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! ??❤️?

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

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;)

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

This resort was safe, clean and staff wonderful and very accommodating. Customer service desk in main lobby very organized, professional and thorough. The restaurant system is skewed because you have to wait in line to get your name on a list. I prefer reservations. We managed to get in at La Toscana and the manager, Jesus was courteous, service above and beyond and all staff under his management proficient and likeable. Room service was good, at times you did not get complete towel set and or your fridge was not always stocked with water beer or soft drinks but the immediate fix is contacting customer service desk. When it’s hot and humid two bottles of water is not enough. The private excursions were a miss, catamaran could not dock at the beach when wavy and fishing boat had to transport groups at a time to catamaran, not safe, lost two hours and not conducive for the disabled. Huge fail! The sun wing representatives were disorganized, no system in place, even ‘first come first served’ is a concept not practiced. The food in the lobby quite good. The restaurants were clean, had great variety of food. Everyone did their job with a smile and eager to help, perfect! If in need, the medical office for the resort is good, english spoken by the young doctor and prescriptions delivered to lobby. No wait period. The bar pool water should be tested more often for obvious reasons and fresh water should be added daily, otherwise beautiful and special visits from iguana included! One elevator is down but a secondary working. When our return flight was rescheduled more than once, this resort did not displace us and we enjoyed all amenities at no extra cost. SUPERB! On the last day when you check out, you have access to the restaurant’s until 1:30pm even without a bracelet The ride in from Liberia is long and the road rough! We were very happy with this resort. The Liberia airport is organized, systematic with plenty of staff to assist, no hesitation. Make sure you have $29 US ea to pay for the departure fee. Highly recommend!!!

Resort was nice, grounds were beautifully maintained and staff were friendly. Buffet was good, we did not try the a la cartes. Beach is beautiful. My only complaint was that the Sunwing Rep. told us on the bus on our way to the resort that the water was safe to use. This was NOT TRUE. One of our group members ended up needing medical treatment and was told by the doctor that he has seen multiple cases of people getting sick from the water. Sunwing should NOT be telling people the water is safe!!! Use bottled water in the room and do not drink the water from the restaurants!

This was a beautiful resort but is in need of some updating. The rooms had a bit of a musty smell and the furniture and bedding definitely needs some upgrades. The al a carte restaurants are glorified buffets which was disappointing as you just want someone to give you your food. Also with respect to the restaurants they were not open every day so you were restricted in your options. They also did not take reservations so in order to get in at a reasonable time with children you had to line up before 5:30 which cuts into your pool time. Overall this is not what I would consider a 4.5 star resort maybe a 4 at best.

Everyone at the resort are great. The resort is going under renovations , so some times the elevators would break down. I must say that the nexus staff underestimated the times to get to our tours and the endurance needed to complete them. We feel that Sunwing should have a sign in the lobby stating info about flight status. Riu activity staff should also have a sign telling us what are the night activities and shows.

Everything was wonderful great resort, great food, amazing service the stuff was wonderful especially at the bars, very clean rooms also clean resort all around I would recommend it to everyone for a wonderful vacation

All and all a very nice hotel. Food was very good with a lot of variety. The Japanese was excellent although not being able to make reservations was a bit of a pain. The grounds were lush and well maintained. Beautifully landscaped. The pool is huge with tons of chairs and lots of places to sit in the pool bar. The rooms were comfortable and the ac worked great. The hotel is busy with lots of kids and families so a bit loud at times. But great for people watching. The staff was very friendly. We’d consider going back to this resort again

I was excited to return to this resort after a great trip several years ago but sadly have to agree with other visitors that this resort has gone downhill. Definitely not up to 5 star standards. The newly built section is nice. I stayed in the older section. Rooms and hotel in general are outdated and in definite need of repair and revamp. The food was a let down. Very repetitive and bland. Aside from the steak house, the a la cartes are just buffets serving food with very little difference from that available in the main buffets. The music at both pools was pounding loud all day. Great for those looking to party, not for those looking to relax. The pool bar in the older section smelled like it had not been cleaned in months. The beach is nice, but public, with many vendors crowding the beach to sell excursions and souvenirs. None of them were pushy but still not what you want to walk through every-time you want to be visit the beach. The nearest bar to the beach is up at the pool, a long way to walk to refresh your drink. Can't comment on the entertainment as we did not attend any of the shows. All this being said, every staff member I encountered (and there are many at all times) was friendly and hard working. I would rate the staff 5/5.

another great stay at the Riu Guanacaste. although busier than previous trips - there are another 300 rooms - overall a fine experience. the food was great, the staff friendly and responsive, the entertainment at night was fine.

