El Mangroove, Autograph Collection

First of all, I rarely write reviews. But I am always grateful to those who do because I rely on them strongly when researching hotels, restaurants, and activities. So it’s time to pay it forward. Before I talk about the El Mangroove hotel, I want to thank the previous reviewers who recommended Gabriel at Nomad Tours. We booked him for 4 days in a row for private tours (for my husband and me). From the time he picked us up at the airport and dropped us off a week later, we experienced the best of Costa Rica with our own private guide. Please check out their website nomadtourscr.com and look at the following tours which we did: Safari Boat Tour and Cultural Tasting ; Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Hike which included a visit to some wonderful hot springs; and the Tenorio Rain Forest Hike and its beautiful waterfall. After this hike we drove to a location where we had a delicious Costa Rican lunch and then went on a short hike which included going over hanging bridges. I’m not crazy about heights but overcame that because of the beautiful lush landscape of the rain forest. It actually rained a little but that just added to the rain forest experience! In addition to these tours, Gabriel also provides reliable airport transportation. Also, check out the reviews for Nomad Tours Costa Rica in Trip Advisor. Every single review is 5 stars! Now, about El Mangroove. I picked this property based on the many great reviews and nearness to the airport (less than 30 minutes) and I wasn’t sorry. I believe we had the best room in the place - #120. It is on the corner of the building overlooking the beach. There is a balcony off the bedroom with a view of the water (Gulf of Papagayo). There is also a living room and a second bathroom (powder room). At the main entrance is another outdoor porch which has a huge round cushioned sitting area with pillows. I really enjoyed spending time out there reading. Very comfortable because of the ceiling fan. The swimming pool is the longest one we have seen. Narrow but long with lots of seating. It is an adults only pool and I was especially appreciative when a family with 2 kids (under the age of 16) were told they had to move to one of the other 2 pools. This was taken care of in a very professional manner by the security guard around the pool. He graciously offered to move them to another cabana and the family was very accommodating. They didn’t realize the pool was adults only. We also really enjoyed the lounge chairs located on the grass (not too far from the pool) which overlook the beach. Trees provided shade there which was very nice. On our last day there we were able to watch the set-up and ceremony for a wedding. The breakfast buffet was second to none. I really enjoyed it not just because of the food (the most delicious banana bread and carrot bread you have even eaten!) but because of the peaceful setting. And the Costa Rican coffee is the best. We never had to wait to have our eggs and omelets cooked exactly as we wanted. The shuttle service provided by the hotel was excellent. Cesar was exceptional, taking us wherever we wanted to go. The shuttle service even went to the town of Playas del Coco about 20 minutes from the hotel. We highly recommend the restaurant “La Dolce Vita”. It has a great outdoor ambience, large portions of great Italian food, and wonderful service. It’s a big place but we felt welcome the minute we arrived. The owner initially made sure we got a table we liked, and stopped by later to see how we enjoyed everything. We are not usually fans of live music because it’s either too loud and/or not the type of music we enjoy. But it turns out that the 3 piece band – which played the entire time we were there – really added to our enjoyment of the evening. They played music by the Beatles, Jimmy Buffet, and more familiar groups. There was even a small dance floor which a few couples took advantage of. Fun! We wish we hadn’t waited until the last night to go there – we would have definitely returned. Last but not least, I want to mention how wonderful the entire staff at the El Mangroove are. Every single person we encountered – and there were a lot! – were extremely courteous and accommodating. The check-in team, housekeeping, restaurant staff, concierge, valet, and pool attendants were all there to please and make sure we enjoyed our time at their hotel.

2 nights of noisy outdoor weddings with loud music. Mealtimes were noisy and pool was crowded and dirty (see picture) with guests standing and drinking. 20 boats and 8 jet skis were moored just outside the swim area. 3 days of smoke from farmer's fields. Smoke from burning fields is a problem during the dry season. Room was nice and clean.

Limited neighborhood restaurants and hard to get an Uber. Slippery on the concrete around the pool. Otherwise everything spectacular.

My wife and I attempted to book a day pass at El Mangroove while staying at a neighboring resort, as we were interested in checking out what the property had to offer. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely frustrating from start to finish. We contacted the hotel via WhatsApp, where customer service directed us to send an email inquiry. We did so and never received a response. We then called the Marriott toll-free number, who told us to contact the hotel directly. When we called the hotel, we were told to call the concierge. Concierge forwarded us to another number, which turned out to be non-working. After multiple calls, emails, and messages, we were unable to get a simple answer or assistance regarding a day pass. The lack of coordination, follow-up, and basic communication was surprising and disappointing for a Marriott-affiliated property. Based solely on this experience, the customer service is extremely poor, and it ultimately discouraged us from visiting the resort at all.

We absolutely loved El Mangroove! It was perfectly located near the airport, and the property was gorgeous, impeccably clean, and beautifully maintained. The rooms were spacious and very comfortable. Everyone on staff was AMAZING—so friendly, welcoming, and genuinely kind. The restaurants on the property were very good, and there were also a few off-property dining options conveniently located near the hotel that we really enjoyed as well. We especially loved our concierge, Pablo, who helped us navigate and adjust our schedule on a daily basis. He was probably the most patient and kindest person we met during our stay. Just a heads-up—he will encourage you to try communicating in Spanish 😉 Thankfully, I knew a little and managed to hold my own! If you’re looking for a family-friendly, relaxing resort with excellent service, I highly recommend this property. 🌴 ✨