We arrived at Parador Resort & Spa after a long journey, were greeted at the front gate, and as we drove up to the main entrance, we were immediately welcomed by customer service and bellmen to help with our bags. Friendly smiles all around, I could feel my energy renewed as I started sipping the fruit cocktail and wiping my brow with the chilled and scented fresh towel I was offered. Check in process was thorough, as the front desk showed us a map of the premises and ran down a checklist of all their facilities and services.

A bellman drove us to our building on an electric cart, and we got a first glimpse of some of the facilities we couldn't wait to enjoy such as the trails surrounded by lush gardens and pools. A quick stop to point out the spa and the tour desk on the way to the entrance to the Suites Annex, followed by a quick ride up the elevator and we were walking towards our Suite. There, in the corridor flanked by a forest, a sloth within eye view. We'd only been here for 15 minutes and already we were viewing wildlife we had on our bucket list! Once inside our exceptional Suite, the views of the Pacific Ocean were breathtaking, and I must say, I was distracted from the bellman's run down of all the room's amenities: I could not wait to get into the Jacuzzi on our balcony!

Later in the evening we strolled through the gardens towards the main building for our first dinner at the resort. There were so many dining options to choose from, we decided to go with Galería Restaurant for the first night of our week's stay, and asked for suggestions from the helpful server. A sea bass ceviche with passion fruit and mango for starters for me (the flavors exploded in my mouth), as my husband went for a more traditional seafood and meat combination. Being the foodies that we are, we asked to peruse menus from the other restaurants, and were excited about planning our dining adventure for the next few days. It was easy to see we were enjoying this wonderful escape, as our bodies began swaying to the music as we sipped an artisanal beer named after Flash, one of the resident sloths.

The next day at breakfast, we were amazed by how plentiful the buffet options were. Omelettes made to order, tropical fruit and smoothies, pastries, cold cuts, cheeses, jams, homemade bread, and traditional gallo pinto (seasoned rice and beans) with plantain and more. We took our time having a leisurely meal accompanied by delicious and energizing Costa Rican coffee as we looked out at the ocean in amazement and truly enjoyed the abundance of wildlife we saw. A falcon flying back and forth, colorful birds that we didn't know the names of, an iguana peeking its head out of the garden, and all this while enjoying breakfast!

Always thinking ahead, we already had our bathing suits on, so we decided to immediately start taking in the sun after a quick stop by the tour desk to gather some information and ask a few questions. We had some unmissable places already on our list for sure, such as Manuel Antonio National Park and snorkeling close to shore, and wanted to see what other options were available to help plan our visit. All we had to say was that we wanted to fill our days with a good mix of adventure and relaxation, and the guide was extremely helpful. He patiently explained that there were activities we could enjoy right there on their grounds and that if we loved wildlife we had come to the right place! He mentioned that a highlight of many guests´ trips was the nighttime tour through their trails which began at sunset that evening, and then we could get shuttled to the park early next morning.

We genuinely enjoyed the next few days as we took a sunset catamaran tour, rode horses in the mountains, and treated ourselves to a full day couple's massages and aromatherapy at the spa. We both felt completely rejuvenated after such amazing pampering… what else does this visit have in store?