JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort and Spa

Just back from the Marriott Guanacanaste. Random observations: Really nice property- clean, terrific friendly staff, great pools, great beach, good food . Be aware, it's *very* hot this time of year - in the 90s every day with relentless sun. Evenings were much more pleasant as it cooled a bit. The beachfront is terrific for walking- you can walk south on the beach for several miles and see very few people. Felt super safe. This hotel is extremely remote as others have noted. Took about two hours in the car from LIR airport as most roads are two lane and subject to traffic. But the area- Hacienda Pinilla- is sprawling and interesting as it's being developed with luxury homes springing up. We enjoyed the comp hotel bike ride for hotel guests. During our stay we saw monkeys in trees and iguanas. Pretty cool. Did the horseback ride for $60 pp. Very hot but fun and worthwhile. We rode down to Playa Langosta, a stunning beach nearby- like so many others, pretty much deserted. Had hoped to surf but conditions did not cooperate- waves small and pretty windy for several days. Rode hotel bikes(which were in good shape) down to the Beach Club ($5. entrance fee) several times and enjoyed that. Beach club has a nice pool, gym, nice little restaurant and tiki bar. It stayed pretty busy. And nice beach in front. Took a shuttle ($36 pp RT) over to Tamarindo one day. Another amazing, wide beach that goes for miles. Very touristy but it's what we expected. The hotel breakfast buffet is terrific- tons of fresh fruit, local foods, omelet station and quesadilla station- all made to order. Great smoothies. Highly recommend and nice that it's open until 11am. When checking in , no room upgrade available but staff pretty quickly threw in free breakfast each day so might be worth negotiating for that at check- in. I think they threw that in due to our Marriott status. Price is normally $35. per person. They also dont mind at all if you take items 'to go' and provide to go containers, which was great. We did not do any big excursions as they involved so much driving- two to four hours to a lot of destinations which was just a bit more time in a car/van than we wanted to spend.

The JW in Guanacaste scored high marks during our four day stay. It’s very clean - everywhere. The staff were consistently friendly throughout the resort. We found the food quality to be very good, and the only outlet we didn’t try was the steakhouse. The pool is extremely large and winds its way through the inner courtyard area in a very interesting design. The beach, though not wide, is well groomed and there are good waves for body surfing at times. Note: It is some 25 minutes from Tamarindo and the dirt road as you get near the property is rough.

Beautiful Resort! Clean, professional friendly staff. Great laid back vibe! Morning yoga was fantastic! Pool was beautiful and not over crowded. You do need to get pool chairs early though.. if you want a prime spot you need to be out there by 6:30am. The sunset from the beach or infinity pool is stunning!

We had an amazing experience during our vacation this past week. All of the staff that we encountered were extremely warm and helpful. We specially want to thank Andres, Lidia and Josue who went above and beyond with my son’s meals who has celiac to ensure all the meals he had at the hotel were safe and delicious. Thank you so much! Beautiful grounds, spent our days in pool and beach. Highly recommend the hotel.

