Hotel Villas Playa Samara: AWESOME!!!!

WOW.... we had such an amazing time at Hotel Villas Playa Samara. There is a real family atmosphere at the resort and because of this we met so many wonderful people during our stay. The pool bar is the highlite, because it is so hot we made our way to the pool bar by 10:30am, where we stayed most of the day. Eduardo, my friend with the biggest smile. Marcos makes the best mojito's and Allan a favourite for the colourful shots. They are an amazing crew managing the pool bar and the dinning area. [... read more] Do not expect speedy service, they should have at least 2 ppl serving the pool bar. They do their best but more help would be wise. Order 2 drinks at a time! The beach was amazing, a few people experienced some jelly fish stings, not a big deal, have the staff cut you a lime and place it on the sting area. GONE!!!! Our room was spectacular, we were in a newer building! Stunning rooms! They were cleaned daily and provided clean towels. Hot water everyday, never an issue. Thank you to the staff for ensuring our stay was memorable. They are building a new hotel, so there is some construction but i was never bothered by it. Wifi was available and we found it was much better at the beach and in the room. A few monkey's made their way into the resort, they were having a lot fun jumping from limb to limb. We did walk the beach to town, about 30minutes, go early it is hot.If you walk back make sure you begin your journey before the tide comes in, otherwise you may find it difficult. Cabs are easy to get and it is a 5 minute drive. Rages from $6 - $12 US depending on the number of ppl. Its worth it to exchange US to their currency. You will get more value for your money. See horses are on the beach everyday and in town, they walk right up main street!! Town is safe, everyone is wonderful. If you are looking for some comforts of home, go so Nikki at Arriba sports bar. AWESOME!! http://arriba.isamara.co/#/Arriba If your looking for an ATV excursion go so Issac and Christian at the OUTBACK adventure. They will take care of all your needs. https://outbackquads.com/ If you are comfortable driving in the country, rent a car, drive to all the excursions and pay a minimal fee $10. I would definitely return to this resort!!!

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: BYOT-Bring your own towel!

First visit to Costa Rica, amazing country, the town of Samara is super hipster. LUV Burger is AMAZING organic vegetarian food! As for the resort Playa Samara Villas. We learned very quickly to hang our beach towel each day as there were many people who went 3 days with no towel at all! The food is decent but it is the exact same thing every day. Open air buffet so there are a lot of bugs flying in the food. Updated rooms are very nice but the older ones are filthy. (ie couch and curtains) L [... read more]imited drink choices and the bartenders are definitely not in a hurry. It would be nice if the hotel offered kayaking or paddle boards inclusive. Chair shortage so get it before 7:30 am on the beach. I would not return to this resort but I will definitely visit Costa Rica again and stay in hostels.

Riu Guanacaste: True Costa Rican Resort

This resort is unbeatable. I have been to several other resorts but this one tops all of them. The food is amazing, the waiters and bartenders are awesome at their job, and the hotel itself was beautiful and relaxing. Beside Riu Guanacaste is the Riu Palace. The palace is modern too, but the Riu Guanacaste resort brings out the true Costa Rica vibrant lifestyle. In the morning from your balcony, you can hear the monkeys in the distance. The beach is rocky but that is to be expected. The animal s [... read more]anctuary beside the resort is a must see!

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Amazing vacation !!!!

Riu Palace Costa Rica ...... Perfect in every way!!!! Would recommend this resort and is a 5 star for sure ... !!!! Very cosmopolitan decor . The rooms were spacious and tastefully decorated...Food outstanding ..clean and friendly staff....Premium liquor ... The restaurants on the property were fantastic and delicious and no pre booking (a la cart)!!!! All the buffets offered lots of variety .. even the 24 hr snack bar was well stocked ad very clean and fresh .No problem getting a chair in the  [... read more]shade...lots of chairs at the many pools and great poolside bbq for lunch......Thanks to the wait staff for keeping us hydrated with trays of ice water that appeared regularly around the pools ! as close to a perfect vacation as you can get !!!! Riu Palace Rocks!!!

Riu Guanacaste: Awesome resort

Great hotel Beach wasn’tthe best but we are pool people anyway. Food was good although seemed the same everyday. A la carte resturants were good. Steak one the best. Have to go early to get in. We all had a great trip

Fiesta Resort: Awesome resort!

