Santa Lucía Jungle Hacienda is a Marriott Autograph Collection resort on the Tárcoles River at the foot of Carara National Park, opened in late 2025 on the site of the long-running Hotel Villa Lapas. It wraps about 84 hacienda-style rooms, riverside pools and an open-air spa around a recreated colonial village square. Choose it for comfortable, full-service access to one of Costa Rica’s best birding parks, knowing that it is a branded resort first and a nature lodge second.
At a glance
| Location | Banks of the Tárcoles River at the base of Carara National Park, Puntarenas |
|---|---|
| Style | Upscale resort in the Autograph Collection by Marriott, with rooms, suites and riverside rooms |
| Setting | Forested river valley in the transition zone between rainforest and dry forest |
| Best for | Couples, families and wedding groups who want resort comfort next to Carara |
| Getting there | About 90 minutes by road from San José, according to the launch announcement |
| CST status | Listed at CST Basic under its former name in the official directory on 2026-Oct-21 |
What changed
The property’s old web address now redirects to santaluciahotel.cr. A January 2024 Marriott announcement carried by Hotel Executive said the existing hotel would convert to the Autograph Collection brand under Enjoy Group, a hotel developer and manager that already ran two Autograph Collection hotels in Costa Rica, with a reimagined restaurant and bar, a new fitness center and an outdoor pool. In October 2025 the business paper El Financiero reported that the new hotel had opened and replaced the old one, and Marriott’s opening release followed in November.
The chapel, cantina and village-square layout that made the old hotel popular for weddings survive in the new design. The hotel’s homepage talks of a “forgotten settlement” brought back to life, and the opening release describes a reimagined village square with a chapel, cantina and colonial-inspired architecture.
Where it is
The hotel is on the riverbanks at the threshold of Carara National Park. SINAC describes Carara as the only transition forest on the Central Pacific, with 420 recorded bird species, and names the scarlet macaw as the symbol of the area. Marriott’s release likewise places the hotel in a rare ecological transition zone between rainforest and dry forest.
El Financiero and other launch coverage say the hotel sits within a 500-hectare private nature reserve. The hotel’s own website does not state a size.
Rooms
Room counts vary between sources: the hotel’s accommodations page lists rooms adding up to 84, which matches a January 2026 report in La República, while Marriott’s release said 87 and El Financiero 88. The hotel lists these categories:
- Deluxe King: the largest group, about 40 rooms with a king bed and mountain views.
- Deluxe Double: about 26 rooms with two double beds, aimed at families and friends.
- Accessible rooms: two Deluxe King and two Deluxe Double rooms adapted for guests with disabilities.
- Deluxe River Bliss: eight river-facing rooms. Marriott’s release describes them as the second-highest tier, with private outdoor fireplaces and large terraces.
- Junior Suites, a Honeymoon Suite and the Presidential Suite at the top.
The Deluxe King description lists air conditioning, high-speed internet and a flat-screen TV.
Food, spa and facilities
The opening release names Santa Lucía Restaurant and Casa del Río among several restaurants serving Costa Rican cooking, and later coverage adds a Bamboo Grill and La Cantina. El Financiero says the two main restaurants focus on Costa Rican ingredients.
The spa, Sukia Wellness, has open-air treatment areas under tall trees, where you hear streams and birds during massages and facials, according to the spa page. The resort also has riverside pools, an Adventure Center, and a Kids and Teens Club. Indoor and outdoor spaces are set up for meetings and weddings.
What you do here
Marriott’s release lists guided hikes and wildlife tours in Carara, birdwatching, boat safaris on the Tárcoles River, horseback rides to the Bijagual waterfall, coastal kayaking and cultural tours of the estate, all organized through the Adventure Center. El Financiero adds mangrove trips on the river.
The hotel’s homepage mentions trails and bridges on the estate, and some outside tour operators sell visits to hanging bridges on the property, but the hotel does not currently describe its own trail network in detail. Ask what is open to guests before you book around it.
Sustainability
This is where the new hotel is thinnest. Neither the hotel website nor the opening announcements describe energy, water, waste, staffing or conservation programs, beyond the natural setting and the private reserve. The official CST directory still carries the property at the Basic level under its old name, so it is unclear whether that certification has carried over to the new operation. If sustainability drives your choice, ask the hotel directly what it does and whether it holds CST under the new brand.
Wildlife
Scarlet macaws flying overhead and white-faced capuchin monkeys in the treetops are the two encounters the hotel’s homepage highlights. In Carara, SINAC lists howler monkeys, three-toed sloths, coatis, armadillos and raccoons among the park’s typical mammals. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but Carara is one of the best-known places in the country to look for scarlet macaws.
Who it suits
Santa Lucía suits travelers who want Marriott-level service and a spa within minutes of Carara’s trails, and families who will use the pools and kids’ club between outings. It is also an obvious choice for weddings, with a chapel and village square on site.
Birders on a tight schedule or a smaller budget may prefer a simpler base such as Cerro Lodge, a short drive away, while those who want a lodge built around reforestation and farming should look inland at Macaw Lodge. More options are on our Central Pacific eco-lodges page, and our guide to best eco-lodges for wildlife and birdwatching puts Carara in national context.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the hotel that used to operate here under another name?
Yes, the same site. The earlier hotel was converted and reopened in late 2025 as Santa Lucía Jungle Hacienda, part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, and the old web address now redirects to the new one.
Is Santa Lucía all-inclusive?
The hotel's website and the opening announcements do not describe an all-inclusive plan. Check meal options when you book, since packages under the new brand may differ from what the old hotel offered.
Are there accessible rooms?
Yes. The accommodations page lists two accessible Deluxe King rooms and two accessible Deluxe Double rooms.
Is it still CST certified?
The official directory lists the property at CST Basic under its previous name. The new operator has not published anything about certification, so confirm with the hotel.
