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Hotel Riu Guanacaste is a beachfront resort located in beautiful Matapalo beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica`s northern Pacific region, popular because of its amazing weather, exuberant natural surroundings and it is readily accessible through 2 major airports. Liberia (LIR) is only 30 minutes away from the Riu, and San Jose [SJO] is only a scenic 4 hour drive from Riu Guanacaste. Canopy Tours, horseback riding, snorkeling and fishing are just a few exciting activities you may enjoy nearby.
At Hotel Riu Guanacaste you will enjoy 24-hour All-Inclusive service, with a wide array of services and amenities to make your stay a pleasant one. Diverse activities and comprehensive entertainment program have been designed for adults and children to enjoy day or night. Feast at the multiple restaurants and bars serving delicious meals and unlimited beverages and cocktails, including 3 A-la-cart dinner restaurants. Enjoy the tropical sun while resting on a lounger, or enjoy your favorite drink in the Swim-up Pool Bar. There is much, much more that Hotel Riu Guanacaste has to offer you. Read More About Hotel Riu Guanacaste - All-InclusiveHotel Amenities
- Huge Swimming Pool with integrated Jacuzzi and Swim-up Bar
- Children`s Swimming Pool
- Children`s playground and Mini Club
- Sun Loungers, Towels and Umbrellas
- Fitness Center
- Jacuzzi
- Illuminated Tennis Court
- Night Club [drinks not included]
- Casino [drinks not included]
- Conference Rooms [$]
- Beauty Salon [$]
- Gift Shop [$]
- Spa [$]
- Internet [$]
- Child Care [$]
- Laundry Services [$]
- Guests have 90 min/day of Free Wi-Fi-connection in the lobby. Wi-Fi throughout the whole hotel, at a charge.
A fee may apply for some of these services.
Why Stay Here
- Beachfront property location
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Swim-up pool bar
- 3 A-la-carte dining restaurants with unlimited visits
- Huge swimming pool with integrated Jacuzzi
- Children`s playground and Mini Club, ages 4-12
- Night club
- Spa services available
Weather
Sun filled days and cool breezes combine for some of the best weather in the world, just right here, in Guanacaste.
Abundant trees and wildlife create a unique setting of jungle right beside the sand, offering the travelers adventure, natural wonders and beautiful views.
Comfortable Well Appointed Room Accommodations
701 guest rooms including Suites, with options to beautiful ocean views, featuring two double beds or one king size bed. Most rooms feature balcony or terrace. Suites with a separate living room area and a private Jacuzzi on the balcony are also available.
- Air-conditioning
- Ceiling fan
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct-dial phone
- Radio-alarm-clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Bathroom with bathtub and double sink
- Hairdryer and amenities kit
Restaurants and Bars
Taste the delights of its multiple restaurants and their cuisine variety, from delicious buffets to A-la-carte dinner at any of the three specialty restaurants, there is no limit of times to visit your favorite one. The Sports Bar is open 24-hours a day serving snacks and drinks. Formal dress is required for dinner. At the main restaurant: T-shirts with sleeves for gentlemen; theme restaurants: long trousers and T-shirts with sleeves for gentlemen.
Restaurants
- Liberia - International buffet. Theme buffets 3 times a week. A non-smoking area is available
- Santa Cruz - Poolside restaurant, buffet style lunch
- La Toscana - Italian restaurant
- Furama - Asian restaurant, buffet style
- Ocotal - Grill and Steak House, A-la-carte dining
Bars
- Santa Cruz - Swim-up Pool Bar
- Filadelfia - Lobby Bar with terrace
- Pura Vida - Lounge Bar with terrace
- La Plaza Bar
- Sports Bar
- Pacha - Night Club [drinks not included]
BookIt.com Preferred Activities
There is much to do, see and explore nearby the resort. You can pre-book your activities or find the BookIt.com authorized activities provider right at the hotel to make your stay plenty of adventures.
- Buena Vista Combo Tour
- Canopy Tours
- ATV Tours
- Horseback Riding
- White Water Rafting
- Jet Ski
- Scuba
- Snorkeling
- World-Class Fishing
Local Points of Interest
- Shopping and entertainment at nearby historical Liberia city
- Arenal volcano
- Miravalles volcano
- Barra Honda caves
- Rio Tenorio, great for rafting
- Rincon de La Vieja, great for canopy
- Ocotal, Best for scuba diving in Costa Rica
Print Map & Directions
Tip: How to Get There
The Hotel Riu Guanacaste is situated in northern Costa Rica, in Guanacaste, located on Playa de Matapalo beach.
Closest village: Nuevo Colon, 13 km / 8.1 miles from various shops and 33 km / 20.5 miles from Liberia airport.
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A Recent Traveler
"Remember, All-Inclusive does not mean 'FREE'. Bring lots of cash (small bills because U.S change is hard to come by) for tips. Everyone expects a tip incuding the man who points out the banos.
The food, although tasty is filled with sodium and spent the entire trip with swollen EVERYTHING..Decided to stick to fresh fruit and vegetables to avoid the sodium and spent two days in the room on the banos...Which was extremely unfortunate as the laundry service was terrible!!! Bring extra underwear.
The tours were informative and our guides well-educated!
The entire country is ANTI-SMOKING. If you smoke plan a Mexico trip. Otherwise, heaven for the non-smoker.
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Danny from Houston, Texas
"My first time trip to Costa Rica and I loved it. The Hotel was amazing and the staff was super friendly.. I DEF must"
Posted: Tue, May 21, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Bobby from Rancho Cucamonga, Ca
"We stayed in Costa Rica for 6 nights from Monday through Sunday. We had something to do the entire time and we were never bored. My wife and I booked 3 excursions in the hotel lobby, make sure you research what you want to do because there are a lot of them to choose from.
The hotel staff was very accommodating and friendly, the entertainment staff did a great job keeping up the energy at night and in the pool. The pool in the Riu was great. The swim up bar is where we spent a lot of our time. The beer is good and the mixed drinks are a little sugary, so make sure to drink water if you try out the different drinks.
Overall the hotel was clean but the pool towels were a little dingy. It's very humid in Costa Rica so the rooms were a little sticky, but as long as your AC works you'll be fine. Wifi in the hotel is very spotty. You only get 30 minutes free per day and it doesn't always connect nor is it reliable. We purchased internet for the week, which was expensive. My only complaint was having to come down to the lobby to use it.
The food in the buffet was actually pretty good. The first night we got there they had a pig on a spit and it was delicious. The variety wasn't too bad. We defaulted to the buffet if we didn't know what to eat. The other restaurants were decent. Sushi wasn't too bad, the Italian food was decent and the steak house meat was really good. I give the food 8 of 10 just because you can always find something that you will like. We enjoyed it for the most part.
The beach near the hotel isn't anything to get excited about. Its brown and if there is red tide it is plain disgusting. It is very warm though and you can swim in it, just wear sandals since the sand is so hot. We did take a boat over to Coco Beach and for $15 we spent the day in the little town that was about 20 minutes away. We bought souvenirs, had lunch and had a good time. It is expensive though since the main source of income is from tourism.
Our overall experience was very good. The nightly shows were choreographed and we all enjoyed watching the different acts they put on. We met some other honeymooners there the first couple nights and they were very nice. If you have the opportunity to go on excursions, we booked the same ones with them and made some great friends on our trips. The hotel was very large and he grounds were beautiful. Research what time of year you are going because we went during the dry season and it was very very dry. It didn't take from the beauty of Costa Rica but just don't be surprised if everything looks dead on the pacific side of the country. We really loved this resort and we would go back again as a family trip one day."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Richelle from Houston, Tx
"First of all, if you are trying to go during the dry season, and want to see lush forests, think again. The Guanacaste region looks almost like a desert at this time of year... reminded me of West Texas. The Hotel grounds are nice, food is good, service is decent. The rooms however, are anything but 5 star. Reminded me of staying at a Comfort Inn. Very basic. Nothing felt like you were in a tropical destination. The first room we were given had tons of tiny little bugs all over the bathroom. Not what we had expected from a Riu."
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Karen from New York, Ny
"Day 1 given room with no AC, 98degrees, called twice, finally went downstairs and was given a story, before moving to another room with working AC, three days in a row had to call for washcloths, the room for two days was half cleaned, i.e. i bed was made the second wasn't, towels left on the balcony. Made front desk complaints and received apologies and then washcloths, spoke to Public Relations Manager, , who apologized, sent washcloths to the room, with no follow up as to why it was continuing to happen, spoke to a agent, last day who apologized, Poor customer service, the management, never bothered to review the computerized log that is used when you call down, for concerns. The Wifi service was intermittent, I have an iphone, and I definitely would not go back, this is my second trip to Costa Rica in 2 years!"
Posted: Mon, Apr 29, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Joni Johnston from Del Mar, California
"We just got back from a 5 night, 6 day stay at the Riu Guanacaste and had a fabulous time. The rooms were spacious and clean, the food was above average (although the steak restaurant wasn't worth the wait for reservations) and the staff was consistently pleasant and warm. We especially loved our tour guide, who had the patience of a saint with our family of six of all different ages and with very different ideas about what a vacation should mean. He was always on time, very flexible, and genuinely seemed interested in us having the best possible time. DEFINITELY contact him in you're headed that way!!!"
Posted: Mon, Apr 15, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Brenda from Saint Joseph, Missouri
"Hotel was very beautiful, clean.
The beach was not good for swimming in the ocean.
There was no pool side drink service but on one end of the pool.
I was in the main lobby of the hotel and used the restroom when I noticed the cleaning person using the bathroom toliet brush on the sink and the counter tops in the restroom. It just turn my stomich.
There was a total of 22 of us on this trip, I will never go there again.
The food if you like the same foods over and over its was ok."
