A Costa Rican region previously known as the “forgotten province”, is quickly making its way into the 21st century tourism industry with a number of luxury hotel and wellness developments.

Luxury resort developers are looking at the Guanacaste region where a number of high profile developments have already been announced, with some set to open later in the year.

The region has quickly risen to offer the highest rate of luxurious experiences per capita in Costa Rica. The entire Santa Elena Reserve complex has acquired 5.7sq m (15sq km) to carry out its various luxury resort projects over the next 15 years.

Opening 1 November 2014, the US$125m (£75m, €89m) Dreams Las Mareas resort will be part of the massive Santa Elena Reserve tourism complex and will feature a Dreams Spa by Pevonia with a hydrotherapy circuit, beauty salon, spa boutique and 10 therapy cabins for individual and double therapies.

When finalised, the Santa Elena Preserve complex will have had more than US$1bn (£602m, €718m) of investment into transforming it into a world-class tourist destination. Following development in Playa Jobo, the development will continue expansion out to Playa Rajada and Playa Rajadita. Aside from luxury hotels and spas, Santa Elena Preserve will also offer resort-style residential solutions.

Another Guanacaste luxury retreat on the way is the Paradisus Papagayo Bay Resort, on track to open in October. The 381-bedroom resort will include a YHI Spa and Health Club, five restaurants and 19,000sq ft (1,765) of meeting facilities.

The boutique eco-hotel El Mangroove also recently began operating with 85 rooms: 64 standard rooms, two master suites and one exclusive presidential suite. The hotel – also located in Papagayo Bay – features two restaurants and 650sq m (7,000sq ft) of open space for meetings and special events.

The master plan for the Guanacaste region includes investments exceeding US$1bn, which will include luxury hotels, wellness, tourism and urban infrastructure at a regional level. Brands such as Hilton and JW Marriott already have a presence there, driving further developments to come over the next few years for Costa Rica’s hottest new region.