Riu Guanacaste: The washrooms needs to be more safe. The bath tubs are very old.

Rooms are clean. There is room for improvement . I wish our wish to keep our group together was taken seriously. I will not recommend this resort to anyone. The reception was not very helpful. The bath tubs are very dangerous.

Riu Guanacaste: Lovely, but not 5 star

We stayed at this resort the last week of September. It was lovely and reminiscent of other Riu hotels we’ve stayed at. Everything was very good but I would not have rated this hotel a 5 star, rather it was comparable to the 4 star Rius we’ve stayed at. One morning we forgot to tip our housekeeper (after having left $10 the day before) and we were left with 2 bath towels and nothing else (no hand towels or wash cloths). The next day we tipped $2 and were left with ample towels and extra soa [... read more]p. The restaurants were not all opened each day. Further, they don’t allow you to make early reservations, so when we ate at those restaurants we had lined up for 30-45 minutes at 5:45 to make the reservations that night - a little inconvenient compared to the Occidental where we could make reservations at the hotel lobby desk each day. The beach was interesting as well because there were no huts/umbrellas or bars on the beach and no service available there either, I think because the beach is public and available to non-hotel guests. It was safe enough, even with the vendors who offered their wares. The waters were quite strong, and the area known for rip currents, though could have been just the weather that week. There was no seaweed or rocks on the bottom, so quite nice to walk out into the Pacific. People spoke of monkeys down the beach further who walked up to passersby, but we weren’t lucky enough to have seen any this time. Definitely recommend taking a tour off-resort - we did an ATV tour of the surrounding areas through the jungles, towns and beaches and got to see some cool things we wouldn’t have otherwise seen if we’d stayed on the resort because there isn’t much close that you can walk to. Be sure to pack enough sunscreen and necessities because the shops at the resort were charging insane prices ($USD45 for sunscreen).

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Excellent Resort

This resort was very good and an amazing destination. The two RIU hotels are the only resorts on this entire beach. Food was excellent with gluten free options for my wife. Staff was very friendly and helpful. I would definitely stay here again.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Awesome Riu Palace Costa Rica

Awesome anniversary holiday we were looking at an anniversary vaca all inclusive stayed at many many Rius looked at the Palace Costa Rica and were not disappointed. From the moment we arrived with Sunwing an exceptional flight coming and going early with wonderful flight attendance. We emailed Jordi Customer service with requests and he was fantastic. Every aspect of this Riu was terrific from the food to the alcohol to the servers the service the cleanliness of this resort is overwhelming. The [... read more] beach is good for Costa Rica not white or black volcanic sand. Our room spectacular had everything and more. We would highly recommend this Riu Palace Costa Rica the other side not so much. Thank you

Riu Guanacaste: Great Vacation

Rui Guancaste is Beautiful and Clean. The workers are very helpful and friendly. The food was amazing at the Buffet, always something to eat. I find that it gets really busy on the weekends due to locals. A few changes need to be made with booking Ala Carte, long line ups, they should do reservation in advance so people don't have to line up from 5 pm.

JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort and Spa: Above expectations!!!

