Costa Rica, known as an eco-tourist heaven, has three new hotels that promise luxury and great food. On the north Pacific coast, Four Seasons Costa Rica boasts three restaurants; Papagayo specializes in local seafood (doubles from $290; 800-819-5053 or www.fourseasons.com). Just south, at the seven-acre boutique hotel Florblanca, you can surf and sample excellent fusion cuisine (doubles from $290; 011-506-640-0232 or www.florblanca.com). And in the mountains overlooking the Pacific, the Inn at Coyote Mountain offers a Creole-Latin menu and hands-on instruction at its Creole cooking school (doubles from $99; 011-506-383-0544 or www.cerrocoyote.com).

Published April 2004