As you browse the many properties of Costa Rica, you’re more than likely overwhelmed: The options are many, the prices incredibly varied ($100K to $1M+), and the communities… well, you haven’t got a clue. Or much of one, at least. Why would you choose X Community over Y Community? Do you even want to live in a community?
These are all great questions. To help you in your research, we’ve pulled together 10 gated communities in the Tamarindo, Guanacaste area – from Playa Flamingo south to Playa Avellanas (and everywhere in between). Looking further north? Check out our guide to gated communities around Playas del Coco!
On our list, you’ll find both gated communities and gated resort communities. The difference? Gated communities offer amenities like a 24/7 guarded entrance gate and master-planned neighborhoods, while resort communities add on exclusive amenities like oceanfront Beach Clubs and beachfront swimming pools, championship golf courses and in-community restaurants. What they have in common: They all offer a distinct sense of place, a welcoming ambiance, and access to some of the most beautiful properties of Costa Rica.
And so, without further ado, the gated communities of Guanacaste (Tamarindo area), listed from north to south:
Las Catalinas Gated Community
Playa Danta
If you seek a deep and grounded sense of community, then you will love Las Catalinas. Located just north of Playa Flamingo, astride Playa Danta and Playa Dantita, this resort and residential community occupies 1,200 acres of spectacular landscapes and protected tropical dry forest. And, somewhere amidst it all, it houses a growing oceanside community with pedestrian walkways, shops, restaurants, and other community amenities.
The heart of the community resides at Las Catalinas Beach Town Village, a master-planned downtown from which fan out wide streets and dappled hillsides, sprawling homes, and walkable condos and townhomes. Consider this your central hub for all things life and living at Las Catalinas.
Las Catalinas is more than a place to call home; it is a vision for your life in Costa Rica. It’s some of the most upscale properties of Costa Rica. It’s seaside living. It’s beach town life, elevated. It’s a Mediterranean-inspired village. It’s a resort. It’s a residential community. It is privacy with a social life. It is beachfront yet secluded. It is both secure and inviting. And it may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Las Catalinas Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Beach Club with ocean-view lap pool, kids’ play pool, lounging pool, and hot plunge pool
- Beach Club Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
- Private Events Pavilion
- Exercise Room
- Pedestrian-Only Streets
- Biking, Hiking & Trail-Running Trails
>> Inquire About Las Catalinas <<
Altos de Flamingo Gated Community
Playa Flamingo
Located a hop, skip, and a jump to Playa Potrero and extremely convenient to the future Flamingo Marina and spectacular Playa Flamingo, Altos de Flamingo is not only strategically located but also one of our area’s hottest buys for properties of Costa Rica, especially for yachties, boaters, and anyone else who craves getting out onto the water on a regular basis.
In addition to its winning location and convenience, Altos de Flamingo feels like a true neighborhood: wide, paved roads connect you to all the services and amenities you’ll need on a daily basis, including banks, grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, hardware stores, entertainment, and, of course, water sport shops – all within walking distance. And Speaking of convenience, you’ll also be a very short drive to Playa Conchal, Playa Grande, and Tamarindo.
Altos de Flamingo is still young enough to have inventory for almost any type of real estate you seek, from building lots and homesites to fully constructed, ocean-view villas. It’s an excellent choice for residents who need (or just want) to be near the Marina and also for families who send their children to nearby La Paz Community School or Costa Rica International Academy (CRIA).
Altos de Flamingo Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Spectacular Playa Flamingo, Potrero, and Marina Views
- Walking Distance to Services
- Close to Schools
>> Inquire About Altos de Flamingo <<
Mar Vista Gated Community
Brasilito / Playa Flamingo
Mar Vista is a prestigious and ocean-view, 750-acre residential gated community development located between Brasilito and Playa Flamingo, overlooking the curve of Conchal Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It’s also a perfect choice for anyone who moves to Costa Rica because they love its biodiversity, wildlife, and scenic landscapes.
Because Mar Vista is more than a gated community; it is first and foremost a sustainable community, where the emphasis is firmly on the environment. To wit, Mar Vista construction is focused on leaving the smallest possible carbon footprint and over 25% of the project has been set aside as a nature reserve – a nature reserve that you, as a resident, will love to explore.
