Great Value for this Resort

This resort is considered to be a 5 star hotel, but based on my opinion, I believe it is a 4 start hotel in international rating standards. For the price we paid, the food quality and variety is strong. The nightly entertainment is fun to watch, but a few more optional nightly entertainment options would be great. The hotel looks nice, and the pools and beach are typical to other resorts. The staff are nice and friendly. The sports bar and the 24 hour snacks is the worst part of it. They p [... read more]rovide ready made food in a fridge that requires guests to microwave and eat. Overall, great value for what you pay, but if you are a luxury 5 star all inclusive customer, I would pass on this.

Amazing resort

Very clean resort, staff working around the clock cleaning. Pool was amazing. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was incredible, ate at all of the restaurants never left disappointment. Would recommend to anyone.

Beautiful resort

The resort it’s very nice clean with good services in all areas from the staff. Long sandy beach therefore not many long chairs available and not very easy to do kayaking cuz the red flag is almost every day even with small waves. Many food choices fresh and good quality

We have enjoyed every minute of our stay!

Such a beautiful hotel, gardens and beach. The food was excellent, the staff friendly, professional and helpful. We had a wonderful time and we hope to be back again. It's the perfect location to rejuvenate mind, body and soul. Although we have truly enjoyed our stay, we would suggest to modernize and give the hotel a little bit of upkeep, especially when it comes to the room doors, metal keys should be replaced by with electronic card keys for convenience and added security. Riu Guanac [... read more]aste was our home away from home during our all-inclusive week in Costa Rica.

Nice place, wonderfull people, what a place on earth!

We asked for personal reasons a room not on the ground level. It was exactly what we got, a room at ground level. But thanks to Diego, that night, he found a solution, and we were good after all that stress. Thank you ! And the stay and vacation at riu guanacaste was so comfortable and happy! Thank you Diego!

Outstanding resort

I have nothing bad to write about this resort. It was perfect. Check in was extremely fast and pleasant. Our room was just as requested with added bonus of partial ocean view. Everywhere was spotlessly clean. Fridge was well stocked. The food was wonderful and there is something for everyone’s taste. The staff were very good and always happy to help. They work extremely hard. There were always plenty of loungers on the beach. A few vendors who were not really a bother. We took several ex [... read more]cursions and booked them all with the Sunwing rep. The Sunwing reps were excellent and we found the trips very reasonable. All in all it was a perfect vacation

Fantastic vacation

Thìs was our first time to the Riu Guanacaste. Right from the time we arrived until the time we left we were treated very well. All the staff is friendly, very helpful and always with a smile when they great you. The resort is beautiful and clean. The grounds are kept in pristine condition. The main buffet is fantastic. You could not ask for anything more. The restaurants were Amazing. The entertainment was satisfactory. The whole experience was terrific. Pools are great and the entire poo [... read more]l area is clean all day long. The only thing I was not thrilled about us the lack of washrooms by the pools. I would definitely go back to this resort.

Great Resort

This hotel was very comfortable and relaxing. The accomodations were excellent.The entertainment was a bit disappointing. Also, the process of booking an a/la/carte was frustrating. We needed to line up an hour before the restaurant opened just to get a reservation Only four restaurants for booking, not nearly enough for the amount of guests. Food was good, also staff was efficient and courteous.

Great resort

Room was great and clean, we got the best view (ocean view) and happened to get the best room! The customer service was great, the maids did a good job decorating our rooms. Lots of people, you could join the party or go somewhere more private if you preferred.

A beautiful warm resort.

The resort was much like other Rui we have stayed at as far as facilities. Didn’t find the food as good as other visits but you can definitely find something to eat. We had a partial ocean few, facing north which was perfect, think it may be too hot on the balconies facing south. The room was also just above the night entertainment and would have chosen the howler monkey’s over the noise from the entertainment.

Amazing Vacation experience!

