At the Stockholm airport there’s a hotel in a refurbished Boeing 747. An airplane hotel at an airport—we can see some logic in that. But what’s a Boeing 727 surrounded by thick jungle, overlooking the Pacific in Costa Rica, doing doubling as a hotel?

The airplane in question, a 1965 model, spent decades flying as part of the South African Airways, and later Columbia’s Avianca Airlines, fleet. When it was time for the plane to be retired a group of investors bought it and flew it to San Jose. From there the plane was divided to five sections so that trucks could transport it 150 kilometers (90 miles) to it’s current location on the grounds of the Costa Verde Hotel.

If you were to spot the plane perched up on its hill from the beach below you could be forgiven for believing it had crash-landed there, like a scene from some Costa Rican version of Lost. But experience the plane’s accommodations up close and it becomes clear that this may be the most beautiful and exclusive hotel suite in Costa Rica.

On the outside of the plane there are wooden decks above each wing with hand-carved teak furniture (from Bali, Indonesia oddly). From these perches visitors can spot toucans, monkeys, butterflies and sloths, to say nothing of the crash-bang sunsets over the ocean.

Inside, nearly the entire plane has been gutted and paneled with locally-sourced wood—if it weren’t for the curvature of the walls and the shapes of the windows you’d never know you were inside a plane (though in the event of a storm you’ll be happy you are—the still-intact fuselage makes these accommodations cyclone-proof).

The entire plane is rented out as a suite that includes a kitchenette-dining foyer, a lounging area with flatscreen TV and two air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms. If you are sharing the suite with friends definitely rush to claim the bedroom towards the front of the plane—its bathroom might have the best view from a shower in the whole of Central America (see photo, below).

Rates for the 727 suite are sky-high ($300/night in the low season, $350 in high) but we think totally worth it. Staying in an airplane suite sounds quirky. The actual experience of this place is utterly, wonderfully romantic.

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Related posts:
Jumbo Hostel: Stockholm’s 747 Airport Hotel
Osprey Meridian Wheeled Backpack
Priority Pass Airline Lounges – go first class at the airport (even flying economy)
The All-Pet Airline
Cool, Unusual Hotels

Thanks to Wandering Justin for his help with this piece.

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