Hilton signed a deal on August 27, 2026 to bring its LXR luxury brand to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. The hotel will be called Maravé Manuel Antonio. It will hold 57 rooms and bungalows, and Hilton expects it to open in 2029.
The site is a 40-acre beach estate with 650 feet of Pacific shoreline. It sits next to Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most visited parks in the country. The plan also adds 116 branded homes, so the full count reaches 173 units.
Hilton signed the deal with Ocean Cove MA Development One S.A., the local developer. LXR is Hilton's group of one-off luxury hotels. Each keeps its own name. You will not see Hilton branding on the door.
What Hilton said
The company framed Costa Rica as a growth market, not a one-off deal.
"Costa Rica represents a key growth market for Hilton, with strong demand for high-end, nature-immersed travel," said Pablo Maturana, vice president of development for the Caribbean and Latin America at Hilton.
Dino Michael, who runs Hilton's luxury brands, pointed at the site. "Maravé stood out for its extraordinary location, thoughtful design and authentic connection to Manuel Antonio's rainforest and Pacific coastline," he said.
Read that as positioning. Hilton has been thin on luxury rooms in Central America for years. Manuel Antonio is the part of Costa Rica most likely to hold a rate high enough to carry an LXR flag.
Why a 2029 date still matters
Three years is a long wait, and none of this is bookable. Track it anyway, for one reason.
Hilton prices awards off cash rates. There is no chart and no cap. So the award cost of a new hotel is set by what it charges once it opens.
LXR hotels charge a lot. Habtoor Palace in Dubai and the Biltmore Mayfair in London both sit near the top of what Hilton Honors asks for a night. A beach resort inside a national park will not land at the cheap end.
That matters if you save Hilton points. Points hold value best when you have a target that rises with cash rates. New luxury rooms are that kind of target.
What changes for Hilton Honors members
Nothing yet. There is no booking window, no award price, and no opening month beyond the 2029 date Hilton gave.
What it does show is direction. Hilton is adding luxury rooms in Latin America faster than in most other regions right now.
If you are saving for a stay like this, start with how Hilton free night rewards work. Certificates are capped by hotel, not by your points balance, so they behave differently from a normal points booking. That difference is what decides whether a top-end LXR night costs you a certificate or a very large pile of points.
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card is one way people already in the Hilton system earn those certificates. It is not the right card for someone who stays at Hilton twice a year, and it is not meant to be. You can also earn and hold points directly through Hilton Honors.
Getting there is the other thing to plan for. Manuel Antonio is served by Quepos La Managua Airport, a short strip that takes regional flights from San Jose. Most visitors fly into San Jose and drive about three hours, or connect on a small plane. A resort of this size will push more traffic onto that route, and the drive is the part travelers underestimate.
The residences are worth watching too. Branded homes now fund a large share of new luxury hotels, and they change how a property runs. Owners get priority on the best units, which can thin out what is left for points bookings during peak weeks.
For now, treat Maravé as a marker of where Hilton is spending money. It is not a plan you can act on. Check back when the hotel gets an award price.
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