Riu Guanacaste Reviews

This was a great resort with beautiful landscaping, pools and beach. The rooms are brand new and in great condition, very cool with nice CLEAN bathrooms! The only down fall is the food options are limited and there is no room service or 24 hour snack bar.

My husband and I got the chance to experience what paradise is really like. Upon arrival we were greeted with a welcome cocktail. The service was wonderful, anything you might have needed the staff was always more than accommodating! The resort was clean and inviting. After reading some of the reviews, I was skeptic about the beds, and food. I’m not sure what the fuss was all about, but my husband and I loved the food. For buffet style, it was tasty and fresh! They offered something new everyday. Our room overlooked the rain forest and was quiet and peaceful. We had the best sleep the both of us have ever had. Our rooms were cleaned daily, sheets changed, towels etc. Every other day our mini fridge was stocked. The entertainment was AWESOME!! The entertainment crew was always so happy, fun, up beat, and definitely put on a show with whatever they did. The pool bartenders were excellent and made the best drinks and quick too! The beach staff was also very accommodating in whatever activity you choose. We took the boat to Cocoa, went snorkeling, took a guided Jet Ski adventure, where we were able to see a sea turtle, dolphins (which came right up to our jet ski) and beautiful scenery. It did rain on a daily basis, but that is just that...you are in the rain forest. If you do not like or enjoy rain, you will not like this resort. I have taken several trips to Mexico, Jamaica and would get tired of the sun beating down on you all day; it’s nice to cool off to a little shower. This place was truly a romantic, fun filled, relaxing resort. We will most definitely visit another RIU resort in the very near future. For the price this resort is a 10!!

We found the service, food and accomodations to be excellent. The buffet was outstanding, with a wide variety of fresh local fish, fruits and vegetables available. The pool facilities with swim-up bar were topnotch; the co-located lunch pavilion was handy. The beach was nice but a little smaller than others we have visited in CR. Skip the special dinner nights - food in the buffet was much better! All in all, a good value and relaxing get-away.

We just returned from the Rui in Costa Rica and we had a great time. Without a doubt this was the cleanest resort we ever stayed at in the Carribean. Our room while a little on the smaller side was maintained daily while we enjoyed the day at the pool or at the beach. When we asked for an extra pillow, 2 extra pillows appeared later that day .Even the mens room at the pool bar was very clean. There was always someone making sure that the facilities were spotless. The only negative was we had to ask for our mini bar to be restocked when they forgot. But again, one phone call and it was done. Service was top notch. The bar tenders and wait staff were friendly and prompt even if they did not speak much English. While tipping is not required, I was so pleased with the service that I was happy to leave a few dollars every now and then which was much appreciated. The side trips to see the country were rather expensive, especially the ones offered by the companies in the hotel lobby. We found a local guide that we met on the beach who took us and another couple on the best side trip we ever experienced in the Carribean. Look for Victor when you go to the beach. All in all it was a great trip.

The resort was gorgeous! The beach is not a white sand beach, but it was incredible. The pool water was a little too warm to be refreshing, but it got you wet. :) The staff was always so happy and would go out of their way to serve you. It was very relaxing. One day my friend and I broght a deck of cards to the pool and played at the pool bar. There were always activities that you could be involved in or you could just take a nap poolside. March and April are Guanacaste's hottest months so be prepared 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity. The people who complained about the roads are just looking for something to gripe about. Yeah the road isn't paved, but so what this isn't the US. Enjoy the expirence. As previously stated by others, the food is not the greatest. I was disappointed by the quality. The quantity was there, but very poor in flavor and taste. They didn't even have fresh orange juice. And the only fresh fruit were pineapples, mangos, and melon. So be aware of that. I would go and stay there again, but I would probably bring food with me. Off the resort the food was good, so it wasn't a cultural thing, but a chef thing. Hope this helps.

The service and food were exceptional. They also had good nightly entertainment. I would recommend this resort to my friends. Can't wait to go back.

WOW, THIS WAS A GREAT VACATION, NOTHING LIKE RELAXING ALL DAY AND BEING PAMPERED THROUGHOUT. EVERYWHERE YOU WENT IT WAS ALWAYS CLEAN AND SOMEONE CHEERFUL THERE TO GREAT YOU AND HELP YOU IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. THE FOOD WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD AND A LARGE VARIETY TO PICK FROM. THE MASSAGE WAS EXTRAORDINARY. WOULD GO BACK AGAIN WITHOUT QUESTION.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon a little before check-in time. The lobby was a bit crowded, but it was mostly people choosing to wait there until their rooms were ready. The check-in was quick and easy because ther was a desk set-up for online bookings. We left our bags with the bag staff and headed to the pool for a drink. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous, and the pool is massive. We hung out for a bit waiting for our room, but we quickly found that bees were attracted to the flowers and high numbers of sweet drinks around the pool. When we got to the room, we found it to be clean and in good condition. After unpacking, we explored the grounds to locate all of the bars and restaurants as well as the beach area. The restaurants and bars rotate on times that they are open so you have to get used to that. But, the Sports Bar is always open and has internet access and AC -- great after the humidity gets to you. We didn't have reservations for dinner for the first night and missed the booking window so we hit the main buffet for dinner. The restaurant is expansive with lots to choose from. But, the quality left a bit to be desired. Overall, the food quality varied from night to night and place to place, but Ocatal was far and away the best. The beach area is great. It is semi-private since you basically need a boat to get there if you aren't at the resort. There aren't too many vendors hitting you up while you're there, but be ready for a few. The staff is absolutely great. However, I made a point to tip throughout the trip. Everyone was appreciative, and it always lead to better service (that day and on subsequent ones). I recommend this not only for better service but to help out the staff. The entertainment is kitchy, and they try hard. But, it is sometimes a bit hard to take. Finally, the room situation was somewhat awkward. The bed was like a rock, and the cleaning service was all over the map. Our room wasn't cleaned twice, and we had to call for towels more than once. Overally, it was a good stay, but we've had some better all-inclusive experiences at similar price points. They need more beer choices and a better grade of alcohol as well as consistency in food and room services.

The resort was very nice and staff was helpful. There weren't many food choices, most were buffet, and the food was not good at all. Otherwise, we had a great trip.

The Riu Guanacaste is definitely the best all-inclusive resort I've been to! The resort is extremely clean - there is always someone cleaning something. The food is fantastic too! My husband and I never even ate at the 3 restaurants because the buffet(s) were so good and plentiful that we could always eat it without eating the same foods repeatedly, and all of it was delicious. Everyone is super-friendly, and I can't believe that the largest resort in Central America contains plenty of pool and beach areas that are more private as well as providing opportunities to be surrounded by others, if you so choose. The only "complaint" I had was that our room was right above the nightly entertainment, which was loud and went on until 11 or 11:30 every night. If I wanted to hear it all, I would've been down there and not in my room, but at least this could easily be remedied by requesting a room that does not face the courtyard. We LOVED the Riu and would definitely stay at another one if given the opportunity!