We had an amazing experience at this resort, very beautiful grounds, very well maintained! Lots of bars and restaurants around the resort, 24 hr snacks could have a better selection but the nachos held us over until meal times. Everything is very centrally located, which was nice to not have to walk to far. The resort is shaped like a U we had a room in the inner court on the 4th floor. You could see some of the ocean with your view. In the court yard there is the restaurants, the theater and a  [... read more]couple bars. Further up was the pools including a pool bar. Included with the resort was admission to the water park, we didn't go but there were a handful of slides and a kiddy play area and it was walking distance from the front of the hotel. There was also some shops, a disco and casino between this hotel and the Riu Palace. The staff was all so helpful and kind, it really set a great atmosphere. The sunwing staff onsite were amazing! Soooo friendly and so helpful with excursions and answering all of our questions! Food had a very wide selection in the buffet and we only went to two restaurants the Italian was really good! The beach is amazing!! Just amazing! Great to walk along, down the beach from this resort there is a small touristy area where the local white faced monkeys swing by. They are so cute and great for a small photo op. I would highly recommend this resort for families or singles and anyone between! You will love your stay here

Good time

I really had a great time at this hotel. Food was good. The white party on Friday night was a blast! The only thing I would change would be to clean up the beach a bit. Very rocky. Also the resort has become a bit dated. A renovation would make it a perfect place. Costa Rica is an amazing place. I love it here and I’d go again 100%

Nice resort

The dining for Al a cart restaurants was poor. You had to line up for at least a half hour before hand. And no guarantee that you can get in, No opportunity to reserve ahead of time. The hotel is set back quite a bit from the ocean.. don’t waste your time and pay extra for ocean view as the garden view are actually closer to the ocean anyway. I paid for ocean view and got a room that had a solid cement wall instead of railing. Therefore no view unless you stand up near the wall. [... read more] If you sit down on the balcony chairs you only see cement and no view at all. As well no view of ocean from inside the room only could see cement.

Great place, worth the price

Beautiful hotel Great pool area Great service Trips offered should have more information about dangers ie: Cement Slide Restaurants: should be able to make reservations in morning instead of standing in line for an hour waiting to get in

Amazing location - loud resort!

The grounds of this resort were stunning and the location was perfect. The food and drinks were fairly good and the hotel was very clean and the staff were always friendly and helpful. The water park and pool were perfect for the kids and the local wildlife was amazing (sea turtles, monkeys, birds, iguanas). One issue was the noise in the evening from the bar/club. It was SO loud. If you have a room facing the courtyard I would ask to be moved. Luckily we were so tired from exploring the beauti [... read more]ful region that we fell asleep - but the noise was brutal.

Beautiful resort

We stayed at the Riu Guanacaste in early January 2020 . The staff were all exceptionally friendly and co-operative . The food choices in the buffets were plentiful and always fresh and hot . The grounds were kept amazingly clean , with picture perfect gardens and landscaping . The nightly entertainment was pleasantly appealing to all . We missed both Friday night special theme nights but based on all the staging I'm sure they would have been a blast . A few cons we discovered were having to p [... read more]ay for drinks in the disco and not being able to book a la carte restaurants ( they are on a first come first serve basis and always had long wait times) . The all night sports bar definitely needs updating and food service added to its services ( all that is available is a cooler with cold hamburgers and hot dogs and sandwiches ) There is nothing else open after 11PM (other than the disco). Overall a great vacation and a beautiful country . Would return for sure .

Lots of character

This resort has lots of character. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The meals were absolutely delicious and offered a great variety of choices . There was something for everyone. The beach wa long and spacious. Some shade structures and a close washroom facility would be a nice addition.

Excellent Resort

The hotel was very nice and clean. All the staff were very nice and very happy to help. The food was great but the palace next door seemed to have some better food choices and selection. The pool and beach were very nice and relaxing. The only complaint me and my family had was by the pool bar close to the walk way around the kids club is that there was a smell of sulfur/sewage.

Just wonderful!!

From start to finish I had a wonderful trip, the staff in the hotel were friendly, personable and so helpful, the food and entertainment just great. The resort was nice and spaced out so never too many people in one place at one time. Only complaint- didn’t see a monkey.

Amazing resort

Beautiful grounds great location wonderful staff. The steakhouse was awesome. The weather's delightful . Check in was every efficient and easy. Would have preferred cards instead of keys. Would love to come back again.