Great resort—if you’re traveling with (or don’t mind) lots of families, kids, dogs, and a somewhat run-down property that feels overpriced.
On the positive side, the staff was the highlight. About 90% of them were very friendly and willing to help, especially Kandy, Kevin, and Immanuel.
They also honor their open-bar policy—they keep pouring as long as you ask.
When I booked this trip for my wife and me, I also had the option to choose an adults-only resort. I didn’t think it would matter much, but I was wrong. This place clearly caters to families looking for a getaway where they don’t have to worry about spending a lot on food.
Depending on the day, at least half the guests were children between about 3 and 15. There are no adults-only pools or areas. Kids can go anywhere they like—and they do. If you don’t mind being cut off in restaurants, bathrooms, etc., then this place might work for you.
We got an even bigger surprise on Monday when a family arrived with children, parents, grandparents—and a dog. And it was not a quiet dog. Anytime the owner or his wife moved away, the dog would bark around the pool. Very relaxing. We eventually got them to quiet the dog, but the next day the owner “solved” it by not putting the dog on a leash around the pool. Less barking, sure—but then you had to watch your step walking around the pool. Why a resort would allow dogs, or allow them in public areas, is beyond me. I also don’t remember their site saying they were pet-friendly.
As for the property, don’t believe the pretty marketing photos. The place is run down and not worth what we paid.
Examples:
- The bathroom sink drain wouldn’t open. We called maintenance and they came right up. After examining it, the maintenance worker said they didn’t have the parts to fix it—but showed us how to access the area under the sink and manually release the drain from below.
- The room had an overhead light connected to the ceiling fan, but the switch didn’t work. That meant you couldn’t shut off the light and leave the fan on. Again, we were told they didn’t have the part to fix it. I suggested removing the bulb so we could at least sleep with the fan on. He agreed, got a ladder, and removed the bulb.
- The toilet ran constantly the entire time we were there. When we told maintenance, we were again told they didn’t have the parts to fix it.
The issue is that these problems clearly weren’t new, and it felt like the owners had simply chosen not to repair them.
The Mini Bar Policy:
This one was strange. On the second day, I noticed the in-room “mini bar” hadn’t been restocked. I asked the front desk and was told they only restock every other day—not on the same schedule for everyone, but every other day per guest. When I asked why, the answer was, “I don’t know—just the owner’s policy.”
To be clear, the mini bar consisted of: 2 cans of Coke, 2 small bottles of water, 2 small bottles of fruit juice, and 2 cans of Imperial beer. Not only does that policy make no sense, but they also don’t disclose it during the reservation process.
The hidden menus:
Don’t bother asking for a list of what’s included with the resort—they don’t have one. They provided a property map showing all the buildings and what each one was for, but it was only in Spanish. When we asked for an English version, they said it was on “back order.”
We were also frustrated by the lack of variety at the lunch buffet—it was the same every day. While reading reviews during our stay, I saw someone mention their wood-fired pizza. What wood-fired pizza?
It turns out they have an entire menu you can order from daily, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. When we asked why they don’t publish the menu or tell guests it exists, we were told, “We don’t know.” Thankfully, we discovered it on the second day and not right before leaving.
I was able to get my hands on an order pad a server left behind and took photos of the options. The pad isn’t formatted like a typical menu, so I translated it and created a proper menu to upload for other guests who may not realize it’s available.
Bottom line: I can’t recommend CC Beach Front Papagayo All Inclusive unless you’re specifically looking for a cheap, family-focused vacation and don’t mind a worn-down property. It’s 3-star at best, needs a lot of basic TLC, and wasn’t worth anywhere near the premium we paid.