Ritz-Carlton is making moves in South and Central America

The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve has opened in Costa Rica, signaling a push into the region.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel
The Ritz-Carlton hotel | Roberto Machado Noa/GettyImages

Costa Rica is one of Central America's most popular destinations for good reason. It is one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, boasting thousands of species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. And that's before going snorkeling in the ocean. The country has developed a strong eco-tourism market by making these natural wonders accessible to the world. That's why 2.4 million tourists head to this small country every year.

Now, Ritz-Carlton wants in on the action. Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, has opened in Costa Rica. It will allow visitors to experience the country's vast flora and fauna, just in the lap of luxury people have come to expect form the Ritz-Carlton brand. The 107 accommodations all offer spectacular views of the ocean, forest, and cliffs in rooms ranging from spacious singles all the way up to private villas. Located in the northern Guanacaste province on the Pacific, it will be breathtaking.

A Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) perched along the shore...
A Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) perched along the shore... | Wolfgang Kaehler/GettyImages

There are variety of top tier dining experiences as well as various retreat options for health, wellness, and beauty. The property is also surrounded by the 250-acre Outpost at Palmares Preserve, which offers numerous adventure tourism opportunities and chances to take in Costa Rica's vast biodiversity. Plus, there is surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving in the Pacific and golfing at the nearby 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature golf course.

Nekajui is the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in either Central or South America, though it will be the eighth property of it's kind in the world. Other locations include Puerto Rico, Japan, Bali, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, China, and Mexico. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve experience is, of course, typified by luxury but it also attempts to blend in significant elements from each region's culture and environment. Naturally, this level of elegance doesn't come cheap.