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Lma from Riverton, Wy
"Overall, our stay at Hotel Riu was good. The staff, especially the front desk, was v ery friendly and helpful. The grounds were kept well and fairly clean. The pools were clean but very crowded, especially on the weekends. The guests from the Palace, the sister resort right next door, could use our facilities, but not vice versa. Many of them used our pool instead of theirs as the palms were more mature and provided more shade, so that added to the crowdedness of our resort. Costa Rica is a lovely country, and leaving the resort to take advantage of the many adventures, is definitely recommended. We especially loved the Paulo Verde river cruise and saw many birds, monkeys, and crocs. The roads are unpaved so be prepared to have your teeth rattled! The coffee plantation and sky walk/canopy tour is also good, but it requires a full day of riding in a bus - four hours one way! The tour guides were excellent and passionate about what they do. The food was typical resort food, but the selections were decent. The fruits were delicious. The restaurant staff wasn't always very attentive and we ended up getting our own coffee and water every day. Our room was average but there was a constant sewer smell outside in the hall and down by the pool as well. The beach was not crowded as the ocean currents were pretty strong. Take sandals as the sand is dark and HOT! My husband found ants - very large ants - snacking on his legs one night and he has some nasty bites all over both legs! Small lizards and large spiders were also in the room! the Jacamal tour personnel were difficult to find and not very friendly or helpful. One of them was just plain nasty. If you expect to find Costa Rica green and lush., visit during the rainy season or stay in the mountains. The rainy season starts in May and lasts through November. It's a lovely country with lovely people."
Posted: Mon, Apr 15, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Jan from Washburn, Wi
"had a great trip ,spent a week at the hotel, place was clean,grounds were beautiful.
only went to the buffets,food was good,but repetitive. staff very helpful. took excursions out of the hotel, everyone was excellent. only problem was some people in our group had some sunblock stolen at the pool, and someone took our took our beach towels. over all vacation was great!"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Dan from St Joe, Mo
"Get your wallet ready! As long as you tip $20 a day at the pool bar..you will get a good drink at the pool bar. Miss a day, and they let you know it.
No poolside service or drink assiataince. You want it? you gonna go get it.
Only 1 bar in the pool area. So if you dont stay close to the bar, you will be walking for your refreshments.
But the property was clean and a well laid out facility.
On arrival, it was a hassle to get 2 keys to the room. But after demanding a 2nd key, it magically appeared.
Our bags set out in the lobby 1-1/2 hrs waiting for a bellman to take to our room.
After inquirying twice on the status, I finally carried them to my room myself.
BUT beware of the overpriced tours & services they offer at the resort.
We booked in town for MUCH less for the same tours.
After discovering that the resorts lobby transportation desk wanted 3 times the local rate for taxis, we tipped an employee, and she called a local taxi 'friend'. But even though we had the frt desk call the cab for us, if u book a local insured and liscensed cab, the resort management will NOT let them in the resort. you must walk out to the gate to catch, but the cab CAN bring you back inside the resort when you rtn.
GO FIGURE! We complained, but the management must get a kick back from the lobby transportation arrangement. they made us walk to the frt gate for our cab each day for 5 days.
If you want to smoke a cigar while enjoying the nitely show? Forget it.
Smoking of ANY kind is mandated off to a distant part of the resort property like a leper.
Dont get me wrong, there were some employees that cared, but very few.
There was a Dive shop on property, but the dive boat was a jon-boat.
We made the trip each day into Playa De Cocoa and dove with Rich Coast Divers. A great team and the best dive boat around.
The beach at the Riu was so-so. Dont go there for the beach. Its black sand with no visibility or snorkeling.
We have been to Rius around the Central Americas and always enjoyed the evening shows. Well dont get your hopes up at this property. pretty poor.
The reservation only Steakhouse wa sgood, but very tough to get reservations. But once we did, it was empty. Go Figure.
It was supposed to be a vacation, but didnt feel pampered.
We tipped over $400 during a 7 day period. we didnt feel we got out monies worth.
We expressed all of our issues to management, and they didnt care.
We wont be back to this property.
Its a shame because it as a beautiful property."
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Rich from Sayreville, Nj
"really a nice place, good food, very clean, well kept and friendly people, with out a doubt one of the nicer places I've stayed, I recommend,.. And enjoy!
That one bad egg wasn't going to ruin my time!
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Irit Dror from Toronto, Ontario
"we spend a wonderful week at the resort. We enjoy the pools, the beach and the food.the rooms are large with balcony and it is very clean. The overall experiences was great but the night entertainment can be improved and it will be nice to have more activities to choose from like dancing, zumba, yoga and so."
Posted: Thu, Apr 11, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Donna Casey from Gatlinburg, Tn 37738
"Only a few issues. The beds were very hard but they brought us extra pillows to help with that. Our daughter was sick for four days and we had to go to the doctor at the resort. She was very efficient and gave us the necessary medication to get her better. The staff were wonderful and loved the different shows that they had each night. Wine was not good and the beer was hot, but the other alcohol was plentiful. Food was good - Steak House is a must. Very good steak. My husband loved all the fresh sushi at the Asian Restaurant."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Minor Cortes from Puntarenas, Puntarenas
"Wonderful place! a Piece of Heaven!!"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Miller from North Hampton, Nh
"We stayed 8 days in a suite with a hot tube on the balcony. Definetley worth the extra money. The resort is beautiful with a nice pool, clean well maintained grounds and a nice beach. Food was average for an all inclusive. Entertainment was fair. Even though there is another RIU right next door, you are not allowed to utilize that facility as is done in other locations."
Posted: Wed, Mar 20, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Peter Brown from London, Uk
"This hotel is huge and very impressive. Both hotel and grounds are immaculately kept. Variety and quality of food was brilliant and staff were both friendly and efficient. Our only complaint would be the quality of the wine which tasted dreadful .Overall though a thoroughly enjoyable stay."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Jerry from Grand Blanc, Mi
"We stayed @ the Riu Guanacaste for 5 nights (left 3-5-13) . Overall this resort is ran quite efficientally. It appeared clean...and very nicely landscaped. The food was good. Our only complaints were...there were not any toiletries provided e.g. shampoo, conditioner, bar soap. The other complaint..and very important to us , was being woke up early every morning..(8 a,m) by the maid service wanting to clean the room. Nightly entertainment was disapointing @ best. But in defense of the riu, the overall 'value' would be very hard to compete against. We are sure that for first time 'out of the country' vacationers...they would find this resort to be top notch.One last thing, we booked three different excursions with HotelBeds , and found the guides to be very informative and fun !!"
Posted: Thu, Mar 07, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Recent Traveler from New Jersey
"Hotel Riu Guanacaste is great for those who love a warm climate, large rooms, beautiful pools, beach access, and attentive staff. Coffee was outstanding, food was excellent, it's a vegan heaven. If you want to see the sites, the Riu hosts drivers and tour companies in the lobby for adventures at all levels of physical ability."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Robin from Las Cruces, Nm
"Trip was great, hotel staff was wonderful, the property is beautiful however it is set off very private and isolated. Made us feel somewhat like we were on a cruise ship. Only certain restaurants were open at certain times, the pool completely shuts down at dark leaving very limited night life. If you want to get off property you pretty much have to pay for a excursion, otherwise you stay on resort. Water sports were also very very limited. This is perfect if you just plan to go and relax."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Renee from Farmingdale, Ny
"The Riu was fantastic! The food, grounds, pool, beach, service was all amazing! Definitely one of the nicer places I've stayed. However, for an all-inclusive I was shocked that wifi wasn't free 24/7 and available everywhere. You were only allowed 90 mins in the hotel lobby which was full of people trying to use the wifi as well. Usually that would be fine, since you don't go on vacation to be on the internet the entire time. However being from NY, and trying to travel back to a snow storm, it just added stress to the week trying to figure out flights and contact work and family about our travel plans."
Posted: Sat, Mar 02, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Dana Hume from Calgary, Alberta
"Overall I was pleased with this resort. The staff are friendly, and will assist you in any way they can. There was a communication barrier at times but you can usually work your way around that. The entertainment wasn't a good as some I've seen at other resorts. Although there is a huge variety of things to eat and always fresh,after a week you do get tired of it. Make sure you take lots of sunscreen, if you run out there is a store where they will charge you $40 for a medium bottle. Our room was always kept clean by the staff,we never experienced any odours like other guests have noticed. All in all I would give this place a 8 out of 10."
Posted: Wed, Feb 27, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Sherla Moore from Zephyrhills, Fla.
"Lv it but no coffee in room which is a big deal if u are a coffee drinker, had the best experience with a guide off the beach ----- was a great time and would do it again very personal and he was the best we have had, been on numerous trips and he was one of the best, highly recommend. GREAT WEEK"
Posted: Tue, Feb 26, 2013- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"We went here on our Honeymoon and it was AMAZING! The people, the food and everything was everything we could have asked for and more! It was my husbands first time out of the country and he absolutely loved it. We are definitely going back some time!"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Ilina from Chicago
"We were supposed to stay in the Riu Guanacaste but we got upgraded to Riu Palace and the experience was just perfect. The weather was very hot and humid which is perfect for a sunny honeymoon vacation in the middle of the winter.
The resort is extremely clean and maintained, the rooms with jacuzzi and mini bar stacked and refilled every day.
The staff is friendly and helped with every single request that we have,which were not many because they provide everything you need for a comfortable and relaxing experience.Room service available 24 hours.
The pools and clean and pool and water bar staff attentive and responsive.
In terms of food and drinks- no complains at all-there was a big variety on breakfast ,lunch ,and dinner.
Specialty restaurants- Japanese one I would highly recommend
One thing to remark- smoking is not allowed like in Mexico, neither around eating facilities not around the pool.
Another thing -there is a departure tax to be paid on your way home at the airport. We were not aware of this ,but its nothing big anyway."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Terri Smith from Towson, Md
"This was our first trip to Central America...my husband, my son (20), my daughter (17), and myself. We enjoyed the Hotel Riu Guanacaste and amenities. Everyone is very pleasant and accomodating. The hotel is in the middle of 'nowhere' so, not much to do but relax at the hotel or book a tour. We enjoyed the ATV & Canopy tour which was close by (25 minutes). Most of the other tours were more than an hour away so we passed on those. We were not impressed with the 'specialty' restaurants at the Riu. It was not worth the time it took to waite in line to book your reservation. The Christmas Eve dinner in the main restaurant was very nice.
We spent most of our days at the pool. The beach and surf were somewhat dirty and rough."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Craig Watkin from London, Ontario
"I have found the service of the hotel Guanacaste to be amazing. I will be returning to this hotel again as well as recommending it to friends and family. The staff were brilliant and made you feel very welcome. The hotel was very clean and the found terrific.
The tour company and the staff that provide the tours work really hard to make it an unforgettable experience.
Thanks for such a wonderful holiday."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Amanda Blondin from Melbourne, Vic
"Riu is a beautiful resort, all-inclusive. Food and drinks were decent, pool area is incredible, nicest pool I've ever seen, the staff was great.