Loved the resort and surroundings. Issues: my son, age 40, does not drink alcohol. We had to ask repeatedly for extra water and pop. Got irritating some days. Also, the shower was unacceptable, but we didn't complain to change rooms. Water spouted out of about four holes out of a dozen or more holes. Should be better for a Superior room. Also ran into a grumpy maid on our second last day there. She was snapping at me in Spanish. Unacceptable. I fell on the hard ground the vendors work on and broke two ribs. Tripped over a substancial piece of tree root coming out of ground. This should definitely be cut out or something. The fall could have been worse. Nothing you can do for ribs. Otherwise.....I'd still come back if the price was right.

Resort is nice set in a bay on the pacific coast of Costa Rica with a lovely dark sand beach. It had been very recently (last 3 weeks) expanded by 300 rooms to 1000 rooms and they were all occupied the week we were there so it was pretty busy. That said we were always able to get a pool lounger and there are lots of both shady and sunny spots. The bar was busy, but again we got served within a few minutes and the drinks were the usual tropical selection. The original rooms which we were in are dated, but a decent size. However, room service was spotty at best and we had to ask to get towels changed and the beds made - not the best so they probably need more staff to cope with the resort expansion. Food was OK, not fantastic, but the buffets all had a good selection. The a la carte restaurants were all over subscribed with no reservations so we needed to line up 30-45 mins in advance of opening to get a seat. Not great! We used Frank the Tank for our excursions and can HIGHLY recommend Frank and his team, they are fantastic - better pricing than Nexus and wonderful guides. We travel fairly extensively and still find Mexican resorts the best. The Riu rates about 3 stars vs 4/5 in Mexico. Overall an acceptable resort, but expensive compared with better resorts in Mexico.

Resort hasn’t let me down, everything was up to par again.. 1 only thing would be the resort activity app, schedule not always followed Everything else great, will go back again, bar services great, the new building with new rooms and pool excellent,

We enjoyed our stay. The buffet was big and plentiful. The specialty restaurants were not great. The entertainment staff really didn't engage with us. There were a lot of themed nights. The shows were amateur. The location was very remote which was good and bad. Lots of natural beauty but you couldn't grab a taxi and go see anything. Everything had to be arranged with a tour which was expensive. Having an open air Lobby and social areas limited our nighttime activities because it was way too humid. The rooms had a musty smell and the toilets had a sewage smell. The pool was huge and fun. Loved seeing the monkeys. The landscape was clean and gorgeous. Fun to see huge iguanas and monkeys. Scary to have raccoons on tables and jumping out at you at the steakhouse. Water pressure for the shower was terrible, hard to shower. Room attendants were great, very attentive and did a great job. General upkeep of the hotel, was good. Waterpark was nice to have. You feel a bit captive because you don't have access to a local city and the hotel doesn't allow taxis in. Didn't encounter any friendly outgoing staff. They all seemed annoyed to be working.

First I'll never try any resort in Costa Rica second i'll never try flight with any plan under name of Sunwings staff rude disrespect and their behaviors was such as you owed them! About resort hotel if you wanna waste your time and money it's upto you try it then you" ll regret definitely. I read reviews before booked this package but i gussets maybe people wrote with purposes reviews then i did big mistake and book this thurible trip!

My family of 4 had a great week at Riu Guanacaste! The food was amazing! The service was fabulous! It was super clean but when we first got there the room smelt musty. We think it was from the humidity. We asked for a "family room" which ended up being a king bed with a single. We had to sleep 3 in the king to make it work for us. We are all in great health so the long walk from our 5th floor room to the main area wasn't a problem. My children's (age 11 and 13) favourite parts were the waterslides and the evening entertainment. There are elevators that broke down about 5 times during our stay, but they were always fixed quickly. The beaches are all public so be ready for the locals who want to sell their wares. There are some boutiques just outside the main entrance that are open for shopping daily, but they are grossly overpriced. There are lots of excursions that can be taken from the resort with ziplines in their backyard. We are all longing to go back!

