Although I love the Four Seasons Costa Palmas partly due to the remote location outside of Cabo, there is another isolated, exclusive sandy paradise, Tamarindo! The Four Seasons brand is an authority on sniffing out secluded locations and creating a beach paradise, before anyone else discovers a serene warm body of water and a private stretch of sandy beach, and here, you can wander through an enormous nature preserve!

Manzanillo Airport is small, but I tried the VIP arrival. I was met inside the teeny terminal. No ac, so if you are in a line, it can get hot. Bags are dropped on a platform, my VIP Handler met me as I entered, took my carryon bag – signaled to a baggage handler pointing out my bag, next line was cleared by this lovely woman, quickly passed through a passport check ahead of other travelers, my bags were not required to go through the scanner and delivered outside to the Four Seasons tea.  Rapido, I would recommend the VIP arrival, it’s a nominal fee.

A colorful one-hour drive from Manzanillo International Airport to the resort was a charming experience, passing through the agricultural fields of Mexico’s countryside. Banana plantations, trucks overflowing with guava, pineapples, and we stopped at a little market to buy a cold cerveza for my traditional arrival photo: Cerveza in the car, Salud!

Home all summer, these international sites were fond reminders of how much I crave foreign culture. I love seeing rural locals going about their day-to-day activities, peddling cold sodas, selling handmade baskets along the road.

Valentino, my Four Seasons Ambassador, pointed out cultural icons – like the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe that has survived three different earthquakes on September 19, the same day of my arrival. During the drive, I had glimpses of the deep blue ocean through the plantations and jungle.  

Arrival After winding through the verdant nature reserve for 15 minutes, you arrive at an epic entrance, La Mansion. Check in under a soaring open-air atrium which frames impressive, uninterrupted views of the Pacific coast, enormous tree studded rocks lunge from the ocean. It’s dramatic! A full wall size traditional Huichol art mural dominates an atrium wall.

Hola! I love a welcome drink featuring a local product, a mezcal welcome cocktail with fermented fruit along with a cold scented towel.

Remember my Travel Mantra – The Arrival Sets the Stage for a Visit.

Tamarindo is a showcase of five of the most well-respected architecture and design firms in Mexico, who came together to create a resort that blends seamlessly with the peninsula’s topography, supports rewilding and blurs boundaries between indoors and out. Their commitment to authentically Mexican architecture results in a mosaic of pre-Hispanic culture, colonial heritage, and contemporary architecture. 

Honestly, the architecture is breathtaking – the press release provides the most accurate descriptions – long but a true sense of the astonishing work that went into this Four Seasons.

The building materials were a huge focus early in the project. For the architecture to be timeless, and to embrace the elements, the teams decided to use local stone laid by artisans who used pre-Hispanic traditions that combine their natural earth tones and regional colors and textures.

The team worked closely to create a cement with an almost exact color match to the sand on the beaches as well as a specific texture that has a distinct finish and is compatible to the environment.  Cement, lava rock and wood are the three significant materials that can be seen throughout the project – all organic and commonly used in this region of Jalisco, Mexico.  The building materials were a huge focus early in the project. For the architecture to be timeless, and to embrace the elements, the teams decided to use local stone laid by artisans who used pre-Hispanic traditions that combine their natural earth tones and regional colors and textures.

All the buildings and walls have been constructed in massive proportions, the landscaping was removed and replanted, it looks like it has been here for years, really a sensational sensory property!

Local Crafts Bathroom accessories are hand-made by local artisans using Mayan cream stone, the laundry hampers were made of stitched henequén sourced from Xcanchakán and Santa Rosa, the cotton hammocks are hand-made by a group of women in neighboring communities. The boutique is large by resort standards and offers a curated collection of indigenous art, beautiful Mexican textiles and clothing. The spa also has a lovely art filled boutique. The more than 50 artisans and brands featured at Almanaque Natural by Tamarindo were purposefully curated by Taller Maya, a Mexican design collective with a deep commitment to sustainability and fair trade.