Of course, community is about more than a single promise, even if that promise is as important as environmental protection. And that’s why Mar Vista also focuses on building a community of great neighbors and first-class amenities including night-lit clay tennis courts, a community clubhouse and restaurant, an infinity pool with swim-bar, a game room, playground, and hiking and biking trails, which lead to waterfalls and a natural swimming hole.
Additionally, Mar Vista is home to one of our area’s best international schools, La Paz Community School, a private bilingual school accredited both in Costa Rica and the United States. La Paz Community School also offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate, or IB, degree.
See our full profile on Mar Vista.
Mar Vista Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Lighted Clay Tennis Court
- Top-of-the-Line Fitness Center (New 2019)
- 4-km Trail System
- On-site Restaurant
- On-site K-12 Bilingual School
- Organic Orchard
- Tilapia Pond
- Children’s Playgrounds
>> Inquire About Mar Vista <<
Catalina Cove Gated Community
Playa Brasilito
Located between Brasilito and Playa Conchal, the oceanside Catalina Cove unfolds over 125 acres of forested lots and mountain views. Best known for its low HOA fees, tranquil pace, full-time appeal, and family life, this peaceful gated community is just a 10-minute walk to the Ecological Blue Flag beach of Playa Brasilito and a 20-minute walk to the shimmering, pink-hued sands of Conchal Beach.
If you’re looking to set down some permanent roots, Catalina Cove is a perfect choice: Home to many full-time residents, including young families in permanent residence, this community welcomes you to beach-adjacent living and a pedestrian paradise. From here, you can walk to almost anywhere, including three spectacular beaches, three great restaurants (onsite Patagonia del Mar, plus Café Deli and Las Olas Brew Pub), and the village of Brasilito, home to coffee shops, small grocery stores, and other amenities. La Paz International School is just a 5-minute drive.
And, while we’re on the topic of amenities, let’s touch on a big one: Catalina Cove deviates from the gated-community norm with large homesites, typically over an acre each. Even better: Those same lots are often covered in mature trees, fruit trees, and other tropical growth – your own, private oasis set within a greater community.
Catalina Cove Amenities:
- 24/7 gated security
- Low HOA (covers road maintenance & security)
- Patagonia del Mar beachfront restaurant
- Easy access to Brasilito, Flamingo, and Conchal
- Walking distance to restaurants, a coffee shop & two mini-marts
>> Inquire About Catalina Cove <<
Reserva Conchal Gated Community
Playa Conchal
Unfolding over 2,300 acres of rolling landscapes, natural wonders, and pristine white-sand beaches, Reserva Conchal reveals one of Costa Rica’s most breathtaking locales and vistas. For residents and part-timers who seek a closer relationship with nature, Reserva Conchal offers the chance to wake to natural beauty and start every day in harmony with your environment.
Reserva Conchal is a gated community committed to a more sustainable future. They are also committed to building a community that you will want to call home: neighborhoods that make you feel welcome and resort amenities that fulfill your lifestyle dreams. Not to mention, some of the most beautiful homes and properties of Costa Rica.
Reserva Conchal community amenities are true showstoppers. It begins at the eponymous Beach Club, with an ocean-view resort swimming pool; this is one of the most prestigious Beach Clubs in Guanacaste and perhaps the most sought-after beach in Costa Rica.
When you’re not drinking in the crash of the surf and views to the Pacific, you’ll spend your downtime at the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones II championship golf course, which offers 71-par play over 7,021 yards. The resort lifestyle is further reinforced by the community’s five onsite restaurants, which deliver a smorgasbord of cuisines, ambiances, and views.
Reserva Conchal Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Beach Club with an Ocean-View Pool
- 18-Hole Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course
- 5 Restaurants: Cocina de mercado, Latitud 10 norte, Zona Azul, Living Room or Wet Deck at W Hotel
>> Inquire About Reserva Conchal <<
Las Ventanas de Playa Grande Gated Community
Playa Grande
Las Ventanas is an ocean-view gated community overlooking two of Costa Rica’s most famous and beautiful beaches: Playa Grande and Playa Conchal. From almost anywhere in this 380-acre private community, you can spot the Pacific Ocean and, depending on your location, your view will be beautified by vistas of the Las Catalinas Islands, the Las Baulas National Marine Park, the Tamarindo Estuary, and Bahía de Los Piratas (Pirates’ Bay).