The staff was friendly and attentive, the food was excellent. The resort was modern and everything was kept clean. The pool was large with lots of room. Being next to the Pacific ocean a real plus, I would go back.

Great resort, great activities, adventures available.. Resort has a night life available for those that want it.. Bartenders are great, recommend Steven and Jeffrey.. Pool activities, David and Carlitos great at their job.. will go again

I fell in love with this resort. We have been to numerous RIU resorts in Mexico, Dominican , but never Costa Rica. The resort is getting a little dated but does not retract from the many lovely amenities there. 5 * for me.

Always Friendly faces, great food and service! Grounds kept really clean. Pools are going to start needing work soon as pieces breaking etc. Washrooms stuffy and need more ventilation and work as well.

This was our 2nd time at this hotel. Staff and location are still awesome! However the hotel is looking old, and needs to be refreshed. Given the new hotel being built across the street I’m hoping this will happen. Food is decent, but no where as good as many other RIU locations.

The Riu Guanacaste was an amazing resort with a great selection of restaurants with no limits on a la carte dinners. The buffet had a great variety of food at any time. Our room was clean and very spacious with a stocked mini fridge and bar! Our view from the balcony was beautiful. There were always lounge chairs available around the pool or beach. The service at the bars and restaurants was excellent. The nightly entertainment was great, especially the white party Friday night! We're certainly planning on going back!

Extremely clean. Staff were cleaning everything all the time! Food was plentiful and great. Some items might have been overcooked but better than being undercooked. Staff very friendly and efficient. I would have liked to have had beverages available on the beach but that’s the only issue. Sunwing reps were terrific too-Always available. Lots of walking. It’s a large resort.

The grounds are unbelievable - lush and full of life. From birds to iguanas to monkeys - you’ll see it all. The food is great considering it’s all buffet. Checkin was exhausting - hotel staff did not guide us to our room and when we finally found our room, the sheets were not to our standards. They were washed but had some stains on them. Housekeeping stepped it up for the remainder of our stay (thank goodness!) All in all, we would recommend based on the price and the overall experience. One major thing to note - the music is loud! If you’re looking for a quiet getaway, not the place, but if you want a party, you’ll love it.

Pro's- the common families were great. They cleaned the floors all.the time, the a la.carte.restaurants were nice, and plenty of lounge chairs to which you didn't need to reserve any. The entertainment staff were great. Lots of activities during the day, including a.foam party, and the evening activities were pretty good. Con's- the rooms were a little outdated. In our room our safe didn't work and our toilet needed repairs. Overall, I would recommend this hotel to others, especially if they like wild life. Monkeys on trees, iguanas everywhere, and we were lucky to see the release of the baby turtles.

My wife Paula and I enjoyed our stay. The grounds were beautiful, the food was great, the ocean was incredible. Helpful, friendly staff. Costa Rica, what a beautiful country. Palo Verde, Rincon de la Vieja, catamaran outing... . Doug and Paula J. ( Canada )

We did not receive room service to make our beds 2nd night before we left, had asked if we could extend our check out by an hour or two but the answer was a flat NO due to overbooking the manager Joseph told me. I had asked for a mask as I might have caught a cold from the flight coming down to CR due to a woman sitting right behind me at 7C who was hacking all the time so I had asked the air hostess to offer her a mask and she declined to wear it. I think ppl who are coughing or potentially carrying cold virus should be wearing a mask on the plane, not by choice. The hotel told me that they haven’t had masks for the past 2 years. But I found out a family was flown home as they had caught COVID while staying at Riu. When I got home on Sunday morning I tested my self with the rapid antigen test for Covid - guess what?! I tested positive! I tested again, it was positive again!! So I’ve been testing at home and I was wearing a mask when I flew home as well as moved myself to the back of the bus from 6C seat. I definitely would have enjoyed my vacation more if I didn’t come down with the Covid symptoms on the 5th after an arrived in Guanacaste. The bathroom had no venting so the only way to dry the bath area was through keeping the door open. Shower head was weak and outdated. Food was quite greasy but the fresh fruits were amazingly delicious.