Unfortunately the resort is in the middle of nowhere, it costs a lot of money to get anywhere. We were lucky enough that we only stayed 3 nights so we just stayed at the resort and lounged around by the pool and beach, we saw the rest of the country by staying at other hotels in other areas.
I would not recommend staying there for a week, as you will be bored and will have to pay lots of money to get anywhere.
I went with a friend and we did not enjoy the environment, lots of families and couples, not a good place for a group of friends.
Nightlife was not good at all, their shows at night were rather average as well.
I would not stay there again."
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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A Recent Traveler
"bardzo lubialam,mila obsluga bardzo dobre wspanialy czulam sie bosko.poecam kazdemu// I liked very, nice staff felt very good wonderful"
Posted: Thu, Nov 29, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Yelena D. from Brooklyn, Ny
"I went with my two kids and we loved it. very clean, good food, excellent people around you, not crowded. the best vacation I had so far."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Loralyn from CINCINNATI, Oh
"Our stayed in Riu Costa Rica is so far our best vacation ever , yes we have been in many other countries/places like London , Paris , Cozumel , Cancun, Japan , Philippines, Columbia, Canada and pretty much at least in the the thirty states here in the US .Local people in Costa Rica are very friendly and Riu hotel staff are all very nice and polite . We ate everyday in the buffet with so many choices you cannot really go wrong. One night we ate in the Asian restaurant just because we came back from a day trip to Nicaragua and the buffet and the Asian is closed but the the manager saw us and went talk to the Asian restaurant , next thing we knew they let us in and have dinner there ( some of the food we're put away but there is a lot of choices still).I was impressed with the buffet restaurant because it seems so organized and clean , as soon as you sit down there is waiter/waitress to take care of you. of The room is clean and they come in everyday and gave you new towels and change/make your bed. In the lobby pretty much all day there is a drink ( fruit drinks) for anyone . The beach are pretty good and as far as the tours, we took Nicaragua tour , went to Granada and active Masaya volcano . The only thing I do not like with this tour is the entry to Nicaraguan border seems to be forever (we're there on line for an hour or so) The sunset tour is really good ,they take you for about 4 hours in a big boat ( have snacks and music ), they took us first in a beach where it seems to be isolated to let people swim and snorkeling .I did not go swimming just walk around the beach for few feet and I got to see white monkey face . These monkeys seems to be so friendly , they come so close to people , seen a lot of other animals .The only thing I don't like about RIU hotel is not having and ATM machine in the lobby, there is one inside the casino but the only problem is , it does not open until 6 PM . I will recommend this hotel to anyone."
Posted: Wed, Nov 28, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Vinod from St.Augustine, Florida
"The resort was good in terms of accomodation and proximity to the beach. There are lot of options for good and drinks.The swimming pool was big and can accomodate lot of people.
The one thing I did not like is the dinner ends at 21.30. I felt that should be extended for atleast one more hour. It becomes difficult for people who go outside for small trips to get back to resort by 21.30."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"Hotel Riu has very good staff and facilities. Restaurants need to be booked every day from 9-2pm for next day seating and day time tours make it hard! Shows are very good except mostly in spanish, little bit of English! Food is great. Hotel recycles toilet water for plants in the night on outer ring of hotel and it smells some times sitting at theater watching shows depending on wind! Good onsite tour companies make the planning easy, outside food and travel is arranged by them, just need to pay money and relax! E-mail communication from US is answered in reasonable time and special needs are taken care."
Posted: Mon, Nov 26, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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SHARON SANCHEZ from EAST HAMPTON, NY
"the hotel was very clean with the exception of a tiny roach in the room and 3 ants, but overall it's spotless, the food was average and change quality from weekend when they have locals at the hotel to the week for regular tourist and americans, of course it's a pain in the a... to make reservations for the restaurants and you can only choose for what's available, and the food in the steak house horrible; the staff is friendly but i think they need more training, like they never told us that you don't need reservations for the sushi restaurant, and every time you want to book a trip or activity is like they don't really want to make the sale or tryng to sell u more or give u the best, it's just like they don't care, but from the actvities the diving shop at the hotel scuba caribe was really good, the divemaster was great, and the dive site 'tortuga' was good we saw like 8 sharks,rays,etc.
the hotel look very cheese to me with the pink walls , very vegas style and look a little old , you don't believe that the hotel is only 3 years old, but the gardens with the fountains are amazing , and the view expectacular, i think the only think we hate was the lazy dj and his local regue only tipe music at the disco 'pacha' for the name u expect more , but the casino was nice , anyway for the price i would comeback"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Josh from Boston, MA
"Our Stay:
My wife and I stayed here for our honeymoon. We spent 10 days in Costa Rica with a 1-day excursion to Nicaragua. We also did 2 other excursions - white water rafting and the Buena Vista combo trip - all 3 were fantastic. We planned excursions every other day in the middle of the trip, and used the other days for relaxation and enjoying the resort. As far as excursions go, we highly recommend using Jacamar for the tours - they were great and the value is excellent. We didn't want to leave Costa Rica - we loved it!
Weather:
We had almost perfect weather during our stay. I would give it a 9 out of 10. The rainy season has just ended, and the skies are clear and the temps are consistently 90F every day. The vegetation is lush and green. We had 2 days with 5-10 minutes of sprinkles, and some days were partly cloudy. I did hear from the guides that it is currently the best time to visit this location because soon everything will be brown and dried out due to little to no rain for a few months.
The Food:
The breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets were excellent. They had a variety of very fresh foods which they kept rotating so you wouldn't get sick of anything. They also cooked the same foods in a variety of ways as well, which added even more variety. If you like to try different things then it's perfect but if you're a picky eater you probably won't like it as much. The dinner restaurants which required a reservation were hit and miss, but overall were pretty decent. At the very least the restaurants were much quieter than the buffets which made it a little more romantic. They also served Ceviche by the pool one day, which was very fresh and tasted amazing - it went well with a cerveza or mojito.
The Drinks:
There are 6 bars in total, all serving fantastic drinks or local beers. Even on the busiest day I was served within 2-3 minutes at any of the bars. The bartenders are great, very nice and will make anything you ask, although their specialties are clearly the mojitos and tropical drinks. There are also some servers roaming around the pool area and on the beach and they will even take orders from people swimming in the pool which I thought was awesome. The service is clearly a little better when you leave them a nice tip, but you still get good service with a friendly smile when you don't.
The Pool:
The pool was amazing. We loved the pool so much; we were in there for hours each day - it never got old. You could hang out by the pool bar with either live music or a DJ, you could relax in the Jacuzzi, lay in the pool beds, or play games. Most of the guests stayed around the pool area, with few people on the beach, which made that a nice getaway when all you wanted to hear was waves crashing.
The Beach:
The beach was very beautiful. It's not a white sand beach due to the nature of the volcanoes in the area, but that was OK for us. The water was not as clear and blue as the Carribean side is, but again, not really any issue unless you are scuba diving. Generally it was very clean, and it's also a little colder than the Carribean side - which was perfect for me since it was refreshing after sweltering on the beach in the sun.
Other guests:
There were guests from a variety of countries, although the majority seemed to be American and Canadian. There was a nice mix of young couples, older couples and families. Some other reviewers complained about the locals taking over the place on the weekend, which we did notice it was much busier on the weekend, however they were all very nice and there weren't any issues with anyone. We left our bags in various places around the pool with cameras and money in them and never had an issue.
Overall Thoughts:
The location is perfect, close enough to the airport but also very secluded and beautiful - it's paradise. The grounds were immaculate and the landscaping was meticulously maintained. The rooms were the perfect size, very clean and modern. The ocean view was spectacular - well worth the upgrade. We would recommend this resort to anyone looking to stay in Costa Rica, and will be looking for RIU resorts wherever we stay in the future."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Erica from NEw York, NY
"I was very worried staying at the hotel - because i looked at tripadvisor at least twice a week - I was getting mixed reviews. I was more concerned because the hotel suffered three earthquakes!
Here is my experience:
Vacation duration: 7 Days
Booked Online
Stayed in a Deluxe Room with two beds - really liked the room because we travelled with another party and the rooms had a connecting door - so it felt like a 2 room suite.
The views - look out into the jungle - really enjoyed the view - was able to see Howler Monkeys from the room - you do have to search for them because they hide in the trees. I do hear that during the dry season you can see them better.
There are no bathroom amenties besides the soap on the wall in the shower so word to the wise make sure you HAVE everything because in the guft shop toothpaste (I saw was $15.00USD)
The resort it self was beautiful - i did see some cracks in the wall on one wall - I am assuming its was left over and not fixed from the earthquake - but honestly I was not going to stare at the wall the whole trip so it didnt bother me.
As we checked in they handed us a cocktail and was a nice touch. The check in went smoothly or room was not ready yet but we were able to enjoy the amenities that the hotel had to offer. **** Make sure when you check in you ask the receptionist to make a copy of your passport - if you do an tours you can carry the copy and lock the passport in the safe located in your room (safe in room is free).
The pool is huge - It is true what some people have reviewed here on Saturday and Sunday there are ALOT of locals that go to stay at the hotel - It is very hard to get a seat so my advise go early. There is a swim up bar that is great - if you ask the bartender to create something for you that is not on the menu they will. Do tip - it goes a long way with the workers. And as you walk by them smile and say hello to them - if you are going to be rude to them trust me they will not take care of you. I am not saying you have to tip them but they probably make pennies and work really hard so it would be nice. Some workers start at 9am and are there until 10pm - i know because i saw them and spoke with them.
The food:
Blah just really blah
You have to make reservations for the Italian and Steak House. I tried everyday to make a reservation but the steak house was always booked so i cant really comment on this one.
The Italian Restuarant - was awful
The Asian - was REALLY AWFUL
The best bet was the Buffet - I cant complain the food was pretty good.
The beach;
HOLY COW does the sand get really hot - you can not walk on it you have to run to the water. Its a nice quite beach. Great place to take pictures. There is no bar so you'll have to walk up to the pool which is a nice hike.
The Entertainment:
KUDOS to the Riu team - they did a great job with entertainment by the pool side - almost an icebreaker to meet with other people there. The entertainment at night was great - the shows were funny and made me laugh.
If i do return to Costa Rica (which I will) I will stay at the Riu!
