Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Nekajui gives the list a modern Central American luxury resort that feels rooted in place rather than simply imported into it. On Peninsula Papagayo, the appeal combines Pacific views, dry-forest scenery and a highly serviced resort style aimed at travellers who want tropical ease without sacrificing polish. It is more contemporary in mood than the older grande-dame entries on this list, but still strongly tied to its Costa Rican setting. Its place is now securely documented. Condé Nast Traveler carries a dedicated review for the exact resort and flags it in recent Readers’ Choice and Hot List context, while the live Ritz-Carlton Reserve page confirms the operating hotel under the fuller current name Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. That evidence resolves the earlier official-URL problem without forcing a replacement, and keeps an important Central American representative in a North America-wide hotel ranking.