The hotel and grounds very well kept. Wish I was given a map of the resort or given instructions in my room to book the resort on line. The property was very big. I had the resort on line but not sure how to find things. Maybe the Sunwing rep should have help a class. Had to call the desk to help me set up my safe in room. No instructions. The food in the restaurants either didn’t have labels or some were wrong especially the salad dressing. No labels at all. The beef in buffet so tough I couldn’t even cut it. The restaurant tables were always clean immediately. Service at bars was excellent.

Many of the reviews out there are generally accurate about this place. So I will keep mine short and sweet. The resort was simply wonderful. What a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a big urban centre. This resort is set within a carefully preserved natural environment. Large/old trees, wildlife (land and sea) and friendly locals whose motto is “pura vida” truly enhance the serenity of this beautiful property. The Costa Rican’s may have figured things out better than most. Go here, you will not regret it.

Riu Guanacaste is a great all inclusive vacation resort Positives: Great food selection and varied choices, drink selection and portions are more than generous. Waiters and service staff are courteous and accommodating. Negatives: Pool is not big enough to accommodate the number of guests in the facility. Beach area could use a bit more TLC.

Resort: Had a great time with my adult family. Weather was superb, resort is very clean inside, safe, staff with one exception were very friendly and responsive. Plenty of amenities, good food & drink offerings. The Gourmet ala carte was excellent, and our Waiter Daniel was superb in all aspects. The Italian ala carte not so much (average food and unfriendly Hostess). Room fridge was restocked with ample bottles of water daily. 2 of the 3 room toilets had to be repaired several times as the tank flushing system was old and not reliable. Room decor was dated but the beds were comfortable. High energy around the central pool. Area washrooms were cleaned constantly and impeccable. Pool deck and deck lounge chairs were not cleaned daily and this was disappointing. Overall resort rating is a "B / B+". Sunwing: Both flights were delayed. We booked with Sunwing vacations which used a Swoop plane with WestJet crews. The extra leg room my son paid more for was not provided on the flight to Costa Rica. The duty free service on the Sunwing website was not offered by the WestJet crew on the return flight, with no explanation as to why, thus no duty free alcohol was purchased as intended by all 5 in our party (the airport duty free did not sell the products that the Sunwing website said would be available). The WestJet flight crew were friendly. The Sunwing staff in Costa Rica were excellent. The tripcentral travel agent Kevin D. was also excellent. Overall rating is a "C+".

Great hotel and staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The hotel rooms are a little dated but clean and all amenities you need, beside your not in the room often but if you are you’ll find a well stocked bar. The grounds ,pools and beach are amazing our family never had an issue getting chairs pool side or on the beach. There a lot of options for food from pool side bbq for lunch to a/c buffet or open air dinning . Flight was pretty good over all minor delays on both ends which were feared from last years with Sunwing. The only issue this year was our bags took almost an hour from landing in Toronto. Customs was smooth. Would highly recommended this resort as well as trip central for your travel needs .

Rui hotel is very well laid out. With restaurants on one side and bars and entertainment on other. Beach is nice sand is hot on feet. No shade shelters on beach but some trees. Pool is good has plenty of shade spots. Food was very good, lots of variety. A la carte we’re very good, had to line up early to get in. Rooms were good, a little out dated old sink taps and leaky shower nozzle. Nice room darking blinds.

Very very clean, we had an awesome maid that cleaned our room. Enjoy our trip very much. Sooooo much food Drinks were so good. We went to feed the moneys down by the monkey bar it was so much fun, they are very friendly.