Las Ventanas is subdivided into several distinct neighborhoods: La Sabana, El Roble, Caracara, and San Pedro, with Cenízaro nearing completion. San Pedro is the newest subdivision and delivers spectacular 360º panoramas to the Catalinas Islands and Bahía de los Piratas; this neighborhood will also play home to the community’s new ocean-view clubhouse with an infinity pool and family recreation area.
Ringed by dry tropical forest – one of the world’s last – the community of Las Ventanas strives to preserve and conserve throughout the year. You will appreciate the community’s resulting eco-friendly architectural style, which was carefully selected and adapted to Guanacaste’s native climate and ecosystems, with the goal of not only blending into the surrounding landscapes but also complementing our biodiversity.
To put the concept to this-is-how-you’ll-live features, this means large sliding-glass doors, plenty of cross ventilation, ample natural light, alfresco verandas, and other features that help you lower your carbon footprint and reduce your environmental impact.
Las Ventanas Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Planned Community Clubhouse with infinity pool
- Nature & Bike Trail
- Community Organic Gardens
- Skatepark + Playground
- Backdoor Access to Secluded Beaches
>> Inquire About Las Ventanas <<
Senderos Gated Community
Tamarindo
Home to sweeping Tamarindo and Pacific views, Senderos (formerly, Tamarindo Heights) offers a master-planned community dedicated to the modern aesthetic and an environmental ethos.
The concept behind the design: “Natural Modern,” a simple but profound design philosophy for its properties of Costa Rica, blending modern design with natural principles, to imbue the community’s architecture, interior design, community plan, and sustainability strategies.
While Senderos is private and upscale, its true luxury lies in its location: Senderos sits beachfront in vibrant Tamarindo, immediately adjacent to the country’s best gourmet market and movie theater, and walking distance to shopping, oceanfront dining, and almost any other Tamarindo amenity you require.
The community’s planned beach club marks the latest addition to the Senderos experience. Located on Tamarindo’s main beach, the Senderos Beach Club beckons as the perfect place to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate, or just to start your beach adventure. It will offer pools, Tamarindo’s best beachfront restaurant, a cocktail lounge, locker room, and surfboard storage.
Senderos Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Planned Private Beach Club with pools and restaurants, spa services, a full slate of events and activities
- Rec Center will be outfitted with foosball, table tennis, and plenty of organized activities
- Planned Private Valley Club with workout and yoga studios, racquet sports, and a professional staff
>> Inquire About Senderos <<
Tamarindo Preserve / Punta San Francisco Gated Community
Tamarindo
The only beachfront gated community in Tamarindo, Punta San Francisco, also known as Tamarindo Preserve, is located on the point (hence its name) and at the crossroads (cross-sands?) of Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta. This exclusive community offers oceanside living just a short walk to trendy Tamarindo downtown – one of the best locations you can find when it comes to the properties of Costa Rica.
Punta San Francisco is exclusive not just in its architecture and amenities, but in its scarcity: Only a handful of homes reside here – and they rarely go on the market. For good reason, though, as Tamarindo Preserve is the kind of place that anyone would love to call home.
Here, homes obey environmentally-conscious construction and design principles – and to spectacular effect. Clean lines and natural color palettes abound, blending with the natural surroundings. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the sound of the surf from almost anywhere within Tamarindo Preserve.
Tamarindo Preserve Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Rare Beachfront Location
- Optional Membership at Langosta Beach Club, including a spectacular oceanfront pool, cabanas, and restaurant
- Environmentally conscious community design and architecture
>> Inquire About Tamarindo Preserve <<
Hacienda Pinilla Gated Community
Playa Avellanas
An extraordinary community – one of the largest, most prestigious, and most established in Guanacaste and Costa Rica – Hacienda Pinilla is more than a resort and goes beyond the bounds of its distinctive neighborhoods. It is the epitome of resort living and the jewel in the crown of Guanacaste gated communities: luxurious and exclusive, yet also homey and welcoming properties of Costa Rica.