Thank you for making our vacation a great one!"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Anthony Motley from Columbus, Ohio
"The staff there are very nice, friendly and very helpful. My Wife and I got married on the beach at the Hotel and the staff at the hotel took care of everything. When we checked in they upgraded us to the honeymoon suite for free. The food at all the restaurants was very good. We went deep sea fishing, they prepared all of the fish for free that we caught and gave us a reserved seating area for 9 when we ate there later that night. The bar tenders were all very nice to us and served with a smile to everyone, every time. Our house keeper was great, very good at keeping our room very clean and made new animal figures everyday from our sheets to our curtains being turned into a giant butterfly. My wife and I love the Riu Guanacaste and will be coming back with our kids in a few years!"
Posted: Wed, Oct 24, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler from Virginia Beach, VIRGINIA
"Food was average at best. Alcohol is the worst. Smells and tastes like rubbing alcohol. Bar in room is the same cheap stuff that will make you sick. Beer on tap is not very good either. No light beer anywhere on site. Pain to have to register to eat somewhere a day in advance. Internet services says for 90 minutes a day and that means once you use it you have 90 minutes straight. Then they charge you to use it. They should get with the times and just include it. Zip line and atv were top notch and was the only bright spot of the trip."
Posted: Fri, Oct 19, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Denise from BUDA, Tx
"The hotel RIU was beautiful place. All the staff was very friendly and helpful. The food is not so great, steak restaurant was the best place to eat. Lots of excursions to do in costa rica. Over all it is a great place."
Posted: Wed, Oct 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"The food was good. However, I developed upset stomach on the day before I left. There were roaches on the food bar & floor. Ants were also in our room. Staff was very friendly."
Posted: Wed, Oct 10, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Fredtorsiello@aol.com from West Caldwell, N.j.
"the tour we took with david and papaya ....was fun and educational...excellent driver...and tour guide...."
Posted: Tue, Oct 02, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Scott Hooper from Westchester, Ny
"I have nothing but good things to say. Staff was friendly, flexible, and accomadating. Since we were a party of five with children and needed two rooms. they let us in one room before check in time. The extra room had a smoke smell because the prior guests smoked in it against hotel policies. We told them and they changed us right away. The spa treatments were outstanding, and not expensive at all. Entertainment at the hotel was fun daily. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. WE MADE THE BEST OF IT DISPITE OUTSIDE CIRCUMSTANCES OUT OF OUR CONTROL THAT COULD HAVE RUINED OUR VACATION. (Children got sick / cold like symptoms with throat infection)"
Posted: Tue, Sep 04, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Lauren N from Annapolis, MD
"My husband and I just returned from our honeymoon and a week long stay at the Riu Guanacaste. This hotel is amazing! The staff is so friendly and always wants to make sure you are having a great time, especially the people at the pool bar! The grounds are beautiful and they are always so clean. The food was great! There are so many choices at the buffet and the restaurants that you can never go wrong. There is also so much entertainment there that even if you don't want to participate it is so much fun to watch. My husband and I also took advantage of the included kayaking which was so much fun to go out into the water and see the hotel from the water. There are also alot of different adventure tours that you can choose from on the beach. We did an all day tour that included going to a beautiful waterfall, zip lining, authentic costa rican lunch, horse back riding, hot water springs, and a mud bath. All of this was just 1.5 hours away but it went by so fast because of all the beautiful scenery you get to see. The airport is only a half hour away so that again is another huge plus! My ONLY complaint is that the beds were a little harder than I would have liked for them to be. However, my husband liked it and I slept just fine on them :) You cannot go wrong booking here! We had an amazing experience! Enjoy!"
Posted: Tue, Sep 04, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Kristine McMahon from Arvada, CO
"The Riu was fantastic. I especially want to commend the staff in the restaurants. Willie in the restaurant was fantastic. There was someone always willing to answer our questions or even make a phone call to our tour company. I can't explain how special our Honeymoon was! Keep up the great work!"
Posted: Mon, Aug 27, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Trevor from Tulsa, Ok
"Costa Rica is a beautiful place! The beaches, the rain forest and the mountains are breathtaking! The Riu resort was a very nice resort with a great pool, helpful statff and great surroundings. The hotel was built in 2009 so it still is in excellent condition and very clean. The foursome that we traveled with has all taken similar vacations in the past to the Carribean, Mexico & the South Pacific all with all-inclusive status. The Riu did seem to need improvement in the food area. It has three theme restaurants which require reservations and one for dinner that does not. All but the Steak House seemed to cater to the buffet style heavily with two of the restaurants not offering any serving style. This was a bit dissappointing. The rooms were nice but smaller than others we have stayed at the design was not much more than a normal newer hotel that you would stay at in the U.S. One thing worth noting was the beds. They are horrible! I don't know it takes to be a five star resort in Costa Rica but it would not clear three stars in the U.S. with beds like those. The entertainment was good and the staff was nice. Drinks were good with exception of the wine. It comes from a chilled machine that simply says 'Vino' across the front. We found it to have a strong metallic taste. The tours were great. Highly recommend taking a private tour around the area. The price is tough to beat. All in all I would revisit Costa Rica but probably look for another resort the second time around. I might try another Riu in another country but I would look for extremely hard now that I have stayed at one. Like I said Good trip but not great."
Posted: Tue, Aug 21, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Brittany W from Houston, TX
"Overall we had a great trip. We stayed 7 days. The resort was mostly catered to families and couples but we were a group of five single friends (two girls three guys) and we had a blast. Couples tended to gravitate toward us because we were just having fun. My only negative thing about the hotel, the Riu, the beds were hard! Other than that, had a great time!"
Posted: Sun, Aug 19, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Nicole from Dallas, Tx
"We had a fabulous time! highly recommend a RIU to anyone!"
Posted: Fri, Aug 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Russ from Pa
"We enjoyed our stay at Hotrl Riu. The resort was new and clean. The staff couldn't be nicer and Costa Rica was beautiful! Unfortunately , night life is poor and the entertainment at the resort is amateur . The meals are good , but not exceptional. Dessert was really disappointing . The Riu is very stingy with pool towels. I recommend bringing towels from home. Excursions are a must . We would return to Costa Rica and probably stay t the Riu again."
Posted: Thu, Aug 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Ashley from Bronx, Ny
"had an amazing time. they were very accomodating with adding another person to the room the day we got there. the tour company jacamur tours had the most amazing prices and tour guides who helped out and showed us around and explained the history. the bartenders served amazing drinks not watered the food was amazing. definitely will be returning as soon as i can. Also took a trip to nicaragua with the same tour company and saw soo much. thanks again for the suggestions."
Posted: Thu, Aug 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Gregg from Greenville, NC
"Overall, I give the Riu Guanacaste a solid 'A'. For the cost, it is right on the money. I highly recommend it. The staff was extraordinarily helpful. They went above and beyond to make our stay all that it could be. The only qualm I had was the difficulty in getting reservations to restaurants (as opposed to the buffets) however even when it violated 'policy' they were willing to make an exception for our anniversary. Also, major kudos to the excursion staff! We're from the academic community and they hooked us up with experts who could legitimately handle our questions and expectations. Give the place a shot, I do not think you'll be disappointing. Oh, and by the way, the Gallo Pinto is pretty decent!"
Posted: Fri, Aug 10, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler from SAN JOSE, SAN JOSE
"EXCELENTE HOTEL, UBICACIÓN, ALIMENTOS Y BEBIDAS. NOS ENCANTA QUE A PESAR DE SER UN HOTEL GRANDE HAY SUFICIENTE ESPACIO PARA TODOS Y NO TE SIENTES ASFIXIADO. EL SERVICIO ES BASTANTE BUENO, ENTENDIENDO QUE ES UN LUGAR MASIVO.
GRANDES FALTAS:
1. EN COSTA RICA NO SE PUEDE FUMAR EN NINGÚN ESPACIO DE UN ESTABLECIMIENTO PRIVADO. PUES EN EL RIU IGNORAN COMPLETAMENTE LA LEY Y LAS PERSONAS FUMAN A SUS ANCHAS EN CUALQUIER LUGAR.
2. LOS BARTENDERS DEL WET BAR PASAN MUY OCUPADOS, SIN EMBARGO ESO NO JUSTIFICA SU PÉSIMA ACTITUD Y MUY MAL SERVICO AL HUESPED. MUCHAS VECES TE IGNORAN POR COMPLETO Y HASTA TE CONTESTAN DE MANERA GROSERA.
3. ES INCREÍBLE QUE NO CAPACITEN AL PERSONAL DE LIMPIEZA DE LAS HABITACIONES, PUES ESTOS HABLAN Y GRITAN EN LOS PASILLOS DESDE TEMPRANAS HORAS DE LA MAÑANA INVADIENDO EL DESCANSO DE LOS HUÉSPEDES. AL MISMO TIEMPO MANTIENEN LOS PASILLOS LLENOS DE CAMAS, ROPA SUCIA Y BASURA.
EN FIN, ES UNA LÁSTIMA QUE CON UN LUGAR ASÍ DE ESPECTACULAR NO SE CUIDEN ESTOS DETALLES. // Excellent Location, LOCATION, FOOD AND DRINKS. WE LOVE YOU IN SPITE OF BEING A BIG HOTEL ROOM ENOUGH FOR ALL AND DO NOT FEEL suffocated. THE SERVICE IS VERY GOOD, UNDERSTAND THAT PLACE IS A MASSIVE. N nGRANDES FAULTS: n1. COSTA RICA IN NON-SMOKING IN NO TIME OF A PRIVATE SETTING. AS COMPLETELY IGNORE THE RIU LAW AND ITS PEOPLE WIDE SMOKING ANYWHERE. N2. THE WET BAR BARTENDERS PASS THE VERY BUSY, BUT THAT DOES NOT JUSTIFY HIS ATTITUDE AND BAD lousy SERVICE TO HOST. YOU OFTEN IGNORED IN FULL AND TO ANSWER YOU SO RUDE. N3. INCREDIBLE IS NOT train staff CLEANING ROOM, FOR THESE SPEAKERS AND CRY IN THE CORRIDORS FROM EARLY MORNING HOURS OF REST OF INVADING GUEST. WHILE MAINTAINING THE CORRIDORS FILLED BEDS, LAUNDRY AND GARBAGE. N nIn END IS A PITY THAT'S THAT PLACE WITH A SPECTACULAR NOT CARE FOR THESE DETAILS."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Sandra from Lees Summit, MO
"I loved staying with my daughter at the RIU, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place that has a little of everything for any group. The pool was phenominal. The unlimited food and drinks were fine, and they even had a juice bar made from fresh juices, which is nice. You can snorkel right off of the beach with pretty good snorkeling. The close zipline and petting zoo were great and the town of Coco being only 15 minutes away was a nice getaway.
