FAQs

Please contact the hotel directly. Phone: +506 7287-8759 | Phone: US +506 7094-7824 | Email: reservations@kinkara.com

Our dress code is informal. We encourage you to bring lightweight, casual clothing, sunscreen, insect repellent, a bathing suit and sturdy sneakers for activities. We also recommend bringing a sweater for cooler evening temperatures and a light rain jacket if you plan to visit during Green Season. Don’t worry about bringing spare clothing since we offer a laundry service.
We also remind you to bring all personal hygiene essentials and medicines as there are limited convenience stores in close proximity to Kinkara.

Set in the high elevation of the mountains, our Costa Rica resort offers a mild climate called Eternal Spring. This part of Costa Rica experiences moderate tropical temperatures and gentle breezes year-round, with two well-defined seasons: In the Summer - December through April - rains are rare and temperatures averages between 78°F (26°C) and 82°F (28°C) during the day and 70°F (21°C) at night. In the Green Season - May through November - the daily rhythm shifts with showers and fleeting thunderstorms each afternoon. Most days are enjoy sunny, with warm mornings and clouds rolling in mid to late afternoon and temperatures dipping slightly with the rains. Embrace nature’s cycles and the reflective, relaxed atmosphere that the daily rains bring.

Below are some general visa guidelines, but please check with your airline or travel agent to confirm your legal requirements for entering Costa Rica. All visitors to Costa Rica need a passport valid for at least 6 months at the date of entry. Visa  not  required for nationals of the USA, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, and the UK and its dependencies for stays of up to 90 days. Visa  not  required for nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Suriname, Taiwan, Turkey, Vatican City and Venezuela  for stays up to 30 days.

No immunizations, shots, inoculations or vaccinations are required to enter Costa Rica. However, it would be wise to check with your personal physician for individual recommendations.

Reaching our realm is easy. Kinkara can be reached by private charter plane directly to our airstrip, by commercial flight to Perez Zeledon from the capital, or by car. You can find more detailed information on traveling to our luxury retreat on our dedicated Getting Here page. Need a hand arranging domestic transportation? Just ask us.

Yes. If you wish to arrive at your own pace, driving is a good option. We can even help you rent a car - just ask us. From San José the drive is approximately 4.5 hours and highways are safe, scenic and well-maintained. You can download our driving directions here. Our Address: Kinkara Luxury Retreat 50m norte Pulperia La Valencia, Santa Elena, San Isidro de El General Costa Rica 11902 Tel. +(506) 4040-0423

AYes. The Kinkara experience is designed to delight guests of every age. With plenty of open outdoor space, our property is a safe and inspiring playground for nature lovers, and a destination to experience the joys of discovery. Activities often popular with families include horseback riding, picnics beside our on-site waterfall, and zip line adventures a short distance from Kinkara. As for accommodation, a number of our Lotus Belle tents have a capacity of up to 4 guests.

AKinkara offers a place to soak up Costa Rica's natural wonders and experience some of the country’s most iconic adventures. With that in mind we recommend staying for at least 3 nights to enjoy our signature experiences and some truly quality time with nature. However, if you seek a deeper, more regenerative vacation experience, consider staying with us for 4 nights or more. That way you will have enough time to enjoy a slower pace of discovery and to embrace the restorative potential of Kinkara.

Our new-luxury retreat is designed just as much for those who wish to do nothing more than soak up the healing energy of nature as it is for those seeking immersive adventures. Days at Kinkara are well spent practicing yoga at the heart of our Mandala Garden, hiking our peaceful canyons, biking through our food forest, delving into the inspiring world of permaculture or horseback riding up to the heights of our property for views across the entire valley. Exquisite cuisine throughout your days, energizing by the fire in the evenings and just relaxing with “me” time round out the activity time.
On top of this, we offer complimentary daily scheduled activities including group yoga classes, nature walks and cooking classes, as well as wellness experiences and a number of external day tours including surf lessons, zip lining and national park visits. Discover our Signature Experiences here.

Our plush Lotus Belle tents do not feature air conditioning. However, they are designed with fully netted windows to allow for airflow during the day. At night when temperatures drop, warm duvets and blankets make for a blissful slumber under the stars.

Our tents do not feature their own private bathrooms. However, all tents are located a convenient distance from our shared spa-inspired and impeccably maintained Bath Houses which feature hand-carved wooden vanities, oversized sinks, full sized mirrors, private toilets and of course… powerful hot rainfall showers.

Yes. There is complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the retreat in all public areas and tents.

Yes. Restorative food is central to the Kinkara experience and we are fully committed to preparing nourishing, tasty dishes for each and every one of our guests. Not only do we strive to accommodate all food allergies, we make it our mission to make everything we serve delicious. Our earth-to-plate cuisine caters to a number of diets including but not limited to vegetarian, vegan, gluten and dairy free, keto, pescetarian, paleo and beyond. To discuss specific dietary requirements, please get in touch with us.

Yes. The water at Kinkara and across most of Costa Rica is 100% potable. We feature fresh, crisp spring-water throughout Kinkara

We’re lucky to have very few bothersome bugs at Kinkara. Nevertheless, we provide an all-natural insect repellent which may come in handy if you venture out into the surrounding rainforest, down to the creek, or to our nearby national parks

Kinkara is located just over an hour away from Costa Rica’s palm-fringed Pacific coast. Our nearest beach is in Dominical, a world-famous surf and sunset spot. A number of other beautiful swimming beaches neighbor Dominical too.

Check in is from 1pm. Should you arrive earlier at Kinkara, we will do everything possible to have your tent ready. However, if you do have to wait, you won’t have to wait to start your vacation: go ahead and enjoy some lunch at Casa Bulú or find a peaceful spot by the creek and ease into relaxation mode. Check out is at 10am. If you would like to leave later in the day, please let us know and if possible, we’ll be happy to accommodate you.