This resort was great. We stayed in building three, which was very quiet compared to the other buildings. Staff was extremely friendly and went out of their way to make you feel welcome. Our room was as expected, simple but comfortable. We didn't spend much time in our room, so can't complain. The only regret was, we should have asked for a ground floor room since you get bar services on your personal balcony. We did the crocodile tour with Cali. He was amazing! We purchased this tour from t [... read more]he guy at the entrance of the pier. Great prices and very well worth it. Food was great. I'm very fussy as I done like seafood nor fruit but I ate seafood, fruit, and everything else they had. My spouse loved everything offered as well. The two à la carte restaurants were amazing. The service was fantastic. Please remember, even though this is an all-inclusive resort, it's still a good idea to tip the staff. They work amazingly hard. We saw on many occasions where staff were not tipped. Sad and unnecessary!

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: Great Value

We were not sure as we were suppose to be in the new sister resort but choose to go anyway. We like small resorts. We were very happy we did. Resort was better then expected. We had a one bedroom Villa. Had living room, kitchen, deck, lovely big bedroom and bathroom. The bed for me was not that comfortable. The buffet was limited. Always found something to eat or went into town for a snack. Bar was limited. No premium drinks again we would just pick up what we wanted in town. Service was good, t [... read more]he staff worked hard and did their best. It goes high on my list as I would return. Costa Rica is beautiful and clean. Walked the beach everyday to the town. You need water shoes here. Beautiful to see the natural beauty. Horses walking on the beach, the monkey’s, beautiful birds and butterfly’s. Lot’s to see and do. I will return to Costa Rica.

Riu Guanacaste: Beautiful hotel.

Beautiful hotel, good food and services. Grounds are perfectly manicured. Good food - especially the buffets. The Hotel is spotless, Well maintained and visually beautiful. The pools are well thought out. Most frustrating point is that dinner reservations were impossible to book. We were told each time that there were 100 persons on list for table. The beach is swimmable with water shoes, due to the rocks and gravel. You have to walk to the Palace or the public beach. They should do somet [... read more]hing about that. Fun excursions.

Coco Beach Hotel and Casino: Great location.

It is a three star, but very clean, and the staff are wonderful, especially Catharine at reception. Waiters Luis and Gustavo will do anything to help your stay. Third time at the hotel and Casino and will be back. If you are looking for luxury this is not for you but for friendliness and service its great.

Occidental Tamarindo: Beautiful Resort!

Hotel was clean and had ALL the amenities that you would want. Staff are friendly and reactive. Every staff member looked you in the eye and said hello no matter where you were on the resort. I would highly recommend this resort!

Riu Guanacaste: Fantastic Resort!

This was a beautiful, lush property with all the amenities you can think of. Only 45 minutes from Airport. Staff was friendly and (mostly) accommodating. If you want to go somewhere (other than on a scheduled tour), they have a transportation desk to help you get to where you want to go. They run everything like clockwork! - this resort is a bit remote. Buffet Food was exceptional and plenty of it. Other restaurants are ok but difficult to get into. They are on a first-come-first-serve basi [... read more]s. The Sports Bar has 24 hour service with snacks and is the only place to get coffee in the morning before the buffet opens. Pool area was beautiful. Beach is ok. Not like Caribbean island beaches. Sand is black so it's super hot - Wear shoes on it unless you are walking in the water. Water was very warm. Room was spacious and clean. All taps , shower, toilet worked perfectly and a/c was good. Nice balcony with towel rack outside! My only complaints (and they are minor) are: 1)Bed and pillows weren't comfortable - thinking they use polyester sheets - was sweaty at night even with AC. 2) it was difficult to get into other restaurants, so we didn't bother 3) No coffee machine in the room - it's a large resort and to get coffee, you have to go pretty far, and pretty much drink it there as there are no microwaves in room either for reheating. Otherwise - Go! it's beautiful.

Hotel Villas Playa Samara: Nice but noisy, rooms very nice, food ok

I did have a good week at this resort, but - Construction - so very noisy - after all i was there to rest. I was disappointed about that. - Food was not the best, and sometimes trying too hard to be "american" when really Costa Rican real food would have been great. - Maybe propose nuts and cereals in the morning rather than cold cuts? - Hard to get coffee/tea/cream sometimes... Plusses - Costa Rican are very nice people, and I found them really honest, which was refreshing - My room w [... read more]as really nice and clean. The odd bug, but nothing serious - Beautiful beach, although the water was not the cleanest... I guess with all the fisherman boats around, it's normal. We went on a different beach one day, and it was simply gorgeous! The bus ride to get to the resort was great, but the bus ride back to the airport was horrible. The driver, a young man, was not feeling well we were told. However, when I complained he was going over the limit and people were getting sick, he basically slowed down a bit and stopped going crazy around the bends. However he ignored the speed limits! i am not usually so sticky about speed limits, but when it says school zone and its says 25km and he goes 60km/h, I get concerned. Or when he goes 80 in a 40 zone, I am worried. Although I told the guide about it, he continued driving like that. I felt it was arrogance that comes with being young... Once he passed someone and got back on the right right on time, with the car coming the other way beeping his horn big time! Taking unnecessary risks really. I feel this driver needs a talk for sure. Thank you. C. Devaud