This was our fourth visit to this JW Marriott Resort during the past three years. We thought the first visit was great, and have just kept coming back, only to find that every visit is even better than the last! This resort has so much going for it—wonderful staff, great facilities, excellent food, and relaxing atmosphere—more than enough reasons for us to keep returning. I’ll organize my comments into the several topics that I imagine many of us use to judge our experience at a resort. First: Quality of staff - We’ve been returning to this JW repeatedly over the past three years. During that time, the General Manager, Juan Espinosa, has put together an incredible team that executes really well. It’s very apparent that the staff not only likes working at the JW, but that they also enjoy working with one another. When employees are happy, it will most certainly impact the overall guest experience in a positive way. Costa Ricans are generally very friendly, but the resort staff takes this to a whole new level! Nearly without exception, staff members always greet you as you walk around the resort. They go out of their way to be helpful, often going the extra mile to make good things happen—whether it’s helping you raise a stubborn umbrella at the pool or explaining how to cut up and eat a fruit that you’ve never encountered before (like an uruba)! This is true across the spectrum of employees—-whether it’s waitstaff, front desk workers or simply someone sweeping a corridor. Our most recent stay got off to a great start, thanks to Lester Garcia at the front desk. He was very professional, incredibly helpful and efficient; we encountered Lester several more times during our stay, and he always remembered our names, which is impressive! Next: Facilities, grounds and pool - The setting is beautiful! There is a very wide, sandy beach with plenty of loungers/umbrellas, shady palms, and an immaculately clean pool, which is one of the largest in Central America. One of the best things about the pool is that it’s designed for all ages—deep enough for adults, but also with lots of shallow areas that work well for younger kids, even toddlers. There were always plenty of towels, loungers, and umbrellas, even though the resort was busy. Special thanks to Luis Diego for service around the pool. The landscaping is beautifully manicured, with stone-paved paths. There are a lot of friendly iguanas; we also saw deer, raccoons, a variety of birds, a porcupine, and even an armadillo. The public spaces and buildings are hacienda-style and very well-maintained; we regularly noticed workers discretely doing routine maintenance. The guest rooms were very clean; housekeeping at this JW is the best of any of the Marriott properties that we’ve visited, even though two large groups had brought the hotel to near capacity during our stay. Special thanks to Marilin, who kept our room immaculate during our stay. Next: Food and Beverage - The main breakfast buffet is at Pimento (which becomes the Italian restaurant at night). Andrés Ruiz is the food & beverage manager responsible for the breakfast service (among other tasks) and will most likely be the first person to greet you as you enter Pimento for breakfast each morning. His friendly, “¡Buenos días!” gets your day off to the right start. Andrés always has a smile on his face and seems calm, even when he has a large breakfast crowd. After breakfast, he always greeted us at other dining venues for which he has responsibility. He has put together a great team and clearly leads by example. The resort has several themed restaurants, which we took advantage of throughout our two-weeks stay; we never felt the need to go off-property since the JW’s food is excellent. The Asian restaurant (Tamarine) was probably our favorite—great mix of pan-Asian food, especially the various maki and pad Thai. Thanks to Monserrat Diaz and Randall for taking such good care of us when we dined there. We are also fans of Pimento (Italian cuisine) at dinner; our favorites included the lasagna, carbonara, and any of the fish dishes. Kudos to Denys and Victor, who are exceptional waitstaff. We also really enjoyed Sabanero for dinner (steaks and seafood). The salmon with pasta is great, as is the HUGE burger! Carlos Ocon is the manager and was always so friendly and attentive; he is also very professional. We appreciated great service from Helbert and from Ronny, who we remembered from previous visits. Special thanks to Olger Osorno, who manages food/beverage service around the pool and at the Barracuda pool bar and Palapa (grill). Olger is exceptionally friendly, and even though always very busy, he checked on us multiple times each day. Azul (Mediterranean cuisine) is located poolside and just off the beach—great views! It’s open for lunch and specializes in seafood and ceviches; the açaí bowl is especially good. The captain is Josue Zuniga, who gives leadership to a mostly young team of waitstaff; special thanks to Karen (the hostess) and to Iva and Gilmar. I can’t fail to mention that we often enjoyed breakfast at Sabanero in the mornings, which is a perk for upper level Bonvoy members. The buffet selections are more limited than at Pimento, but you can also order from a special Bonvoy breakfast menu. The atmosphere is quieter and less busy than Pimento and the service more personal. We really enjoyed getting to know Gilmar Barrantes and Ivania, both of whom are very professional waitstaff at the Bonvoy breakfast. I mentioned earlier about staff being so focused on pleasing guests: one morning at breakfast, Gilmar told us about green mango ceviche and salada, both of which sounded really delicious. The next day he brought in green mangoes from a tree growing in his yard and personally prepared ceviche for us to try. It was fantastic! Now we are on the hunt for green mangoes at home! Because of experiences such as this, you can understand why we so highly recommend the JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Guanacaste and why we keep returning year after year!

