El Mangroove, Autograph Collection

We stayed for one night at the end of our trip before needing to catch an early flight given that this is a pretty quick drive from the airport and it was by far one of the worst hotel rooms we’ve ever stayed in. The property is pretty and the staff were all very nice and helpful and clearly work hard to make sure you have a nice stay — but I have to warn others that the design of the standard room is bizarre and really uncomfortable. When you open your hotel room you walk into a cement sort of atrium that is like a small prison cell, with no windows, only screens - which means giant bugs and beetles are all over the screens trying to get into the cooler air and / or lit up room. There is a couch in this area but no AC which means it’s humid, wet, and unusable. Then there is a locked sliding glass door to your left that leads into an extremely cramped room with the bed and bathroom. The sliding door automatically locks from the outside, and you need a separate key to get into it. If you are behind the sliding glass door you also can’t hear anyone knocking - or even banging - on the door to your hotel room. I found the auto-lock and sound-proof aspects to be incredibly unsafe and anxiety-inducing while traveling with a 3 year old. If, for instance, I stepped into the atrium area and my 3 year old shut the sliding door I wouldn’t be able to get back in and she wouldn’t be able to open the door because it had a tricky handle. I did not see other reviews here warning about this and had we booked more than one night at this hotel I would have probably left and found another place to stay because it literally felt like a cement prison cell / panic room and felt so unsafe. The design just wasn’t thoughtful in a number of ways, including the shower that was situated inside the closet, cement floors with no rug, bed mere inches from a low window, and window curtains that were incredibly hard to reach and difficult to shut across the massive sliding glass door (what a dumb design). There was also an incredibly bright green blinking smoke detector positioned directly above our heads. It was so bright I initially thought it was lightning outside or that there was an ambulance outside our window. I’m shocked more people haven’t complained about this on here. Also, the AC is a mini split, not central air, which means even on the auto setting it never turns off. If you want it to turn off you’d have to turn it all the way off then back on whenever you get hot. It is positioned such that it blasts air in your face while sleeping (given small size of the room). At this price point I found this totally intolerable- again had I booked for longer I would have been ready to leave after one night over all these factors. Also - just a note that at least when we stayed in June - there were SO many bugs including gnats that bite constantly - and we did not have this problem at all at another Marriott property just 45 minutes down the coast for the entire prior week. Not sure if this is juts location related or is due to insufficient insect deterrent / repellent practices, but it also would have made a longer stay intolerable for me . Even with insect repellent I ended up with over 20 bug bites from a less than 24 hour stay (and I got maybe 5 or 6 during a 6 night stay at the other hotel nearby).

El Mangroove is a beautiful, relaxing hotel with excellent service. The team makes every effort to make you feel at home on the property. From the golf cart rides to our villa, private transportation anywhere we want to go ( the amazing Cesar and Marcos), private concierge (the wonderful Noelia!), perfect pool and beachside food and beverage service to the most impeccable villa including a private plunge pool that was just right for our family, we enjoyed our 5 night stay very much and will definitely be back!

We had a wonderful stay at El Mangroove. The rooms were comfortable, the breakfast was excellent, and the staff was always friendly and attentive. We especially loved relaxing by the pool while enjoying the views of the tropical landscape and the nearby ocean. It was the perfect place to unwind and enjoy our vacation. While staying at the hotel, we were recommended to do the La Leona Waterfall hike with Julio from Nomad Tours Costa Rica, and we are so glad we did. The experience was fantastic, taking us through the river, crystal-clear natural pools, and breathtaking scenery before reaching the impressive waterfall. Julio was knowledgeable, professional We highly recommend El Mangroove for a relaxing stay

Great option This hotel was a great choice overall. While it’s not an ultra-luxury five-star resort, it offers excellent value for the price, especially in this expensive part of Costa Rica, where luxury accommodations can approach Hawaii-level pricing. Its proximity to the airport made transportation very convenient. The room was comfortable, and although the balcony design felt a bit unusual. It still did the job. We had dinner at the hotel one evening; it was somewhat pricey, but the paella was quite good. The pool and grounds were beautifully maintained, and the service was attentive. The beach has dark sand and was pleasantly uncrowded, with only a few vendors and otherwise mostly hotel guests. Sunsets on the beach were the highlight of our stay. The main downside is that there isn’t much within close distance of the hotel. A rental car is needed if you want to explore nearby areas like Playa Coco or Playa Hermosa for additional dining options.

We had a wonderful vacation staying at El Mangroove, Autograph Collection. The hotel is beautiful, very clean, and located in an amazing area of Playa Panamá. The staff was friendly, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was perfect for a relaxing family trip. We also used Issys Tours Costa Rica for our transportation, sport fishing, and Mega Combo Tour, and the service was outstanding from beginning to end. Everything was organized perfectly, always on time, and very professional. Our guide Norberto was excellent — friendly, knowledgeable, and made our tours even more enjoyable. Highly recommend both the hotel and Issys Tours for anyone visiting Guanacaste, Costa Rica