While staying at Kinkara, all your expenses can be charged to your room. When you check out, we accept US Dollars, Costa Rican Colones and all major credit cards, excluding AMEX. If you choose to venture out during your stay, carrying some small US Dollar bills is recommended as well as some local currency. Most businesses and restaurants accept US Dollars. Euros and other currencies are not commonly accepted in Costa Rica

Tipping is exclusively at your discretion. If you wish to leave a tip, you may do so by using the envelopes found beside our Gratitude Box. You may leave a general tip to be divided among our entire team, or, if a particular member of our staff provides exceptional service, you may also leave them tip by specifying their name on the envelope.

Smoking is not permitted in the tents and Costa Rica has passed strict non-smoking laws which prohibit smoking in public places. However, we do have a smoking area on our grounds

Our Lotus Belle tents do not have traditional power sockets. However, they do feature solar powered lighting and portable power banks with enough juice to fully charge small devices multiple times. Large devices such as laptops can be charged at Casa Bulú.

Kinkara is independently owned and operated

Costa Rica is the crown jewel of Central America, with political stability, an unmatched commitment to conservation, and a culture that reflects ease and contagious joy. Costa Rica is a tropical vacation playground with rainforests, mountains, cloud forests, volcanoes and beautiful Pacific and Caribbean beaches, so the opportunities for discovery, restoration and natural immersion are endless. It's also home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity - a dream destination for wildlife lovers.
Getting around Costa Rica is also hassle-free. Domestic, carbon neutral airlines like Sansa connect all the country’s regions with the longest internal flight route being under 1 hour. Roads and highways are well-maintained and driving between destinations generally will not take more than 4 hours.

Pérez Zeledón is a newly emerging destination in Costa Rica’s lush southern mountains. It is easily reached from the capital and other popular destinations on the country’s central and south Pacific coast, while feeling sheltered from the tourism hotspots.

For those who seek to discover and explore, Pérez Zeledón enjoys access to numerous national parks including Chirripó - home to Costa Rica’s tallest peak, La Amistad, and Los Quetzales. For those who desire an immersive experience without having to venture far and wide, our Pérez Zeledón setting brings the beauty of the region to one place. Here guests can enjoy riverside relaxation, waterfall adventures, countryside horseback riding, mountain biking or the beautiful tranquillity of undisturbed nature.

In addition to Pérez Zeledón, there are many other destinations in Costa Rica that are worth a visit. We recommend visiting a variety of the country's extraordinary ecosystems such as the rainforests of the Osa Peninsula, the Jurassic beaches of the nearby Central Pacific, and the cloud forests of Monteverde, home to our sister hotel Senda. We also recommend visiting some of Costa Rica's popular national parks including Chirripó, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Los Quetzales, all within easy reach of Kinkara. If you'd like some advice on where to combine with Perez Zeledon, we will gladly give you some ideas.

If you’d like to explore the center of San José, we recommend staying at Hotel Grano de Oro. This tropical Victorian mansion is within walking distance of the capital’s main attractions

In the case of an emergency, a medical clinic and hospital is located in Perez Zeledon town center, approximately 30 minutes from Kinkara. Medical care in Costa Rica is of very high quality and considered to be the best in Central America. San Jose especially has excellent hospitals, medical facilities and doctors, many of whom have qualified in the US or in Europe.

We always advise taking out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourself and any dependents/travel companions for the duration of your stay in Costa Rica. As a minimum, this insurance should include:

Emergency evacuation expenses
Medical expenses
Repatriation expenses
Cancellation or curtailment of trip
Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods

In case of medical emergencies, most Costa Rican doctors and hospitals expect payment in cash, regardless of whether you have travel health insurance or not. If your health insurance does not cover you for medical expenses while you are abroad, you should consider supplemental insurance. It may also be worth finding out in advance if your insurance plan will make payments directly to providers or if they reimburse you later for any overseas health expenditures.

Currently, Travel Medical Insurance is required in order to enter Costa Rica. You may purchase insurance from one of two Costa Rican providers or from an international agency. If you purchase a policy from an international agency you must carry with you a certification from the insurer (in English or Spanish) stating the following:

1. Validity of the policy throughout the entire length of stay in Costa Rica
2.Guaranteed coverage of at least US $50,000 for medical expenses in case of contracting COVID-19 during your travels.
3. Minimum coverage of US $2,000 for extended lodging expenses that may be incurred as a result of required quarantine.

Spanish is the national language of Costa Rica, but the staff at Kinkara and our Travel Advisors speak excellent English. Apart from the most rural areas of Costa Rica, you should have little problem with language barriers. Many Costa Ricans have a basic knowledge of English.

ACarbon offsets are voluntary donations that can be made to compensate, or offset, greenhouse gas emissions from transport, electricity use, and other sources. In an effort to promote sustainable development and tourism, the Costa Rican Ministry of Environmental Affairs has created a program in which tourists can compensate the carbon emissions from their international flights by investing in programs that preserve and reforest natural areas within Costa Rica. You can find more information on the program’s website (http://www.fonafifo.go.cr/) or ask us.

As much as we love animals, regrettably we cannot welcome any pets at Kinkara due to our location amidst a working farm.

Guests are not permitted to bring alcohol or food into their tents. If you wish to bring your own alcohol to Casa Bulú, we have a corking fee of $10 per bottle of wine, $20 per bottle of liquor and $2 per can of beer.

Premium tents at Kinkara need to be kept immaculately clean in order to avoid unwanted visitors such as ants. For this reason we do not offer room service and advise our guests to not keep any food or drinks other than water in their tents.