Riu Guanacaste: Riu Guanacaste review

Overall a nice resort. I would recommend it to others. Pros - Great resort, clean, lots of food and drinks. The animation team was good, better than some we have seen in the Dominican. Pool was good Cons - Awful pillows in the rooms, beach is not great, rocky, food was just ok for flavour, some spice. Far away from things if you wanted to go on excursions.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: AMAZING AMAZING!!!

Riu palase costa rica has by far past beyond are expectations! Palace sais it all!!! very clean resort, rooms! Food is very good! entertainement was also great and drinks were Amazing! Would I go back? Will I be back? YES YES AND YES

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Going back FA SHO!!!!

The RIU Palace was excellent. The service and staff were all very friendly. The room was very nice and housekeeping was always on top of things. The whole resort was well kept. Lots of space and seating at the pool. No shortage of people offering drinks. The food was great. Lots of selection. Only went to one a la cart and was not disappointed. Our zip lining excursion was a fun experience. The tour guides at the zip line were a good group. Friendly and fun. We are already talking about our next [... read more] vacation being to the same resort. Also, the weather was perfect all week long. Trip Central did a great job helping us plan our vacation and answering all our questions and concerns.

Villas Sol Beach Resort: Enjoyed our stay

Lovely hotel with fantastic view, and good food. The reservation restaurant was outstanding. The excursion arranged by the hotel was great. The only sour note was the meeting we thought would be a hotel orientation turned out to be a three hour long infomercial for the Wanderlust travel club. I would recommend the hotel to a friend but with the proviso that they avoid the introductory meeting.

Riu Guanacaste: pura vida at riu

our third visit and glad we chose the riu Guanacaste for our winter escape. the late February/early march weather was a consistent 33C and sunny. we enjoyed walking the well kept grounds checking out the birds and monkeys. the food was consistently good, whether at the buffet or the theme restaurants. the riu staff were friendly and responsive - a request for a box of tissues at the front desk was completed within minutes. all in all a great vacation!

Riu Guanacaste: Lovely resort great locale

The hotel is well kept and clean. Staff are lovely and very responsive. It is located in a remote area which meant lots of local wildlife including monkeys, ant-eater and many birds. We recommend doing a snorkeling excursion via the hotel water program- it is nearby and you'll see lots of different aquatic creatures (Staff were great with younger kids and nervous swimmers so good for all ages and experience levels). If you need quiet for early sleeping, you may want to request an outside  [... read more]room (not in the inner circle) as the nightly entertainment was loud and seemed to echo into the rooms (We were on the fifth floor). You also need water shoes or flip flops for the beach as the sand gets very hot. This was our second time to the hotel and it did not disappoint.

CC Beach Front Papagayo: On the Beach

Generally speaking the grounds were well kept up, clean and pleasant. What was totally lacking was any additional outdoor protection from the sun. There were no umbrellas , palapas, or overhead shading other than the trees and bushes. Pools were good with good water quality and plenty of lounges and good towels. Rooms in the older Beachfront villas were adequate but need to be upgraded. The bathrooms didn't even have a toilet paper holder on the wall. Staff were good. In the dining areas [... read more] they were friendly, attentive , and quick to respond. Food was good but choice was somewhat limited because of the small size of the hotel. Overall, our stay was pleasant. It's definitely a very laid back place for a relaxing stay on a very nice stretch of calm ocean beach.

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: THE PERFECT VETAWSY

Upon arriving I was nervous but the minute you step off the bus they have people making sure every need and question is answered. Every little detail is tended to the people that are amazing I had tons of questions which they already had the answers to before I even asked the resort was the up most refreshing environment. I felt safe I felt comfortable I felt relaxed. The staff were the up most friendliest and helpful. The food was an amazing assortment of flavors and textures and even if there  [... read more]was nothing there that appeased your appetite they, accommodated your needs

Occidental Papagayo: Not the adult only youd expect.