It was almost 80 minutes from the airport on a slow, very narrow winding road, bumpy at times on a very comfortable air conditioned coach bus. It is somewhat secluded from any commercial or residential development. Security at the gate controlling traffic in and out. Limited shopping next door. Its a very large resort. The grounds and public areas were clean and well maintained. Free Wi-Fi throughout allowed us to stay connected with home. New construction happening behind the tennis court. During the day it feels like a very safe family type environment. We attended the start of a couple of events in the evening, however they were very crowded and dark, so we left. The pool area was clean and we had no difficulty finding lounge chairs but some were worn looking. There were lots of activities offered at the pool. The elevators are functioning, there are few of them for the size of the resort and they really could use some updating. The room was clean, air conditioned and comfortable. We had a standard room with a view of the Palace next door. We made use of the room safe and the mini bar. Staff responded to mini bar restocking, but the beverage choices are very limited. I wasn't too sure about adjusting the air conditioning it indicated 3 fan levels but was either on or off. At dinner we were disappointed in our food quality at the Ocotal and Tucan restaurants experiencing both over and under cooked food. At the Ocotal we experienced racoons running amongst the tables at night. The buffets offered lots of choices and the quality there was acceptable. The beach was okay for swimming, clean at the waters edge, an undertow when the waves were large. The upper area of the beach where the lounge chairs are was not as well kept. A number of the lounge chairs were not clean and in need of repair, and of course you will have to deal with the vendors. Our group totaled 16 adults of various ages, mainly couples. The general consensus was that people enjoyed their stay but would not likely return. Possibly due to the length of the flight and other similar options closer to home. We enjoyed the full day Vandara mega-excursion (zip line, horseback, waterslide, etc.) it was 90 minutes by mini-bus each way. For some it was the highlight of their trip. Some also enjoyed reasonably priced massages at the beach (about 1/3 of the price at the resort), returning more than once. We also booked a 1/2 day snorkeling / Coco Beach excursion at the Riu beach. Although the snorkeling was fun I can't say that there is anything worth seeing at Coco Beach.

This resort is very clean, staff are friendly and the buffet quite good. We would like to see pickleball court nets be made available. We also asked several times for suitable chairs at the court as some were broken but staff never followed through.

We would definitely recommend this resort! Rooms were spacious and exceptionally clean, grounds were immaculate, pools and areas were great while beach chairs could use a bit of a good scrub. Restaurants offered good variety but we were hoping for more seafood. Dessert seemed to be geared to the kids with lots of different flavoured jellos but we would have enjoyed something else. Entertainment offered up something for kids and adults alike. Saturday night seemed to draw a different crowd, very loud until 3AM which might have not been the usual group. Unsure why Management wouldn't have dealt with that since it was pretty quiet and low key after 11PM all the other nights. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Housekeeping was excellent. We are hoping to go back again sometime!

Front desk staff some are very ruth and that need to be improved because it represents hotel itself. Beautiful pool and landscape are very beautiful. Bar tenders very good and fast. No good seafood and if you are seafood lover don't go there. Over all Riu Hotel are very good depending where you stay.

I had higher expectations. Before booking our trip I've read lots of the reviews and they were mostly positive. Most of the reviewers mentioned the high food level. It turned out to be very average food quality, average service at the main restaurant. Sometimes they run out of bakery and didn't refill it ( there was still 1h before end of the dinner). Servers were never coming up to us suggesting wine for dinner or coffee for breakfast. My husband did everything himself as the coffee pots were accessible. Also we didn't like the room key situation. It's an old style variation with a key on a Keychain with a room number written on it (this was inconvenient , not safe and cheap). Why not having a card like all other resorts have?! Next this which irritated was that you can't change your beach towels. It was a rainy season and our towels got wet while we were covering kids from rain. I came up to the towel booth to take dry towels and was refused. So you can get new towels only once a day. Also, there are 5 elevators (if I'm not mistaken), but only 2 operate. That caused line ups. Other than that the hotel was fine. Our room was cleaned daily, receptionists are helpful and nice. I really loved landscaping. Gardeners did great job taking care of all of the greenery. Neon party on Fridays was a hit, I loved that. Had no chance to attend any night shows because my little one was going to bed at that time. Beach was OK, but don't expect any turquoise waters and white sand, no. Its Was dark Grey sand (due to volcanic origin) and no palms. Lots of locals selling souvenirs, but they were not bothering a lot. The ocean was calm and welcoming. I will definitely return to Costa Rica to explore the country, but to this hotel. It was so so.

The hotel did not change much same as about 10 years ago. The fight was good going down thanks too you and others that work with you . We had to take a bus from terminal 3 so we could get to the plane that was the worst set up .There was no ramps for people in wheel chairs or walkers too get on the bus or off .Was very hard to board the bus and to get off with lots of help from other passengers . Your team did every thing right and I thank you for that . We get to the hotel and check in we were the last to do so .After we checked in got the keys we were sent to the 5 floor at the far end . This was very hard with a lot of extra walking and waiting for the elevators to come up and were small .Got to the room No water in the bar fridge was not worried about beer or pop just the water for Lorinda my wife .So off I go to the front desk to complain .It took 4 times to the front desk before we got the water. It was the help of the staff at buffet and manager there before we got results .I was ready after 48 hours to leave the hotel that is when we got help .Other wise we made lots of friends with staff and sum of the managers there they were very good and friendly . We found that the food was not the same as back in 2016 June when we first visit not as nice .We found that there was about 80% of the people were locals which was ok with us just a bit more a bit loud at times . We might go back in the new year but will do things difrent , We would fly West jet and stay at our time sharing apartment for a few days and book a stay at the RiU from the apartment at Coco Beach . Reason for this is that the locals pay about 35.00 US a night to stay there with all the trimmings that we enjoy . Any ways all good we made back home safe and thank you again Susan Danny & Lorinda Chin .

