For a second year in a row, Costa Rica has swept the category for best resorts in Central America, according to Travel + Leisure readers. Cementing its status as a tourism tour de force, the country (named Destination of the Year for 2024) claimed seven of the top 10 winners. Travelers can’t resist Costa Rica’s combination of lush rainforests, diverse wildlife, eco-tourism pursuits, and pura vida attitude, with retreats that offer the ideal mix of adventure and relaxation. Three contending properties, two in Belize and one in Honduras, rounded out this year’s list.
How Voting Works
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186, T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:
- Rooms/facilities
- Location
- Service
- Food
- Value
For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
What Readers Loved
What do readers want this year? Nature-steeped properties with immersive outdoor activities. That can mean ziplining and canopy climbing at No. 3 Hotel Belmar, or tubing along the Rio Celeste at No. 9 Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel, or diving the second-largest barrier reef at No. 10. Kimpton Grand Roatan Resort & Spa. Voters also showed a preference for holistic self-care, from soaking in natural hot springs in the middle of the Costa Rican rainforest to herbal exfoliation treatments at a spa. Nayara Tented Camp (No. 1) continued its reign as the queen of leafy luxury in Central America, with its sister properties, Nayara Springs and Nayara Gardens, a WBA Hall of Fame honoree, ranking No. 2 and No. 4 respectively. Meanwhile, one traveler called Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Resorts Collection “the most amazing wellness resort I’ve ever been to.” The 50-casita retreat, which secured sixth place on the list, supplies an extensive lineup of well-being offerings at the Well, including wood-therapy massages, breathwork, and infrared cabins.
Read on for the full list of the best resorts in Central America, according to T+L readers.