Pool bar closed at 5pm, next to no entertainment, disco was a 30 by 20 room which bad sound system. Pool music started at 7am, Bar doesnt open until 9am. Buffet was small but nice! A la cartes were ok. Resort was clean and well taken care of. Lisbeth in the buffet was EXTREMELY helpful with my food allergies and she made sure everyday i was taken care of during breakfast and lunch. The dinner host Manwell (not completely sure of his name) wasnt pleasant and didnt go through the buffet with  [... read more]me. He just said oh you cant eat anything and then walked away. (I am gluten adnd dairy free.) The Air transat rep Benoit was ok but did NOT explain the excursions well and he convinced us to go through him to rent a car at a whopping 73$USD a day. We should have shopped around but he was very persuasive. He also offered us a discount on the excursion but then did not honour it. I have been disappointed twice with Barcelo resorts. Also the wifi wasnt free (but free for air transat customers) and was horrible service expect for in the lobby when and if it worked. I also asked the front dest to move rooms because the pool was SOOO loud and they couldnt accomodate.

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: Relaxing Resort

We were in villa 11A which I highly recommend. We went Mar 4/18-Mar 11/18. Beautiful weather and landscape. Resort was not busy which was fine for us. There is construction next to the main building (a new resort) and there was construction noise not overbearing but there. Food was ok, nothing remarkable. Looking at previous reviews, we were apprehensive on our choice, but we were not surprised either way...good nor bad. A new guest services manager and a new food and beverage manager had jus [... read more]t started a week prior to our visit, so perhaps improvements will be in the future. Housekeeping was adequate. There are only 2 bars, the pool and main. Pool bar closes at 6pm. Time for us to get drinks was not terrible, but we did have to wait. I would expect if the rsort was busier waits would also be longer. The grounds were nice, except for the pool and main building area. Lots of birds and bird do-do. At no time during the week was the patio/pool area washed down....which would have been nice. Staff were great with special recognician to Andre (front desk), Thaddius (new guest services manager) and Victoria and Marco (pool bar). Beautiful area, 1/2hour walk to Samara of 15 minutes to Carillo Beach which is beautiful. With some attention to food and drink and cleaning the grounds, this would be a huge benefit to the guests. Definately 3 to 3.5 stars, better food would bring it to 4 plus. But anything higher would require renos to most villas and increased guest services.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Amazing Honeymoon

We could not have asked for a more amazing honeymoon! I usually always book through tripcentral, Ailsa Walker was fantastic and made sure that we were completely looked after and answered all of my questions. The hotel was beautiful and the weather was perfect! I can not wait to book the next vacation. Thank You Ailsa for making sure that our honeymoon was great!

Riu Guanacaste: Great property

Hotel was beautiful. Food was very good. Staff is very helpful and courteous. Beach is not the best. Lots of rocks. Rooms need an upgrade but are overall ok. Pillows are uncomfortable Good entertainment very hot climate. Coco beach not too much to see

Riu Guanacaste: Awesome Experience

We went with our kids and this trip was amazing, from the food to the zip lining to the people. All wonderful, we have very few complaints and it is most definitely up there as one of our best trips. We visited Congo zip lines, the tour guides were unbelievable, my 5 year old went and felt comfortable with his guide. We fed the monkeys, ate with raccoon like animals and swam with an Iguana, what a memorable experience.

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: Excellent location

Location can't be beat - on one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. Beach is over 3 km long with the resort at one end and the little town of Samara at the other about a half an hour walk away. The water was warm and the sunsets were amazing. Grounds are well kept. The resort is upgrading the villas and a number of them have been turned into rooms which allows them to increase their occupancy, There was a buffet and an a-la-carte restaurant. Food was good but service was spotty and [... read more] you would have sometimes wait for plates or cups. The bars tended to back up and waits for drinks could be lengthy. This could be solved by adding an additional bar-tender and dishwasher. The drinks, once you got them, were good. A sister resort is being built next door and how much this impacts your say will depend on the location of your villa in regards to the new resort. We had to go to the front desk every day to ask for towels and face clothes. When they arrived at our room they were fresh from the dryer, obviously they need to increase their supplies. Staff were generally friendly and when asked would do their utmost to comply with your request. With the great weather, beach and location you can enjoy your stay if you don't let these inconveniences bother you.