The rooms are a bit outdated. the food isn't fancy but eatable, variety is not bad. the service is pretty good, everyone was very friendly. the beach is good we had no issues finding a place but the grounds are really great!

Resort is spotless and grounds are lush and very well kept. Resort is huge so there’s a lot of walking - not a resort for people with mobility issues. Pictures don’t do this resort justice. Staff is friendly and issues are resolved promptly. Rooms are very clean but dated. Pool is massive and has lots of seats in it and there are lots of pool chairs. It takes a few minutes to walk to the beach but there is no beach bar or washrooms - you have to walk back to the pool area. Main buffet restaurant had a huge selection for breakfast and dinner and so did the lunch buffet which was near the pool. Great to have a sports bar which was open 24hr to get an early coffee or snack. We were there during the rainy season (late September) and it usually rained in the late afternoon for about an hour. By then you were more than likely in your room getting ready for dinner. We would definitely go back as it’s a beautiful resort.

The resort is wonderful. Food was fantastic at dinner. Mediocre at breakfast and lunch. The Asian A la carte was very good. Rooms were My least favourite part. The beds weren't comfy and the bathrooms weren't I'm great working order. Very dated. Our air didn't work great but It was comfortable enough. Service was not the best I've received at a resort. Often times I had to get My own drinks and dirty plates remained on the table for awhile. The lobby is very nice and has a nice breeze. The theater is big and had great shows and music. The lobby bar makes excellent cocktails. Lots of seating. Front desk staff very friendly and helpful. Pools were amazing. Never crowded. Never had an issue getting a pool chair. No service around the pool. The swim up bar was good but if you have kids with you you can't really take advantage of it as it's 18 plus in that area. Grounds at the resort were beautiful! Stunning views. Beach was not what I am used to but I quickly fell in love with it. Water was clear and clean. Sand is darker. Not a lot of seating at the beach so I advise going early. Lots of vendors. Everyone very friendly and we did not find anyone to be pushy. Massages on the beach were great! Monkeys on the beach about ten minutes to the left. Very cool experience to see them in their natural habitat. Wifi wasn't the best but manageable. Overall I really enjoyed this resort. Our trip was made extra special with lots of off site excursions which I highly recommend. The country is beautiful! Look for Alan on the beach. Very friendly friendly and reasonably priced.

Resort is very picturesque and clean. It’s large but has everything you could possibly want. We loved the Italian a ls carte the best. Enjoyed both the beach and pool and all the bars. The night time shows were fantastic. Staff are so polite, hardworking and pleasant. Some favourite staff were Dyana, Cruz from the pool and Gonzalo, Danny, Leslie, Yenory from Italian restaurant and Randall and Moses from Sports Bar

Generally speaking it was good but if you are looking for improvement the hotel lobby and the common areas need to be properly ventilated it was very hot specially when the ceasing fan either didn’t work or was not on high to make a difference. Food and service was great staff were polite and helpful landscape was well maintained and very beautiful

Our first visit to Costa Rica has been absolutely amazing. Hotel was beautiful and very clean. Food was great at the buffet and the staff was super friendly. a short walk on the beach to see the white face monkeys. Highly recommend!!

Our first impression was how clean everything was. There was no garbage anywhere. There were people cleaning all the time which was comforting after a pandemic. All the staff were polite and respectful. Their was a huge variety of food and drink options. Our boys loved the sports bar mainly for the pool table and table tennis but aLso because it was a really hot week and that bar had air conditioning. We would return to this resort.

The hotel is beautiful. Very well maintained. Food was good especially the buffet. Pool was great, the staff were wonderful. Lots to do around the resort. Many excursion options. Would definitely stay again.

