Top Retirement Gated Communities in Costa Rica: 9 Favorites

If you’re dreaming – or, dare we say? planning – of retiring in Costa Rica, then you’re going to hit the geographic, where-oh-where phase sooner or later. And when that time comes, you’ll probably find yourself looking into the top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica. And when that time comes, you’ll probably find yourself right here, reading this. Welcome!

For over 15 years, we’ve been helping retirees move to Costa Rica; we know a thing or two about the best Costa Rican gated communities for seniors! Here, along the sun-splashed coasts of the north Pacific, you’ll find one of the country’s top retirement destinations. Home to the Pacific Ocean and beautiful beaches, close to the Liberia International Airport and all major amenities in our region, this stretch of Playa Hermosa/Playas del Coco south through Tamarindo/Hacienda Pinilla is an undeniable retirement hotspot.

It’s no wonder that this area is also home to some of the inarguably top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica. Emphasizing an active lifestyle, proximity to services (including the international airport and major medical), and the option for quiet, here is part one (part two, coming next week!) of our picks for the best retirement communities in Costa Rica. From north (Playa Hermosa) to south (Playa Avellanas):

Our full list, from north (Playa Hermosa / Playas del Coco) to south (Playa Junquillal / Playa Lagarto):

Monte Bello Gated Community (Playa Hermosa – Guanacaste)

Nestled into 50 acres of prime Playa Hermosa panoramas and landscapes, Monte Bello is a paradise for active retirees. Not only is it beautifully designed, but it’s also a low-density community – in and of itself, somewhat of a rarity along Costa Rica’s North Pacific coast! – with just 42 estate-sized homesites, each about 2/3 of an acre.

Of course, there’s more to love about Monte Bello than its rare and exceptional spaciousness. Here, every homesite offers Pacific Ocean views. And, thanks to those aforementioned large homesites, you’ll have ample privacy to create outdoor living spaces to enjoy those views, without cozying up to your neighbors.

All this, just minutes to sun-kissed cinnamon sands, downtown Playa Hermosa, and the nearby community of Hermosa Heights, which offers an array of services (ex. ATM, salon, etc.) and entertainment (a movie theater, the Sand Bar, and more). Monte Bello is also just 10 minutes to Playas del Coco (and everything you need for everyday life), and about 40 minutes to our provincial capital of Liberia, making it an easy choice as one of the top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica.

Monte Bello Community Amenities:

24/7 Gated Security
Large 2/3-acre homesites
Homeowner’s Association with no fees
Underground utilities (to ensure unobstructed ocean and forest views)
Paver-stone streets for an upscale aesthetic
Walking distance to the beach

>> Inquire About Monte Bello <<

Hermosa Heights Gated Community (Playa Hermosa)

Hermosa Heights is an exclusive development and true community, located in the scenic hills above Playa Hermosa’s breathtaking bay. Here, 45+ acres have been turned into an incredible place to call home, with small and large homesites, state-of-the-art homes, and access to a host of lifestyle amenities.

Founded in love for this spectacular slice of paradise, Hermosa Heights is built around its soul-stirring vantage points and breathtaking views to the Pacific Ocean and gorgeous Hermosa Mountain. To that, the community adds a movie theater, gym and spa, restaurants, a dental office, and more – all, surrounded by landscapes that house parrots and howler monkeys.

An established community of more than two decades, Hermosa Heights offers mostly established single-family homes – often, built on one level, for aging in place – as well as an exclusive selection of larger homesites recently offered for sale.

Hermosa Heights Community Amenities:

24/7 Gated Security
Community pool with swim-up bar
Onsite movie theater
18-hole, Costa Rica-inspired mini-golf
Onsite gym and spa
Cocktail lounge
Hiking trails
Onsite restaurant and sports bar

>> Inquire About Hermosa Heights <<

Pacifico Gated Community (Playas del Coco)

If your idea of a great retirement resides in the heart of it all (but you still appreciate the peace and quiet), then you’re going to love living at Pacifico, located minutes to downtown Playas del Coco: a resort community just removed, yet walking distance to everywhere you want to be. In other words, the perfect components for one of the top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica.

Enter Pacifico’s gates and you’re almost in another world – one of gorgeous landscaping and meandering pools, lush gardens and mature trees. This is a retirement paradise – a diverse community where residents seek peace and belonging, respite and lifestyle.

Here, this peace resides in Pacifico’s choice of either private homesites or two-story townhomes and luxury condos, designed in the Mediterranean style. The latter residences offer 1 to 4 bedrooms, high-end finishes, and mature landscaping to ensure ample privacy. Looking for a little more space? Choose one of the community’s homesites or existing single-family homes, many with panoramic ocean views.