All of the people of Costa Rica are so nice and gentle. They are hard working and have a wonderful way of interacting with everyone, which was the biggest plus.
Our hotel room was wonderful, but the bed was hard. The hotel was incredibly beautiful and the only down side was that the internet usage was slow. The hotel gave 90 minutes per day free usage per person, which was helpful. It was wireless and you could only use it in the lobby. The refresher course for scuba was good, and our 2 scuba diving locations were nice as well.
We are glad we came, and will probably be back again."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Mike Coombs from Deland, Fl
"First of all the resort was wonderful. The staff and accomidations were great. The rooms we paid for we did not receive.
The excursion we paid for was completely screwed up."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Sandra And John Knode from Severna Park, MD 21146
"Positives: The hotel was beautiful, large spacious rooms, fabulous beach with the natural trees remaining. Hotel staff was very efficient and accommodating (we requested a room change). Jacamar transfer service to and from hotel on time and very friendly. Excursion/tour services in the Riu was very good with a wide variety of tour options. nNegatives: We have stayed at several Riu hotels in the past but the Riu Guanacaste had horrible food overall in both the Liberia buffet restaurant and the three other restaurants--Asian, Italian, and the Steahouse. The food was presented nicely but it tasted horrible and we are not 'picky eaters'. I (Sandra) developed a moderate case of food poisoning shortly after eating in the Asian restaurant and my husband (John) developed a severe case of food poisoning shortly after eating in the Steakhouse restaurant. My husband was in bed for 24 hours plus and not able to go to the scheduled tour to Nicaragua. There needs to be a better system for signing up for dinner reservations at the restaurants--you are only permitted to make a dinner reservation one day in advance for one restaurant and they book up quickly resulting in many people not able to get reservations at the restaurants. Alcoholic drinks were were 'waters down'. The evening entertainment shows were very amateurish and hokey with the exception of the Michael Jackson show. Very limited shopping available within the Riu Guanacaste complex making it difficult to purchase souvenirs--usually not enough time on the tours for any shopping. There is no 'concierge service' at the Riu Guanacaste making it very difficult to get information about scheduling any tours until you actually arrive at the hotel. There is little or no communication from the hotel staff about its services, hours of operation of its restaurants, spa services, and time schedule of entertainment, when you can get dinner reservations etc. --you need to find this out on your own--usually on signs (very limited) outside of restaurants, at the pool etc. "
Posted: Wed, Aug 01, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Gladys from Brooklyn, New York
"My husband and I had an excellent vacation at RIU GUANACASTE. We would going back to this hotel with the rest of my family. I recomended this hotel."
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Nancy Medina from Staten Island, New York
"o.m.g. we had a wonderful time the staff at riu guanacaste r the BEST!!!
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Giovanna from Toronto, ON
"For our honeymoon we decided to do a 2week all-inclusve stay in this resort-no brainer and no fuss. The resort is typical for an all-inclusive resort. I would not rate this hotel as a 5 star as the food was not always fresh and lacked variety. The staff were friendly and for the most part did their best to accomodate us. The entertainment during the day and evening was very repetitve though the dancers are extremely talented. We wished there were night (or even day) beach parties but there were none. We were also surprised that there was no dance lesson in the evening!.. The a la carte restaurants were hit and miss.. Our favorite was the Steakhouse-for their chicken! Other noteworthy menu items: California sushi at the Asian restaurant and the ribs.. and the salmon dish at the Italian restaurant. Best coffee? In the sportsbar-cappuccinos or americanos. Best massage? On the beach to the LEFT. Best excursion? -great price and so many activities. Tip: If you'd like to see some white sand (the sand at this beach is dark from volcano dust but in my opinion still very beautiful) walk to the LEFT at the beach for about 10 minutes before high tide (early in the morning) but you must come back before 11am -11:30am-otherwise you will be swimming back. You can go to Coco Beach for I think it was $10 return on a bus. Not much there-maybe some better shopping prices. The beach is not different than the one at the resort. Tamarindo beach is a surfer's beach and although we didn't go we did hear good things about it.-mainly geared towards 20 something year olds. The club was great the night we went but also is a hit and miss. The casino was small but ok. The drinks were really watery and even the pina coladas were not good!! Usually that is THE vacation drink for me but it was highly dissappointing. The red and white house wines are undrinkable.. The one thing you should know is that you will need to find your own transportation to the resort from the airport (unless you are with a company).. It cost us $70 to the resort and $50 back to the airport. You also need to pay exit taxes ($28 per person) You can do this at the airport or at the hotel though they charge you a $3 service fee. The gym is ok-has a couple of treadmills, elipticals and bikes, a few weight machines and a few free weights-not too much but if you're creative enough you'll be able to get a decent workout there. Oh you get free wi-fi for about an hour and a half everyday so bring your ipad or laptop. You can only access it in the lobby and you have to wait 24hours to use it again.
We might go back but not for more than a week for sure as we got bored by the end. Definitely do excursions!! Costa Rica's nature is SO beautiful. Do the volcano mud baths and hot springs. Do the rainforest ziplining and horseback riding! I cannot stress this enough. .. Have fun!~and oh yeah, bring bug spray."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Gilles Delbor from Miami, FL
"Excellent in all aspects.
Internet access should be free all the time not only 90 min/day."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Rob from Cape Coral, Florida
"Upon arrival at hotel we were offer a non-alcoholic drink. Come on, we just spent 8 hours trying to get there. First impressions were impresive, but learned a lot in 7 days there. Food was subpar for a 5 star resort and resort description said room service included in the All Inclusive, not so, no room service at all, beds were soso for a 2 year old resort, pool water was HOT and crowded with kids, did not like the black sand beach (sand got scalding hot), Houskeeping only did the floors of our room every other day (not enough with sand), WIFI only available in the lobby and so slow you used up your 90 free minutes trying to check e-mail or download something (not good for a big, fancy resort). Riu Guanacaste is very remote and isolated. Long way and costly to go elsewhere to do something. Doesn't look to far on the map, but, roads aren't good at all. The only shops were owned by the Riu, I believe. Like dummies we forgot SunBlock. Went to their Sundries store. 8 oz bottle of off brand sunblock $27. WOW. Did work well though. Their 'casino' is very small and slots don't pay well at all. I did not see anyone win anything. And, pay attention there, Row of penny slots had $1 slot at end. Wife lost $45 in a blink. All and All I was very disappointed and will not be back at least to this Riu."
Posted: Mon, Jul 23, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Cindy Teta from Rosedale, New York
"The Riu Guanacaste has stole my heart!! I have always wanted to travel and stay at a Riu Resort but never had an opportunity to do so before until this trip to Costa Rica. The Riu Guanacaste was significantly discounted due to entering the "rainy season... of Costa Rica and we definitely took advantage of a generous 45% off sale. Costa Rica has been on my list of places to visit and I am so glad that I did travel there, even during the pending inclement weather.
We traveled from Monday, June 25th 2012 and returned on Sunday, July 1st 2012/what a fantastic vacation!! We flew into Liberia Airport and the transfer from the airport to the hotel was approximately 35 minutes with Jacamar Tours. We had a lovely, scenic ride with an informative guide who really made a lot of sense. He first said that we traveled at the best time/I looked quizzical stating that I thought it was the rainy season and he did confirm that but he explained the following. He stated that the dry season is peak for travelers, which is from February through May, guaranteeing no rain however everything is brown/the trees, the flowers, the shrubbery, etc. and that is due to no water.
As it starts to begin to rain in June, everything becomes lush and lush it was! Everything was beautiful, colors were bright and vivid and simply stunning!! The flowers were in full bloom, the trees were plentiful and the ambiance was warm and inviting. Secondly, he recommended that we do not use insect repellant/that it totally controversial to all that I had read and researched; plain and simple, he explains that the natives never get bitten so when the repellant is used, it actually attracts the insects. We followed his advice and never got bitten in the 7 days there, including on an excursion that we took through the swamps and jungle!!
When we arrived at the Riu Guanacaste it was breathtaking as I titled this review!! Everything was a sight of beauty!! The hotel lobby was symmetrical so that each side mirrored the other. The ceilings were hand painted murals of floral designs. The art pieces were magnificent, the floral arrangements were unique, the colors used were subtle but bold and the light fixtures and lamps were unique. This hotel has 703 rooms. The resort does an EXCELLENT job in providing attentive service, the entire resort was spotless, the staff were friendly and quick/an overall delight and surprise for a hotel with that capacity!!
Check In %u2013 Was quick and easy with they lady was kind, sweet and informative. She took her time with us and explained everything in detail. Any questions we had, she explained with a smile. Also, the hotel offers 90 minutes daily of free Wi-Fi in the lobby only. If you sign on and log off before the 90 minutes are up, you cannot get the service for free again that day.
Room %u2013 Gorgeous! No other way to describe it. We had a regular room that had a balcony and faced a "mini-jungle.... The rooms were painted a pale yellow, with while crown molding and dark colored wood furnishings. We had a refrigerator that was stocked with soft drinks, water, and beer along with dispenser of an assortment of 4 liquors that were posted on the wall. The closet was spacious and there was a rather large electronic safe. The bathroom had double sinks, made of granite and a large shower. The bed was on the firm side but was comfortable. There was also a cocktail table, with two chairs and beautifully upholstered drapes that matched the chairs. The floors were shiny marble. Each day, when the room was cleaned, the maid would create decorations out of the towels and leave fresh flowers.
The Grounds %u2013 BREATHTAKING!! Everything was well manicured, and meticulously designed. The property was ALWAYS clean!! The staff were constantly working, always doing something. Lots of beauty/mountains in the backdrop/lush everywhere!! So many different types of flowers, shrubs and trees.
The Pool %u2013 Although there is only one pool, it is HUGE!! There are many points of entry to the pool, including a walk in section. There are stone lounge chairs built into the pool as well as Jacuzzis. There is a waterfall and a sprinkler as well. There is a pool bar with plenty of chairs and tables built into the pool. The pool was always kept very clean and the temperature was very comfortable. Tons and tons of chairs, that are cushioned and plenty of tables. They even offer waiter service for the pool and a waiter quickly takes your drink orders and returns with them with a smile.
