Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, Montezuma

Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, Montezuma Costa Rica

Nestled between the warm, wild jungle and the gorgeous beaches of the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, Montezuma has a laid-back bohemian vibe that invites you to relax and unwind. It’s home to an abundance of natural beauty and excellent cuisine, making it a popular place for surfers, yogis, and travelers. We came from Malpais to Montezuma for only 2 nights and stayed at Ylang Ylang tropical beach resort.

The Resort

Ylang Ylang Beach Resort was established by American couple Lenny and Patricia Iacono, who came to Montezuma from US in the late seventies. Before the town became a hippie beach paradise and prime tourist destination it was just a stunning remote fishing village! Lenny and Patricia built the resort completely from scratch, and today it’s run by their son Moraya and his wife Emma. With its lush plantations and meandering paths, the resort is now the most luxurious accommodation option in Montezuma. 

Located right on the beach, Ylang Ylang offers a restaurant and spa on-site, yoga classes, wildlife tours, and activities including scuba diving and horseback riding. The resort is full of comfy hammocks facing beautiful white sandy beaches and a gorgeous tropical pool with a small waterfall feature.

You can choose between a number of room options, including 4 types of bungalows, tent cabins, standard rooms, and family suites. We stayed in the Tree Top Canopy room, which was absolutely dreamy!

Tree Top Canopy

The only way the resort is accessible is by travelling down the beach in a 4×4 vehicle. When we arrived, we were given fresh passion fruit juice before being escorted through the beautiful property to our Tree Top Canopy room. To get to the room, we had to climb 50 stairs up the jungle, which was totally worth it! 

The king-size bed was huge, comfortable, and full of personal touches like towels decorated with beautiful flowers. The treehouse is built on stilts, and it has a surrounding deck with an outside kitchenette, patio, and an open-air shower. We loved that it was located at the end of the resort and a bit isolated; we had lots of privacy and enjoyed being on our own with the sounds of nature.

Thanks to the wrap-around screen windows, we were completely surrounded by the beautiful lush jungle and wildlife. Throughout the resort grounds we saw tiny frogs, iguanas, crabs, lizards, beautiful flowers, birds, and even a cute Agouti! There are so many other kinds of wildlife you can see at the resort too, like monkeys, armadillos, opossums, and squirrels.

Yoga

I had the chance to participate in an amazing afternoon yoga class and it was one of my favorite parts of our stay. The room where the classes are held is full of yoga props and angled windows facing the beautiful views of the ocean.

I went to a Kundali yoga class with Linea, an exceptional instructor who made the class really memorable with her guidance and music. It was my first time practicing Kundali yoga, and it was an absolutely breathtaking experience (literally!).

As a yogi, this was a very special experience for me, and I recommend it to anyone interested or experienced in Yoga. You can check out Linea’s YouTube channel here. 

The Restaurant

The restaurant overlooks the beach and has a varied menu that focuses on organic, healthy cuisine, including vegan and raw options. I tried the coco banana spirulina shake, and it was delicious! We had all our meals here during our stay and it was super fresh and delicious every time. Also the service was always impeccable!

We even had a candlelight dinner of pasta Arrabiata and Asian rice noodles, both of which were excellent. All rates at the resort include breakfast and dinner, so you’ll definitely get to try the food if you stay here. 

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to relax and unwind, the beaches and jungle of Montezuma may be the perfect fit. While surrounded by the most beautiful beach, lush forest and animals, Ylang Ylang was the perfect place to stay, as it captures that special spirit of Montezuma, making its guests feel connected to this magical town and its environments.

For more information, check the Ylang Ylang website.