What an incredible week at Riu Guanacaste! From the moment we arrived, we were surrounded by beautiful scenery, warm hospitality, and the natural beauty that makes Costa Rica such a special destination. The resort grounds were absolutely beautiful, lush, tropical, and exceptionally well maintained. There was always something to admire as we walked around. The restaurants offered a great variety of food, with something for everyone, and we thoroughly enjoyed the dining experiences throughout our stay. The entertainment was enjoyable, the pools were beautiful, and the beach was the perfect place to relax, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy everything this tropical paradise had to offer. Our room was comfortable, and waking up every morning to an ocean view was a treat in itself. One of our most memorable experiences was listening to the howler monkeys at 5 AM from our ocean-view balcony! What an incredible way to experience Costa Rica's wildlife and natural surroundings. It's certainly not something you experience every day! Our rainforest excursion was another highlight of the trip. An amazing experience that allowed us to appreciate the beauty, wildlife, and breathtaking scenery of this beautiful country. And, of course, ending our days with beautiful sunsets, a cocktail in hand, and the sound of the ocean made everything even more special. Overall, Riu Guanacaste exceeded our expectations. We came for a relaxing getaway but left with wonderful memories, incredible experiences, and a little piece of Costa Rica in our hearts. Thank you to the staff for making our stay so enjoyable. We would absolutely recommend this resort to anyone looking for a beautiful tropical getaway! Pura Vida! ??❤️?

A few observations: 1. The resort is on the side of a mountain and very challenging to get around. there are 76 steps from the lobby area down to the main pool. Its another 12 min walk to the beach and 30 steps + ramp on a narrow wooden bridge to the beach. It wasn't a problem for me as I am physically active; however, it was very challenging for many of the guests. I suggest that your literature clearly identify to vacationer's regarding the challenges getting around. 2. Beach is good in the morning; however, with tides it disappears by 2pm. this was a disapointment 3. My rm was in building 1200 and 12 min walk to lobby on a very steep walkways. Suggestion negotiate better rm locations for your vacationers. Rm was acceptable and clean. 4. Entertainment was very poor particularly in the Evening. 5. Food was OK, noting special. There was a lack of meat at the buffet and what was provided often looked like what I would call "MYSTREY MEAT" 6. Staff were great generally; however, the check in process was over 1hr and had to wait 3 hr for a rm. 7. The main pool, 76 steps down from lobby had very little sun protection. There were only 4 umbrellas all which were damaged and could not be adjusted by tilting. Because of the lack of shared from 11am to 3pm most guests left the pool area. I had to drag a chair off the pool deck into the shaded wooded area behind the pool deck to find shade. No reason why the restort shouldn't have a mininum of 10+ umbrellas on the pool deck with all of them with tilting.

This is a nice resort the pools and grounds are clean, the food is decent, the rooms are comfortable. The beach is really nice and there’s good snorkeling. The premium package is worth it - it gives you access to the premium bar and room service included. Kattia at the premium bar was the best bartender and made the greatest tasting drinks The à la carte restaurants were very good- the buffet food was alright- not great, not terrible There are ALOT of stairs - we were in room level 8 so for us to walk down to the pool there was 112 stairs. There are shuttles but you have to call and they can take a while. It would be really good if they had a shuttle schedule - where it will be there every 15 minutes or something. The check in process is long - and rooms are not ready until 3pm so our flight landed at 7 am and we didn’t have a room until 3. You are able to use the grounds but it’s difficult without a place to change or store your items. It would be good when a group is checking in if they took names and had people sit in the lounge area and called them one at a time to check in- so they aren’t all standing in line for an hour. The bathroom at the pool / Grill restaurant- had 2 stalls - one toilet without a toilet seat and the other stall door doesn’t close- and they weren’t repaired for the whole week we were there. The air conditioner in our room was leaking into the wall and water would pool up on the floor - as well the shower would leak and a large puddle of water would take over the bathroom floor. A little maintenance and the resort could be a 5 star resort The beach is public so there are vendors on the beach who do approach you but are friendly and not pushy or rude - the beach massages by the local vendors are excellent and cost less than the resort spa. The flight home left at 7, which meant catching the airport shuttle at 4am - so you have to spend time on your last day there packing up. Not a fault of the resort but the package would be nicer if the exit flight was a bit later

Some workers were very nice and attentive some others not so much , we like the food was testy , activities were ok , the club not so much it had a weird smell, beach is not the greatest but you can walk to tamarindo overall we are likely to go back

From the great food to the acrobat ,dancing , singing bands , theatrical shows and lush landscape , high energy pool parties , this place has something for all. Waking to monkey sounds and birds singing .Mountains and jungle everywhere . The staff was exceptional in making guests feel welcomed and relaxed . Trolly cars drive up and down the winding roads to get around . The views and selection of restaurants was very nice . The coffee shop with bakery so delicious ....Monkey's do visit at the pool quite often . Wildlife is everywhere at peace in their space.

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and are so happy we chose the Riu. Positives: - 45 minutes from the Liberia airport - newly renovated resort with spacious rooms and bathrooms - air conditioner in room worked very well - tons of poolside chairs and shaded areas - several pools - great water slides - poolside grills and ice cream shop - daily fridge refill of pop and beer - our room faced the adventure park so we were delighted to see several monkeys just outside our balcony daily - if wanting to take a tour, we highly recommend using Tours with Frank the Tank - get to the beach early when tide is low - wifi throughout the resort - resort is isolated but we liked that Negatives: - Beach is public, which is fine, except for the off-resort vendors that approach as you enter the beach area and approach the beach chairs - staff speak primarily and in many cases, only Spanish, so communication was difficult particularly for someone with severe food allergies - many buffet choices, but labels are inaccurate - they only take reservations for the steak restaurant, other speciality restaurants are on first come basis Overall, it was a great family vacation. Really enjoyed the resort, but the excursions really made the trip awesome.

Top notch as expected from Westin, big potential for long walks but shuttles always available very quiet in Aug /sept staff amazing food good at buffet but restaurants top notch. Golf quite expensive factoring exchange rate so we skipped.. lots of animals on resort .. that was great Recommended

We recently stayed at the Occidental Papagayo for a week and everything about it was great!! This hotel and it's grounds are absolutely stunning. The buildings built into the cliffs makes it very unique. We were in building 6 and had incredible views of the ocean, the mountains and volcanoes. The staff were always smiling and very friendly and helpful. The food at the snack bar, the a la cartes and specifically the breakfast buffet was great. The beach was nice, a little rocky but good. Very warm and fun at high tide. We would absolutely not hesitate to return in a heartbeat. We had 3 amazing tours with Frank the Tank tours that were incredible from start to finish, absolutely flawless. A truly amazing and unforgettable week

Grounds were expansive, well kept, and very lovely. Our family group of 15 all had activities to enjoy from the kids waterpark to the adult only bars and pools and we all loved the foam party and the neon party and especially the viewing of the World Cup games and celebrations. The steakhouse had the most delicious steaks and the Liberia restaurant had great selections. Near the kids slides and pool the tacos were a hit with everyone as well as the ice cream “store”

Something for everyone in the family. Waterpark was fun! Rooms were nicely updated, food options in big buffet were good and the Steakhouse restaurant was excellent! Lots to see and do nearby too - do not have to travel far from the hotel which was great. First trip to CR was a success!

This is the 4th time we've been to this resort. It's been one of our favourite places to go to relax and enjoy the beauty of Costa Rica.The resort is closing down in August for 6 month for renovations and they have let a lot go. Our first room was a maintenance nightmare, closet doors wouldn't close the main door to the room and sliding glass doors wouldn't lock. The fan made a terrible noise and the sink backed up with water. There was a lot of wear and tear in the room. The manager moved us to a different room, we still had a few issues there but it was much better than the first room. It's unfortunate that RIU allowed the resort to get so run down. We spoke with people that had been there for the first time and they have no intention of going back. Food was not the same. The RIU Guanacaste has been completely redone and looks fabulous. But it's huge there must be over a 1,000 rooms, plus they've added a Water Sports Centre with a lot of jet skis..which makes for a busy noisy beach.

The hotel is beautiful, great rooms, excellent food and friendly staff. The pool and grounds are well maintained. Variety of dining options and high quality buffet. Sea view rooms are well appointed,clean and spacious. Tripcentral staff very helpful with booking and providing additional info about the area,tours etc Beach area is public and less attractive.