The Beach %u2013 I have never experienced a beach like this before. As you walk towards the beach, it doesn't look so nice and the water looks dirty and murky but that is all a hallucination! The sand is a dark grey/black and is very hot to walk barefoot. That is because there is larva under the sand and volcanic ash discolored the sand. The water looks murky because if the color of the sand but as soon as you enter the ocean, it is as clear as day. It is so clear that although I did not have an underwater camera, I was able to take clear photos of what was in the water. So, you do not have to get snorkeling gear because the fish come right to you, even at knee deep! And, what beautiful fish they are! The sand is powder soft and the fascinating part is when the ocean water meets the sand and the water retracts, the sand looks as it was marbleized/so beautiful! There is plenty of rocks and coral to the side of the beach and on the other side, it has been said that if you walk about 30 minutes in that direction very early in the morning, you will see the monkeys! There are also plenty of chairs on the beach and waiter service. There are people who offer to sell things to you on the beach as well. There are also little huts to the left where they sell merchandise as well as give massages. We had an hour couples massage, on the beach, protected by the sun with a tarp on top of the hut for $65!! And to be quite honest, that was one of the best massages I ever had!
Restaurants %u2013 Overall, the food was good, not the best but good and there was something for everyone. All of the restaurants were decorated beautifully and the ambiance reflected the cuisine of the restaurant. The buffet, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner had something for everyone. Lots of different types of foods that was very clean and the service was astounding. Everyone smiled and said hello. The Occtal open for lunch buffet and converted to the Steakhouse for dinner was my favorite specialty restaurant and which was the only specialty restaurant that was 100% a la carte.. Although not on the menu, filet mignon is served every evening and is very good. The Asian and Italian specialty restaurants were not very good to my liking. The Asian, although better than the Italian in my opinion, is a buffet of Asian food. The Italian, has a buffet for salads and desserts and a la carte for dinner, was not a hit for me.
Sports Bar %u2013 Offers many televisions, a pool table and a ping pong table with a full service bar. They also have a few snacks like nachos, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches but the foods that are supposed to be hot are refrigerated and need to be warmed in the microwaves. The food, in that sense, did not appear appetizing so we did not try anything there.
Entertainment %u2013 The nightly entertainment was great and I really enjoyed it. The audience participation on some nights is what is key to a hilarious show. The entertainment staff works very hard, day and night to have the guests involved to enjoy themselves. There was also, very attentive and quick service from the cocktail wait staff and the drinks were good and plentiful.
Nightclub %u2013 Although the nightclub is on the grounds of the hotel, admission is free but there is a cash bar. It was actually one of the larger nightclubs that I have been to in an all-inclusive resort and the music was good.
Casino - The casino is on the grounds of the hotel as well and features tables and slot machines. Someone we met at the resort actually won over $500 there.
Spa/Fitness Center %u2013 The Spa looked very nice and the prices were reasonable however we did not use the spa since we received such a great bargain on the beach. The gym is small and simple and does not have free weights but serves its purpose.
Excursions %u2013 We booked an excursion on the beach with some friends that we made at the resort. We took an hour and a half ride to take a boat through the swamp to see animals, including monkeys and crocodiles. This was the highlight of the trip! The monkeys came to the tip of our boat to eat the bananas and the guide put a raw chicken wing on a stick to lure a crocodile to eat it/simply amazing. We saw many types of birds, iguanas the size of cats along with many other animals. It was really exciting! Afterwards, we went to Coco Beach for shopping and lunch at a seafood restaurant.
And, for those of you wondering, during my 7 days of the "rainy season... it rained once or twice in the afternoon, a small drizzle for less than 3 minutes but on our last day, after returning from the excursion, it poured like I never saw before for about two hours. It started at about 5:45pm and ended about 7:45pm, with thunder and lightning. However, at that time of the day, it did not interfere with our plans at all. At that time, we were getting ready for dinner. I am so glad that we traveled when we did because if we would have went during the "dry season... I know I would have been sorely disappointed by not being able to see the true beauty of the country.
Overall, I had the BEST TIME ever. It surely exceeded any expectations that I may have had. It was amazing to visit Costa Rica and I would highly recommend both, traveling to Costa Rica. We enjoyed ourselves so much that in November 2012, they property chain is opening up another resort, right next door, that will be all suites/we are already eyeing returning there!
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Lila Comeaux from Lake Charles, La.
"We stay at the Riu every year for our anniversary. Always some place diffierent and the other Riu Resorts we have stayed at have been excellent. This one is by far the worst one so far. The food was terrible. They have way too many restrictions as far as smoking. Non smoking resort, which they did not tell us. The housekeepers only made one animal with towels (A Swan) and they only did that one time in a week. They didn't even put enough tissue paper in our room. They don't have vendors or souveneirs in the resort. All the other Riu had specialty drink displays in the evening, and different things set up for the guests to look at or do. This Riu gives discounts to all the local people to spend extended weekends there with their kids, and the place was over run with children all over the place. An adult couldn't even get to the bar for a drink, cause kids sat at all the barstools with their parents. Kids should have their own pool and bar area, not be allowed to run wild with adults trying to relax and have a drink. Jumping all on top of you, and splashing water in your face. It was rediculous. Me and my husband can only afford to go on vacation once a year, and this year was horrible. We will stay at Riu one more time, but if next year is anything like this year, we won't be at Riu any longer"
Posted: Wed, Jul 18, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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LIONEL HAMPTON from QUEENS, NY
"OUR EXPERIENCE WAS NIGHTMARE THE ASIAN RESTAURANT WAS THE WORSE SITTING AT OUR TABLE GETTING READY TO EAT WE SEE A ROACH RIGHT BY OUR PLATE"
Posted: Wed, Jul 18, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Nikki from Maryland
"The overall trip was good. Upon check in, was given a king bed when reservation specified 2 double beds. I overheard a few others with the same issue. Was able to swich rooms the next night after others had checked out. Reservations for restaurants must be made by 9:00am the day before. Unfortuately, a roach crashed our dinner at the Asian. Spoke to someone else who had a simular experience and also saw roaches at the Steakhouse. So, heads up, there are roaches at the Riu. Also, don't expect top shelf alcohol at the bars, but there is plenty to drink. Free Wifi is available only in the lobby for 90min per day, and is very, very slow for downloads. If you want it in your room you will have to pay for it. Overall, beautiful hotel, friendly staff, and a nice get away at a good price, just lower your expectations when it comes to the food."
Posted: Tue, Jul 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Vega Jose from Alajuela, Costa Rica
"It was special, my family enyoed it probably we will return on our next vacations and we are planing to go for the oppening of The Riu Palace in December.
Thank you for asking !!"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Jimmy from Brooklyn, NY
"We were in Riu early June,everything was great except Reservations for a la carte restaurants were always booked or unavailable,although restaurants at night were half empty.I think management needs to do a lot of work to resolve this issue,I heard every single person was mad cause you only can make reservation for dinner for the next day,and you only allowed to do this once a day.if you have a trip next day,you loosing reservation for next day plus the day after since you mostly coming back from trips after 6pm.other than that eVerything was great.
Oh and another little detail,first few days they were serving smoked Lox for breakfast,after 3days it completely disapperred"
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Javier Rivero from Elmwood Park, NJ
"I phone was stolen from the pool area. The security from the hotel told us that he was going to bring it to the front desk and he never did.since I witnessed the incident I had to go with the person who owned the phone several times trying to get his phone and we ended up being the bad ones. In conclusion the security staff and management are very dishonest people. The hotel has cameras everywhere for no reason."
Posted: Thu, Jul 12, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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A Recent Traveler
"Had a great experience in this hotel. Room was nice but view on 2nd floor was of a roof. Changed to 5th floor, but be sure you know whether or not there is a wall on the terrace that actually blocks your view if sitting in chair. Food was generally good. Japanese Restaurant food was mediocre. Staff pleasant; front desk staff excellent. Had two great shows. Enjoyed tour of ziplining which included horseback riding, mud bath, hot spring, lunch which was good. Lasted from pickup at 7:30 am to about 5:00 pm. Guide very knowledgeable. "
Posted: Tue, Jul 10, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Joseph Maggio from Levittown, New York
"Trip was great and thr Riu was beautiful. Only downfall was no cell service which was very unusual considering the fact that service was available in the much poorer areas."
Posted: Mon, Jul 02, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"Good place, enjoyed it, food was good but needed more change."
Posted: Tue, Jun 26, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"If you are looking for a bargain then this is the hotel however it is difficult to find food in the resort after the restaurants close at 9:30pm. There are no snacks in your room or room service. Also please remember to bring your toiletries because this hotel does not offer them to guests without charging a fee.
The room was standard. The steam room in the spa was rather dirty and had an odd smell.
I was very unhappy with the transportation service ; they were late picking me up from the hotel and once they arrived they showed no record of my reservation although I paid for the shuttle service in advance. "
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Glenis Rosario from Bronx, NY
"Amazing hotel, incredible staff, good food, what can i say if they knew me by name a couple of hours after i got there. Thanks a million to the Reception Managers and the general managers you guys are the most incredible people i've met, the complete staff from entertainment and the kitchen manager you guys made me feel at home. This won't be the last time you hear from me, I'll definitely go back there in the near future because to me you guys are my friends, i'll miss all of you!!!!"
Posted: Mon, Jun 25, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Maria from Foothill Ranch, CA
"This is my 3rd all inclusive resort I have visited and I have to say I was very disappointed with this one. The resort itself is nice. They have a nice good size pool and the bars are great.The staff are nice and courteous. However, it ends there. We checked out the beach and it was average. Nothing special (We went in June). What my main complaint would be the food. Everything is very bland. Even the 3 restaurants that you make reservations for weren't that good. The Asian restaurant wasn't good at all. I would say it's worst than Panda Express. It's buffet style. The italian restaurant and steak house were average. Nothing special. I expected better. My filet mignon was at the steak house was very bland. The main restaurant (Liberia Restaurant) serves the same bland food every single day. It was a challenge to decide what to eat every day. The snack bar was below average. The chips were stale. Theres a refrigerator that you can microwave hamburger and hotdogs if you are hungry. Microwave?? At the other resorts, they have people making food for you fresh at the snack bar. I understand when you eat at an all inclusive resort, food may get recycled and you would eat the same foods. I usually get tired of the food by the 3rd day (which is understandable) However, I was having trouble figuring out what to eat on my first day/first meal. I was very disappointed with the food. We asked a few other people what they thought and they thought the same. We even asked some of the people who worked at the kiosk table whether they change the food every few months and the lady said she's been eating the same food for the past 7 months here. Go figure. The food is the main reason I would not recommend this place to a friend."