Staff was incredible. From front lobby to servers to maintenance staff, all of them knocked it out of the park. Resort is perfectly laid out and beautifully landscaped. Even though it's not an adults only resort, there is till large pool area designated for adults only. We used this area quite often. The swim out pool was very nice from our room. The only thing we could say non positive about it was the fact there was no privacy wall between our room and the next (Rm 2105 & 2104). One could very [... read more] easily be installed and it seemed every other room had one. Perhaps it was just a missing during construction. Room was very nice and cleaning staff did a great job keeping that way without even knowing they were even there. Beach was ok. We spent most of our time near adult pool area just for simple fact that the beach is public and there are vendors on the beach that sometimes just can't take a hint that you are not interested even after repeating yourself several times. As stated before, resort is perfectly laid out. The trees and bushes dampen the sound from around the resort and is very relaxing place to be. World Café buffet offered something for everyone and the restaurants were decent enough. Only non positive thing to say about the restaurants is that we felt the service was slow even when it was not busy. Had to ask several times for the same thing from several serving staff until we got it. Not a huge deal, but when you are really hungry/thirsty, it would be nice not to have ask several times for the same thing. The Preferred Club lounge was very nice and we were quite impressed. Premium liquor and personalized service with a small snack buffet available just to get away from the majority of the resort and chill on their patio. I have already highly recommended this place to others and if/when I ever return to Costa Rica, this place made a lasting impression and would most likely return. It's a very large resort but feels small at the same time. Does not have a franchise feel to it and we enjoyed that. The resort is quite remote, so going on excursions involved a lot of travel. We wanted to go to Coco Beach for a half day or something to go to local bars and shops but was far too expensive to get there and back. Also....my wife lost her favorite hat on a Tuesday, reported it on the Thursday and the staff returned it to her on the Friday. She was thrilled and was shocked at the same time. Excellent service by the staff.

Azura Beach Resort Samara: Amazing vacation

This was our first visit to Costa Rica. And it will not be the last. The Hotel was absolutely fantastic , new , clean , tastefully decorated . From first minute we felt like home . All people in this hotel work very hard but , this is not what makes the difference between other places we visited in Caribbean. Everyone is having fun , while working hard and applying the real meaning of Pura Vida . We felt we were part of the family , not tourists. I can't mentioned all names although , ever [... read more]yone deserves to be recognised : Big thank you to Kevin , Miguel and the lovely lady from the Italian restaurant, Jefferson and Raul, Coco from breakfast crew. You made our stay unforgettable. Beach is excellent and honestly , there is no picture that can describe the beauty of the nature , amazing sunsets , great sky... Hotel Azure became our favorite destination and , we will be returning there for sure . I hope very soon .

The Westin Reserva Conchal Golf Resort & Spa: Worth Every Penny!

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and I can not wait to go back! The resort is beautiful, the people are beautiful, EVERYTHING is beautiful. For those of you who want details, we have no complaints but for those who might... 1. The Resort: The Westin is about an hour from the airport but the drive is scenic and the roads aren't too rough, some twisty roads and curves up and down the mountain though. The resort is on the larger-side but there is a regular shuttle system. We walked eve [... read more]rywhere on the resort to take in the scenery. We didn't go in the pool but it looked like a great spot to hang out as well. The BEST part of the resort is all the lush agriculture and wildlife that you will get to see up close and personal! We saw monkeys, iguanas, cranes, chipmunks, armadillos and many different species of fish, birds, butterflies etc. etc. etc. It was just amazing. 2. The food: We LOVED the food and we are vegetarian/vegan. There are plenty of food options for meat-eaters but we really appreciated the freshness and health-conscious preparation of the food. The fresh fish was great and we also appreciated the unlimited reservations and a la carte food options. 3. The beach: We went to the beach and into the water everyday. Apart from occasional panhandlers, the white sand/shell beach is very serene and beautiful 4. The staff: We have been to Cuba, Mexico and Dominican Republic and what we appreciated about Costa Rica is their ability to communicate almost flawlessly from Spanish to English. The staff was also very pleasant and courteous. 5. The room: We stayed in a Deluxe Junior Suite and we loved the interior design and decoration in the room. Very Feng shui. The only complaint would be that the adjoining wall/door is thin so you can hear EVERYTHING next door. Nothing the T.V. couldn't mask though. It was only my husband and I (ages 38 & 45, married 12 years) this time around but we intend to return with our children (ages ranging from 5-19). This resort has set a new standard for our travels! Thank you for a great experience!

Riu Guanacaste: Amazing Resort

Everything about this resort was great. One of the nicest, cleanest resorts I have ever stayed in. The staff was helpful, friendly and very accommodating. The FOOD was fantastic. There was so many wonderful food options. We ate like Royalty! Everything about our stay was great. I highly recommend this resort.