Great resort in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica. Very nice, modern rooms with balconies. Rooms were spotlessly cleaned everyday by hotel staff. On the whole. this was probably the cleanest resort my wife and I have been to and will definitely be returning some day. We really have nothing major to complain about. Fantastic service, food and drinks. The restaurants were all good, except for one in my opinion. The one a la carte I'm referring to is the Mexican restaurant Algave which didn't match the standard of the hotel. I am not alone with this assessment as we noticed that many patrons never stayed very long and many plates of food were hardly touched. Very disappointing to say the least as we had high hopes following dinner at the Steakhouse the night before which was outstanding. The amenities were all very good. The pools, pool bars. lounger availability were all top notch. Nightly entertainment was top notch for both the kids and the adults. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. All in all, a great vacation. We will be back.

Hotel grounds were beautiful and the rooms were very nice. We didn’t like location of the original room we were in and they accommodated us with different rooms with no problem. For the most part the food was good especially at lunch and dinner but a bit repetitive. Breakfast was lacking a lot especially bacon. Service was good at the à la carts and the reception however, it at was terrible at the buffet. We had to wait a long time to even get coffee in the mornings and at times we had to get it ourselves while the managers stood around. No service at the pool and the room sometimes was not cleaned properly, With all this being said I thought the resort was beautiful just needs some improvement as far as service. If not for the service I would give this resort 5 stars

The palace resort does need up grades. But we did have a great time. A large group can’t be taking over the pool area . We encountered the Red Hat Society Ladies -117 ladies. They were loud and disrespectful to other guests. This type of group needs to book a conference centre, not a resort . This group of ladies were out of control. Making me and my family uncomfortable.

The public areas are good, dining area is great, swimming pool is great and the room is good as well. Enjoy all the facilities and our stay over there. Great location and it walkable to downtown Tamarindo

We found our resort !!! This small but quaint resort brought so much to the table . The rooms where modern and lots of area to move around . The food was amazing . Always a wide selection for everyone’s liking . The chef went above and beyond to cook a catch we had off deep sea fishing and presented it in 6 different ways that we could taste . The pools and beach are quiet , perfect for what I look for in a week away . Seadoos and boat tours could be found right at your feet on the beach . This was by far my favourite vacation. We will be back !!!

I really liked the 1 Bedroom Bungalows.The buffet was up and down but mostly good.The a la cartes were in the Azure section of the complex are were good also. The drinks were excellent.it is right on the beach and I have to say No comparision to Cuban beaches which are the best. Waves were there everyday.It was hot all the times as the rainy season had not started yet. The Villas section closed Monday for a renovation to the rooms, pool and restaurants.I do not know what it will be like when it opens in Oct/Nov but I expect the price will rise.Costa Rica is an expensive place mostly because everything is so far away.You really have to choose different areas and I should have gone when I was younger.

The staff was very friendly and helpfull. The resort was clean and the food was good. I would go back again.it was very hot so had to keep our sandles on till we jump in the pool. If i could change anything it would be add another restaurant. I would also like to see a stocked fridge in out room, we had no beer only a couple of waters.

The staff was very friendly and helpfull. The resort was clean and the food was good. I would go back again.it was very hot so had to keep our sandles on till we jump in the pool. If i could change anything it would be add another restaurant. I would also like to see a stocked fridge in out room, we had no beer only a couple of waters.

The staff was very friendly and helpfull. The resort was clean and the food was good. I would go back again.it was very hot so had to keep our sandles on till we jump in the pool. If i could change anything it would be add another restaurant. I would also like to see a stocked fridge in out room, we had no beer only a couple of waters.

I had read some negative reviews about this hotel and was wary about staying here. However from the moment we pulled up to the resort to the moment we checked out, I was very impressed. The grounds, the pools, the rooms, the lobby! Yes, it is starting to show its age, people had trouble with the room keys etc., however we had no complaints. We were able to try all the a la carte restaurants, you just need to line up early. There was never any problem getting into the Italian restaurant at any time. The buffet was also very good. Food was abundant and so many options! The staff were also wonderful, so attentive. All in all we had a wonderful time!

Well looked after property and the staff were friendly and healthful . Lots of pools to choose from and different views to enjoy . The hotel room was spacious in great location with a view of the green space behind with monkys playing on the trees . Plenty of food to choose from . Overall we really enjoyed our stay there .JV

This resort was good for us … only complaint would be the stairs and hills . Good tasty food , lots of selection, good service …... So after you eat you get a work out with the walking . Beach was beautiful , rooms were clean , a bit dated , but only in room for a short time. We would return to this resort!

I stayed for a week in March-April 2026. The resort is huge with lots of activities geared towards families with children. The grounds are fairly well kept but lots of litterbugs. The pools are not super clean. They allow people to swim all hours of the night so they don't get properly sanitized. There were cups and limes and lemon slices floating around daily. The beach is OK. Lots of currents and not great for young children. The sand is extremely hot and there is limited shade. The food is fabulous. There is literally a buffet with something for everyone. There are 5 a-la-cartes but only reservations for one is permitted and that is the Steakhouse. The others are very difficult to get into and not well organized. Even with the app downloaded we were not able to reserve at the other restaurants. There is only 1 bar open 24 hours and it is indoors which was disappointing. We stayed in the renovated section and the rooms are nice and spacious. Cleaning staff were very good and we always had enough towels. The resort is remote so if you like to venture off resort, the nearest town is about 30-45 minutes away. You can feed the white faced monkeys with a short walk down the beach. The love grapes and hard boiled eggs. Although it is cute and very memorable keep in mind they are wild and food aggression can happen. Also if there are not tourists, the monkeys don't learn to forage which can be a bad thing. The staff are pleasant but not overly. If you smoke, there is literally one area to smoke in and it has concrete tables and benches so not very comfortable and other guests tend to walk through it as a shortcut and complain about the smoke. The bus ride from the airport is a little bump at times and takes about 30-45 minutes but no stops along the way which is nice. Overall I would recommend this resort with caution depending on the type of trip you are expecting.

Riu Guanacaste was an excellent choice for a trip with family and friends. The staff was very friendly, and I'd like to give a special shout-out to Jesus, the manager of the cafeteria in Liberia, who was incredibly helpful with our group dinners. We also found affordable excursions outside the resort, which are perfect for seniors who prefer not to engage in adventurous activities. This is the best-kept secret growing as a tourist destination.

Service was horrible. The resort staff was not helpful at all. I will not recommend this to anyone. What else can I say. I am disappointed. The location was OK, the food was not the greatest. This was not a 5 star resort.⁶⁶

Villas Sol is a charming resort that is located in a great spot within a small town- there are restaurants and grocery stores along with a couple of little shops within walking distance outside the front gates for those that want to explore a little. The main hotel rooms are a little bit dated but very clean. This resort is built within the side of a mountain, so the shuttle service that loops the grounds regularly will get you to the beach and back without hassle, as the roads within this resort have many steep inclines. The views of the ocean are absolutely spectacular- and the beach is beautiful. This resort is only walkable for the physically fit! As the shuttle service does not run 24 hours, if you happen to rent a villa up in the top of the mountain and it's after 10 pm, there is no shuttle operating! -When booking an all-inclusive experience, it is not all-inclusive everywhere within the hotel grounds. Although there is more than one restaurant on the grounds, the other restaurants as well as snacks at the pool bar have to be paid for. Alcoholic beverages are also included with an all-in package at the pool bar and the buffet. Only the buffet is provided at no-charge with an all-inclusive package, and the hotel definitely needs to work on the food quality as the buffet isn't that great. The food quality has been better in places like Cuba. Breakfast was the only meal we were eating on the resort, as they do make eggs your way fresh to order and the standard breakfast options. Lunch and dinner gets a little rough and repetitive. However, there are a few restaurant options just outside the gates of the resort that range in price and have excellent food. -There isn't any shade seating at the pool near the buffet. -The beach is beautiful, however the resort needs to work on providing some dedicated lounge chairs in a dedicated area on the beach, as the chairs that are down there for resort guests tend to get taken over by locals, and majority of them are all reaching their expiry date and are all stretched out and barely useable. The staff are all wonderful, everybody is extremely friendly and happy to take care of you! As far as tipping goes- I recommend bringing lots of smaller currency with you, either USD or Costa Rican Colones. Unlike some other countries like D.R, Mexico, etc. they are more than happy with their own currency. USD isn't absolutely necessary which to me is a plus! It is challenging to get smaller bills for tipping, so I strongly recommend to be prepared. Tipping isn't mandatory, but it is always appreciated and definitely makes service improve even more! Overall, we would go back to the Villas Sol should we come across a great vacation deal again. It is a very safe area, and a charming resort overall.