No matter where you live here, you’ll have access to Pacifico’s resort-style amenities, which include a private beach club, community pools, and hiking trails that lead to a lovely waterfall and picnic area.

Pacifico Community Amenities:

24/7 Gated Security
Private Beach Club, including the Beach Club Bar and Restaurant
Four community pools with decks and loungers
Coming Soon: Recreation area with tennis courts and pickleball
Kid-pleasing pool (one of the four community pools), with water features
Jacuzzi
Access to hiking trails and picnic areas
Immediate proximity to the Village Shops, including an upscale supermarket and restaurants

>> Inquire About Pacifico <<

Las Catalinas Gated Community (Playa Danta/Playa Dantita)

If you’re seeking true community in the greatest sense of the word, then we’d recommend short-listing the gated community of Las Catalinas, which unfurls over 1,200 acres of protected dry forest, ocean views, and supreme walkability. Note that Las Catalinas is not only one of our top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica, but also the only to offer a pedestrian-only lifestyle.

Indeed, Las Catalinas is one of Costa Rica’s (and, perhaps, Central America’s) most unique gated communities: Located on the coasts of Playa Danta and Playa Dantita, between Playa Potrero and Playa Grande, this is a true beach town, village, and community, all rolled into one beautiful package.

Here, Las Catalinas Beach Town Village – pedestrian walkways, shops, restaurants, and more – is the focal point of a master-planned downtown, which fans out into Mediterranean-style living, ocean-view hillsides, and rare tropical dry forest criss-crossed by some of our area’s best hiking and biking trails. For more information, see our full profile on Las Catalinas.

Las Catalinas is more than a place to retire; it is a vision for your life in Costa Rica. It’s seaside living. It’s a walk-everywhere pedestrian lifestyle. 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 is it also 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 <<

Catalina Cove Gated Community (Playa Brasilito)

Located oceanside on 125 acres of Pacific, forest, and mountain views, Catalina Cove is the kind of place you can walk to almost anywhere – including the Ecological Blue Flag beach of Playa Brasilito (10 minutes) and pink-hued Conchal (20 minutes) – or just stay in place, to enjoy beachside life and living.

Both a gated community and a retirement oasis – an easy choice for the top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica – Catalina Cove is well known for its spacious homesites – typically, over an acre, each – that features fruit trees, mature tropical hardwoods, and lush gardens. It’s convenience with privacy, space with proximity.

You’ll also have access to three great restaurants (onsite Patagonia del Mar, plus Café Deli and Las Olas Brew Pub), as well as the nearby village of Brasilito, where you’ll find groceries, coffee shops, and more. And what you can’t find there, you find in nearby Potrero, Tamarindo, and other larger towns.

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 <<

Hacienda Pinilla Gated Community (Playa Avellanas)

Easily one of Costa Rica’s largest, most prestigious, and most established gated communities, Hacienda Pinilla is the epitome of resort living: Both exclusive and welcoming, at once homey while luxurious, this special gated community has long been the crown in the cap of southern Guanacaste. And for so many very good reasons!

For many, retirement at Hacienda Pinilla looks a lot like paradise: Here, along the shores of three beautiful beaches – Playa Langosta, Playa Avellanas, and Playa Mansita – this gated community offers 4,500 acres that extend to a championship golf course, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, horseback riding, and a lot more.

That “a lot more” includes seven residential communities, each with its own exclusive amenities, and seven distinct lifestyles. Choose from oceanfront homes and beachfront communities, trail-adjacent neighborhoods and villas that look out onto the golf course. No matter where you call home, you’ll have access to the community’s full amenities, including one of the most luxurious Beach Clubs in Guanacaste, home to 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 <<

Planning to Retire in Costa Rica?

You have questions, we have answers! Whether you’ve already settled on your favorite top retirement gated communities in Costa Rica or are still wondering whether our tiny nation would work for your retirement, we’d love to help you explore the options to retire in Costa Rica.

For years, we’ve made it our job to help people just like you to make their own successful and dream-fulfilling transition to live in Costa Rica. That’s because we offer honest advice rooted in real, hard-earned expertise. We don’t sugar-coat the truth or side-step the tough stuff. We’re here to share the whole picture – not just the carefully curated, postcard-perfect bits.

We hope you’ll find that the real Costa Rica is still your Costa Rica. Download our founder and broker, Becky Clower’s, free eBook. Reach out on socials. Sign up for updates. And look into our Costa Rica relocation services. Go ahead – try us. Give us a chance to show off our expertise – and wow you with the possibilities! We look forward to it.

Top Retirement Gated Communities in Costa Rica: Part 1 (Playas del Coco to Tamarindo/Hacienda Pinilla)

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