Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort

My family and I stayed at Arenas del Mar Resort in December 2025 for five nights, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. The property is absolutely magnificent, the location is unbeatable, and the service was consistently warm, attentive, and exceptional. Our room was gorgeous, with breathtaking views, and every corner of the resort felt thoughtfully designed and beautifully maintained. The food and drinks were outstanding—truly memorable—and easily among the best we had in Costa Rica. The activities offered were excellent, and we especially loved doing yoga almost every day. It was a perfect way to start our mornings in such a stunning natural setting. What truly sets Arenas del Mar apart, however, is its deep and genuine commitment to sustainability. This is not a surface-level effort—it is woven into everything they do. The resort prioritizes local sourcing, from food to products, reducing their carbon footprint while meaningfully supporting the local economy and community. They actively uplift their employees as well; even our coffee came from a former employee, and there were many inspiring stories like this throughout our stay. I took the resort’s sustainability tour, and it honestly blew my mind. Their initiatives—from eliminating single-use plastics entirely to pushing their suppliers to do the same—are beyond impressive. The way this hotel is run is how the world should be run. This experience has genuinely inspired me to seek out and support more of their properties in the future. Arenas del Mar is not just a place to stay; it’s a model for what responsible, world-class hospitality should be.

We have been going to this paradise for the last 8 years and it is the most picturesque beauties of Manuel Antonio. We had our wedding ceremony on the beach which was my dream come true. The staff and service are amazing and the views from your room our outstanding. A definite must!

To say that this hotel is underwhelming is putting it mildly. This is not a luxury hotel in any way. The views are stunning but that is the only positive thing about it. The rooms are very basic and substandard for a "luxury" hotel. The food is only ok. There is no maintenance whatsoever. Paths and walkways and beach areas are covered in leaves and debris. The service is below par and not what you would expect for a resort that advertises itself as luxury. The small beachfront has beautiful views with insufficient sun loungers. The beach area is also unkempt and service is mediocre at best. I would not recommend this hotel and was expecting something very different. If there had been another hotel available I would have checked out immediately.

We just came back from an amazing family vacation at Arenas Del Mar and I will highly recommend this resort to anyone who is looking for a vacation - with or without kiddos. I came home relaxed and ready for 2026! First, the resort is beautiful. The location is on the beach and is very relaxing. The amenities - pools, beach, spa, restaurants, activities, excursions are all top notch. We spent most of days relaxing by the pool and jumping waves in the ocean. The beach staff - Ramsies and Gustov were the best. They had tons of beach activities to entertain the kids (boogie boards, soccer balls, sand toys) and their knowledge of the animals definitely kept the kids coming back. The Staff was so kind and accommodating. Karen, Luz, Christian, Brian and Rolando were all so amazing at every meal and at the bar. They went out of their way to make sure the kids and adults were happy and had everything they needed. Since we were there during the Christmas holiday, the staff went out of their way to bring tons of holiday joy! They had a photo set up, special dinner menu, cookie decorating and ornament painting, face painting and tons of cheer. My kids loved the milk and cookies in the room and the special stuffed animal. I loved the activity board that the was in the lobby. They had everything from yoga, to rum tasting to night walk at the resort to see the animals! Our favorite activities were to tortilla making with Ana and Rafael (this made my heart full), the bracelet making on the beach for the kids and the kids movie night with bean bags and popcorn. We did go off property to do zip lining and parasailing with the resorts approved vendors. II always felt safe and loved all the experiences as a family. We all brought home so many treasures and memories! Everyone cant wait to go back!

Our experience at this beautiful hotel was flawless from beginning to end! Before we even arrived, the concierge helped us plan a number of adventures -- a tour of Manuel Antonio park, zip lining, a night hike, and more. The nearby area has plenty to do and the hotel can help you with all the options! Our room was spacious, comfortable, and very clean, with a beautiful view of the ocean. Room perks include a complimentary mini-bar with beer, drinks, and snacks, and one free laundry service which came in handy halfway through our trip. The hotel has access to a private beach, and the lifeguards set up chairs and towels for us whenever we arrived. You can have drinks and meals on the beach as well. The service was impeccable. Every person who helped us was friendly and professional. Special thanks to Vanessa for a fantastic spa treatment. I wish I could name all the staffers because they were terrific! Highly recommend this hotel.