Riu Guanacaste: Riu Guanacaste

we just got back from a 1 week stay at the Riu Guanacaste. Overall it was a very nice trip. The hotel is 5 star, it is likely more a 4 or 4.5 star but were happy with the grounds and accomodation. THe food also was very good we found. IT was hard to get the dinner reservations, you had to line up and it was first come first serve. If you didn't want to line up then it wasn't so great but we were lucky to be able to get into the Italian and Steak restaurant on 2 nights by going a bit later. We [... read more] did have an issue with dinner one night when a waiter in the buffet complained about my daughter's tank top with spaghetti straps which was frustrating since I had told her she looks fine and we see many men eating in the buffet with ball caps and tank tops where you see hairy arm pits (Not appetizing). I think it's strange to for that to be acceptable and for my daughter's nice tank top to not be. Anyhow that was a bit frustrating but I complained to front desk just to make a point about the men. The pool was big and warm but got very crowded especially around the bar but you can always find a chair a bit further back from the pool. We got day trips booking through sunwing that were nice. We went to a plantation and rain forest one day, and a nice sunset snorkel trip on another day. We also booked a driver and went around to several different beaches one day. That was a highlight since the beach at the hotel is nice but there are nicer beaches - Flamingo and Conchal about an hour away. We visited Tamarindo and if we go back would like to stay there. On this resort you have everything you need but not really close to anything. You can take a taxi to El Coco but it's expensive getting taxis. Overall a great trip and would recommend. thanks,

Riu Guanacaste: Great resort

great place, only 2 down falls. no smoking anywhere, you should be able to smoke outside. and 2nd to many locals on the beach asking to buy stuff, 20 times a day have to say no thank you. still had a great time

Planet Hollywood Costa Rica: A One of a Kind Vacation

My girlfriend and I came here for a one week vacation at the end of July. We have done some all inclusive resorts before but had never visited Costa Rica, and our experience was amazing in every way. The resort itself was clean, modern, well-staffed, and very detail focused on making your vacation as fun and worry free as possible. We did not select the star-class upgrade we personally never felt like this limited our enjoyment of the resort in any way. Check in and check out was a breeze and yo [... read more]u're welcomed on the way in with a cocktail and your baggage delivered to your room. Our room was clean and luxurious, with a very comfortable bed, mini-bar stocked daily, and a walk in shower. The food was delicious and there is something for everyone - Tex-Mex, Italian, Japanese, pub food, and a buffet that serves a wide selection of options. The nightly entertainment was surprisingly good on most nights, but if that's not your thing there are places where you can relax and have a drink with some privacy. The beach is black sand but very nice and the water is pretty clear, you can see some fish easily when snorkeling, or sign up to kayak or paddleboard if you enjoy that. There is only one pool and it's not huge, but I never saw it get so crowded to be a big problem. We did two excursions and both were fantastic, I would recommend for anyone visiting to go out and see some of the local wildlife and attractions. Lastly, what separated this resort from any other I've visited was the staff and service. We did not meet a single staff member who was not courteous, welcoming, and focused on doing whatever they could to make our vacation perfect. The restaurant and bar staff were fantastic, and almost all remembered us by name. I can't say enough about how much the dedication of the staff improves the experience at the resort and it's the reason I would come back again if possible. All together we had a fantastic experience and would recommend the resort for anyone looking to travel to Costa Rica.

Azura Beach Resort Samara: The Trip of a lifetime!

The hotel is a beautiful building with lots of attention to detail and has a very natural open concept. We loved the plants and hanging garden baskets in the main lobby. It has a lot of personality and makes one feel at home immediately! The gardens are very well maintained and the pool and ocean are amazing. We especially loved our walks on the beach...the black sand was so unusual and the coral and shells made each walk an adventure. We especially loved the horses walking or galloping down the [... read more] beach. Such a novel and unspoiled landscape. The food was very high quality and we enjoyed watching young Jefferson turn out exquisite meals at the Chill and Grill. Kevin was a great bartender and Lorena and I forget the other lady were such happy, pleasant servers. Marchello was very sweet too. I feel like sometimes the service was a bit slow, but that could easily be solved by hiring a few more chefs/servers. Coco at the breakfast buffet...which was a delicious assortment of food by the way, was a very attentive server. The rooms were very comfortable and the housekeeping did a good job cleaning up promptly and neatly. Loved the balcony with the relaxing and cosy hanging swing! The water supply did stop a couple of times for about 30 mins to an hour, and as such the water purifier stopped too. No big deal as it was quickly fixed. All staff were very approachable and friendly while maintaining a level of professionalism. Might be a good idea to have a basic First Aid kit available as well as training a couple of the staff in Standard First Aid and CPR. Overall we loved our stay and will definitely be back. Pura Vida!!!

