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Over-the-Top Tropical Floral Designs and An Experience to Remember at The Karen Tran Masterclass in Sunny Costa Rica

If anything is going to fuel your wanderlust today, it will be these remarkable pictures and luxe details from my recent experience in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Hans Christian Anderson says “to travel is to live,” and I couldn’t agree more. Some of my best “living” occurs in these remarkable places around the world and in my very own living room, snuggled up with my husband and son.

Speaking of remarkable places, I must start off by telling you about the breathtaking resort we stayed at for the Karen Tran Masterclass experience. The Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Pennisula Papagayo is a part of the Hyatt luxury resort franchise. This hotel embodies the indigenous ambiance of Costa Rica and the pampering treatment we all love.

From the crystal clear, aquamarine pools to the beachfront views to the uniquely arched architecture, this resort provides an absolute escape and inspirational space to dream and unwind. It’s the perfect place to revitalize and an intimate resort with impeccable hospitality—the absolute best location for honeymooners, tight-knit events, or tropical getaways.

The poolside loungers provided the perfect place to catch up on emails or open up a good book during my downtime. Everywhere I turned, I encountered beauty. The resort was a true tropical paradise.

With my deep bathtub, posh room that overlooked the ocean, and feathery, over-sized bed, I didn’t know whether to stay in and indulge or venture out.

But alas—I had to venture out…for food, of course, among other things 😉

The Andaz offered four very distinct dining venues that truly captured the tastes and pleasures of Latin America. Each restaurant gave me a glimpse of what makes Costa Rica truly remarkable.

At the Rio Bhongo, I took in panoramic views of the ocean and tropical elements while I dined on mouth-watering, homemade breads, fresh fruit smoothies, and yummy salads all in an open air setting.

At the Chao Pescao, I felt right at home with its lively neighborhood vibe. Their tapas menu was out of this world and provided for some fun and unique dining delights, including octopus, Colombian Arepas, and Chicharronnes. It’s the place to go if you truly want to experience a warm atmosphere and gourmet versions of some of Latin America’s favorite culinary delights.

At the Ostra, I felt like a VIP enjoying an intimate, private dining experience—which is exactly what the restaurant is going for. I was welcomed with a meticulously prepared cocktail and the opportunity to choose from their chef’s homemade flavors. They serve fresh seafood and, boy, is it divine.

I’m telling you, this resort is THE honeymoon destination to be at in Costa Rica. I kept wishing my husband was with me to share the experience, even though I was thoroughly enjoying myself with Karen and the wonderful network of planners and designers I had the pleasure of mingling with.

The lovely Cristina Coronas, the lead designer and owner of the Costa Rica floral studio Artflower, designed and laid the tablescape for our first night’s dinner. She also did a tremendous amount for the event. The classic and clean tablescape with the coconut bowls and pineapple accents that you see above was her vision executed. The soft netted table runner, blown glass accents and dainty tropical foliage set the scene for a delicious and fun dinner.

Karen’s Floral Experience Masterclass was everything it always is: wonderfully hands-on, celebratory, exceptionally high-end, artfully inspiring, phenomenally educational and, of course, over-the-top ( what Karen is ALWAYS known for).

As I mentioned before, in addition to this, I’ve been to Italy and— now —Costa Rica with Karen Tran’s masterclasses and I will continue to attend more. Do you know why? Because in every location, we learn how to work with native fauna, different florals and blooms, and a one-of-a-kind moodboard and design palette.

In Italy, we created romantic, fairytale-esque floral structures and design elements and here in Costa Rica, we crafted vibrant and majestic elements to create a very natural yet exuberant tropical paradise experience.

From natural fauna to bright salmon pink blooms, we used bold colors, texture, and native decor to create a true paradise. Karen had the roses imported from Ecuador and it was a true delight to run them through my fingers and work them into the bushes to add bursts of color and a touch of romance.