Located just south of Tamarindo, on pristine Playa Langosta and Playa Avellana’s coastline, Hacienda Pinilla unfolds over 4,500 acres of historic ranch property and Blue Flag beaches. Hacienda Pinilla is palatial and, thus, subdivided into seven gated communities, each with its own distinct personality:
- Avellanas: Beachfront on Playa Avellanas, one of the most beautiful beaches in Guanacaste, and home to some of the only true oceanfront properties of Costa Rica: fee-simple at the 50-meter high-tide line – highly coveted and not often found.
- La Dulce Vida: A small beachfront community with just two-dozen custom homesites.
- Las Brisas: Set within rare tropical dry forest and owning lovely mountain views, Las Brisas lives in the center of the Hacienda Pinilla and offers some of the community’s largest properties (1/2+ acres).
- Las Golondrinas: An oceanfront community and home of the finest ocean-view and beachfront properties of Costa Rica, located directly on Playa Bonita. Located close to the JW Marriott.
- Los Almendros: Between gardens and golf, this nature-lover’s paradise offers half-acre homesites, Spanish colonial architecture, and lush views to the golf course.
- Palma Real: Close to the Beach Club and further subdivided into Jardines de Palma Real and Lago de Palma Real. Community amenities include gorgeous tropical gardens, a beautiful lake, and private swimming pools.
- Reserva de Golf: Located green-front on Hacienda Pinilla’s Mike Young championship golf course (an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary) and within walking distance of the JW Marriott. Large half-acre homesites.
Hacienda Pinilla’s amenities are second to none, and make life here a true dream: In addition to a par-72, 7,200-yard championship golf course, tennis courts, horseback riding stables, hiking and biking trails, and direct access to three of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the area, Hacienda Pinilla also houses one of the most luxurious Beach Clubs in Guanacaste, where you’ll find an oceanfront swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center, and spa.
Hacienda Pinilla Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Beach Club with infinity-edge pool, fitness center, and restaurant
- 72-par Mike Young Championship Golf Course
- Tennis Courts
- Private Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails
- Event Spaces
- Direct Access to Playa Avellanas, Playa Mansita, and Playa Bonita
>> Inquire About Hacienda Pinilla <<
Rancho Villareal Gated Community
Villareal / Tamarindo
Set on 135 rolling acres, Rancho Villa Real is distinctly different from other communities in one specific way: not beachfront, but mountain-front, this idyllic community is perfect for people who crave a change of pace, surrounded by forest-dappled peaks and valleys, and yet just five minutes from the beachfront bustle of Tamarindo.
Located in the growing town of Villa Real, Rancho Villa Real is a great value if you don’t mind being a mere five minutes to the beach. It’s also excellent for residents who crave a little more space, as some of its wooded, estate lots eclipse 1.25 acres – palatial, by Costa Rican gated community standards. Some homesites also offer ocean views.
Rancho Villa Real also maintains a steadfast dedication to its environmental commitment: conservation and natural integrity are a top priority, as evidenced by its community policies, which obey attention to detail in every aspect. Here, you’ll notice things like low-level street lighting, to avoid disturbing nocturnal animal habitats, and greywater repurposed for community irrigation. The details are plentiful.
Rancho Villa Real also promises a handful of resort amenities, including walking/biking trails and an ocean-view Clubhouse with an infinity pool, heated Jacuzzi, indoor/outdoor bar, second-floor yoga and fitness area, events area, and a BBQ patio.
Rancho Villa Real Community Amenities:
- 24/7 Gated Security
- Ocean-View Clubhouse with infinity pool, heated Jacuzzi, and indoor/outdoor bar
- Hiking and Biking Trails
- All-Underground Services (water, primary storm drainage, electrical, sanitary sewers, and utilities)
- Community Maintenance
- 5 Minutes to Tamarindo
- Easy Access to the Town of Villa Real (weekly farmer’s market, restaurants, etc.)
>> Inquire About Rancho Villa Real <<
Looking for Gated Communities & Properties of Costa Rica?
You have questions, we have answers! Whether you’ve already settled on your favorite gated community or are still browsing the properties of Costa Rica (and, specifically, Guanacaste), we’d love to help you explore the world of real estate options.
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