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Outstanding resort

The food here is 5 star all the way. Always fresh and artfully presented its a pleasing to the eye and the palate. With lots of variety at each venue there's something for everyone. From the pools to the restaurant to the rooms this facility is spotless. The housekeeping staff can be seen at all hours working tirelessly to keep it that way. The only disappointing fact was the water sports equipment was only available for guests 18 years old. We chose the location because kayaking, stand up pa [... read more]ddle boards and wind surfers were part of the package. We had made it clear to our travel agent we wanted these aactivities because we were bringing a 17 year old. The website should indicate the age limit

Riu Guanacaste: Love this resort!

This is our third time at the Riu Guanacaste! Love how the staff is always so friendly and accommodating. Our beds were always decorated with flowers or something cute done with the bedding. Something for us to look forward too after going for a swim in the beautiful pools. The grounds are impeccable. The buffet was always full of amazing food too!

Villas Sol Beach Resort: Not for everyone or maybe anyone.

Spent most of my time waiting for the shuttle bus-like cattle, to take you around this private public resort. NOT recommended for people with mobility issues for sure. Told WiFi included. Was not, cost big. For some reason the resort had nowhere too access cash, had to go to a town 20 minutes plus -away to access a bank or ATM. The beach is a full of sellers of Time Share properties, even if they don't call it that!! My dress was bleached from the chemicals used in the pool. Towels at one pool  [... read more]and not the other and such a pain to get to either pool, which is used by the family of the owners. No entertainment, your stranded in that any trips to rainforest, is hours away. There is one restaurant to eat in, so if you are hungry or want something to drink after hours forget it. The rooms were clean. Not recommended if you are a smoker, have to wait for a shuttle bus to have a smoke, which is either at the beach or outside the gate. Could take up too half hour to get to either. Has turned me off Costa Rica all together.

Occidental Tamarindo: great family oriented resort

We have been back multiple times to this resort as it is not a large resort making everything within comfortable walking distance. Great surfing beach although we just love being bashed by the waves and watching those that surf! The great beach is all yours, not crowded and great for long walks. All the excursions are at your door step so you can explore Costa Rica till your hearts content! The food leans more to Costa Rican food with great selection so you will be sure to find something that p [... read more]leases you. Over the years the staff have made great advancement with incorporating the English language but they should try to do so more on the entertainment side to make all feel more welcome.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: best vacation ever

everything about this trip was fantastic. couldnt have been better. hotel and staff are wonderful. food excellent beach is perfect. great country cant wait to go back there is nowhere that i'd rather go.

Riu Guanacaste: Resort

Hotel room and cleanliness was great. Beach was great and long. Bars, good, buffet great, a la carte just okay but buffet was always there. free monkey viewing close walk down the beach. REsort is 30min but with bumpy road 45 from Liberia. Lots of day trips but mostly $100 usa each.

Riu Guanacaste: Beautiful romantic getaway!

We visited in March 2018 and had the loveliest time. The staff were awesome, the place was clean and fancy, and the food at the resort was delicious, fresh, and varied. If you are dreaming of a white sand beach this isn't the resort for you. However, the pool area is absolutely amazing, and for myself and my fiance we were looking for a gorgeous place to RELAX with food that wasn't terrible and this resort did that and then some. There is a beach that you can sit on but the sand is not white  [... read more]and the water is quite rocky, not easy to access for swimming. At night though the beach lit up with beautiful phosphorescence so that was a real treat. One thing that you can do - and that we did - was take an ATV excursion that brought us to white sand beaches where we swam for a day. This area of Costa Rica is quite dry and arid, not full of lush rainforest, during the time we were there (March). It's hard to tell this because the resort itself is so lush and lovely. So we ended up taking an excursion to visit the rainforest and swam in a waterfall and soaked in natural hotsprings and this was absolutely amazing. This resort is quite small, which we loved. There were not a lot of children there, which we also loved (though it is child friendly). It was calm, relaxed, and the drinks were delicious. I want to go back today (especially because there's an ice storm right now in Toronto - yuck). Totally recommend.

Riu Palace Costa Rica: Fanatastic Time

We have been there twice now and have yet to be disappointed. The service is exceptional. Staff is very friendly and bend over backwards to help you with any issues. The rooms get cleaned right away. The food is delicious and the staff waits on you hand and foot. Telling all my friends and family to go there! Great relaxing time!