Azura Beach Resort Samara: Azura

Enjoyed my stay at azura thoroughly. The staff was amazing; very friendly and attentive. The food and drinks were made amazingly I had no complaints at all. The air conditioning in the room worked very well and the rooms were very nice.

Azura Beach Resort Samara: AMAZING RESORT

Wow, what an amazing vacation. People, scenery, food, everything was just perfect. Kevin and Jeferson are absolutely amazing!! Seney and Marcelo are also gems. Shrimp risotto was my absolute favorite dish and all of the food is first class. even if it inst on the menu, Jeferson will improvise and do his take on the meal you desire. Iced coffee with liqueur in it was amazing. Room service was the absolute best. Beautiful beach however water is not clear. Other than the biting mosquito, i have no  [... read more]complaints. Amazing place, can't stress that enough. Best vacation ever. Will be back soon! Make sure you ask for the chilli guaro. Amazing shot!!

JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort and Spa: Dreams Las Mareas

Fantastic vacation,me and my wife enjoyed the week with excellent food ,beach pool,Etc.The trip to Nicaragua Volcano was amazing experience ,365 Island by boat good one Thanks to the Guide Ramano.This is our first trip to Costa Rica, we are planing a trip next year with our kids and grand children. fruits are tasty and sweet.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Great resort!

Resort was well kept. Good variety at buffets, we were able to dine a la carte when ever we wanted first come first serve, had to wait a few times , which was totally reasonable. Service was excellent. Either at the beach or pool, waiters regularly checking in on you. Bartenders rarely kept you waiting. Staff overall very attentive and always willing to please. Went July 15-22nd, weather was great. Excursions booked through SunWing were fantastic. Decent snorkeling at hotel beach. Pools were [... read more] clean. Swim up Pool bar separate from main pools, which we prefer. We would go back. Just a matter of when. Highly recommended!!

Riu Guanacaste: Beautiful views!

The hotel grounds were absolutely stunning with views of the mountains and tropical rain forest. We saw spider monkeys on a trail near the resort and enjoyed the calm waters by the beach. The food was amazing and there was a lot of variety of fruits and veggies. The kids loved the pastries, hot dogs and pizza. What was really nice was the flexibility to go to the more formal dinner restaurants as often as we wanted! No a la carte limits! Our only complaint would be that you could not control [... read more] the lighting by your room door. The entrance to your room, usually two rooms across from each other was down a small hallway but there was no window or lighting during the day. It was very dark and we could hardly see to put our door key in. It made me a bit uncomfortable. Honestly, that was the only thing I could criticize about the trip! Amazing sights, beautiful surroundings and great food. Staff were so helpful and Sunwing staff were so great. Other than that, a great trip!

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Beautiful Resort to Honeymoon

This resort was great! It is very modern and super clean everywhere we went! The rooms make you feel like you are right at home! The grounds are very well kept and maintained they are just beautiful! Don’t even get me started on how amazing the food was.... you can think of anything you wanted and garuntee they have it either at the buffet or the restaurants on the resort. The staff were so friendly and the service is a 10/10! I am so happy we chose to have our honeymoon at this resort! We wil [... read more]l definitely be going back

Riu Guanacaste: Great resort!

This resort was very clean, friendly, helpful and safe! I would definitely recommend it! It was very family oriented with lots to do! Delicious food and amazing people! We definitely enjoyed our stay.