Escape to a secluded nature reserve in Mexico’s Tamarindo, the pristine coastline where verdant jungle meets the Pacific Ocean. This rugged and pristine biosphere-protected swath of coastline in western Mexico, about 125 miles south of Puerto Vallarta. Tamarindo is located on a sprawling 3,000-acre nature reserve on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Ninety-eight percent of the reserve is untouched and protected from any future developments, leaving more than twenty-six miles of hiking trails for guests to explore.

There are acres of agave plants and the newish on property Rancho Ortega.  An innovative grow everything on the grounds endeavor –nineteen acres of low impact landscaping plants, green houses propagating cactus cuttings for the bright little urns included on each room service tray. The compost program is a Master Class in Compost and by looking at the size of everything that grows on the property, it is a huge success. The culinary operations at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México have a zero-food waste philosophy where what is not consumed will be returned to the earth. A mini farm with free range chickens, goats, ducks, lambs, gigantic pigs, and a small stable of donkeys, who are pets!! There is an outdoor kitchen set up with tables and benches made from fallen trees, farm to table dinners planned soon in this wild space. A day later I enjoyed a private tour.Sustainable and Innovation are fundamental principles here.

Feel at One with Nature Start your day by awakening your senses and feeling the rhythm of the nature reserve. Join their team of resident biologists and researchers on a morning hike through hills and winding paths. In a destination where there are more animal footpaths than human footpaths, you’ll gain an intimate knowledge of this tropical seasonal jungle. This walk, a Tamarindo tradition, will present you with an insider’s peek into the biologists’ work to study and protect the reserve’s natural treasures as you experience your natural surroundings with all your senses.

A Journey Through Taste Led by Culinary Director, Nicolas Piatti, their culinary workshops are immersed in Mexican cuisine and traditions. Learn about recipes passed down by generations and about their unique fresh produce, such as blue agave from Rancho Ortega, their low-impact farm. Piatti and his team also bring organic corn from the Yucatán Peninsula and harvest salt. Each of their on-property workshops serves to tell a story – of a place, traditions and ingredients – and are soulful expressions of Mexico’s culinary heritage, executed by a team of chefs, farmers, fishermen, sommeliers, foragers and mixologists, dining at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo offers an exploration of Mexico’s cuisine as told through rich flavors and long-standing traditions.

Benjamin and I have taken many cooking classes, and shared tequila tastings at Four Seasons resorts, including an Indian cooking class in the Maldives – we leave inspired, full and excited to try the recipes at home. Prepare to get your hands dirty, delight your palate and learn culinary secrets that are emblematic of Mexico, as you join the culinary team to prepare an authentic black aguachile dish at Tamarindo.

Pause on the Sea Head out on an adventure with the local fishermen of La Manzanilla, who have lived on these shores for generations and know the local waters better than anyone. Aboard their traditional lancha (fishing boat), listen to their stories about the ocean and the creatures that live in it, and learn the secrets of hand-line fishing, a sustainable fishing practice, from the very best. As you roll along the ocean, you will gain a unique understanding of local culture, and perhaps a few new friends.

Spa I’ve never met a Shaman I didn’t like! The spa is one of the most beautiful and calming spaces I’ve ever seen. Soft trickling water sounds, breezes gently ruffling tree leaves, relaxation is guaranteed. A direct line of water from the Spa’s entrance to the stone Temazcal marks the journey of rebirth – this mix of water and fire are a symbol of the cycle of life.

Temazcal A temazcal is an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony, a ritual based on the belief that fire and steam heal and purify the body, mind, and spirit. You begin with a blessing of smoky herbs and prayers before entering the dome-shaped structure made from stone and earth. The shaman and his assistant chant and lead cleansing rituals while heated rocks are placed in the center of the Temazcal, using deer antlers, each rock was laid one by one in the center pit. The shaman enters, closes the decorated blanket over the entrance and begins pouring water on the hot rocks, sizzling steam saturates the entire dome space.

