Jw Marriott Guanacaste Beach Resort

“JW Marriott Guanacaste: Beautiful Sunsets, Wonderful Staff, and a Few Things to Know Before You Go”

This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and overall we had a wonderful stay at the JW Marriott Guanacaste. We booked through a Travelzoo package that included the all-inclusive option, which provided excellent value and made the experience feel very relaxed. It was just my husband and I this time, w… more

This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and overall we had a wonderful stay at the JW Marriott Guanacaste. We booked through a Travelzoo package that included the all-inclusive option, which provided excellent value and made the experience feel very relaxed. It was just my husband and I this time, we left our two kids at home (but there were several littles ones at the resort!). First, the sunsets from this property are absolutely spectacular...some of the best we've ever seen. Every evening felt like an event in itself. One area where I think the resort could improve is communication about activities and events. There were fun things happening throughout our stay—a traditional Costa Rican ceremony one evening, live music, a DJ on the beach at sunset, and other activities—but we mostly stumbled upon them by accident. A more detailed daily newsletter or activity schedule would have been helpful and likely would have influenced how we planned our evenings. As others have noted, the food was good, though not necessarily exceptional. For us, the all-inclusive package made the overall dining experience feel worthwhile. The breakfast buffet was a standout, with plenty of variety and consistently great food. The wine program was probably the weakest aspect of the food and beverage experience. The all-inclusive wine selection was limited, and even the premium options weren't particularly impressive. I was willing to purchase wine outside of the package, but most options were only available by the bottle and felt VERY overpriced. They were out of the Sauvignon Blanc by the glass during our stay, leaving only a Pinot Grigio that neither of us enjoyed. This is admittedly a very first-world problem, but if you're a wine enthusiast, you may want to manage expectations—or pack your favorite bottle. Restaurant-wise, the Asian fusion restaurant was good but ended up being our least favorite. The Italian restaurant was excellent and one of our best dinners. Surprisingly, several of our favorite meals came from the Sandbar Lounge. We often ended up there because of activity timing or because we wanted something more casual, and it never disappointed. They offered a few Costa Rican specials that weren't heavily advertised, and they were absolutely fantastic. Palapa by the pool was also great for quick lunches and snacks, and the food there was consistently good. The fried chicken sandwich was absolutely not healthy but was absolutely delicious. Fresh fruit is not on the menu but if you simply ask for fresh pineapple or watermelon, the staff will get it for you. After a long day on a volcano excursion, we canceled our steakhouse reservation and ordered room service instead. The room service food was fine, although the ordering process was a bit confusing. Overall, because we weren't paying for each individual meal, we felt the dining quality was perfectly acceptable and never detracted from our experience. The staff throughout the resort were wonderful—friendly, attentive, and genuinely eager to help with recommendations for activities, dining, and exploring the area. The resort was fairly quiet during our stay, so we received a lot of personalized attention. I can imagine service feeling different during peak occupancy, but during our visit, the staff truly made us feel appreciated as guests. We also visited the spa for massages, which were excellent. We enjoyed the sauna and steam room afterward, and the staff even allowed us to return the following day because our treatments were scheduled so close to closing time. That said, the spa facilities could use a little attention. Both the men's and women's saunas were barely warm, and the steam rooms could have benefited from a deeper cleaning. A quick note about the infamous road: yes, it's every bit as bad as people say. In fact, it's almost comically bad. However, it's important to note that this isn't a JW Marriott issue—it's a public road outside the gated community. The resort can only do so much. We ventured out multiple times and simply accepted it as part of the experience. The isolation of the property was actually something we appreciated. We borrowed bikes and explored the surrounding area, spotting howler monkeys, beautiful birds, and other wildlife just beyond the hotel grounds. The resort sits within a high-end gated community, and we always felt completely safe, both on and off the property. We visited in early May, which turned out to be an ideal time. The busy tourism season had largely ended, but the rainy season was only beginning. We experienced very little rain and enjoyed a quieter resort atmosphere. The pool is enormous and one of the highlights of the property. We never had any trouble finding lounge chairs. Occasionally, though, some areas around the chairs could have been cleaned more thoroughly—fruit remnants from drinks and other small debris sometimes lingered from the night before. The rooms were also very nice. We booked an ocean-view room facing the sunset, and it was absolutely worth it. Watching the sun set from our balcony each evening was one of the highlights of the trip. During our stay, we did notice some tiny bugs in the room from time to time, but honestly, we're talking about a beachfront resort in Costa Rica. It wasn't excessive, it didn't impact our stay, and it felt well within the realm of what you'd expect in a tropical environment. Housekeeping did an excellent job—our room was cleaned thoroughly every day, usually early in the day, and we always returned to a fresh, comfortable space. The resort is very large - it took us almost the entire 5 day stay to figure out where our room was without getting lost or turned around. I was celebrating my birthday during our stay, and the resort went out of its way to make it special. Every dinner included some sort of birthday recognition or treat, which was incredibly thoughtful and appreciated. My biggest disappointment involved the third-party service the resort uses for transportation and excursion bookings. We took the shuttle to Tamarindo (which is not complimentary), and the driver claimed the credit card machine wasn't working, requiring us to visit an ATM for cash. It felt questionable at the time. Later in our stay, we booked a sunset catamaran excursion through the same service. The experience we received was very different from how it was described. We specifically requested something smaller and more relaxed, but what we got was essentially a party boat complete with the Macarena, heavy drinking, and a very rowdy crowd. To make matters worse, the excursion cost nearly double what booking directly would have cost. We emailed the company afterward with our concerns and never received a response. Interestingly, their credit card machine worked perfectly when it came time to charge us nearly $400 for the excursion. On the positive side, we booked two excursions independently through Viator, and both were excellent. The Tamarindo Estuary Tour was fun, informative, and a great way to experience local wildlife. We also did a full-day volcano adventure that included ziplining, water slides, horseback riding, thermal pools, and more. It was absolutely incredible and one of the highlights of our trip. Just be aware that it's about a 2.5- to 3-hour drive each way, making for a very long day—but in our opinion, it was completely worth it. A couple of practical notes for future travelers. The hotel places multiple authorizations on your credit card throughout your stay. More than two weeks after checkout, I still have over $2,500 in pending authorizations showing on my account. After contacting my credit card company, I was told they could remain pending for up to 30 days unless the hotel proactively releases them. This wasn't a major issue for us, but I could absolutely see it creating problems for travelers with tighter credit limits or those closely monitoring their available balance. I also wanted to mention that a $100 bill went missing during our trip. To be completely fair, I cannot say with any certainty that it was taken from our room—we may have misplaced it somewhere along the way. We never reported it because we simply didn't know what happened to it. I don't want to imply wrongdoing where there may have been none, especially since our overall experience with the staff was overwhelmingly positive. However, as with any vacation, it's always a good reminder to utilize the in-room safe and keep valuables secured whenever possible. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the JW Marriott Guanacaste. The beautiful setting, outstanding staff, incredible sunsets, and relaxed atmosphere outweighed the few shortcomings. We'd absolutely return—and next time, I'd probably just bring my own wine.

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