While Nayara Tented Camp opened at the end of 2019 as one of the first luxury camps in Central America, 2022 unveiled the property’s second phase—the addition of a main building, reception area, bar, lounge, restaurant, swimming pool, fire pit, and new guest accommodations—all devoted to curating a luxury tented experience within a Costa Rican context.
Leo Ghitis, the founder of Nayara Resorts, was originally inspired by the tented camps he’d seen on his travels to Asia and Africa, including Luxury Frontiers projects Wilderness Safaris Abu Camp and Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari. Committed to complementing the original accommodations at Nayara Tented Camp, Ghitis once again called on Luxury Frontiers to complete the expansion's architecture and interior design as well as Vida Design Studio to complete the landscape design and oversee the continued reforestation efforts across the mountainside.
Showcasing the site's natural beauty
To provide a distinct sense of place, Luxury Frontiers designed the main areas of Nayara Tented Camp to showcase the natural beauty of the surrounding jungle backdrop. Shaping the arrival experience at the camp, the reception tent is oriented to draw guests to the stunning location the resort calls home—surrounded by lush greenery, volcanic views, and panoramic jungle vistas.
Common areas which are anything but common
Beyond the reception tent, the pool deck and infinity pool break the boundaries between built structures and context, and the swim up bar and wood burning fire pit facilitate a relaxing, immersive in-jungle experience with planted surroundings. Bringing elements of Costa Rica and the location into the design, the main areas feature local materials and a jungle-inspired palette combining bamboo, soft canvas ceilings, emerald green stone, and local timbers throughout.
A suite room mix
In addition to the original tented suites, there are also several new guest rooms and layouts, including: two four-bedroom tented villas, each with a living area, dining area, and main deck and pool (pictured above); six two-bedroom tented suites; and two additional tented suites. The two-bedroom tented suites are perfect for families, while the four-bedroom villas are ideal for larger families, groups, and travelers seeking extra privacy. With the expansion, Nayara Tented Camp now offers a total of 38 accommodations.
An immersive in-room experience
All guest accommodations were designed to respond to their context and call for unique experiences. While the concept of the tented camp is not native to Costa Rica, the design of Nayara Tented Camp nods to traditional African safari style tents yet infuses a Costa Rican sense of place. Contemporary, barefoot-luxe touches are found throughout the design, from explorer-inspired furnishings, canopy beds with a botanical headboard mural, a romantic freestanding bathtub beneath a draped canvas ceiling, and double-head outdoor showers. In fact, many items in the rooms were custom-designed and handmade—a testament to how truly unique the camp is.
Images by Brice ferre Studio, courtesy of Nayara Resorts