Derived from the Nahuatl word for “house of heat,” this immersive experience channels the essence of pre-Hispanic rituals to provide an immediate sense of mental clarity, emotional healing, and profound relaxation. Embrace the opportunity to rejuvenate mind, body and spirit as you immerse yourself in the transformative power of the Temāzcal. and connection to nature that is said to heal. I have to say, having the Temezcal dome to myself, left me in a serene mediative mood. I cancelled my restaurant dinner plans and sat on the edge of my infinity pool terrace for the sunset, remaining in a quiet state. Highly Recommend!

Bring your Clubs  Offering 18 holes of links-style play, El Tamarindo was designed by celebrated golf architect David Fleming. The course weaves through tropical jungle along the rocky Pacific coastline with pristine ocean views.

Night Safari Small Wonders Night Exploration It was a long travel day, I asked can I go out at 8 pm, the front desk immediately sent a buggy – si si!  Upon meeting the Russian biologists, I explained – I am afraid of bugs, I am exhausted, but I am enthusiastic to meet you.  As usual, a Four Seasons compromise: we will drive you around to explore, no night walking until we find a critter! Perfect, vamanos! I held my headlamp and within minutes, we stopped, Natasha quickly found a cluster of elusive long winged Zebra butterfly’s sleeping on a tree limb. She scampered up a trail, head light bobbing and motions for us to approach… a rare sight – bugs who had just mated – sperm sack still hanging on the very large lady beetle type bug! Honestly, I will think twice about any night outing, even in my garden, so many camouflaged creatures of the night. The full moon dangling from the black sky was a bonus. Highly recommend for the story of the brilliant and amusing Russian biologists and the creepy critters. Indeed, Benjamin was right, the Russian biologists, Natasha and …left their homeland for the obvious reasons and have established a small school in this area and are supremely interested and knowledgeable about critters of the Nature Reserve!

Accommodations Perhaps one reason Benjamin delayed his departure, his Infinity pool cliffside Suite hangs above the ocean, who would want to leave this paradise?

Secluded on the cliffside enclave, these one-bedroom suites offer elevated views of the ocean and the natural reserve. With your own 43-foot infinity swimming pool, a hammock and an outdoor shower, you too may never wish to leave! And yes, I had the best suite with a panoramic view of those massive rocks, lapping waves and gorgeous sunsets from my cliff hanging infinity pool!

All 157 rooms and 63 suites are an expression of the region, I always appreciate a sense of place in a hotel property. These residential-style villas command ultra-private locations above the ocean. Spectacular indoor-outdoor living and dining areas include kitchens, pools and fire pits. This is the ultimate Tamarindo luxury experience for your Travel Tribe!

The Resort was built to look camouflaged in the landscape and almost disappear into nature. The team studied the terrain’s curves so that they could insert the buildings while respecting the Reserve, which allows for breath-taking ocean views from towering cliffs that descend from more than 300 feet.   The buildings were designed using native materials and outfitted by local artisans to create a tranquil space to return to after a day spent exploring. 

Dining The three restaurants at Tamarindo showcase the abundant flavors of Mexico, with ingredients sourced as locally as possible, including from the onsite farm Rancho Ortega. The main restaurant Coyul is helmed by Elena Reygadas, who in 2023 was named the world’s best female chef by The World’s Best 50 Restaurants; the menu reinterprets Italian and French classics through a Mexican lens with dishes such as lobster tagliolini with cuaresmeño pepper.

Sunset time, mosey down to visit Sal, which serves traditional Mexican fare with a seafood focus. Fresh catch of the day was a tender red snapper grilled in red and green adobo sauces and served with house-made tortillas and tatemada sauce. The tortillas are hand pressed with …Mayan symbols made of …

Smart peeps grab a seat at the railing for sundown gazing, the perfect location!

Lobster Tacos? The resort’s very own Taqueria Nacho provides a more laid-back dining experience, serving traditional and innovative tacos packed with flavor.  Exquisite tender quesadillas with blossoms embedded into the hand made tortilla…divine! I said No gracias to the Goat Taco, and Si Gracias to Lobster Tacos!

Breakfast is a plentiful buffet of Mexican dishes and Western classics.