El Mangroove, Autograph Collection

After seeing so many options, we decided to book this hotel because of its reviews, and it was definitely the best choice. From the moment we arrived, everything was incredible: the rooms were clean, comfortable, and had a beautiful beach view, plus the excellent service and attention from all the staff, who were always very attentive. For transportation, we contacted Issys Tours Costa Rica, and Esteban definitely solved everything for us in just 10 minutes; he was very fast and kind. We booked both the arrival and return transfers, and we also took a tour to the rainforest to see sloths and a waterfall. Our guide was Nolberto, and he definitely made us feel very comfortable, with excellent English and all the information he shared with us during the tour, always being very attentive. I highly recommend this company; it was an incredible experience. Honestly, I would return to this hotel. Everything was excellent. These have definitely been some of the best vacations because of how well we were treated and how delicious the food was. You only have to walk a short distance to swim or relax on the beach, and the pools and their service were excellent as well. Thank you all, pura vida!

We stayed at El Mangroove the first week of May and had a wonderful time. First, it is easy to get to being less than thirty minutes from LIR, twenty minutes from rental car agencies (recommend Vamos). The resort has an upscale, laid back vibe with an attractive contemporary design that blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings. The brown sand beach is just steps away and was just right for our early morning power walks (also enjoyed the beach at nearby Playa Hermosa). We chose a Canopy Grand Suite for our room (#120). It is a second floor suite with a private balcony. The bedroom is huge with an equally spacious living area. The corner location allows windows on the two corner walls offering nice views of both the beach and resort. We ate several lunches and dinners at Matiss, the beachside cafe. The food was good and reasonably priced (also try Roberto's in nearby Playa Hermosa for the best sunsets). As mentioned, the staff was outstanding top to bottom, and they just couldn't do enough for you. Several deserve special mention including Nicole, Stephanny, Christina, Johnson, Carlos, Marisico (sp.) and Roberto. I do have one complaint which too often applies to many other hotels. Although I thought that the cost of the room was commensurate with its quality, I took one star off for value for assessing a daily 30 USD 'activity fee'. This fee has unfortunately become an industry standard and is nothing but a marketing ploy. In spite of this, we did very much enjoy our stay at El Mangroove, and highly recommend it. Travel Tips: There is a grocery store (Super Luperon) and nice souvenir shop (Sol Souvenirs) right beside it in nearby Playa Hermosa. Also, don't even think about driving in Costa Rica without a navigation device. (Waze works well). The roads are poorly marked, if at all. And look at travel times, not just distance. It takes much longer to get to places than you think.

El Mangroove, Autograph Collection, gave us an amazing experience with spacious rooms, a relaxing atmosphere, and exceptional service. One of the highlights for us was the breakfast — delicious and with a true Costa Rican style that made every morning special. While staying in the Papagayo Peninsula, some people at the hotel recommended booking tours with Nomad Tours Costa Rica, and we’re so glad we did. Gabriel, a local guide, organized an incredible canopy adventure at Buena Vista, a 4x4 beach tour where we explored hidden beaches and enjoyed fresh seasonal fruits like mangoes and watermelon, and even arranged a beautiful yacht trip for us during our stay. I would definitely recommend El Mangroove if you’re visiting Guanacaste — beautiful atmosphere, great service, and conveniently located close to the Liberia airport.

We recently stayed at El Mangroove, Autograph Collection, with high expectations given the Marriott brand. Unfortunately, the experience fell well short of what we would expect from an Autograph Collection property. From the outset of our stay, we encountered a number of issues that impacted our overall experience. What was most frustrating was not just the issues themselves, but the lack of effective response and accountability from on-site management. Despite raising concerns early during our stay and requesting to speak with a manager, we were unable to do so until the day of checkout. This meant there was no meaningful opportunity to resolve issues in real time, which significantly detracted from our ability to enjoy the property. The overall condition and experience at the hotel did not meet expected standards, to the extent that we found ourselves regularly leaving the property for basic meals — not something you would expect when booking a resort stay. While Marriott Bonvoy customer service did follow up after the stay and offered points as a gesture of goodwill, this was an insufficient resolution and did not address the core issue — the lack of service recovery when it mattered most, during the stay itself. There is a clear gap between the standards associated with the Marriott brand and the experience delivered at this property.

I can not say enough positive things about this hotel. We stopped at the El Mangroove after reserving (and prepaying) at another hotel across from them, that was well below standard. We were nervous to pull up to the gate and admit we didn't have a reservation, but the gate guard was so friendly and welcoming and called the front desk and ensured us it was no problem to check-in. We drove to the front desk and instantly felt like family. The bellman welcomed us by name and ushered us to the checkin counter and introduced us to Patrick who listened to my story of what had occurred elsewhere and told us 'no problem we will take care of you". Then came the freshly made welcome drink and cold towels. It was my partner's birthday - and they went above and beyond. Management (Victor) happily approved a room upgrade (oceanfront -stunning!) and everyone went out of their way to welcome us. Beach is clean and sunset is amazing, very few vendors and they accepted 'no thank you' without any ongoing harrasment. They have a designated swimming area in the ocean so no need to worry about boats or seadoos. Pool is very large and not crowded. We were invted to attend 'happy hour' to meet the managment team and we were once again treated like family. The servers at the beach front bar addressed us by name (thank you Edgar) and we had a very enjoyable conversation with the team while enjoying a drink. We ended up cancelling our reservation for dinner in town and decided to eat at the restaurant onsite - well worth it. Live muscian that played French, Spanish and English songs in a volume that did not disrupt a conversation shared over a bottle of wine. Meal ended with the musician singing Happy Birthday to my partner with a complimentary desert with a candle. They have bikes and kayaks to use that are included in the price as well as excusions to surrounding areas that can be added on at an additional charge. This resort is a boutique hotel that should not be missed. Its size and handpicked staff, is perfect for ensuring personalized service and name recongnition. We will be back! As a side note - there was a large wedding party that evening and the music level did not overpower the singer nor was it intrusive to our meal. The rooms are very quite and we never heard the party at all once we were in our room.