The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and well maintained.Rooms are a little dated but spacious and clean. Fridge was filled every other day. Recommend the jungle side if you love waking up to birds and monkeys! Food was always good with lots of options.Buffet was just as good if not better than the other restaurants. Huge line ups for restaurants as well, get there early if you want to get in.Beach is amazing and if you get up early enough you will see monkeys on the beach. Please go see the turtle tent, you will love it.

The resort grounds were very well maintained and interior was always clean. The staff were all friendly. The food was excellent. Very much appreciated the vegetarian options. The only down side was if you required anything to be done for your room, the front desk were very slow at responding and had to be reminded. Otherwise we enjoyed our stay very much.

1st time for us at a Riu establishment. Def a top choice for all future related holidays now!! Absolutely beautiful resort with all the amenities. Very clean, super friendly staff, large pools and ample sitting space around the pool area. The layout of the resort is so well planned, everything close by (restaurants, pools, conceirge) and yet it felt like a large complex. The excursions offered at the resort cater to every style - from short 4hr ones to full day 12hrs! 1st time for us at Costa Rica - def. not the last! Booking through Tripcentral was a breeze too. I made a tiny error with my booking and was quickly able to resolve it with friendly staff at Trip Central. Thanks guys - a very memorable vacation for the family. Already recommended this spot to a few people :)

The resort us a bit older in its decor but it is kept very fresh and very clean. The setting was beautiful, beach was amazing and pools beautiful. The people, the food and the services were excellent. Everyone was so helpful and kind. I had a couple of issues with the room and they were addressed right away. As far a covid measures, there was nothing at all put into place to encourage covid public health measures.

My family and I have just returned from our trip. We have been to CR several times and almost always stay at this hotel. We love the location and the staff. The food is great, the beach and pools are gorgeous and my kids LOVED the wildlife and the waterpark. Highly recommend it to anyone!

Première visite à cet hôtel. Wow! Nous avons passé une belle semaine au Riu Guanacaste!! Très grand hôtel avec bonne nourriture, les lits sont confortables, le personnel très agréable, les restos super bien, et les spectacles très bons. La vue de la plage avec les montagnes et les volcans au loin est à couper le souffle. Bémol: le sable n'est pas blanc. Il est brun avec un peu de noir car roches volcaniques. L'eau n'est pas claire comme à Cuba mais très désaltérante et propre. Juste à coté, il y a le monkey bar où l'on peut voir plein de petits singes et on peut les nourrir. Ceci est gratuit. Bcp de belles attractions et excursions à faire. C'est moins commercial que le Mexique et Cuba, donc moins de touristes et meilleur service!! J'ai juste le goût de retourner mais plus longtemps la prochaine fois....

This is a five-star hotel that's well organized, with well-trained staff who are numerous and try to make everyone's life more pleasant. The food is plentiful and tasty. The location is a little remote, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and there's no real incentive to leave the resort grounds. There are activities and a nightly show, and there are plentiful beach chairs on the clean, beautiful beach.

The hotel is older but in good condition. The lobby and restaurants have all been updated but the rooms leave a bit to be desired. However, if you only spend time in your to sleep it isn't a problem. The hotel is huge with over 700 rooms so expect 1,400 people in the pool each day. The restaurants do not open until 6:00 PM so if you want to eat early you must line up at 5:30 PM pm even earlier. The food was quite good with a huge selection each day. The staff are friendly. Overall Hotel rated 6 out of 10; Food 7 out of 10. We don't drink much so maybe we are subsidizing those who do drink. The shows a night are less than spectacular 4 out of 10. The showers are darn right dangerous with the sloped tub/shower combination. I fell in the shower the second day. Make sure you request a rubber tub mat as the tubs are dangerous to stand in while showering. Cannot see the beach/ocean from any of the rooms, but how much time do you spend in the room. The beach is public, not private so expect to be approached by numerous vendors selling trinkets and trash. It was a very relaxing vacation and the weather was perfect. Overall a relaxing vacation but a large hotel with lots of guests.

We thought the hotel was very nice, workers kept it very clean. The Steakhouse was fantastic and the service was great. Wasn’t too impressed with the Italian restaurant. Waited a long time for our food,like we were forgotten. Can’t really judge the pool as we spent our time at the ocean and the water was beautiful. Drinks at the bar were good. My only complaint was that we asked for a 530am wake-up call on our last day and never got it.

