Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica

My family of four just spent our Spring Break at ANDAZ and we all had the most incredible time! I loved how easy it was to get to from Liberia and once you pull into the Papagayo peninsula, you feel like you have entered a true paradise. Our room (728) was a plunge pool suite and was much bigger than I expected! Our boys 11 & 14 had no problem sleeping in the main room on a pullout couch and rollaway bed. The 1/2 bath was helpful so we weren’t all sharing the main bath (except for showers). The staff at ANDAZ make everything even more special. They were beyond friendly! Chao Pescao was our favorite dinner spot (we ate there 3x) and the GAIO breakfast spread is delicious! We did a few excursions including Rio Celeste and River tubing in order to see more of Costa Rica and I’m glad we did - however, we could have spent our entire time at the resort! We did the Aerial Adventures through the resort one afternoon and it was top notch as well as snorkeling. ANDAZ is Pure Costa Rican magic with luxury and comfort in mind.

I loved this hotel because it was such a convenient complex of everything I needed to relax: comfort, entertainment, good food all in close proximity. But my favorite part - by far - was this barista class I took. Jeffry, the teacher, is very knowledgeable about coffee and goes above and beyond to deliver valuable information regardless if you’re a coffee snob like me or if you just want to make better coffee in your mokka pot (or whatever the name is). We tasted several high-quality Costa Rican coffees and I still keep in touch with him whenever I have a coffee-related question. The class takes place at a coffee shop right by the Gaio restaurant - separate but within that nice ambience. It’s called Coffee and Vinyl and they really need to get their own TripAdvisor and Google page, khm khm.

We had such a great stay at Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo — it’s one of those places that just feels easy and relaxing from the moment you arrive. The whole resort blends into the jungle and ocean so beautifully, and you really feel that “pura vida” vibe everywhere you go. The food honestly exceeded our expectations — every meal felt fresh, flavorful, and thoughtfully done, whether it was breakfast, casual bites, or dinner. You can tell they really care about quality and presentation. But what really made the stay special was the service. Every single employee we interacted with was warm, kind, and genuinely helpful — not forced, just naturally welcoming. You can feel that the team takes pride in what they do. A big highlight for us was the beach club, Casa de Playa Beach Club. The whole experience there is amazing — from the setting to the food to the overall atmosphere. And a special thank you to Mr. Santiago, who took such great care of us. He went above and beyond and made our time there even more memorable. Also, huge appreciation to all the hardworking staff behind the scenes — from housekeeping to restaurant teams to drivers — everyone contributes to making the experience feel seamless and elevated. Overall, it’s a place we’d absolutely come back to — beautiful setting, great food, and truly wonderful people.

Before arriving, we had read mixed reviews about the resort, but needed a relaxing stay after a week of activities in Costa Rica and as Globalists figured this would be good enough. Our experience was so good that it made me wonder whether the bad reviews were of a different resort! The service at the resort - from check-in, to housekeeping, to the poolside - was prompt, enthusiastic and polished. The waiter at Gaio remembered the names of everyone in our party by the second day! We booked a Cabana experience for one day at Casa de Playa, which I highly recommend - there were so many amenities included that it honestly felt like a bargain. We stayed in an Andaz Bay suite, which was beautiful. The room was spacious, with a king size bed, queen sleeper sofa, dining area, and MASSIVE bathroom, and of course the view from the balcony of the bay as well as the resident howler monkeys and capuchins was fantastic. The resort is not cheap, especially during spring break when we were traveling, but this room was a worthy splurge. The pools at the resort are gorgeous, and I appreciated that both sunscreen and bug spray were provided. The hotel provides shuttles to other resorts on the peninsula - we enjoyed dinner at the Four Seasons one evening. I also had a great massage at the spa. All around, just a fantastic experience and I can't wait to return.

The beach is stunning, perfect for swimming and water activities, with warm, calm water. Everything else was excellent too: the cocktails, the food, the rooms were impeccable. This hotel is ideal for relaxing, fully immersed in nature. I would definitely return. For our outdoor adventures, we heard about Gabriel from Nomadtourscr and booked our tours in a self-drive style. It was super easy to reach all the destinations. Gabriel responded very quickly on WhatsApp and helped us plan the itinerary. We did the Rincón de la Vieja hike to see volcanic activity, the La Leona waterfall tour, which was amazing—and a private catamaran trip. Everything was smooth and well organized. I highly recommend Gabriel and Nomad Tours for travelers with a rental car. Pura vida, see you next time!