Wyndham Tamarindo: Quiet and Peaceful

Situated high above the quaint little town of Tamarindo, this hotel offers everything you will need for a quiet and relaxing vacation. Friendly staff, clean rooms, a gorgeous infinity pool, and an outstanding view of the ocean await you under the seemingly eternal sunny skies of beautiful Costa Rica. Some might be wary of the "Langostas", extra large grasshoppers that visited nightly and often lingered in the early morning hours, but they are harmless and quite fascinating if one takes the time  [... read more]to really study them. Frequent shuttles provide transportation to the beach club for those who prefer to relax by the ocean or into the rustic little surf town where there is shopping and restaurants galore. Costa Rica is my happy place and I would definitely return to Esplendor Tamarindo.

Riu Guanacaste: Amazing Resort

The resort was kept in impeccable condition from the grounds to the rooms to the bathrooms. All the staff were very helpful and friendly and did everything possible to ensure we had a great time. The food was absolutely fantastic with plenty of selection for every pallet.

The Westin Reserva Conchal Golf Resort & Spa: Fantastic Resort and Golf Course

My Boyfriend and I traveled to the Westin the last week of February and it was an excellent week! Beyond the fabulous weather this resort delivered exceptional service, Great golf course and good food. Our favourite restaurants were Bamboo and the French one. We stayed in tower two in the Beach Club which also offered 24 hour room and concierge service and no additional charge! My only recommendation would be that the Westin change up their buffett a little more for breakfast and lunch. Although [... read more] this resort has very little night life I definitely would return.

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: Mixed experience.

On the plus side, we enjoyed the hotel services in general. The highlight was the excellent prepared meals. The chef was very imaginative and creative. We particularly enjoyed the Italian themed Friday meals. As an example, the beef Ossobuco in tomato sauce was authentic Italian fare, with the meat balls as well as a very surprising eggplant parmesan. The grounds are kept very clean and tidy. The villas are spacious and very comfortable. Our unit had new kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Th [... read more]e pool is a very good size. The staff is very friendly, courteous and accommodating. They aim to please. On the minus side is the Air Canada experience. We booked in August 2017, and when we arrived at the ticket counter, my wife and I were informed that our seats were not next to each other. This is not acceptable for an all-inclusive vacation package, As experienced. vacationers for the past 10 years we had that never happen to us before. This was our first Air Canada vacation and frankly we do not anticipate taking another. The seating situation, the cramped quarters of the Airbus. A319 without a video screen for entertainment are too spartan for a comfortable vacation, All-inclusive vacations experiences should begin at the gate, and not only when you arrive at the hotel. We were on the plane for 6.5 hours approximately, gate to gate. Air Canada needs to drastically improve its guest treatment or get out of the vacation packages business altogether. We would recommend this hotel but suggest that they do not book with Air Canada.

Wyndham Tamarindo: Great hotel

Quiet, beautiful view of the ocean and sunset. Room was comfortable, the mattress and pillows were great.... we slept very well the whole time. Staff was very friendly and responsive to all our requests and enquiries. Breakfast was good. Enjoyed the rice with beans, the plantain, local cheese and fruit were excellent.

Azura Beach Resort Samara: Nice resort with excursion issues

We enjoyed the resort and the staff worked hard to provide you with what you wanted. We had issues booking excursions due to some confusion between Air Canada and the hotel on the credits issued. It eventually got resolved but not by the hotel staff person. The process and handling by the specific staff person should have been more client friendly. Other than that and a very poor mattress this was a nice place to stay.