Casa Mel, Villas del Mar Residential Complex, Matapalo

Property overview

Makara Resort is a permitted 12-suite boutique hotel project in Ballena, located directly on the Costanera highway near the entrance to Marino Ballena National Park. The design is a collaboration between Gensler — the global architecture firm — and designer Bernard Judge, with a concept rooted in Costa Rican culture and heritage. The project spans two parcels separated by the highway, and the first building is already complete and has been operating as a five-suite guesthouse for three years. Construction used approximately 70% recycled cement, locally sourced sustainable wood, and low-level lighting for environmental compatibility with the national park setting. The remaining three buildings carry flexible architecture plans that can accommodate hotel or residential configurations. Across the highway, guests are steps from Playa Ballena and four small offshore islands accessible by kayak — the same reef system that makes this stretch of coast one of the most biodiverse on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. The fundamentals here are unusual: a fully permitted project with a functioning first phase, a world-class architect, and a location adjacent to one of Costa Rica's most visited marine parks.

Property facts

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