Pura Vida
Why I’m Trading Summer Festivals For Something Chicer
W Hotels’ global concert series pairs the fun of music festivals with the comfort of a swanky hotel.
Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Ultra might be among the most elite of music festivals, but that’s not all they have in common. They also require a ton amount of logistics, from booking a hotel (or pitching a tent!) to arranging the transportation to and from the grounds, not to mention all the waiting in check-in lines. No thanks!
Enter: W Presents, a series of live, electronic concerts that launched in 2023. This year, the tour will make 20 stops around the world, including Aspen, Budapest, Dubai, and even the Maldives.
This spring, I was invited to partake in this immersive, sonic experience firsthand. Traveling to the W Costa Rica - Reserva Conchal, a remote oasis hidden among the mangroves of Guanacaste, I attended the program’s Latin America debut. To kick things off, I spent a few days exploring the area. Inside the W’s compound-like property, there was an abundance of tropical wildlife. Be it was the monkeys that climbed the trees or the lizards that stalked the grounds.
Outside the gates, the surrounding towns offered miles and miles of farmland, with cows and horses grazing in the grass. Especially on the way into the neighboring town of Tamarindo: a small beach community known for its surfing. (I did not put on a wetsuit, preferring instead to discover Tamarindo’s shopping scene, including the many boutiques and artisan shops that comprise the town center.)
Three nights into the trip it was finally time for the concert series itself, which was headlined by Colombian-Mexican Deep House DJ, Sinego, and featured artists like Ximena as well as the hotel’s music curator, Mario Miranda.
Set against the slapping waves of the Pacific Ocean (and enhanced by the many margaritas I drank during the concert) the event was sensory overload in the best way, from the nature-inspired, avant-garde stage design to the thumping, Pura-Vida-esque beats and the lively dancing.
Music has long been integral to W Hotels’ ethos — so much so that they’ve employed classically-trained jazz pianist, DJ, and music producer Leah Chisholm (also known as LP Giobbi) as their Global Director of Music to work on the new series. “W Presents dually showcases the brand’s passion for sound, as well as creates an innovative live music platform for artists from diverse backgrounds,” says Chisholm. “This series offers a fresh approach for us to deliver dynamic experiences around the world, catering to both travelers and music enthusiasts alike.”
After the concert, I drifted back up to the main restaurant where I snacked on tuna tartare tacos and indulged in another margarita, all while letting the music from the evening linger in my mind. I didn’t have to call an Uber or deal with a stampede at the end of the last set. Instead, I walked the few steps back up to my room — sleepy and satisfied. Coachella could never.
