth sanctuary. The trip includes a tour guide and stops for breakfast and lunch. You will be pretty tired when you get home — it could be a good night to order room service for dinner. If you still have the energy- venture down to Las Catalinas and eat at Tamaki.

Day 5: For the last and final day, we hired a driver to take us to another local beach called Playa Conchal. Near the beach, there are small restaurants and souvenir stores. When you arrive back in the afternoon, I would recommend a couples massage (book in advance). For the last evening, go watch the sunset and have a drink at Sentido Norte. After drinks, head to the other restaurant on the property called La Pampa Grill, which is a steakhouse (reservation required).

Other things to note: Casa Chameleon is currently expanding the property, so some construction may be going on while you are there. If you are someone who enjoys night light, most bars/restaurants are closed by 10 pm around Las Catalinas. You can arrange a driver to take you into the city of Tamarindo for a night out (approx. 1 hour from property).

More activities on site to try: mixology class, yoga class, cooking class or wine tasting at Grotto Wine Cellar.

I recommend Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas for those seeking a luxury honeymoon or couple's trip that is the perfect mixture of adventure and relaxation. This destination is also an ideal location for a destination wedding or babymoon. Contact me and let me plan your perfect Costa Rican getaway!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Costa Rica page.