Posted: Mon, Jun 25, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Ernesto from Bronx, NY
"One of the greatest places i ever been to in my entire life. The staff was really friendly, attendant and humble. The resort was excellent, very clean and easy to get around. The only problem was, the resort didn't have an ATM. That is something they should work on, other then that it was excellent."
Posted: Sun, Jun 24, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Tete from Mexico
"padrisimo el hotel, el personal muy amable, la comida deliciosa, el chef se entero que habiamos unos mexicanos hospedados, y nos preparo una salsa y la llevo el personalmetne a la mesa ( el era mexiano tambien). Habia un error en la resevacion de algunos de nosotros para otro dia, y super amables no arreglaron todo inmediatamente. Fuimos con mis 3 hijos y se diviertieron muchisimo hay actividades para todas la edades, variedad de comida y exquisita. Lo recomiendo ampliamente // staff very friendly, the food delicious, the chef did you hear that we had hosted a Mexican, and we prepare a sauce and took the personalmetne to the table (he was also mexiano). There was an error in the reservation system of some of us for another day, super friendly and did not fix everything at once. We went with my 3 kids and a lot diviertieron there are activities for all ages, variety of food and exquisite. I highly recommend it"
Posted: Sat, Jun 23, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Carlos Cruz from Laredo, TX
"Absolutely beautiful resort!!!!!!!!!!!! The rooms are very nice and clean. The grounds are beautifully landscaped. The pool is quite large with plenty of lounge chairs.The food is average, but plentiful. The beach is nice with gentle waves. Nightly shows were mildly entertaining. The staff was very friendly and accommadating."
Posted: Thu, Jun 21, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Charnitha Thurston from Arverne, NY
"This was my first time visiting Costa Rica. Our flight was seamless and smooth, as my sister and I slept 3.5 hours of the 5 hour flight. The peson driving us was there to greet us for our transfer to the hotel as promised. The hotel was absolutely beautiful. The decor, the ambiance of the open air design and the staff all melded well together. We did have to change our room and wait 24hrs to do so, because the hotel was booked and they didn't have our original request available (we were put in a king bed room instead of a 2-double bed room). The wildlife that we saw just at the hotel on our balcony (vibrantly colored butterflies), lounging by the pool (iguanas and other lizards mosey right by your feet), and brightly colored crabs crossing the streets at night, was wonderful. Kids will love it! The food was delicious and had good variety for an all-inclusive. There was roast pig one night, roast duck another night, and sushi on yet another night. I've never seen this at an all inclusive, let alone in the buffet hall. As for the drinks, they didn't use the cheap stuff, nor were the bartenders stingy with the liquor. The one thing that I found to be a disappointment was the 24-hour snacks in the sports bar. It was pre-cooked refrigerated food (hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches). By the way, the sandwiches lacked substance severely... only one slice of deli meat and one slice of cheese. You had to warm the stuff in a microwave (which was relatively clean, but still didn't like the idea), and the food wasn't in microwaveable containers. Plenty of melted plastic on your food, which was only discovered by the guests by trial and error. There was also nachos and cheese, which on some days was stale. And occasionally there was popcorn. The discoteca across the street was only for kicks and giggles, as the dj sucked and the people in attendance were laughable. The casino never seemed to have more than 15 people at a time (including the dealers and cocktail waitresses), so of course there was never any big winning or excitement going on there. The convenience store was ridiculously overpriced, such as charging $40/usd for a DISPOSABLE waterproof camera, but only $26/usd for a regular disposable. I expect price gouging within the shops of the property, but that was quite a bit over the top. Other than those few snafus, our trip was pleasant from start to finish and I couldn't have had a better experience. The hotel called the tour company to schedule our return trip to the airport without question, and we had a smooth flight back. I cannot wait to go again. "
Posted: Thu, Jun 21, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Clara from New York
"The hotel is beautiful and the staff is super friendly and makes you feel confortable. I went on a girls trip with 3 of my friends, we had an amazing time. We did the Buena Vista Combo Tour, that is the best one to do because it has about 6 activities in one day including Zip Line. The food in the hotel is amazing, real good. 100% percente recommend. The beach is black sand but still amazing, the water is really nice. Also they have an amazing pool. Overall the best experience on vacation."
Posted: Tue, Jun 19, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Billie from Meridian, Id
"Our stay at the RIU was fantastic. The staff was friendly and helpful. Especially Gilbert with Hotel Beds which is a tour company. We went fishing and caught 4 sailfish plus several Maui Maui. Also went zip lining and on a Safari. The Volcano Tour was a 8 hour round trip so didn't do that but will on our next return. All other trips were fabulous. The food was pretty good and lots of it. We would definately return."
Posted: Sat, Jun 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Gene from Fountaintown, Indiana
"My girlfriend and I just returned from 10 days at the RIU. The hotel Beautiful !!!!
The staff was great and the food was average for all-inclusive. Best was the steak house.
The resort is rated 4-5 star depending on what site you look on. I would say more a 3 - 31/2 star. The only reason I say this is how many 4-5 star resorts do not have room service or coffee makers in the room?
We had a suite on the corner of the 4th floor, jungle on one side and oceanview on the other. The room was amazing!!! But we love to sit on the balcony in the morning, enjoy the sounds (monkeys) and lovely view. So to do this, my girlfriend would go down to the restaurant and get a coffee pot,cups, etc. to bring up to the room. Not a huge problem, but also not 4 -5 star.
The other problem is only one bar at the rather large pool which is located closest the the hotel. So, if you go to the beach, it is a good walk to and from the pool bar. The walk isn't bad, but your drink is melted or gone before you get back..
Overall our stay was very good, not great, but very good.
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Lynda Gleim from Munster, IN
"The Riu hotel was an amazing experience for all of us. It is very clean and nicely furnished. We stayed in a room near the trees so we were awakened on only 1 morning by the howler monkeys. It was a highlight of our trip and we were happy to have experienced it. The staff of the entire hotel is very friendly, helpful and welcoming. The food was terrific except for the steak house. No a/c, tables too small and the steak was tough and fatty.
It would be nice if they had some info in the rooms in regards to the tv channels, the phone system and the a/c. There is also a need for more public restrooms. You need to hike across the hotel to use one while having any meal.
We arrived around 10 pm and the only food in the Sports Bar was terrible!!
The breakfast the next morning did make up for it though.
Coffee makers in the rooms would be a wonderful addition for us who like to lounge on the terrace with our coffee and enjoy the animals waking up before going down for breakfast."
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Sheldon & Angel from Union, Nj
"Stayed at the RIU for our honeymoon...The hotel is beautiful inside and out..staff were great and friendly..food was ok..(same buffet food everyday with minor changes)..the steakhouse restaurant is not all that..the Italian restaurant was much better(good food)..con...if you are there on the weekend..the locals get a discount price to stay there on the weekends, so do your tours fri, sat, and sun...(locals take over the hotel pool and eating area)..bartenders are stingy with the liquor(needed about 20 drinks to feel a buzz..lol)..oh and the casino is ok..and need more entertainment..very lacking...but aside from that...great hotel to stay at.. "
Posted: Sat, Jun 09, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Jen from Waco, TX
"The bed was very hard (and I like firm beds). The beer and wine was not good and the drinks had little liquor. The formal dinners were buffet style. The food at the buffets were the same each night-only a few different choices. The snack buffet was leftover from lunch. They are building an addition next door-Riu Palace, which supposedly will be open in November and will be more expensive. The jet ski tour with the on-site contractors was awesome!"
Posted: Wed, Jun 06, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Rebecca from New Jersey
"My stay at Riu was wonderful. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The hotel looks like it was put in the middle of nowhere but it is very nice. The hotel is huge and you do a fair amount of walking, especially if you want to go get a drink to bring back on the beach, The beach was not as nice as I would have thought but it was still fun. On a sunny day the water was very refreshing and you were able to see some fish swimming around you. The only annoying things were the bugs and mosquitos, so make sure to bring bug spray! Tours can be expensive so bring plenty of money if you wish to do outside activities like the Arenal Volcano Tour ($100 ). Overall, it was a great vacation because it was someplace different. The staff was wonderful, the food was pretty good, and it was a very friendly environment. If you have never been to Costa Rica and want to go, this hotel will definitely make you feel welcomed."
Posted: Sun, Jun 03, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Ashlyn from New York
"The trip: Sisters trip. Memorial Day weekend. We will definitely be back.rnThe airport: Flew into Liberia. The airport is small, but new and clean. was super friendly and helpful. Remember you have to pay a departure tax of $26 at the airport when you leave Costa Rica. rnThe car: We rented an SUV through Economy. Car rental in Costa Rica can get very expensive. So, if you don't plan on really using your car, take taxis and guided tours. Though, consider a taxi from the airport to Riu can run you about 50-60 dollars each way. We rented a 4x4 for 4 days and it came out to $370, which is more than I've paid in any country I've travelled. However, it was so worth it. We took back roads to tour all of the beaches. (A beaches tour will run you about 100 dollars pp, so a car comes in handy here). Try the beef tacos at Playa Grande! The roads are fine there, but to get to some beaches you have to take bumpy, hilly, steep, dirt roads with no signs in sight. If you're adventurous, you'll love this. We did! If not, try other more accessible beaches to the north. rnThe hotel: As you've read in other reviews, the grounds of this resort are truly spectacular! The pictures do not do it justice. Beautiful, open and airy. Every time you turn around, you'll see a view that is picture worthy. The beach is beautiful. You can arrange for tours, water sports etc from guys in green shirts on the beach. We went jet skiing to surrounding islands. There are also tour companies in the lobby (more legit) who compete for your business. rnService: From the front desk, maid service, waiters, tour companies, bartenders, the service was impeccable. Friendly, welcoming, patient, and helpful. Everyone speaks English (except for the maids). No complaints whatsoever. rnThe rooms: We stayed in 4016 facing the jungle. We were originally in a room facing construction, but were immediately moved and UPGRADED for free to a larger room facing the beautiful jungle. There was a family of monkeys who came by every day to hang in the trees outside our balcony. Be careful with the balcony door. There are no screens so keep it closed if you don't want to be eaten alive by mosquitos. There are also no soaps and shampoos. So, definitely bring your own. rnFood: You will never be hungry. There was food everywhere all the time. The sports bar is open 24 hours and has "snacks... (hamburgers, hotdogs, sandwiches). Liberia restaurant serves breakfast in the morning. Traditional American breakfast items, omelette station, fruits, breads, fresh juices. The Asian restaurant was just ok, though there was tons of variety. The best was the steakhouse down by the pool, but still not exceptional. The food was mediocre but varied. I can't say they did anything exceptionally well. rnCons:rnThe food was not 5-star worthy. Pool %u2018closes' at 6pm. No pool bar or lifeguards or significant lighting after this time. The hotel has no ceiling in parts so rain gets in and it gets slippery. There are "Cuidado. Piso Mojado... signs affixed to the walls every 10 steps. The hotel is huge, thus things can %u2018seem' far away. Walking from 4016 to the beach takes about 8-10 minutes, but you pass an amazing garden, several pools, and two bars on the way! HUGE CON: No beach bar and no beach waiters when it's busy at the hotel. You'll have to walk to the pool bar which is extremely annoying. rnHINTS!rnTip your bartenders. You'll get your drinks first and sometimes without even asking. Don't waste your time and money (exchange rates) changing money. American dollars are welcome. Get in the line to make dinner reservations the day before @ 8:45 am. The line is quick, but space at the restaurants goes fast. Try to bargain for good prices from the tour companies in the lobby. They compete with each other. We did the Arenal full day tour for 150 pp. rn"
Posted: Tue, May 29, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Karen from Brooklyn, New York
"I loved this resort...2nd time in Costa Rica but this is resort was better than the last one I stayed in. The resort is beautiful and clean! But most of all the staff is super polite and helpful and friendly. My boyfriend's luggage didnt make it in on my flight so when we arrived to the hotel he had long sleeve shirt on and jeans and he was hot!!! the staff found an outfit (shorts and a tank) in the lost and found that was his size and they washed it and gave it to him! So sweet and helpful. We went for my birthday and the staff was so nice they decorated the room to surprise me at my boyfriends request and they made my day very special....even the dinner reservavtion on my bday night was great bc they had a champagne bottle for us and decorated the table (of course you have to request this) It was very nice. Even the nightly entertainment was really good! They dancers are really talented. My trip to Riu was amazing!!!"
