Property Spotlight: Four Seasons Tamarindo, Mexico

The first thing about Four Seasons Tamarindo that will take your breath away is its striking architecture and design that seems to seamlessly camouflage into the landscape and almost disappear into nature. But it isn't just the unique architecture, sweeping views, untouched beaches and surrounding jungle landscapes that will impress you; there is a lot more to the Four Seasons Tamarindo than meets the eye once you start to explore and discover everything this resort has to offer.

There is so much to love about this hotel and I could honestly go on and on, but here are my key takeaways and insider tips from my 4-day stay there

Overview

This is the 4th hotel to open under the Four Seasons brand in Mexico. (The others are in Punta Mita, Mexico City and Los Cabos). There are 157 rooms that blend into the terrain’s curves and surrounding towering cliffs, divided into four different main categories: Nature Rooms, Beachfront and Premium Beachfront Rooms and Cliffside Suites.

It is set on an enormous 3,000+ acre (1,200 hectare) private natural reserve on a striking peninsula of the Pacific coast, around 3-4 hours drive south of Puerto Vallarta. The nearest international airport is Manzanillo (just under an hour’s drive) and with direct flights to LA, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix or quick connections via Mexico City. This part of Mexico’s coastline really hasn’t been developed or spoiled by tourism yet, so it feels very untouched, remote and peaceful (very far away and different from other resort destinations in Mexico.)

The architecture and design is a collaboration between the five most well-respected and revered Mexican architecture and design firms in the country. Almost everything in the resort was created by incredible local artisans from all areas of Mexico - the uniforms, tableware and utensils, furniture and interiors etc. (We chatted to an onsite chef who is also an artisan. He was taking some time out of the kitchen to carve new plates from local wood for the restaurant in a workshop that had been set up for him on the reserve).

The resort is aimed at those looking for a luxury experience immersed in nature, where they can disconnect from fast-paced living and enjoy the outdoors. The things that stood out to me most were the range of nature and outdoor activities on offer, as well as the culinary vision and experiences (more on that later!)

Resort Facilities

There are three infinity pools that cascade down the cliffside towards the beach - a family pool, an adults-only pool and a relaxation pool.

There are four beaches around the reserve. The main beach is directly in front of the resort with full food and drinks service (and not always suitable for swimming). Tamarindo Beach is a short golf buggy ride away where the ocean is very calm and perfect for swimming and doing a range of watersports activities that are included in your stay (water bike, kayak, paddleboards and snorkeling equipment). And then there are also two more beaches a little further away that don’t have any services or amenities available, but are very beautiful to explore and spend some time at.

There are three restaurants onsite - Nacho, Coyul and Sal. I thought the food was AMAZING. The quality of all the ingredients, the passion and pride of all the servers and chefs that we spoke to and the creative dishes on the menus made it a foodie’s dream.

Here are some personal food tips and recommendations:

• Order the Papellilo Rojo cocktail at Coyul (named after a rare local tree). You can thank me later.

• The Hamachi al Pastor dish was out of this world and one of the specialties at Sal - just melt in your mouth deliciousness.

• The coffee and pastries offered at Coyul for breakfast are extra special as they come from the acclaimed restaurant Rosetta in Mexico City, owned by Elena Reygadas, who currently holds the title of World’s Best Female Chef 2023. Elena also helped to create Coyul, and her famous chocolate dessert that propelled her career is on the menu and a must try. Also, don’t miss her ricotta and lemon ravioli. How can such a simple dish be so exquisite?

• The Pesca Zarandeado at Sal was also insanely good. It is a regional dish of fish grilled in different chile marinades and spices and is served with fresh tortillas and beans.

• Nacho is the taqueria and OMG, some of the best tacos I have ever tried (and I have lived in Mexico for 17 years). Be sure to order: the taco de lechon, the taco de pescado, the taco de pulpo - basically everything on the menu. Also, the coconut horchata was surprisingly refreshing and tasty.

At first glance, I wasn’t sure about the family-friendly aspect of the resort. Even though there were children around, the atmosphere was very refined and serene (and a little boring for teenagers and young children). But then I stopped by the kids club. Caramelo is a lovely lively space that offers some really interesting and fun indoor and outdoor activities for young ones. They are immersed in fun learning experiences in nature, learning about all the local wildlife, plants, insects and also inside doing traditional crafts activities like working with beads and special materials from the region. Some of the adults we met joked that they wanted to hang out at the kids club more than at the pool. The teens club Escondite (a clandestine den) is currently being built and almost finished and will be a great space for the older ones to hang out with others their age.

As well as the kids club, there is a packed schedule of family-friendly activities (with a focus on nature, regional food and drink and exploration). Activities include cooking classes, regional fermented drinks and coffee extraction workshops, tours of the onsite farm (Rancho Ortega), cycling tours, hiking, bird watching, crafts workshops, kayaking and paddle boarding classes, boat trips, outdoor movie nights, nighttime biology and wildlife walks, and more.

The golf course is also worth a special mention. Tamarindo has always been a renowned golf course for golf aficionados in Mexico long before the hotel was built. It is an exceptionally beautiful place to play golf and at least four of the holes are very special (according to a golfing guest I chatted to who said that about 4 or 5 of the holes on the course were really spectacular).

If you are looking for something a little different (especially if you are into food and learning about regional cuisine), I highly recommend taking one of the cooking classes. We had such a good time learning how to make aguachile in the main kitchens, chatting to the chefs and getting a tour of their expansive kitchens.

Finally, one of my favorite things I did during my stay was a tour of the onsite farm, Rancho Ortega, which was created by the culinary director, Nicolas Patti, who is a true visionary and has ambitious long-term plans for the resort regarding zero-mile sourcing and sustainable farming. The ranch has hundreds of agave plants that will eventually produce the resort’s very own tequila, as well as chickens, pigs, goats, hundreds of exotic trees and plants (citrus, mango, pomegranate, banana and coconut), its own mushroom chamber, fermentation area, corn nixtamalization workshop, and more. Everyone is very excited about it and each chef at the hotel spends a couple of days a week on the farm to immerse themselves in the ingredients and cultivation processes.

Booking a stay at the new Four Seasons Tamarindo:

If you have any questions about the resort or are interested in booking a stay, please reach out using the contact form below. As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner agent, I can include the following exclusive Preferred Partner perks and amenities to enhance your stay :

• Complimentary Daily Breakfast for Two Adults Per Room (Room Service or Restaurant)

• Resort Credit of $100-$200 per stay

• Room upgrade, subject to availability at check in.

• Complimentary premium Wi-Fi

• VIP welcome amenity

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Mexico. In need of further inspiration? Check out Leslie Overton’s guide, A Long Weekend in Mexico City.