We stayed from March 21st to 28th....the hotel was beautiful all re-done, clean and grounds well kept. Anything we needed we requested on the app and within a short time received. There was a lot to do on the resort for all ages. The staff were all friendly and great service at the pool bar especially by Moises he was fantastic! Food wise we found it average with no reservations (except for steakhouse) had to arrive early to get table or a buzzer. We found busier on weekend with locals coming in and staff tended to cater to them first but not a lot of delay in service. The beach is a public beach so there was no beach bar nor shade to lay out but nice to walk up and down...there are local vendors etc. We did one excursion which was a few things in one and was amazing. All in all we had a fantastic time and wished we had a few more days at the resort.

Riu Guanacaste resort is a beautiful escape. Our oceanview room, the sound of the waves, and time spent at the pool reading in a lounge chair or enjoying a drink at the swim-up bar, set the tone for pure relaxation. The staff was very attentive and friendly, the resort was spotless, the food choices were plentiful, and the entertainment was enjoyable. The beach was very nice and the ocean was refreshing. Costa Rica itself was unforgettable — from sunset snorkeling cruises and volcano hot springs to waterfalls, horseback riding, and a seaside lunch in Coco Beach. The Howler Monkeys at the resort were entertaining, and the white‑faced monkeys along the beach made it all feel wonderfully wild. Costa Rica is truly *Pura Vida*, and we highly recommend it.

Very disappointed with this trip. We were there for 10 days, 9 days out of 10 was heavy construction, mechanical shovel, backhoe, bull dozer, stone chipper etc right next to our room. And to try to cover the noise, speakers were installed along the wall and music was blasted with the construction noise from 8:00am to 6:00pm every day. This hotel was advertised as quiet and restful which was why we chose it. We were offered another room but could not move till the 5th day and they would not reimburse us for the cheaper room. We paid extra to have a swim out. We decided to stay. Every day you had to reserve a dinner restaurant, they always asked if you had any allergies, mine are gluten and dairy. Unfortunately they are not properly informed on food allergies which made my choices very limited. You could not leave your plate for a moment at breakfast otherwise the birds would be eating your meal. We travel twice a year for the past 30 years, this was the worst trip. This trip was very expensive and was not what we paid for.

My husband and I loved our stay at Azura. Amazing food and service. The resort was extremely Clean and beautiful. A smaller Resort and quiet so if that’s what’ you’re looking for it is perfext! We had a swim out pool Room and it got a ton of use and I’d say it was a must have for this resort. Would HIGHLY recommended this resort!! To be aware it is a 2.5 hour drive on the bus from the airport! But it goes fly by!!

We had an enjoyable stay at this Costa Rican resort, thanks to the warm and attentive staff who consistently made us feel welcome. One highlight was the buffet service. Instead of wandering around searching for a table, guests are seated by staff, creating a calmer, more organized dining experience—a refreshing change from many other resorts. The resort’s hilly layout offers beautiful views, but it does mean getting around can take a bit longer. The shuttle service is generally prompt and convenient, though waits can be slightly longer during busy times. Housekeeping was the only area that felt slower than expected; the rooms were clean once serviced, but timing wasn’t always predictable. The location is another plus—only about 30 minutes from the airport—making arrival and departure easier. A quick buyer‑beware note: we booked Viator excursions through Trip Central and only learned at the resort that we had to arrange our own transportation to an off‑site pickup point. This wasn’t clearly communicated, so double‑check what’s included before booking. Overall, a lovely resort with great service and a relaxed atmosphere.

I am not one to write reviews but after many negative comments, I feel I would like to share our experience. This hotel is immaculate...the building, rooms, grounds, etc. We are not pool people so I cannot comment on cleanliness in this area but the pools were all very busy. Our room did lack one important thing and that was replenishing of our water. We arrived Tues. and saw our water restocked for the first time on Sunday! YIKES! Be sure to take refillable water bottles and fill up! We did not drink any of the pop in the fridge but I am pretty sure that would not have been replenished either. The food was a bit disappointing especially dinner buffet. We did the Asian buffet one eve and that also was disappointing. The dinner buffet was never hot and some dishes were dried out. Breakfast was good though, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon etc. and we had lunch at the Tikki Taco Bar which was very tasty. Restaurant service/staff could use some improvement but perhaps they are a bit understaffed in this area? We did however have the best drinks ever at this resort and we have been to quite a few over the years. Bar tenders were always smiling and the service was amazing considering how busy it was. Drinks were always very consistent regardless which bar you we went to. The vendors are kind and not pushy at all down at the beach. The beach was never crowded, lots of seating and shade. The water much calmer than we expected. Our days were spent at the beach with lots of walking and lovely sunsets. Costa Rica is beautiful and if you don't leave the resort, you are honestly missing out on so much. We did 2 excursions and have come home with no regrets. Lots to see and do so be sure to get out and enjoy!

The recently renovated hotel was tastefully designed. There were many activities organized for guests - adults and children. The staff was courteous, friendly and helpful. The beach and pools were amazing.

This hotel is not one that if you or anyone in your party has physical issues with their legs is for you It has too many stairs and the buildings are really spread out. Beer and drinks are good and the staff are friendly Food is okay , great steakhouse Just would not recommend for anyone with lower body issues

We had a great vacation at planet Hollywood . The food was great, friendly staff and great selection of drinks. Id like to give a shout out to the fuel coffee shop. The coffee was amazing and friendly staff.I would recommend this place for a great family vacation.

The villa itself was very nice, the food not so good. Depends on the type of vacation you are looking for weather I would recommend or not. If you are wanting to see the rainforest, volcanoes, or take a tour of the coffee and chocolate plantations I found it was just too far off the beaten path. However the river boat cruise was very enjoyable,got to see monkeys crocs and few different species of birds.

X39CFO, Cost $11,598.00 for a resort advertised as quiet and restful. we went to this hotel to rest, we were there for 10 days. 9 of those ten days, 1 door from our room, we had a large construction project starting with mechanical shovel, bulldozer, backhoe with a stone chipper. Approx 2 days later they installed speakers along the wall of the construction and at the end of our hallway. They then started to play the music full blast to try and drown the construction noise from 8:00am to 6:00pm daily. This is not acceptable. We should have been told about the construction. Also, I was impressed that they asked about allergies when you booked the restaurant only to find out they are not properly informed about food allergies. 2 days before leaving the italien restaurant informed me they had gf pasta, but I couldn’t have any sauce because of cheese. Same with the Asian restaurant only told me on the last day they had gf soy sauce. The menus do not always indicate whether things are breaded or cheese etc. Gluten free, vegan, vegetation should be indicated on menu. This resort was far from quiet and restful. We spent ALOT of money to have endured so much frustration and anxiety. We travel twice a year for the past 30yrs and have never had such a terrible trip.

The Riu Guanacaste Resort was amazing. Larger resort than what we are used to. For the number of rooms/people it never felt over crowded. The Liberia buffet and the American Country bar were our favourite spots to eat. Lita at the American country bar was amazing. She always greeted us with a smile and called us by name. Made an amazing special!!! We spent most of our days on the beach. Sand was dark and hot!! Hit the pool on a couple of occasions when the wind picked up on the beach. Walked along the beach to the west and fed the white faced Monkeys in the trees and got a drink at the Monkey Bar (highly recommended) Make sure you try an excursion or two. We did the Diamante Eco Park Adventure - superman zip line and animal sanctuary. Totally awesome!!!

The actual hotel is nice, not 5 stars at all. The buffet is not even up to a 3 star hotel. Yes, you found something to eat, but not what we were expecting. A la carte were nice, but hard to get in to unless you like 8pm reservations. The pools are kept clean, the beach is nice, but expect to do alot of walking to get a drink or go to the bathroom. Rooms are nice, just don't expect any water, pop etc. After asking everyday multiple times we would get some around 6:30 pm. We even left tips. Hoping that would help. Would i recommend it, no, for the food, and nothing against the staff, some were fantastic, some you knew did not want to help. Idea's, put a cooler cart on the beach that has water, pop and beer, alot of people would appreciate that.

