Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort

Our stay here was fabulous. The views of the ocean were amazing. They had beach chairs and bar service on the beach. We saw lots of animals: iguana, crabs, agouti, monkeys, and even a boa constrictor! From our room window, an iguana came everyday to see us and sunbathe. The staff was top notch. They were always very helpful and kind. I booked all our tours through the hotel. Julian was our guide for two of the tours and he was very good and nice. The Nauyaca waterfall tour was the best! The breakfast was delicious. They had a lot of variety on their menu. Their transport service to local restaurants was way better than calling a taxi. Loved the golf cart service to get you around the property. We will definitely come back! Thank you so much for a lovely vacation.

Besides being a beautiful rainforest resort on the beach, the staff is welcoming and accommodating. From ensuring we had a room on the 1st floor for my mother, to inviting and engaging conversations, my mother and I felt like we were home. Unfortunately, I endured a severe accident on an excursion off the property. I called the resort, and the concierge team quickly jumped into action, connecting me with an urgent care clinic the resort had a relationship with and knew would provide me the best care. Similarly, they had staff continuously checking on my 71-year-old mother, who was at the resort during the time of the accident. They also ensured food was sent to my room when I returned from the clinic. And, yes, even the food is good at the resort. It's fresh and healthy! I wanted to give a very special thank you to Derian Jimenez and his team, specifically Krishne, who orchestrated my care and supported my mother during a nightmare event. Thank you to Brian Lopez, who always took time to check on me and my mother. I definitely will be returning soon. God bless you guys, and thank you again. 

Ever spend 5 days when the weather, the accommodations and the people were all perfect? My sister and I planned a “vacation”—and instead we got the time of our lives. Arenas Del Mar gave us 5 days of fun, great food, mind blowing views, extremely comfortable accommodations within sight and sound of the waves from our suite, perfect tours and adventures and the staff is just as wonderful as prior reviewers have exclaimed. As one of the restaurant managers responded to us when we complimented the staff on our first evening, “Yes, they’re all wonderful, but they each bring their own personality to the job.” The staff was unstoppable in their care of us--from the fun golf cart rides from place to place within the hotel compound, to inquiries as to how our tours went, what our families were like and what they could do to help us in any way. Christian even made sure our van ride back to SJO for an early morning flight had blankets and pillows. I want to put Minor, the kind and sociable bartender, on my Christmas card list! Giavanni, of the concierge team, helped us choose an offsite restaurant by explaining El Lagarto was the place she picked for her birthday dinner each year, and of course she made sure we got the perfect table. Alex, a server, was so kind and caring that we’d look to wave to him from across the dining room. Every single staff member went out of their way to make our stay a perfect vacation and they made it seem effortless and sincere. A few specifics: I research the heck out of hotels before I go anywhere and Arenas Del Mar kept coming up as the best place for us. When they say the hotel is on the beach, they mean it. No other hotel near Manuel Antonio has such a prime location—on the beach but still close to town. We were in Suite 302B in Unit 3, a spacious Ocean View Premium suite. Great view, incredibly comfortable beds, two seating areas on the balcony which we used a lot and easy proximity to the beach and the lower restaurant and bar, Playitas. We were no more than a 2 minute walk from the suite to the beach. When I read about the hotel’s golf cars in previous TripAdvisor reviews, I just assumed my sister and I would walk instead, but the golf parts were part of the fun! The golf cart drivers would appear at our unit within moments of our call to the front desk and they were always available at the lobby area to shuttle us back. Frankly, all our transportation needs were met effortlessly—from the drivers to and from the airport arranged by the hotel, to the golf cart shuttle out to the parking area to meet the guide and daily transportation for our tours, to the hotel van that took us to offsite restaurants. (Thank you Wally!) The hotel van was always timely, inexpensive and billed to our room. So easy! The tour book from the hotel was exciting and wide-ranging. It took time to narrow down all the choices and before we arrived the concierge team patiently responded to multiple emails to help us chose our 4 adventures—a private guided tour of Manuela Antonio Park, the eco farm and kayak tour with Johny, and the most unforgettable tour of all, Los Campesinos waterfalls with Jimmy, the guide of a lifetime. After we swam through several swirling pools, climbed up the rocks under the water falls and spent time hugging the rocks with the falls pouring over us, Jimmy explained “a good guide pushes you to do what you think you cannot do.” Spot on, so thank you Jimmy! And then the Sukia zipline tour was not at all as scary as I feared thanks to Charles and Johann. The food was great! Beautiful breakfasts with so many varied choices that we wanted to stay longer just for the breakfasts. Complete attention to detail—we were shown the on premises lab where the restaurant experiments with the morning juice flavors. We had dinner at both restaurants, Mirador and Playitas. At Mirador the chef showcased the fresh fish; all our dishes were delicious. Since the chef was experimenting with his amuse bouches, there was a new one nightly —and the chef’s desserts were another highlight. Playitas features an extensive grilled food buffet 3 times a week barbecues served right on the beach with live music. Another fun and delicious experience (try the tuna tartar). When we were there the 37 unit hotel was occupied by a good mix of couples and families which gave the place a special vibrancy. This place was an oasis. So Unforgettable. Just go there.

We were here for 4 nights. The property was spotless and the location was beautiful. We had one of the bigger rooms and it fit our family of 4 very comfortably. The staff were all so kind and said they were treated really well by the owners. They explained the changes they had made to avoid issues with carbon monoxide and we felt very safe. We would absolute recommend this hotel.

Our stay at Arenas was incredible from start to finish. As soon as you arrive you are well looked after by each and every staff member and the view from reception is where your shoulders drop and you instantly relax. Outwith the outstanding service, the biggest memory from our stay has to be the incredible nature - you are surrounded by animals and birdlife, you didn't need to even visit the National Park - we had our own private setting for it on the beach everyday! The a la carte breakfasts were a perfect way to start the day! If you're looking for a luxurious end to your Costa Rica adventure then this is it.