The bright sun of the Costa Rican morning peeps through the curtains of my room at Hotel DoceLunas, spreading warm rays across the floor and beckoning me to leave bed and head outside, where the jungle awaits.

The dense foliage overhead scatters shadows on the paths below that weave around the property’s five acres of sprawling jungle gardens. Each step along the path reveals a new detail of the jungle – looming leaves, dangling vines, coconut trees, and flowers in a myriad of colors.

Jacó Hotel DoceLunas

Breakfast is included with a stay at Hotel DoceLunas and I make my way to the open-aired dining area and sit at one of the wooden tables.

A light breeze feels the tranquil space as I am served a traditional Costa Rican breakfast of fruit, fried eggs and gallo pinto, a mixture of rice and beans. Costa Rica is famous for its coffee and the cup I am served is from Café Britt, one of Costa Rican’s finest brands.

The day only gets better after breakfast as I change into my swimsuit and head to the pool.

Colorful tiles forming the shape of a smiling and dazzling sun cover the floor of the large swimming pool which also comes complete with a waterfall. The water is warm, the sun is brilliant and the space fills me with such a sense of calm that I spend the day here soaking up rays and reading away the hours.

All rooms at this boutique property are incredible spacious, more comparable in size to an apartment than an average hotel room.

I stayed in one of the VIP suites, which came complete with a king size bed, couch and reading area and a nook with a desk that looked out at the garden. For a writer like me having a desk to write at was a real treat!

The room was decorated with paintings of typical Costa Rican scenes such as crocodiles and ocean waves, painted by local artist Felix Murrillo. Large sliding glass doors provided a garden view and opened onto a private patio with Adirondack chairs.

The bathroom was also quite spacious and the shower instantaneously provided warm water – a rarity in Costa Rica.

Playa Jacó is the closest beach to San José’s city center. The 2.5-mile strip of coastline is one of Costa Rica’s most visited beaches and provides warm breaks for surfing year round.

The hotel is in a semi-secluded location, a 20-minute walk or a quick, $3 taxi ride from  Jacó’s beach and city center. The main strip of  Jacó can get quite rowdy at night, so I greatly appreciated the hotel’s tranquil location removed from the madness but still easily accessible if one so desires.

Brian, one of the hotel’s owners, was rife with recommendations for the best activities and dining options offered in Jaco. A few of his recommendations: head to South Beach and the Tiki bar at Jaco Laguna Resort & Beach club for sunset drinks. Check out the trendy Graffiti restaurant for a “ghetto gourmet” dinner. Visit the breezy Green Room Cafe for post-dinner drinks and live music.

With sprawling jungle grounds, gorgeous spaces for relaxing and spacious and cozy rooms, Hotel DoceLunas is a quiet and cozy oasis that will be sure to fill you with tranquility and peace.

Note: I was provided with a complimentary stay at Hotel DoceLunas. As always, all opinions are my own.