The resort was nice overall. We enjoyed the spacious accommodations from the core room, bathroom, and balcony. It took 10-15 minutes to drive from the entrance of Hacienda Pinilla to the entryway of the J.W. Marriott. There is a security gate checking who is coming in and out. Feels fairly safe. All are furnished in thoughtful ways. The decor is traditional CR. The staff are attentive and happy to assist. From arrival in our rental car, we were allowed to leave the vehicle at the front entrance to unload and check in to the property. The valets and bellman were kind and courteous. They hold the keys until you return and transfer your bags to the entrance and up to your room when you are ready. We tipped as that is customary in the U.S. and we appreciated the attention given by the team. Our 1st night we dined in-house at Tamarine. Our reservation was overdue and the restaurant was able to move it upon request. The hotel was at high capacity due to the time of year during dry season. When making requests for items to be delivered to the room, the staff was speedy on most occasions. As the capacity grew, it slows a bit. Our car was self-parked for free in the nearby lots. The lots fill up fast when the resort is at capacity. Returning after 9 and 10 pm often left us hunting for a space and after time we found one each time. The late open bars have a laid back vibe such as the Rum Bar or the sports bar. Last call is around midnight or so depending on the foot traffic. The ice cream parlor Waves & Cream is nice and nearly the best thing on the property. Try the passionfruit flavor. It’s the best one for those who like fruit. The others are okay. All the restaurants like Azul and the pool bar were subpar. The best option is the breakfast buffet for around $30 USD pp. It has everything from Latin options to oatmeal to omelets and waffles. The freshest items are stationed in the interior of the buffet not the lineup in the larger area. It’s usually the hottest too. The quesadilla on demand station was cool. You can add any of the available toppings to a freshly made quesadilla. Or make your own nachos. We had a daily resort credit of $100 and it typically covered one main meal for 2 and drinks or a meal for 2 and snacks. It does not go too far. The pool is the most popular amenity, it gets crowded early. The beach is rocky but when you veer right of the property it’s easier to take advantage of and swim. Beach chairs are positioned in close proximity to each other and they do not have enough for every guest if the resort is at full capacity. Umbrellas are available beachfront and by the pool on a 1st come, 1st serve basis. You can depend on servers coming to your chair to take your order but the service can be slower than going to the bar or restaurant yourself. The coconut water served in a coconut is cool and costs about $7 USD. It’s pretty small. They are way more reasonable offsite in town or at a fruit stand outside. The resort offers classes to learn how to dance, cook a local recipe, do yoga, take a bike tour, or try mixology. There is more included in your resort fee like sunset cocktails served near the beach and s’more making that kids love. It’s not like other Marriott properties though, s’mores are a free for all and the kids go wild. I’m used to staff serving the ingredients and better organization. The resort is very quiet at night. It is great for winding down and getting a good nights rest.

We stayed for a week at The JW Marriott in Feb. Location- SO remote, you are stuck on property. It takes 30-ish min just to hit a main road. They have bike trails/hiking trails around the property which we used. Beach- Big but rocky. They have a small swim area that is less rocky. The sand is course and there were lots of rip tide warnings/signs bc of the location. The loungers on the beach have bar service, but are next to the pool, which is kind of far from the water. You cannot move the umbrellas, so we couldn’t move closer to the water. Sunsets are AMAZING! Pool- huge, something for everyone, it overlooks the beach. Room- Old but not dated, it was clean and we loved our porch, which we could pull a screen down and keep the bugs out. Food- SO EXPENSIVE, because they know you can’t leave the resort. The quality was fine- nothing great and hit or miss, my $55 lunch salad left me still hungry. ;(. The mixed drinks are way watered down- and $$. Total rip off, but again, you are stuck there, so I guess they can charge what they want. I will not return to this resort because of it. Gym- Basic, but big enough and had the most important equipment you’d want. Property- well maintained and landscaped. Very clean. Lots of outdoor common space to relax in under the stars. It is a very serene resort. Not a lot “to do” at night. They usually had someone playing music In the main upstairs area, but no shows, dance club, casino, etc… we came home well rested, lol! Service- no complaints and nothing stood out.