AS WE WERE ALREADY IN RIU IN DIFFERENT COUNTRY, WE CAN TELL THAT WE DID LIKE IT ALL OF IT. ROOM FOR OUR 46 WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WAS GREAT, SERVICE IN THE ROOM, GROUNDS - "GARDENS" ARE SUPER NICE RESTAURANTS - FOOD - DRINKS - DESERTS.......................ALL SUPER POOLS AND SWIM UP BAR - SPECIAL WE ARE PLANNING TO VISIT "RIU" AGAIN AND AGAIN....?! WE DID RECOMMEND THIS "RIU" ALREADY TO OUR FRIENDS.....?! SEE YOU ALL SOON ....!

This is my first time booking with a travel agent. Never again. My travel agent was Cindy Callaghan, and she either provided poor advice, or didn't respond at all. Before I left for my trip, I asked her about excursions. I had seen a place 1 hour away that I wanted to visit and asked her advice on renting a car The only thing she said was to wait until I arrived on my first day and book through the resort. Very poor advice. I got way better advice from the Facebook group of Riu Guanacaste. I did my research and I found many options for local tour companies. I ended up booking my excursions through "Frank the Tank" (a local tour company who lives in Costa Rica) and the guides were incredible, especially with my kids. They also provide full transportation. The resort was offering excursions for double the price as what local guides offer. Plus your paying into a big company instead of supporting the people living there. The resort also has very limited options for excursions. One of the excursions I did it through a local guide was La Leona water...an adventure of a lifetime! I bet my Trip Central travel agent hasn't heard of it. I definitely recommend looking at the Facebook group and viewing people's pictures and recommendations for excursions and local tour companies. Frank the Tank tours is the way to go though! There was a massive snowstorm that hit Toronto the night before I was supposed to arrive home. I emailed Cindy, my travel agent 2 days prior to the storm to ask about potential scenarios of what might happen. I'm a single mom travelling with my two kids, I wanted to be prepared. She never responded to my email. I will definitely be back to Costa Rica, doing the booking and planning myself. I will probably stay at the Riu Guanacaste again since there are very few all inclusives for families in Costa Rica. Do your own research, save money, support the locals who live there, and book things yourself.

The resort is showing its age. The food is poor. The buffets had very few options that were worth eating. The A La Cartes were just as bad. The only decent food was served in the Asian style a la cart. The steak house as crawling with raccoons. My wife and I were unwell for most of the trip due to the quality of the food. We were there for 7 days and by the 4th day we just wanted to go home. I would never recommend this resort to anyone. This resort is worth only a fraction of the amount that you pay. We were more than disappointed in our trip that we were extremely excited for to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. The only positive was the stunning weather we had all week.

Everything about it was fantastic. I loved that the rooms the pools buffets swim up bar are all close so you don't have to look for it . Very easy for people that can't do lots of walking. What a amazing trip. The only thing I would change would be softer bed but everyone has their own preference hard soft and firm etc.

Hotel was really nice. Staff very pleasant. Loved the pool area. Did not like no coffee in the mornings except for vending coffee until after 7 at the sports bar - with line ups - did not like you could not book dining they said this was never a problem not true and all bars close at 10 with exception of Sports bar - which was very small and after 10pm line ups for a drink. Went to the disco - they charge for drinks? It was like a ghost town after 10 pm on both Friday and Saturday night due to no bar with exception of sports bar. I could understand closing bars at midnight but they closed as soon as the shows were over and the families cleared out. Overall is was okay.

Resort was amazing, everything clean, and up to date. Food was amazing, lots of different choices. Staff was great, all polite. Jeffrey & Steven in theatre bar are amazing Highly recommend - resort

Found the food was very good and resort had a nice range of specialty restaurants .I liked that the pool and beach were nearby as well as the water park for my grandchildren.Staff were very friendly .Also like that the Diamente Adventure Park was very near to the hotel,

Resort in very good shape, with good installations and good rooms, swimming pool is big and great, maybe need a few renovations, but it is not bad. Good service and good food and everybody speak English. Wonderful beaches and excursions.

Fabulous Resort, highly recommended! Employees extremely kind, the best food ever. Loved the ocean and plus plus could hear it from our lovely room at night. Love the fact all species are protected. I am definitely coming back asap, see you then!