Great resort! Beautiful view from the common areas. Escpecially the lobby! Specialty restaurants were delicious . Pool areas seemed to be in full sun all day. Some shaded areas would have been appreciated! Only complaint the view from our room was directly into palm trees. The ocean was out there but we couldn’t see it! Also had requested 2 beds got 1. I had booked early in the season & was surprised to get such a poor site. Overall it was a great. Vacation. Did not find the hills to be a problem. You could walk or catch a ride. Side trips were great! Really enjoyed seeing sloths @ the sanctuary!

Hotel was very clean and excellent service. This is the fourth trip I have booked with Alisa from Trip Central and as usual amazing service from her!! Thank you Alisa and looking forward to the next trip you book for us!!!

The grounds and facilities were excellent. The only issue was with the view from our patio. It looked directly into palm trees and bushes which were there to cover the waste processing tanks. The smell/odor was especially bad in the afternoons and always drove us inside. Probably the worst view at the complex. For this reason we will not be returning to Occidental Papagayo.

We visited this resort last year and had such a good time we booked again this year. We travel 2-3 times per year and this was the first time we had returned to an all inclusive resort - it was that memorable. We were thrilled to see the upgrades and have not one single complaint to offer. We will be returning next winter.

The resort is old but it is maintained well the staff do an exelant job their and the beach is amazing . You feel safe their food is great people are great ! Pool is clean and if their is any problem at all it would be only to bars you might have to wait in line for a drink sometimes .

We hadn’t really considered Costa Rica in the past and had stuck to the Caribbean. This resort, and the entire country of Costa Rica feels like a hidden gem. We stayed at the Guanacaste, which has been beautifully renovated. The rooms are clean, and the beds are very comfy. Food is great, especially at the buffet!

We stayed here for 1 week and it was perfect. It was all new therefore everything was absolutely beautiful from our room to the lobby area to the restaurants to the pools;) All areas are always clean and the service was excellent. The ocean was great to swim in and although we do not like to sit on the beach we could see that there are not many areas that you can get shade. We would definitely go back to this resort for sure;)

Overall we managed . The beach is nice relaxing. The villa grounds need upkeep better then what was done. The mini golf area is unusable as it is unkempt. Pool ok if you like lots of bleach I guess cloud y water dirty edges walls that you could see. The wait staff bartenders are friendly nice. The meals are ok I ate salad and fruit there beans and ham was good oh loved there meatballs. The la a carte option was grill and chill steak good the rest of my plate not the Italian loved it thumbs up but that is my opinion. They had another beach club option but menu did not appeal to me im not a fish sea food kind of person and I had steak already. As for my room dirty it maybe tidy but dirty floor was slippery when we walked into the room open no privacy to shower no hot water but one day Hydro and wifi went out touler ran on i'm guessing the bug was a cockroach and then these little things that crawled around that. Looked like ants, but they were also in our bed. Which was disgusting constantly wiping it out and make sure you wipe your feet off before you got into bed. That probably was what brought him in there. Air conditioning was good ceiling fan. The blinds were broke hubby fixed those he fixed the toilet. The little shelf underneath the sink was coming out of the wall, probably didn't even bother with that. Because he had no tools to fix that no screen on the patio. Door but in little cheap, little chairs to sit on outside which we're uncomfortable. A lot of iguanas, squirrels, nice to see the oats birds housekeeping, got late in the day, we had AI think, a couple times in the morning and they just make your bed. They don't change your sheets. We did get clean towels when we needed lots of toilet paper. After all, you hover over the toilet bowl all the time. Because whatever's in the water or food or is not nice to your system, even if you are vaccinated and have all the necessary things needed. Now, our biggest thing, when the long ride to the resort was 2 and a 1 hours plus the congestion time over in Liberia. And then when you get to the gate, they didn't have your name, did anything good thing I had in my paperwork. Another couple we spoke to, they had to sit for a while. Because they didn't have a name or they had their paperwork. But they had no listing for them. Whatsoever, then when we got there, we had to stand for 20 minutes or so I don't get checked in no communication. As to where you go, cause, you gotta go over to the other hotel. That's attached to the resort. As soon I guess to check-in. But what the purpose they had your paperwork at the other desk? When you first got there and then the guy was rude to you. It's like that there just when you first got there. After having a long flight and then another long ride and to be treated like that. When you get there, our driver from the resort. From 2 the resort did not really speak any English. So quiet ride didn't see anything as it was dark. Anyway. Uh, U. I've met a few people same thing. A lot of complaints about their rooms as well. Thank you so much. Overall, I would not go back that's the resort ask for the agency that booked. They jacked up the prices for a 3 star hotel or resort. Whatever you wanna call it very disappointed for what it costs. And then I hear what other people's paying, that's even worse.

We haven't visited Riu Guanacaste since 2020 so there were a lot of changes. The hotel is located in a lovely location, on a beautiful beach, which we love to walk every morning before breakfast. The food is great and the pools are very nice. The new expansions have included some great water slides and special pools for children, unfortunately many of the adults prefer to sit around the older pools with their children and so it has gotten much noisier than it used to be. The hotel stall also encourage games in the other pools so one has to duck around various games as one tries to swim in the pool.

We haven't visited Riu Guanacaste since 2020 so there were a lot of changes. The hotel is located in a lovely location, on a beautiful beach, which we love to walk every morning before breakfast. The food is great and the pools are very nice. The new expansions have included some great water slides and special pools for children, unfortunately many of the adults prefer to sit around the older pools with their children and so it has gotten much noisier than it used to be. The hotel stall also encourage games in the other pools so one has to duck around various games as one tries to swim in the pool.

Just came back from a week vacation with my husband and three kids- one is a teenager and the other two are toddlers. This resort was amazing, it had something for everyone to do, lots of great outing options, including an animal sanctuary just next door to resort which was very quick and easy to access with the two young kids. They had quite a few cool animals there and my kids loved it. There isn’t a 24hr snack bar so my toddlers would get hungry for a snack by about 10am and there would be no where to get food until 12. I had packed containers for snacks on the plane so we ended up using those to pack snacks for the kids from the morning buffet (fruits, croissants, PB and J sandwiches etc) so I’d highly recommend bringing containers to any other toddler parents! That being said, the food was amazing, lots of great options for the kids at the buffet and the smaller restaurants. On Friday nights they have a neon party at the entertainment centre and there are family suites right above it so it was VERY loud on the Friday night. If you’re a light sleeper and they try to put you in a room above the entertainment centre, ask to have your room switched right away before you get settled in or make sure to bring earplugs/sound machines. The water slide park was amazing, the kids and adults all had a blast there. It is quite a walk to it if you’re going from the beach to the slides so if you have younger kids, I’d recommend bringing a stroller or wagon. Staff were great, resort was very clean etc. Would highly recommend!

The hotel was newly renovated; very well decorated and exceptionally clean ! The only draw back was the beaches are dark sand and very hot to walk on therefore you must wear footwear. The other factor is the hotel is not close to anything so transportation to tours, other beaches and towns is a minimum of one hours drive one way

We had a wonderful stay at Riu Guanacaste, Costa Rica! We would definitely return! This resort has be totally redone and it looks amazing!! We found everything to be spotless except for the pool deck at the adults only swim-up bar pool. I don't think it was washed down once during our stay which was disappointing since every other part of the hotel was very clean. The only other thing that was a little disappointing was there wasn't staff cleaning up food/drinks or serving drinks at the adults only pool. Not a big deal but we've had it at other Riu's. The staff was friendly. The food was delicious and plentiful. The beach was nice but be prepared for the black sand. It's HOT!! I would definitely recommend this resort!

The RIU Guanacaste has been extensively renovated since our stay in January 2025. The reception area is lovely, the decor is light and clean throughout. The food was fine, the staff friendly and the overall experience was great.

The resort was huge but amazing. After one day you could get around faster. The rooms are a bit out of date, but apparently Reno’s are happening soon. The food and pools are great. I will definitely return!!!!

The resort was huge but amazing. After one day you could get around faster. The rooms are a bit out of date, but apparently Reno’s are happening soon. The food and pools are great. I will definitely return!!!!

The grounds were beautiful with lemon and avocado trees, a lot of iguanas and we saw the howler monkeys a couple of times in two weeks. The upper pool was lovely for swimming and the lower pool bar was the busiest, both were well maintained. Nice view of resort and ocean from the lobby. Buffet food was good but the Asian and especially Italian food was fantastic. The risotto was the best I've ever had. Kudos to the chef. Our room seemed small at first but was enough for two weeks and just needed a little refresh. Housekeeping kept the room clean. Note: make sure to bring Imodium as some people were having some stomach issues.

