Guest staying at Riu Palace Costa Rica have full access of the resort facilities at:
- Riu Guanacaste
Important Information: All of the above information is subject to change at any time without prior notice. More information will be provided upon check-in. Transportation available but not included. Please be aware that breakfast and dinner must be taken at the booked hotel.
Guests celebrating their honeymoon with us will receive the following amenities:
• Surprise welcome gift in their room
• Small bottle of Rum
• King bed (subject to availability at time of check-in)
• Late Check-out (Subject to availability at time of departure)
• Complimentary upgrade to next available room category (subject to availability and upon request)
• 35 USD Spa credit for a selected service in "Specials for couple" category (120 min). This discount applies per couple per stay and does not apply with other promotions or discounts.
To receive this offer, just enter "Honeymoon" in the Special Service Request section during check-out or call out Customer Care and we will be happy to make the notation for you.
Important Information: Proof of marriage must be provided at check-in and must be valid within 90 days.
Resort Details
- Arenal
Main restaurant with terrace.
- Capuchino
Patisserie & ice cream parlor.
- Coconut
Pool bar with swim-up bar.
- Krystal
Fusion restaurant.
- L'Anfora
Italian cuisine.
- Papagayo
Poolside restaurant - grill and steakhouse.
- Tokio
Japanese cuisine.
- Various Lounges/Bars- Daiquiri
- Flora
- Lounge 24
- Tico Tico
- 24-hour room service
- Children programs
- Children welcome
- Exercise gym
- Free high speed internet connection
- Golf,Offsite†
- Jacuzzi
- Lounges/bars
- Meal Plan Type: All Inclusive
- Pool
- 24-hour room service
- Children programs
- Children welcome
- Exercise gym
- Free high speed internet connection
- Golf, Offsite†
- Jacuzzi
- Lounges/bars
- Meal Plan Type: All Inclusive
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Shops and commercial services†
- Spa†
- Tennis court
- Water sports, Offsite†
† Fees may apply
- Beach
Free sun loungers.
Direct access to Matapalo Beach, surrounded by stunning biodiversity.
- Children's pool
- Children's program
- General †Stay at Riu Palace, enjoy Riu Guanacaste activities too.24-hour dining with unlimited food, drinks, and cocktails.Supports Costa Rica’s eco-tourism and sustainable travel initiatives.
- GymUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old. Sports shoes are mandatory when using the gym.
- JacuzziUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old.
- Non-Motorized Water Sports- Windsurfing
- Pedalos
- Snorkeling equipment
- Kayaking - Pool
There are 4 swimming pools, 1 with a swim-up bar.
- Steam bathUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old.
- Tennis courtFloodlit hard surface tennis court.
- Water activities †
Riu Splash Water World onsite, near volcanoes, waterfalls, sightseeing spots.
This attraction will offer a variety of water rides and features for all ages, including a children´s pool with slides, Aquaracer, Body Bowl, Aquatube and Kamikaze and refreshments area.
- Golf †
- Motorized Water Sports †
† Fees may apply
Guest Reviews from Apple Vacations Customers
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
10719 reviews
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Jan 17, 2026Disappointing
Dirty hotel and ground areas. The food was lacking any flavor and service was poor. All inclusive hotel but every restaurant we asked for a glass of wine they told us we have to pay. We asked for a manager and we were told there was no one on duty “at this time “
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Jan 17, 2026
Dirty swim-out pool, poor service, bad food, and disappointing stay.
I am currently staying at the RIU Guanacaste (Jan 16-20, 2026) and so far this has been a very frustrating and disappointing experience. I specifically booked and paid extra for a swim-out room, only to arrive at check-in and find that the pool was very dirty and completely unusable. I reported this immediately after checking in and was told someone would come within 20 minutes. No one ever showed up. Later that same evening, I went to the front desk again and was told the pool cleaner would be sent first thing in the morning. It is now midday, and still no one has come. When I called the front desk again, the representative seemed completely clueless, said she would ask her supervisor, and then hung up on me. At this point, the lack of accountability and follow-through is unacceptable — especially considering the premium price paid for this room type. The service overall is subpar and disorganized. The room itself has a musty, mildew smell, and we’ve already encountered spiders and other bugs, which is not what you expect from a resort of this size or reputation. Another major issue is the distance from the rooms to the amenities. It is a very long walk, and the resort does not offer golf carts or transportation, which makes getting around inconvenient and exhausting, especially in the heat. The drinks are poorly made, watered down, and often not prepared correctly. The so-called 24-hour restaurant is a complete joke. The food is terrible — cold hot dogs, burgers, and nachos — and you’re expected to heat everything yourself in a microwave that is only in Spanish, with no staff available to help. No one could even figure out how to use it properly. Overall, this resort has been a major disappointment. Poor service, unresolved issues, low-quality food and drinks, and zero urgency when problems are reported. I would not recommend RIU Guanacaste, especially if you are paying extra for upgraded room options that you may not even be able to use.
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Jan 16, 2026Nice but better places to go
Super crowded, but strange people. It was as if they had never been on vacation before. Hotel was very nice (just renovated but no room service). Beautiful area and beach. Staff was great, polite and professional. They had no reservation system at all, so you had to wait in line for an hour plus to get into a restaurant. There was one newlywed couple that ate almost every meal offsite. No AC in the workout gym either. Avoid this place until mgmt can figure it out. Not sure why it's so hard.
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Jan 14, 2026Really good!
Location: Hot, beach, filled with animals such as monkeys, iguanas, lizards, turtles, fish, dolphins, etc., Around an hour from the airport Atmosphere: Very friendly Rooms: Spacious, good view, keycard, easy access tothe room Value: Definitely great! Cleanliness: Very clean! Noise level: It's usually quiet at night, with the exception (sometimes) of rowdy, loud guests Service: Great! We booked a charter boat and caught a tuna. The buffet chefs turned it into sashimi for us!
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Jan 13, 2026Good week, but improvement needed !
Great hotel, totally redone - stunning when compared to the Riu Palace next door which is very dated. Friendly staff BUT, 3 of the 7 days our room was not made, line up for the steak house is insane and they must have offered locals some very steep discounts to stay on the weekend(s). Totally cheapened the experience, long lines at buffet and cooks could not keep up, yelling and screaming of drunks at the pool which was only a problem on the weekend due to the discounted stay offering.
- AdvisoryCosta Rica will impose some restrictions for Holy Week. Alcohol is not permitted to be sold or consumed. This ban on alcohol starts the Thursday prior to Easter and runs through Easter Sunday. A few hotels purchase special permits to serve alcohol, but generally it is not available. In addition, most restaurants, shops, and bars will be closed for the same time period. Restaurants in the hotels will be operating. The City Tour will not be operating.
- Advisory*Important Information for Our Guest* As of April 2012, the destination of Costa Rica has gone non-smoking in all public buildings and areas. All hotel rooms are also non-smoking.
- AdvisoryStudent 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.
- AdvisoryRiu Palace Costa Rica will undergo a complete renovation starting August 31st, 2026 and reopening on March 13th, 2027. During this period, the hotel will be temporarily closed to ensure the best possible results and guest experience upon reopening.
- Check In: 3:00 PM
- Check Out: 12:00 PM
- Minimum Check-In Age: 18
- General Policies:
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 Policies - 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 Policy
- Early Departure Penalty:1 NightApplies: Sunday - Saturday 01May25 - 23Dec26
- Early Departure Penalty:2 NightsApplies: Sunday - Saturday 24Dec25 - 30Apr26
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*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.