JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort and Spa

The property was very clean and the staff were very respectful and professional. It was an amazing experience overall.

We had minor issues with AC being always on, and the thermostats not kicking in. There was also a clog in the AC unit and cause leaking from the ceiling. The road to the resort needs work. There is a 10 minute stretch that’s really nerve wracking if you are coming in for the first time when it’s dark, and you worry about the damage to the vehicle. Other than that, it’s a great place and does deserve all the 5-stars.

Great stay, fantastic staff and beautiful property.

I wouldn't go back here. If you're already in the area and looking for a place to stay for a couple nights it's probably worth it, but we did our honeymoon here for 8 nights and I wouldn't recommend staying here for that long. Pros: - The pool and property grounds are pretty awesome - Most of the staff are really nice and friendly - All of the food, although limited (see Cons section), was quite good, everything tasted great Cons: - We did the "All Inclusive" option, don't do this. There's so few restaurants and one of them isn't even included in the All Inclusive package, on top of that there are menu items/drinks that aren't included too. It was also confusing what was and wasn't included, kept getting different answers from the staff, so I was nervous that I was going to get a huge bill by the end of the trip. - The pool was quite warm for a few of the days we were there (early August), makes sense for how hot the weather was when we were there, but it wasn't very refreshing when you're looking for an escape from the heat - I see a lot of people praising the cleanliness in other reviews, but we had gross dark smudges around the bathroom and stains on sheets and the chair in the room. Nothing too crazy, but was a bit gross. - If you're looking for a nice beach, don't go here. It's very rocky, was quite choppy when we were there, and the sand isn't anything to write home about (though there are shells and things to see if that's what you're into)

The property is beautiful, the staff is fantastic, and the food is delicious. The room had a lovely view of the garden from the balcony and my children absolutely loved the pool. One downside: It is very secluded so it is a long drive to go one excursions.

I liked that the property had friendly staff and the grounds were well maintained as well as the room. It was more remote which hindered us from leaving the property except for an excursion. It was posted the beach had strong currents and swimming was ill advised which was disappointing. Also no Costa Rican food options for dinner restaurants on the property and there were limited options close to the resort. My other issue was we purchased “all inclusive “ and many times we were served drinks that were not covered but told after the fact which was irritating. Sparkling water was not included- odd. Overall it was ok, the resort shows wear. If you are looking to get out on your own and go to town- this is not the resort for you.

We enjoyed a great stay at the JW Marriott. We loved the private beach with sunset views from our oceanfront balcony that were spectacular. The beach stretches out for miles with almost no other people and great swimming. You can borrow bikes from the hotel and ride all around the area, including about 20 minutes to another beach that is even more expansive and private. The food and drinks are above average with good room service. The breakfast buffet was a daily highlight with so many fresh and local options. The location of this hotel means you are fairly remote, so you will be adding 30min in each direction and some extra $$ to go on any tours or to get to Tamarindo from the hotel, but that is why the beach and grounds at the hotel feel so private. There are lots of options for tours and they were all good experiences. We booked through our hotel, through online tour providers, and through a local guy named Erik G. Erik was great to work with, and we enjoyed 2 fun tours through him that were some of the highlights of our trip. We also really enjoyed the horseback riding tour through the hotel that ended with a ride on the beach. Overall, it was a great experience for our first stay in Costa Rica!

This property was perfect for our family! The pool was great, restaurant options were delicious, and the beach was beautiful and convenient. We watched beautiful sunsets and had a very relaxing time. There were activities available throughout the day like mixology classes, cooking classes, yoga, bike rides, etc. The staff were so friendly and helpful! We would definitely stay here again!

We had a fantastic stay at the JW Marriott Guanacaste! Every meal we had was delicious, but our favorite by far was the food at the Rum Bar – highly recommend trying it out. The staff throughout the resort were all friendly and attentive, but we have to give a special shout-out to Elian at the pool. He was exceptional – always making sure we had cold drinks and tasty snacks. He was always checking on us to make sure we were okay. We also really enjoyed the included bike tour, which was a fun way to explore the area and even spot some monkeys in the trees! Check-in was smooth and easy, but unfortunately, check-out was quite slow. After a long wait, we ended up just dropping off our key and didn't receive an itemized bill, which was a bit inconvenient. Overall, though, it was a wonderful experience and we would definitely come back!

Service was awful. Room service was 2 hours multiple times. When leaving our rental car had a dead battery. We asked concierge for a taxi. Said there were no taxi to airport. Asked for shuttle. Said no shuttle. Asked how I could get to the airport and he said he didn’t know. There were many more failures along the way as well.