This is a bit of a tough review to write,as I prefer to be a positive person and give my reviews that way too. However, honesty is very important too. The positives: our room was amazing, we upgraded and booked a suite, the view of the ocean was a little compromised by palm trees,but the room itself was all we wanted. Very firm mattress,which I love,and my wife who can sleep anywhere on anything had no complaints either. We couldn't see monkeys from our room,but we certainly could hear them. The staff are very friendly,but I feel in some departments overworked ( will elaborate further down) however one bartender was a real grump every day and this could have been due to the overworked part that I will get to. JP,Rubi and all the bartending staff at the pool bar are great. Too bad there wasn't a swim up bar,as you have to make sure you're dry so the tiles don't get too slippery. The not so positives: the lobby bar where the grumpy bartender worked,only has one person on duty, and this person has to get their own ice bags,clear glasses,make drinks etc. and when there is a crowd it can become overwhelming. Support staff should be added. Bar hours are from 10am until 130 am but you have to travel the resort to get to the earliest and the lastest. The buffet has some good and some underwhelming products. We were all hoping for a bit more seafood options,but the fish dishes were very good. The cooking stations prepared omelettes to order as well as tacos etc.,and we liked them,but again,with only one person working,the line could get long. The two a la carte meals were good and enjoyable. We did get down to the ocean daily,and the sunsets are beautiful. I would go back to Costa Rica most definitely,but I think in all honesty,our group is thinking of trying a different resort next time.

grounds are clean and well kept. There are lots of places for shade and sun. Pools are divided well so that no one crowds another and everyone can access the water. Every afternoon there was some fun and games around the pools. Evening entertainment was various. We were at the family resort so usually between 8 & 9pm there was children activities but afterwards was music, live local bands, trivia and the bar opened. 5 restaurants give varied food choices. 3 of them had outside as well as inside seating. Lots of places to sit and gather. Excursions were also available.

I thought the resort was great but the staff made it amazing. They were always so happy and polite and always asking if there are any issues. Friendliest staff I have ever experienced in my travels. Especially Angela who made sure we were taken care of at the pool with our drinks and her infections smile!

Hotel is outdated and tired: abundance of Mosquitos and bugs in a room. Located on multilevel ground, so you need a transportation to go to the beach or pool, restaurants. SMT waiting for shuttle takes 15-20 min. Stuff: some good, some do not care at all. Asking for something and they just ignore you Private events on a daily basis, they may block the pool area, so you suppose to go someplace else. Weddings and parties are frequent events. So, they may block restaurants/ buffets and we had to chose where to go to eat from very limited options. Felt like unwanted quests overall. On several occasions they just do installations for event with construction noise 2-3 feet from your chair, so you kind of forced to leave. Food is average and variety is limited Beach: murky water with black/ volcanic sand and tons of jelly fish. Not mentioning gators (rare, but still...) ocean overall is 2 out of 10 experience. Compare to other Caribbean destinations (Cuba/ Aruba) I do not believe I spend $$$$ for that. For the same price I could have a week in Bora Bora 4 seasons.

This property is 25 yrs old which results in lovely mature tropical gardens~palm trees, flowered shrubs, birds, butterflies.Being built into a hill there are lots of stairs. Numberous carts can take you places. 3 buffets a day with lots of choice + 3 specialty restaurants. 2 pools + lovely large beach area with view to Pacific Ocean. Numberous activities, bocci, ping pong,billards, gym, horseshoes,target practices, musical entertainment most nights. English at front desk was 80 percent, other employees 40-50 percent. People were lovely and friendly. Being 25 yrs old there are areas that need some TLC. Met numberous people that have come to this resort for years and still enjoy it.

The RIU Guanacaste was everything we had looked for when booking to go to Costa Rica. The restaurants are exceptionally good, with great variety including Italian, Japanese and Mexican cuisine. Most are buffet style with lots of choices. The resort is very large which means lots of walking but that is a good thing. There is plenty of shade at the pools and at the beach and always chairs available. There was nightly entertainment but often not what we were looking for. The staff were invariably friendly and efficient.

We had a wonderful family vacation at the Riu Guanacaste but I wish we knew a few things... Pros: - fully renovated resort so everything was clean, nice and new - beautiful beach - lots of beach and pool beds and towels Things to consider / to know: - Absolutely horrible ala carte reservation system, guests have to line up to get seated which meant, standing outside the restaurant as early at 3-4pm! Majority of the hotels have moved to mobile / app or signing up during the day so guests can enjoy their vacation - Except for the Steak House (which we didn't even get into), its all buffet and not true ala carte - Buffet has no Smoothie bar, Omelet or Pasta Station - 24/7 restaurant stops serving food after 10pm, at which point they have cold hot dogs and microwave or nachos - No room service - No cafe for pastries, coffee/tea or other items - Staff Service at buffet was not good, staff were not motivated to serve or clean-up quickly - We were in a group and I had emailed Riu re. arrangements for room - I needed one accessibility room and 1 room with 2 beds: - our group was not together - we had to change 2 rooms to meet the requirement, they clearly didn't care or manage pre-travel requests - they did not accommodate for vegetarian diet even when I asked, they did one item with a horrible service/face.. Lastly be aware of the Nexus tour agents onsite - they are not honest! We were sold a waterfall trip and agent did not disclose that we could only go halfway dur to broken step. This issue was there for weeks and we learnt about it as soon as we took off on the tour, by the guide. I approach the Agent the next day and he did not even apologize - Horrible People Nexus! I would have selected a different option if we knew!!

They had another couple in our Villa the 1st night there. We had to accept a room in a complex further away that had a very bad septic smell. The next morning we still could not have our villa. That afternoon the onsite manager (Hugo) provided us with an upgraded Villa. A short time later the General Manager (Farida) came to our upgraded villa demanding that we pack up again and move to another villa. We lost the enjoyment of 2 out of 5 days of our vacation due to poor management. Overall the resort it quite nice. It is well kept and clean. Very peaceful. The staff is a little slow. The food is good. The beach is nice. Staying in a beach front Villa is the best way to go. The resort just needs a more professional general manager.

Everything is a 2 minute walk, the pools, beach's, restaurants'. And it was not busy although it was over Christmas. The beach was easy to walk on and you could do one end to the other in about an hour one way. The only issue is the 2 hr drive to and from the airport. Now that is painful.

The hotel is big and spread out over a wide area. Getting around is easy if you don't have mobility issues. It could do with more elevators in certain secretions. The lobby is clean and well kept, however I saw empty plates left beside elevators for 2 or 3 days. The food in the main buffet (Liberia) was okay but not up to RIU standards. There was ample selection (fish, Italian, Pizza, hamburgers, roast, pastas, salads, and a large selection of desserts). The Steak house was popular as were the Japanese and Italian a la carte restaurants. Service was good for the most part. There are four swimming pools, two with swim up bars. The beach was nice and sandy, not crowded and safe for non-swimmers. Lots a lounge chairs, but shade was limited so you need to get there before 9am. Lots of water sports ($) to keep you busy. There are howler monkeys further down the beach that you could feed bananas and grapes. They are friendly and will take food out of your hand.Best time to see them is in the morning between 8 and 9am. The nightly entertainment was mostly in Spanish and geared towards children.

People say the food in Cuba is bad, they’ve never been to the Planet Hollywood in Costa Rica. Nice staff. Not the cleanest place. Lots of stingrays at the beach. Can’t walk too far along the beach in either direction, blocked by rocks.