5 night 6 day stay recently. Overall excellent stay and we recommend and would come again. We are world travelers and mix it up with 4 and 5 star hotels and both large resorts and boutique hotels. This would fit in the 4.5 star medium size resort category. The property is approximately 15 years old and that and the design gives it some character and charm and it fits in well with the area and is extremely well maintained. Very clean and well kept for a property on the ocean. The staff is outstanding across the board from checkin staff to housekeeping to waitstaff. Kind, friendly, professional and always available to help and assist. And unlike many U.S. resorts these days, this resort is well staffed with plenty of kind and helpful staff. We were here at peak season and the hotel was full and with a mix of couples and families. The property is well designed with a lot of open space, plenty of restaurants/dining options, and a massive pool and it never felt over crowded. No need to get up at 7 am to claim your beach or pool chairs. There are more than enough to go around. The resort has a full calendar of activities throughout the day if you are so inclined, they have a fleet of very nice bikes with helmets, and nice trails for walking and biking but also no need to do any of those activities as the pool area is a lovely area to relax and spend the day. And the beach is fabulous but this requires an important note. The immediate beach in front of the hotel is nice but small. One third of a mile with a small area cordoned off for swimming. BUT if you head south there is another 1.5 mile beautiful beach. At first it might look daunting to get there due to what appears to be a huge area of rocky beach. However, if you hug the coast line tightly it is literally only about 50-100 easily traversed feet and you are back on the beach. And then a beautiful sparsely populated beach so there is essentially nearly a 2 mile long stretch of beautiful beach. And if you want to leave the property for alternate dining options there are several along this beach. We walked 1.5 miles to Lola’s which is a very nice toes in the sand beach bar and restaurant. Great vibe, good food and a very friendly pet pig!! And right next to that is a new and absolutely fabulous more upscale but still very beachy and toes in the sand option called Mantas. A bit more pricey but very well worth it. Seafood centric 5 star food that we highly recommend. There are other nice options along the beach as well. We ate at all of the on property restaurants while we were there. They were all solid/good to excellent. And prices were very reasonable for an upscale ocean front resort. Prices at all restaurants were lower than what you would pay at a similar resort in the US or Europe, for example, and again they were all very nice: nice ambience, great service and good food with an extensive variety of food and cuisine options. The resort is a bit remote but for us that was a huge plus. For transportation to and from the Liberia airport (and if you wanted to do a tour off property), we used Anthony (owner) from ontheroadcostarica.com and would very highly recommend him and his company. Overall we highly recommend this property for a beautiful and relaxing Oceanside vacation in Costa Rica. We hope to go back.

We stayed for a week in January and had an overall positive experience. The resort is located on a spectacular beach where you can swim in the surf and enjoy incredible sunsets. The grounds are beautifully landscaped. The room was large, very well appointed and had everything we needed. The included breakfast was delicious and plentiful - a great start to our days. Our experience with the lunch and dinner options was that the food was fine, but a bit expensive for what you get. Captive audience. The town of Tamarindo is 30 minutes away. We went there one day for a catamaran excursion and had a great time. The only place you can really walk from the hotel is south along the beach to Lola’s restaurant (20 to 30 min gorgeous walk, best not to do it at high tide). We loved Lola’s so much, we went there for lunch three times! A true highlight of our stay at the hotel was the service. On our first night, exhausted from a long and delayed day of travel, Andrea at the Sandbar restaurant was so kind and patient with us. The next night we had dinner at Pimento restaurant. The food was fine, but the service we had from Erick and Valeria elevated the dinner. The pool bar, which was a big part of our, and I think many people’s stay, delivered over the top service. Johnny, Yassion, and Henry worked so hard to serve with rapid fire service and kindness. They made our beach and pool time there so wonderful.

We stayed here 2 nights in August 2025. The hotel was practically deserted & it was as if we had the entire property to ourselves which was nice. The resort is located within a guard gated community and is very secure as they verify your reservation before they allow you to enter the community. The resort is situated on a beautiful private beach & has a huge infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. We loved the complimentary bike tour offered by the hotel. During the ride, we came across a large family of monkeys living in the trees which was a very cool experience. However, we felt that the $500/night we paid was a bit much considering the lack of dining options. There were only American dining options & an Asian option which felt odd as there were no Costa Rican inspired dishes at any of the on-site restaurants. Leaving the resort to eat was not an option as it is extremely far from anything. While this is a beautiful resort, It definitely needs more dining options given how secluded it is.