Costa Rica has long been admired for its lush rainforests, volcanic landscapes, and spectacular beaches, but a new collection of luxury residences on the country’s Cacique Peninsula demonstrates that some of the region’s most compelling design is now happening at home. The first completed Estate Homes at Waldorf Astoria Residences Costa Rica Punta Cacique reveal a thoughtful approach to outdoor living where infinity-edge pools, expansive terraces, and natural materials blur the boundaries between architecture and the surrounding landscape.
Perched above Playa Penca with panoramic views across the Gulf of Papagayo, the limited collection of just 22 branded residences has been designed to immerse homeowners in Costa Rica’s tropical setting. Rather than competing with the scenery, the homes embrace it, using water, open-air spaces, and locally inspired materials to create an effortless connection to the coast.
Every Outdoor Space Is Designed Around the View
The Pacific Ocean serves as the backdrop for every residence, and each home’s outdoor living spaces have been carefully positioned to make the most of that remarkable setting.
Infinity-edge pools appear to flow directly into the horizon, creating uninterrupted sightlines across the Gulf of Papagayo. Generous terraces surround the pools, offering multiple destinations for lounging, entertaining, dining, or simply enjoying the changing colors of the ocean throughout the day.
Several residences elevate the experience even further with dual ocean-view pools positioned on different levels of the home. The result is a series of outdoor environments that feel intimate while maintaining uninterrupted views of the coastline below.
By stepping the homes into the natural contours of the bluff, the design team avoided creating oversized structures that dominate the landscape. Instead, each residence feels integrated into the hillside, with every terrace revealing a slightly different perspective of the Pacific.
Indoor and Outdoor Living Become One
Spanning two and three stories, the four- and five-bedroom Estate Homes range from 4,444 to 5,736 square feet of interior living space. Expansive terraces increase the total living area to as much as 11,027 square feet, underscoring just how much emphasis has been placed on outdoor living.
Large retractable glass walls dissolve the separation between interior and exterior spaces, allowing ocean breezes and natural light to move freely throughout the homes. Living rooms extend onto covered terraces, while dining spaces transition seamlessly into outdoor kitchens equipped with Italian barbecue systems and generous entertaining areas.
Private outdoor showers, shaded seating areas, and multiple lounge spaces encourage homeowners to spend much of their day outdoors, taking advantage of Costa Rica’s year-round tropical climate.
The architecture embraces a philosophy that has become increasingly popular in luxury residential design: the best outdoor spaces function as fully equipped living environments rather than simple patios surrounding a swimming pool.
Natural Materials Reflect the Costa Rican Landscape
The residences were created by GarnierArquitectos, RoblesArq, and landscape architecture firm EDSA, whose design approach emphasizes harmony with the peninsula’s natural surroundings.
Earth-toned materials and native landscaping soften the contemporary architecture while reinforcing a strong sense of place. Turkish Rimini beige marble flooring, chukum plaster walls, teak ceilings, eucalyptus veneer millwork, and handcrafted finishes create interiors that feel warm and organic rather than formal.
The material palette continues outdoors, where stone, wood, and carefully selected plantings allow the terraces and pool environments to blend naturally into the surrounding cliffsides.
Rather than relying on bold architectural gestures, the homes achieve their impact through restraint, allowing the landscape and ocean to remain the focal points.
Resort Amenities Extend Beyond the Backyard
While each residence offers an impressive private retreat, homeowners also enjoy full access to the adjacent Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique resort.
Amenities include multiple resort pools, a private beach club overlooking Playa Penca, six dining venues, a 17,000-square-foot spa and wellness sanctuary, movement studios, outdoor yoga spaces, thermal pools, and direct beach access. Together, the private residences and resort amenities create an experience that combines the privacy of a luxury home with the convenience of a five-star destination.
The emphasis on wellness reflects broader trends in outdoor living, where homeowners increasingly seek spaces that support relaxation, recreation, and daily connection with nature rather than serving exclusively as entertainment venues.
Designing With the Landscape Instead of Against It
One of the most compelling aspects of the Estate Homes is how carefully they respond to their environment.
Instead of dramatically reshaping the hillside, the homes follow its contours, preserving view corridors while minimizing visual impact. Native vegetation remains a defining feature throughout the community, helping the residences feel connected to Costa Rica’s coastal ecosystem.
This sensitivity to the landscape extends to the pool design as well. Rather than acting as standalone features, the pools become visual extensions of the Pacific itself, reinforcing the sensation that water surrounds the property in every direction.
It is an approach increasingly embraced in luxury residential design, where successful outdoor environments prioritize authenticity, sustainability, and a meaningful relationship with the land.
A New Benchmark for Coastal Outdoor Living
Located within the 600-acre Punta Cacique master-planned community, the Estate Homes represent the latest chapter in one of Costa Rica’s most ambitious luxury developments. More than half of the residences have already sold, with the remaining homes now available.
For outdoor living enthusiasts, however, the collection offers more than impressive real estate statistics. It provides inspiration for how architecture, landscape design, pools, and wellness amenities can work together to create homes that celebrate their surroundings instead of competing with them.
Whether viewed from an infinity-edge pool suspended above the cliffs or a shaded terrace overlooking Playa Penca, the experience is unmistakably Costa Rican—defined by open skies, tropical breezes, and an effortless connection between home and nature.