Both my flights with Air Transat went smoothly. There were very few people on the plane both ways. I imagine likely due to the scare of a strike that never happened—but worked for me! Airport shuttles were both good as well, drivers both timely, organized and friendly. Arrival at the resort: check in was quick, friendly but I could have used a welcome drink. This was the first resort I have been to where this didn’t happen. A ride to my room was provided but I wasn’t guided to my room as I have been in the past at resorts. The resort is beautiful and surrounded by nature. Everywhere you look, there is wildlife! Monkeys, parrots, iguanas, butterflies, scorpions and crabs. This was my favourite part. The beach, wow. Yes, it’s not white sand beaches but it’s Costa Rica. There was sand a plenty, lots of places to walk and sit. Swimming was great. I brought water socks and found that helpful. Not many people even used the beach—I felt I almost had it to myself the times I went down. There was some sort of bioluminescence the first night—so lucky to have experienced that! The entertainment at night was classy and perfect. Live music by the lobby. The staff by the pool, only visited them once for a dance (I was horrible but had fun) but they were also great. Energetic and friendly. They have a list of activities posted by the grill—where you get your towels. They don’t seem to follow through with every activity. I was hoping to get some water aerobics in to still exercise but be minimal pain on my body but it didn’t happen the day I planned to do it. If I wasn’t so booked up with tours/limited on time, I would have done more! Each and every person that worked there was so hard working and nice. What a great staff they have! Let me tell you when I read about the walking, hills and overall distance of things at the resort I was warned about, I didn’t believe it, but do now. Be in shape, be prepared. I do not believe I was fit/well enough to enjoy the resort as much as I normally would. Though, I didn’t use a shuttle as I could have to make it easier. Note there was a short cut from my room to the lobby with less stairs! If you can’t find it, ask! I was told on my last full day there. It honestly would be nice if the resort would ask about where you would like your room or if you have any mobility issues (I have a spinal condition) as I felt I was one of the furthest from both the lobby and the beach. I should have said something but didn’t understand the distance until the daylight on the second day! Food, was quite average. I tried the grill, lobby buffet and Italian. Note, I am vegetarian so my options are more limited than others. The grill didn’t have much that looked appetizing in my opinion, I only got chips, queso and a piece of bread there. I sorta thought it would be like many beach grills I’ve been to in the past and be made to order, but it was just another buffet. The main buffet was decent, but I feel they need to try quality of quantity. A lot of the food was cold. There were a variety of items but the same almost each breakfast and dinner. The fruit was lovely—plentiful, fresh and ripe. They had an egg/omelette station. I would have liked to have seen a pasta or stir fry station maybe. Instead, I had some cold spaghetti one night and generally had the same rice and some plain roasted vegetables. My last day, there was a really nice flavourful ratatouille I wish I got to eat more of. Booking the al la carte, that was a chore. I explained upon my 7pm check in that I had only 3 full days there and that the first 2/3 I was off the resort before 8am. Still, they said I had to book between 8-3. So the second day, I got back from my excursion before 3. I was still not able to book. Last day, instead of sleeping in when I didn’t have an excursion until afternoon, here I am setting an alarm for 730 to trek to the lobby to book dinner. At first, they said there was no availability, so clearly some rooms were able to book in advance. Then said there was the steakhouse. Im sure theres options, soup, mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables but I wanted Italian. They said it was fully booked but then ended up booking me for 830pm after I pleaded to them. There were only a few tables seated at the restaurant that night which had me questioning the fully booked aspect (maybe everyone that booked was in bed…?). Again, the staff was great, waiter was SO nice! The bread brought to the table with balsamic and olive oil was lovely. The caprese was missing balsamic and the cheese wasn’t good. The eggplant ravioli could have been good but was over cooked. The sauce for it and extra cheese topping was good. The dessert, tiramisu was tasty. It was nice to have a nicer more intimate, made to order dinner for 1 night rather than the buffet . The resort also limits your al la cartes. I was only able to book 1 during my stay. For $1800, I feel I shouldn’t be stuck with a buffet for every meal but 1 for 5 days. My tours were all with the company Frank the Tank. With my short time, I wanted to make sure everything was set before I got there, and I did just that. Deposits were made easily via PayPal and I paid the rest in credit at each excursion (you can pay cash as well). Each member of his team was absolutely fantastic. Knowledgable, kind and fun. I enjoyed learning about Costa Rica on the drives. The country to include health care, education and have monkey/wildlife bridges over roads is fantastic. The country was very clean—how amazing for the people and all the animals. The guides all made me feel welcomed and safe! The river safari was amazing. I was able to see iguanas, so many birds, monkeys and crocodiles. I tasted coffee on 2/3 of my tours and wow! I am a flavoured creamer and all the bleached sugar kind of girl, but I even enjoyed it black. It was made nice and sweet with some real unbleached sugar! I will be incorporating this into my life back at home, saying goodbye to adding white sugar when possible. There was a meal served on all my excursions. All were good. My favourite was the first soda on the River Safari day. I enjoyed the family style meal presentation, the flavours were good and the drink, tamarind was delicious! The pico and guac on the catamaran was also yummy! It was nice to have fresh tasty guac! The pottery demonstration was nice to see—I love art. I am more about experiences over souvenirs but that pottery was beautiful and so I treated myself to a hand crafted, carved, painted clay shot glass—so much better than the mass produced glass ones you see many other places. My second tour was the Rainforest day. We stopped at a waterfall first where I bought another souvenir. This woman hand painted each individual shirt—how cool! I respected and adored her art and got one! Both my shot glass and shirt have a sloth on them! The sloth was my absolute favourite part of my trip and I was so happy to have seen one in the wild. For me, a once and a lifetime experience, I will treasure that. It was beautiful. It was nice to be able to get in and swim right in front of the waterfall! Breathtaking. You can leave your belongs (wallet) in the car so they are save. I always get worried about that swimming and travelling alone. Hiking through the rainforest, bring good shoes! I did! My Keens (hiking sandal with closed toe) were perfect for this. There were hills and it rains (duh)! Each step was worth the beauty I took in. The hanging bridges, an experience for sure, wild! We saw toucans, toad, frogs, snakes and a sloth. The guides knew we were bummed we didn’t see monkeys but they pulled over on the road on the way home and we saw a big group of them! That was awesome! I was very grateful for that. The catamaran pick up was easy—right off the beach of my resort. They have a smaller boat to bring you to the catamaran. The drinks were delicious and a plenty! It was a bit more party than I expected but I had fun! I liked how we had a small group compared to the large party boats I saw. I enjoyed the more intimate/more personal experience. We went by monkey head island which looked cool. We stopped at a place with a bunch of neat caves! As soon as we got there, saw my very first sea turtle. The snorkelling was underwhelming compared to other places I have been but I knew this coming into it. I was still able to see a lot of fish honestly—just not much reef life. Saw some turtles making some love during sunset—magical! It was fantastic. The boat went wild. Overall, I am glad I made all the choices I did. It’s always easy booking with Trip Central, Air Transat was good, resort overall was good and had good trips with Frank the Tank’s teams. Costa Rica was absolutely beautiful. I saw and did everything I wanted to with ease. Pura Vida! https://youtu.be/jYr8uKsm10M?si=Rev5xxPki_BhQpfk

I stayed at the main building which was recently renovated, the rooms are very spacious and beautifully decorated. The gardens are very well kept. I know that drinks can accidentally get spilled, more maintenance around the pool area is required. The meals at the restaurants were good with the exception of the Steak House. Not worth the line up to get in. Overall it was a great vacation.

Hotel was good, grounds beautiful, public area good but me and my husband got very sick from bacteria at the resort. I find dishes and dining needs to be absolutely clean/sterile for guests. We saw at the pool bar reusable cup just got a quick rinse and reuse...the rim was not washed. I felt foods on the utensils and the plates at the buffet. We had to always asked for bottle water in our room and coffee. These items supposed to be replenish daily. I enjoy my first 3 days at the resort but the next 3 days plus the day we checked out we were so sick. Didn't leave our room for 3 days to go and eat. Pharmacy was closed when my husband went to see if he can get something to help us. We needed some electrolytes and stuff to help us. We made tea and had plain crackers which we forced ourselves to eat. We couldn't wait and praying to get back home safe and well. We are home now but still haven't recovered. I went to the emergency here at home. Costa Rica is beautiful and too bad we got sick. We would love to visit again and enjoy fully next time. Hoping for better experience and more cleaner place/things etc. We saw how they clean the tables and placemats for the next guests...not proper. We were horrified what we were seeing. Barely cleaning the mats thoroughly, all the garbage crumbs/foods are brushed so quickly every where and onto the chairs you have to sit on. The workers need to be checked for the way they are cleaning the dining areas. The tables are not wiped properly with care and time. This is serious and should be addressed immediately.

We stayed here 10 years ago and it was great. But now after all the renovations, it’s absolutely amazing. We loved everything - the grounds, the rooms, the food, the pool, the service. Overall a great family trip and the kids already want to go back. Huge thanks to our travel agent Jim for helping us out so much!

