Hotel Overview
Location
GuanacasteProperty Information
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Hotel Details
Hotel Advisories
General Policies & Fine Print
Check-in Policy - Deposits or credit/debit card hold authorizations are not requested at check-in. Minimum age of 18 is required for check-in, an ID/Passport will be requested upon arrival.
Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.
Hotel Spring Break Policy- Student Groups/Spring Breakers (either groups or individuals, regardless of age) are not allowed at any time during the year. Guests disturbing or generating complaints from other guests or hotel may be removed from the property, at their own expense. Parties in rooms are not permitted.
Transfer Policy - A price may display when children stay free, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.
General Information - Room taxes and service fees are included in vacation price.
Minimum night stay restrictions may apply.
Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel.
- Early Departure Penalty: 1 Night Applies: Sunday - Saturday 04Jul24 - 23Dec26
- Early Departure Penalty: 2 Nights Applies: Sunday - Saturday 24Dec24 - 30Apr25
- Early Departure Penalty: 2 Nights Applies: Sunday - Saturday 24Dec25 - 30Apr26
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
10278 reviews-
Fantastic holiday, Great hotel
Just arrived back home after spending 1 week at this Amazing hotel. After reading previously bad reviews I was concerned, but I needn't of been. I will break the review down into Pros and cons.. Pros: *Restaurants: as a fussy Vegetarian I always managed to find something delicious to eat and the food was hot too. We stuck to the buffet restaurants. *Drinks: really great cocktails, bar staff work extremely hard. *Hospitality: all the staff we encountered were extremely friendly,helpful & hardworking *Location: Great location, was easy to navigate where everything was. *Wifi: Good connection throughout the whole hotel, never lost signal. *Hotel: Grounds very well maintained and clean, aesthetically beautiful and Grand, pool was amazing, nice and warm, plenty of sunbeds. Room: Cleaners: Worked very hard, our room was always clean and tidy when we returned, and even left my daughter a Happy Birthday message and a little present on her birthday in the room, this was a nice touching gesture. Cons: * Room was dated, definitely needs a refurb * Fridge didn't work, plug outlet hanging out of the wall, so drinks in fridge couldn't be chilled. *Safe in the room did not work, was showing error message * Other than the drinks that was already in the fridge when we arrived, the drinks wasn't topped up throughout our stay, there mean't to be replenished every 2 days but they wasn't. * Shower wasn't great, no pressure it just trickled out, hard to rinse shampoo out of hair Overall we had a fantastic time, and the pros outweighed the cons. I wouldn't hesitate to return to this hotel, yes the beds were hard but not uncomfortable, the pillows were big and fluffy. We didn't experience any bad behaviour from anyone and felt very safe and welcome. Costa Rica is a Beautiful country and it was so lovely to see wild animals roaming around freely, especially the howler monkeys swinging from the trees outside our balcony, and the Iguanas beside the pool. Top Tips: Bring Mosquito repellent, the Mozzies are brutal and we were bitten all over, also bring some itch/bite cream. Bring your own shampoo/conditioner, they only provide bodywash in the bathroom. Bring your own thermos cup/beaker to keep your drinks cool. Bring a rain jacket/poncho if you plan on doing excursions up in the volcano/mountains, we had torrential rain whilst up there walking and saw so many people without jackets who were drenched, rain is more likely up there on the Carribean side.
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Excellent Value
The resort is excellent for 200 USD a night. The food quality is excellent. The resort is very clean. The staff is very friendly. The resort is beautiful. The resort is in the middle of the rainforest. You can see and hear howler monkeys from your room. Airport transfer is included if you sign up as a riu class member. Yes, the décor is old. They do not have your brand of alcohol. It does rain sometimes. Yes we did need to travel 5 hours to the alternate airport. They weere unfortunately not willing provide transportation by helicopter. I honestly cannot comprehend what is provided for the money. This was all provided despite a national emergency.
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November trip
Staff was great. Rooms were great and clean. Food was good. Had a lovely time minus the rain. Our flights were cancelled and the hotel went out of their way to accommodate us.
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Fabulous Hotel 🥰
After reading all the negative reviews regarding this hotel I was reluctant to go so decided to draw my own conclusions. This hotel has charm … dedicated staff who go the extra mile to make your stay fabulous …. Huge variety of meals so complaints regarding food those people must be extremely picky! Rooms are clean ok taps are tarnished but this is Central America except humidity!! As for array of animals these too are to be expected we built a hotel in their habitat. Entertainment was of high standard the stamina of those dancers left me breathless ☺️ it was my 1st trip to Costa Rica and this lovely hotel 100% recommend it 🥰 Anyone who complains about this beautiful hotel and its staff needs to have a good hard look at their expectations and do some research on the place before travelling!!
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Guest Restrictions
I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with a concerning situation during my recent visit at Hotel Riu Guanacaste. I was informed by hotel staff that guests were not allowed to leave the premises or book external services, as it was allegedly unsafe. Furthermore, it was stated that guests who chose to do so would face penalties. I have attached a screenshot of a message shared directly with guests, outlining this restriction. This practice is deeply troubling as it not only limits the freedom of guests but also damages the image of Costa Rica as a safe and welcoming destination. It also negatively impacts local businesses and tour operators who strive to provide high-quality and authentic experiences to visitors. I kindly request an explanation of this practice and information on the actions you will take to address and prevent similar situations in the future. I believe this issue must be resolved promptly to protect the reputation of the RIU brand and maintain the trust of your guests.
*Prices per person based on double occupancy including round-trip airfare via U.S. certified air carriers (unless otherwise stated), hotel taxes and baggage handling, fuel surcharges, and all pre-collected U.S. and foreign taxes. Round-trip airport/hotel transfers are included in Mexico (excluding Loreto), Central America and many Caribbean Islands. Transfers not included for air-only passengers. Prices valid on new bookings only and in some instances, pricing may specifically apply to one of multiple flights on select departure days. All packages are based on the lowest hotel/air classes available at time of publication, capacity controlled, subject to availability and change without notice. Promotional pricing may only be available for a limited time. Restrictions & black -out dates may apply. Fees may apply for carry-on and checked baggage-view Baggage Policies. Some resort fees, environmental levies and departure taxes are not included and may be payable in resort. View Frequently Asked Questions for more information. Apple Vacations is not responsible for errors or omissions. Bookings are subject to the current General/Cancellation Terms & Conditions. All public charter flights Allegiant Air: PC 20-070/PC 21-043; Swift Air: PC 21-056; Viva Aerobus: PC 20-081; Volaris: PC 20-099 are operated by ALG Vacations Corp. Apple Vacations materials (including, but not limited to, names, trademark, service marks, logos, marketing materials, etc.) shall not be used, reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any way, except with the express written consent of Apple Vacations. CST2139014-20. This information is current as of June 3, 2021.