LIKES
- Huge transitional forest as a private protected reserve with a large number of plant & animal species. I photographed 21 species of birds on my first visit in 2019, but with a lower energy level this trip and not as good a birding guide, I got only 11 species of birds, though I did also photograph 11 species of butterflies (more than last time), plus 8 species of other animals! They have correctly named it a “Nature Resort.” 🙂
- Great Beaches & Underwater Activities that include the safest and best two beaches for children in coves and absolutely no undertow and very tiny waves. For divers (wish I was one), the first Central American Underwater Museum and first “Restored Coral Reef” that add to the uniqueness of this resort. And of course many other water sports plus a huge array of landside activities and sports for the hyperactive.
- Punta Leona Hotel (Selvamar) has excellent rooms snuggled in among the tall trees with birds and monkeys, internet in your room, full breakfast, and all at what I consider a fair or good price.
Read on for my dislikes and a gallery of more hotel photos.
DISLIKES
- The main close restaurant for Selvamar is a Buffet Restaurant for all meals! I thought that after Covid, no one would start up buffets again, but Punta Leona did! Buffets are simply not healthy, generally not appetizing to me, and too expensive for what little I eat. That was the main reason I went 6 years without returning. Fortunately there are menu restaurants at the 2 Beaches, but a long walk or wait for a shuttle bus and I ate there only once because not as convenient, plus they are mostly snacks, pizzas and sandwiches which would have been okay if closer. 🙂
- Internet connection is too weak and slow for someone like me who uploads a lot of photos. It was so slow the I limited myself to 1 web-sized photo per blog post while there. With all their expensive facilities, there is no excuse for having such slow internet. I go to tiny lodges in the middle of nowhere that have better internet service.
- Over-development! For all their bragging of the great protected forest, they sure have cut down a lot trees for the dozens of developments of gated communities of houses, condos and apartments and now at least three hotels. They provide some great options for people of means in San Jose and other Central Valley towns to have weekend getaways, but the developments also greatly take away from the nature part of their “Nature Resort.” It is crowded now! Just think how much more it will be when that 20 story hotel is full of people! 🙂
More Photos of Both Likes & Dislikes at Punta Leona . . .
and ice cream shop!
¡Pura Vida!
So as in most of my life, I put up with some of the “bad” or “dislikes” so I can enjoy the good things. 🙂 And that describes my relationship with Punta Leona. I have many preferred or better nature places that I will continue to visit regularly and may or may not return to Punta Leona. Or as the psychologist said . . .
“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” — Carl Jung
🙂
Next Door to Punta Leona is Villa Calletas, up on top of a hill overlooking the ocean with the best sunsets I’ve found anywhere on the Pacific Coast, but their beach is not as close, needing a shuttle, but definitely more private because too difficult for public to get to. It is also more expensive than Punta Leona, BUT their restaurant is terrific and worth more! Menu only and much better food than Punta Leona with vistas of the Pacific Ocean. Wildlife might be a little less, but still okay for my photography, especially with the advantage of better food and sunsets! 🙂 So it is possible that if I go back to the coast again, I might go back to Villa Calletas, but always with the option of Punta Leona Nature Resort! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
This is the last of my Punta Leona trip posts, but you can see all of my photos from this, my second visit to the large, nearby nature resort that I partly like and partly dislike at: 2025-12–23-27–Punta Leona and if interested, you may want to see my gallery: 2019 Mar 5-10 – Punta Leona Tomorrow I feature the 2025 Punta Leona Gallery, then back to my garden photos! 🙂