Buffet was ample and varied and delicious. Their system for waiting in line for an hour for the specialty restaurants is unfortunate. As at other resorts, they should have a sign-in policy for these restaurants. Wasting precious vacation time waiting in line from 5:00 to get a seat at 6:00 makes no sense. Italian restaurant was amazing. Note the following: 1) we requested a wake-up call to get to an excursion: it never came to either of two rooms 2) we advised there was a dripping sound at night in our room: repairman came and said it was the fridge and moved the fridge. Next night dripping continued. A repairman came and said it was the air conditioner and that he fixed it. Dripping continued. Unclear why they couldn't get it right. Safe needed a repair: the battery was missing. It was repaired. Then the batteries fell out and it needed another repair 3) accordingly, because of the drip, I moved my room. As I packed up the first room I noticed my neck pillow was gone. I asked the front desk to look into it. They took note. I came back that night: no news. They said come back in the morning: they'd call housekeeping. I came back: no news. Finally I google translated a message to Spanish and showed it directly to the housekeeper, indicating that i would have no choice in hotel reviews but to indicate that housekeeping staff steals things at Riu Guanacaste. She communicated with others in the housekeeping staff: much animated chatter ensued and calling to others amongst themselves Eventually: my neck pillow appeared. Unclear how it had disappeared. Unclear why it was so difficult to get messages and requests to be taken seriously. Staff is very pleasant and relaxed, but either doesn't take matters too seriously or doesn't get the message in English. There should be one person on duty at front desk at all times who is proficient in English.

My wife and I accompanied her sister and our brother-in-law to CC Beach for a week through their invitation. We both appreciated the location and style of our Standard room opposite the gym. As my wife is vegetarian and I’m diabetic we were thankful for the range of vegetables and healthy foods offered and available at all 3 daily meals. All four of us regularly used the pool. My wife and I used the dual kayak 2x during the week. We were pleased to see monkeys living in the trees and all the iguanas sauntering around the property. Above all the friendly patience of the staff to communicate with my mid-level Spanish and their native rapid Spanish!

This small quiet resort was a great backdrop for exploring the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Staff were amazing and always helpful. Only one buffet restaurant but the food was amazing. Rooms were dated but kept very clean. Repair is needed on the roofs of the buildings. Staff attempted to keep the pools clean but were fighting with the falling leaves. Beach is black sand with some garbage being washed ashore.

This resort is absolutely beautiful. The staff is so friendly and welcoming. The beach is nice and if you walk down the beach you will see monkeys. There are vendors on the beach but they are not pushy. They are trying to make a living and the prices are incredible

I stayed at The Westin Playa Conchal Resort in November 2024 with a group of ten friends, and our experience was excellent. The service and hospitality exceeded our expectations. The staff were consistently professional, courteous, and attentive, ensuring that every detail of our stay was taken care of. The resort itself is beautifully maintained golf grounds, beautiful beach, and facilities that balance luxury with comfort. Our accommodations were spacious, modern, and well-appointed, providing the perfect vacation experience. Dining was exceptional, with a diverse selection of restaurants offering high-quality cuisine and excellent service. The atmosphere throughout the resort was relaxed yet refined, making it ideal for both groups and couples seeking a premium all-inclusive experience. The pool, beach area, and evening entertainment all contributed to a memorable and enjoyable stay. Overall, The Westin Playa Conchal exceeded all expectations in terms of service, quality, and experience. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone seeking a first-class getaway in Costa Rica. We look forward to returning in the future.

What can we say....our stay was over the top!! Enrique, Carlos plus The kitchen staff made our stay! So accommodating with someone that has celiacs disease. The food was great. The beach was awesome. Loved seeing the whales in the bay. We have nothing bad to say!!

A very beautiful hotel. The scenery is incredible. Several pools, restaurants, and bars. Just one problem: if you love the beach, this probably isn't for you. The beach itself is nice, with black sand, perfect for swimming. Since the sand is volcanic, the sea bottom is very smooth and firm, which is very good and safe to swim. There are sun loungers on the beach, but no umbrellas at all. A few small trees provide shade, but that's not enough. There's also no bar on the beach, but the guys from the pool bar occasionally come onto the beach, but it takes about an hour for them to bring you a drink. We've been there in September, which is the rain season. Normally, there is a heavy rain in afternoon for a few hours, However, we liked it - the nature is enjoying the rain as we are.

I recently stayed at The Westin Reserva Conchal and I cannot say enough wonderful things about this resort. From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by how beautifully maintained the property is—lush greenery, stunning wildlife, and a peaceful atmosphere everywhere you go. The rooms were spacious, spotless, and very comfortable, with everything you need for a relaxing stay. The beds were heavenly, and I always woke up refreshed and ready to enjoy the day. The food and drinks exceeded my expectations for an all-inclusive. There was a wide variety of options at every restaurant, and everything I tried was delicious. Service was attentive and friendly—staff truly went above and beyond to make sure guests felt welcome and cared for. The pool and beach areas were incredible. The pool is huge and relaxing, while the beach at Playa Conchal is simply breathtaking—soft sand, warm water, and plenty of space to unwind. It felt like a tropical paradise. Overall, the resort offers the perfect balance of relaxation and activities. Whether lounging by the pool, enjoying the ocean, or exploring the property, every moment was enjoyable. This was an unforgettable stay, and I would highly recommend The Westin Reserva Conchal to anyone visiting Costa Rica. I am already looking forward to returning!

The hotel itself is beautiful and always clean. The view to the ocean is great. The staff is really what makes the experience even better. They are always very polite and love to have conversation. Seeing the monkeys on the beach was an added bonus!

This resort was exactly what we needed - laid back atmosphere, nice beach, good food, light entertainment and great weather. Resort has beach in the bay area , so there are low and high tide and beach is getting wider and narrow , but we were able to swim and snorkel. Long beach is good for walks, but have water shoes as some areas have sharp stones(also can purchase in little store at the resort). There were no mosquitoes ? and flies, couple times towards evening we had rain but still we had the whole day to enjoy the beach, they have plenty sun-beds and shade under the trees. Rooms were cleaned every day and we had free supplies of 2 water bottles, 2 beers, 1 Coca-Cola and 1 Sprite. Keep in mind in the evening there are raccoons checking garbage outside. People are very friendly and eager to help with any question you have. There are many steps in the resort, so ask for rooms in buildings 1 or 2(it is close to dining and pool area) if walking is a problem. Would recommend this place to friends - it is a good value for money.

My one week stay in this resort is full of disappointment, the food is very bad, the main restarunt is closed and there is only one kitchen serving 3 meals during my entire stay. No buffet, I can choose the meal from the menu and there is no variety. Food qualit is so bad, so I need to ask the chef to customize, so I can remove the items I cannot eat and choose only a few item I can manage to eat. In my room there is a small kitchen but the stove is sealed so I cannot use the kitchen, no microwave and no coffe maker. I never recommend this hotel to anyone

My wife and I stayed in a garden view suite. The accommodations are very modern and comfortable to relax or connect to your favorite streaming service on the TV. The resort is located in a beach that is very swimable and calm. Good for kayak, swimming or even beginner surf lessons. During our stay, all the restaurants served from. The menu. Two restaurants always open for lunch and dinner. Our favorites were Bocatto and Chill and Grill. The staff was exceptional throughout and further made our stay more enjoyable. Many of which we got to know on a first name basis. We recommend this resort if you are looking for good quality food, accommodations and relaxing stay.

Overall Vibe: A solid resort with stunning views, strong margaritas, and just enough quirks to keep things interesting. ? The Good Stuff (a.k.a. why we didn’t book an earlier flight home) • Jaw-Dropping Scenery: The grounds are lush and green — think "Jurassic Park intro" but without the dinosaurs (unless you count the howler monkeys). The pools are beautifully maintained and there’s plenty of space to sprawl out and do nothing, which we fully embraced. Beach is hot dark sand and warm water. Monkeys in the trees near the beach were fun to watch and feed if you have fruit with you. • Genuinely Great Staff: Every staff member we interacted with was warm, helpful, and seemed genuinely happy to be there. • The Riu App – Surprisingly Useful: As someone who likes a plan, I lived on this app. Everything from restaurant hours to daily activities and weather updates — all in one place. My teens found it annoying; I found it life-saving. • Always Something to Eat: Food is available pretty much around the clock. Whether you need a burger by the pool, a late-night pastry, or caffeine to survive another sarcastic teen comment, you’re covered. • Poolside Drink Service: Top-tier vacation vibes. Nothing quite like having someone hand you a cocktail while you pretend not to see your kids filming TikToks from the lounger next to you. • Clean Rooms & Comfortable Beds: Rooms were well-kept, beds were comfortable, and housekeeping stayed on top of the sand trail we brought in daily. ? The Not-So-Great (aka: “It’s not a dealbreaker, but...”) • The Food – Hit or Miss: The buffet was fine at first, but by day four, we were all craving variety. We did manage to get into the Italian, steakhouse, and sushi à la cartes — all very solid, with some standout dishes. But it came with a catch... • À La Carte = Line Up or Miss Out: There’s no reservation system, so if you don’t line up early, you’re heading back to the buffet. A couple nights we tried and couldn’t get in, which was frustrating — especially for hangry teens. A little more structure here would go a long way. • Awkward Room Layout: The bathtub in the middle of the room was... a choice. Not ideal with teenagers. Also, the bathroom lighting was weirdly dim and made everything feel like a scene from a moody indie film. Big thumbs down from anyone who needs to apply make up or has over 40 year old eyes! • Slippery Floors: The tile floors in our room were absurdly slick when wet. Two near-wipeouts later, I was navigating the room like a figure skater. Pack non-slip sandals. • Construction “Garden View”: Our room faced the construction site next door. We knew about the renovations beforehand, so not a total surprise — but the 7 a.m. jackhammer wake-up calls were not part of the dream vacation. It was so dusty and loud I wasn't able to sit outside at all on the balcony for a morning coffee. • TV + WiFi Frustrations: The Smart TV wasn’t smart (or working), and the WiFi was hit-or-miss. Fine for unplugging, but not great if you’re trying to stream, video chat, or keep teens entertained in the room. ?‍♀️ Could Be Better... • Room Service: Food arrived in basic takeout containers — no plates, utensils, or presentation. We made it work, but it felt like an afterthought. • Lighting at Night: Some of the walkways were poorly lit. I ended up using my phone flashlight regularly, which made it feel a bit like a scavenger hunt to get back to the room. ? Final Thoughts: Would I return? Possibly — with a better room and a more laid-back approach to the dining scene. The resort is beautiful, the staff is excellent, and there’s enough to enjoy if you’re okay with a few quirks. It's not a foodie destination or tech paradise, but if your goal is to relax, disconnect, and soak in the sun (while occasionally muttering about the bathtub), it’s a pretty solid place to do it.

Beautiful resort in an excellent location! We found there was lots to do along with lots of space and locations for rest and relaxation. We took walks on the beach, joined in for the water aerobics each morning, walked the nature trails, and enjoyed the guided bike tour. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. We had a fantastic time!

One of if not , the Best place and vacation -- go for it! I could not imagine working day in day out, in such lovely hot weather (usual temp was about 31:c) but the great employees at the Hotel RIU do all the time. Kudos to them all from the front desk; to the great room maids; to the great bar service; and food service people. Great tours provided by Nicolas and by YuuGo at NEXUSTours (Vardala and Palo Verde tours). We our family of 5 adults stayed for 7 days. Great weather (only had a rain downpour for about a hour one late afternoon). Had working AC but did not use as ceiling fan was just perfect (the more Eco friendly way ). And the Monkeys were a Bonus! :-}

I don't normally rate trips because truthfully you can't make everyone happy. However when you can't get a coffee cup, or the pop fountains and cappuccino machines don't work. Nor have to ask for a glass of water to have it smacked on the table because you are an inconvenience oh and lets not forget getting napkins. There was truthfully ONE great server there who was happy to help. Bar staff unfriendly and short staffed often....which I get why they may not be happy. That though is not my fault. Now according to the girls that booked this part of the promotion for booking early was Bathrobes, champagne in your room upon arrival, premium alcohol. Of which none of that was given. When questioned about it the response was I don't see that. Would I go back to Costa Rica yes would I go to that resort no and would I use trip central again. JURY is out on that. Even our Rep indicated this hotel has more complaints then any other hotel.

Absolutely beautiful hotel and grounds - we enjoyed the constant bird noise of many different species and having monkeys on our balcony. While the hotel is 1.5hr from airport and many excursions you truly are immersed in Costa Rica views, mountains and biodiversity at this resort. Our room was beautiful and well kept daily and we loved every meal at every restaurant.

Great place, good food and entertainment. A lot of walking to get from point A to point B if one has mobility issues. They could use more public washrooms around the pool area as you have to make your way to the Papagayo Restaurant or inside by the theatre which is a distance.

Beautiful grounds, nice selection at buffet. Nice main pool, didnt spend any time at swim up bar. Friendly staff. Rooms are a little dated but well kept. Beach was nice. Monkeys , iguanas and lots of birds

The newer side was beautiful and clean. But with the upcoming renovation the main pool was always dirty and tiles were falling apart. Sometimes the a la cartes were closed. We’ve stayed here before and there were never issues like this. So I can’t wait to see the full completed renovations But other than that. The service was great. Weather perfect. I’d recommend going once the Reno’s are done

Beautiful beach, amazing sunsets and great food. Grounds were clean and well manicured and staff were friendly and helpful. Very much enjoyed the 30 min walk to the nearby village of Samara. We also went bird watching with a professional guide ( Bernie) and were quite pleased.

Overall the resort is good. We booked a room with 2 queen beds and ended up with a king and sofa couch for 3 people. Not at all what we booked and was told they do not guarantee a room with 2 queen beds. My husband is in his 60’s and had to sleep on a pull out couch that was not comfortable at all! Not impressed that they didn’t even care. The food is great and staff is friendly. The best part was feeding monkeys on the beach every morning!

This hotel was very nice, staff kept it exceptionally clean always!! Check in and out smooth and easy. Lots on offer at the buffets especially for picky kids.The specialty restaurants were confusing. Sign said open hours but it was closed. Extremely long waits for the restaurants so we gave up and left. Need a better system. Room was very nice. Service at the bars and pool was great.The shows were a lot of fun too. Would definitely go back and also recommend to family and friends!! Thanks for such a great experience. Pura Vida Costa Rica ?? ♥️

We stayed at the Riu Guanacaste between 03/01 and 03/07. I'll try to keep this short and sweet. The good: The staff were nice and the resort was clean for the most part. Pools were well maintained and fairly clean. There were ton of activities during the day and evening. The staff definitely entertained. Food was pretty good with ample selections. The Asian a la carte restaurant was amazing and would highly recommend. It's also nice that you don't have to reserve ahead of time. The beach was lovely although we had to deal with pushy locals trying to sell you stuff. Everyday we had to repeat multiple times that we're not interested. Water was fantastic and fairly clean. The scenery and landscapes are beautiful! The bad: Rooms are quite dated. We also smelled sewage coming from the toilet in the bathroom. It wasn't bad, but we talked to someone else who claimed the smell was unbearable and they had to switch rooms. There is no bank at the resort which I found shocking. I've been to way worse places and at least they had a bank where you could with draw cash in case of emergencies. The closest bank was at Coco Beach which turned out to be a dud since the ATM didn't work. For Riu, that's quite disappointing. We've heard from others that their minibar in their room was not stocked and they had to ask several times before management did anything about it. BEWARE!: We met one couple who claimed their room was robbed of possessions totaling $500. They said that someone a few weeks ago was robbed of $1500 in cash! Beware of your belongings! Note that room safes are not at all that safe. We didn't experience anything missing but we were put on high alert after that information.

Such a wonderful small resort to relax, on the beach or by the pool ! Beautiful beach for long morning walks in the sunshine. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly! The beds were very comfortable and filtered water in the rooms was great so we weren’t using plastic bottles!

Grounds, public areas all good. Foods left something to be desired. All restaurants had similar buffets. Very little a la carte. Construction was noisy. Evening entertainment only fair. Location is far away from everywhere for tours.

We found the grounds to be beautiful eventhough it was the dry season. Our accommodations were up to par and spacious; loved the comfort of the bed and pillows. Room was cleaned every day. It looked like all rooms had a balcony to sit out morning or night to admire the view of the gulf. Although it was the norm to fill the fridge every day with 2 waters, 2 sodas, 2 beers, we did need to call once as they forgot to refill and another time to provide a bath mat. The staff was very very courteous and accomodating. The pools were awesome, as well as the beach, with aerobics mid-mornings and other events in the afternoon. I loved that we didn't need to get out there at 6 am just to reserve a chair. They were always available any time of the day. Don't expect much in terms of nightly entertainment. There was just a little stage with a couple of amazing jazzy musicians (one saxophone artist, another guitare player). In terms of food, we did enjoy the variety from the buffet trying something different every day (but do expect the rice & beans every meal). The 3 a la carte restaurants were very appreciated, especially the Italian one - it was totally a great experience. I give it a 5 star rating. Except for the stairs from the main pool to the hotel lobby, the walking was very manageable at this resort. There were always shuttles around but we didn't feel the need to hop on.