Posted: Thu, May 24, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Mae from Philadelphia, PA
"My husband and I had a wonderful time, it truly felt like a home away from home! Much of the resort is open air, which just adds to the beauty and relaxation of your vacation. The staff truly is wonderful %u2013 our housekeeper was SO sweet and left behind different arrangements of flowers on our bed, table and nightstand each time she straightened the room, and there were a bunch of extra goodies left in our fridge as well! At dinner the first night we had a waiter who noticed that my husband likes to drink a LOT of water, and he happened to be our waiter at breakfast the next day and automatically brought my husband two glasses of water without asking. This kind of careful attention to detail is something that you can expect from all the staff, who truly make you feel like you are taken care of. Every restaurant here is a buffet, with enough choices that you will definitely find something that you like. Included in the main breakfast, lunch and dinner services is a spread titled "Typical Foods from Costa Rica... that I would encourage you to try %u2013 these foods became part of our daily staples! The hotel food was great and we had absolutely no complaints, but I do encourage you to adventure on an excursion or two %u2013 when they include lunch it's also typical Costa Rican fare and it will BLOW YOUR MIND. The bars were wonderful, though as people who love mixed drinks we wished there were a few more options on the menu. Our favorite bar was the bar Filadelfia %u2013 the comfortable, chill, relaxed place was perfect for us. The Sports Bar's food left something to be desired for, and was one of the big drawbacks since it was the only place serving food in the later hours of the night. Everyone we talked to was just like us %u2013 quite happy and having a blast! "
Posted: Sun, May 20, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Lashundra Ollie from Richmond Hill, GA
"Excellent vacation. Wonderful hotel and stay. Will come back here to visit. Drawb back. Ensure u get the transfer from hotel to airport. The people in the airport are hagglers. "
Posted: Thu, May 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Sandra Tarrant from Paradise, Newfoundland
"Our trip to the Riu was just great, the staff were always smiling and would go out of their way to help you. I am sure we will be back. The country is so beautiful and the people are very nice."
Posted: Wed, May 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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A Recent Traveler
"We did an early Mother's Day trip for the ladies and we had a blast! The hotel was clean, the staff was friendly, the food was good and the drinks were flowing...what more could you ask for, oh and the price was very reasonable"
Posted: Wed, May 09, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Nancy from Elizabeth, Nj
"I absolutely loved this resort. Everyone was super friendly and the people I met were amazing. The hotel is very clean. We did stay on the side of where they were constructing but still was able to have a part of the view. I was not able to hear the construction going on in the mornings. The only downfall is the food but the pool an drinks make up for it! I went with my boyfriend and we met a lot of tourists there. It was a carefree weekend and I would definitely be back."
Posted: Wed, May 09, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Chris from Montreal, Quebec
"Beautiful hotel that was kept very clean inside and the outside grounds. Food was average to very good. Most beef dishes at the buffet, the beef was very hard to chew. Meat of any kind overall was hit or miss. The beach was beautiful never crowded when we were there and always plenty of lounge chairs available. The waters were not clear though because the ocean was always restless with plenty of waves and it kicked up a lot of the dark sand but the water was definitely clean. Now for the staff. All staff were very friendly and seemed to always try to make your vacation enjoyable. The problem this hotel really has is theft !!! We made the mistake of not using the safe for our money because it was a combination and we didn't trust it. So I hid the money in a zippered pocket of a jacket and placed a lot of clothes over it. Within 2 days all the money was gone. Also a pair of black jeans were stolen and my cell phone which I was very surprised they took because North American cell phones do not work there even if unlocked. The pants by the way were stolen two days after we complained to management about the theft which was the day before we left. Unbelievable ! The mangement told us they cannot do anything and are not liable for money not in the safe. They said too many people have access to all rooms and us accusing any staff member without 100% proof would result in us being detained for false accusation and we would not be allowed to leave Costa Rica. They did not seem to care and when we called the management office to see how the investigation is going the didn't have the decency to return our phone calls. We met a couple from Pensylvania who told us that they had problems with the safe and three different staff members came to their room on two different occasions as their safe continued to not work because it wasn't opening and all three knew the master combination to open it. By this time this couple knew the master number too and told us how bad security really is. I talked to the few excursion people who work on the beach and they told us that theft is common at this hotel. In conclusion I got robbed 500.00 dollars, an Iphone and the day before leaving a black pair of brand new jeans that I hadn't worn yet. I intend to pursue this with the head offices in Spain but I have no hope they will make things right. In conclusion BEWARE. Bring old clothes. no cash, and nothing valuable! There is a casino across from the property and they have an ATM machine. Even though it costs $1.50 a transaction it is better to go there and just withdraw what you might need for excursions or souvenirs and enjoy your vacation without worries."
Posted: Mon, May 07, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Phil Traywick from Chelsea, Alabama
"This is a wonderful all-inclusive hotel that takes customer service seriously. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary there, spending the week in a country we had never been to before, in a hotel we had never stayed at before. That said, our experience was wonderful! The staff was very courteous and polite, looking after our every need without question. Every time we passed someone, they smiled and said 'hola'. The room and amenities at the hotel were second to none and the beach and pool were beautiful. On the whole, a very fun trip and we would recomend it to anyone!"
Posted: Mon, May 07, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Noreen from Orlando, Florida
"Great value for your money, food was good but not great. The fruit was wonderful. The entertainment team was fun to be around especially around the pool area. Bartenders at the pool were the best!!"
Posted: Thu, May 03, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Michael Correa from Union, NJ
"The trip in general was amazing. We had a beach view right next to the construction but I heard nothing. The food was good and the bars were great. The service was onpoint....never an empty glass. OK.....now for the good information.....do not book anything in the Hotel.....book with the tours on the beach all are safe and half the cost of the hotel services. Also, book your massage on the beach with ($65 for the couple for 1 hour). Overall an amazing trip and I would recommend it to anyone."
Posted: Thu, May 03, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Alex
"A perfect vacation spot... One of the best hotels my wife and I ever been to and we have been to a number of them in Mexico, Dominican or Jamaica. Costa Rica is perfect."
Posted: Mon, Apr 30, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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JP from New Braunfels, TX
"This is a nice looking hotel on black sand beaches. The staff was somewhat rude but didn't need to speak with them that often. This is not a place you want to visit if you are looking for a romantic setting. If you are going to party and hookup this is the place to go. Basically this is the sport where a ton of Americans congregate in Costa Rica. We did enjoy our snorkeling excursion as the guides took us to various private beaches (black sand and white crushed shell beaches) and showed us local points of interest. I would only recommend to someone looking to party."
Posted: Sun, Apr 29, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?No
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Ashley from Woodbridge, NJ
"The resort is beautiful, the new palace will be open in Novemeber so if you go prior to that make sure to request a room on the jungle side otherwise you will be hear construction starting at 7 am. The rooms are nice, clean...nothing special, bed is slightly hard and pillows are flat but managable for 4-5 days. Pool is wonderful, gets very crowded around lunch time. Beach is nice and clean, water is warm, sand is not gritty at all. Book resturant reservations as early as possible, they book up quickly. The steak house was the best, buffet is good. I personally wasnt a fan of food but my boyfriend liked it so its a matter of what your food preferences are. There is a lot of fish and seafood. Inshore fishing was not good for us. Beware of the $28 departure tax when leaving from the airport and sunblock is $40 if you buy at the hotel so make sure you bring plenty because you will need it. Palo Verde boat ride was good, lots of animals any time of day no matter what the guys on the beach tell you. Massage on the beach worth the $35 pp for an hour. Enjoy!"
Posted: Fri, Apr 27, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Doreen from Stratford, Ct
"My cousin and I just returned form our Costa Rica trip and stayed at the RIU. It was incredible. The place was amazing. When we arrived in the open lobby, we were told we could change our room the next day and due to construction, and our new room had a balcony overlooking the mountains where wild life could be heard. we did not see any unfortunately. The pools were clean, warm, and a great swim up bar. There was plenty of staff, and unfortunately too many photographers wanting to take too many pictures in too many poses. But you can just say no. there are about 3 huge pools, a hot tub up high, and an infinity pool. Amazing. the beach is black sand that you cannot walk barefoot on after 10 am, but is the most beautiful part as its all surrounded by mountains. the beach is not commericialized so no banana boats, para sailing, or many jet skis, which is awesome. There are lounge chairs and beverage service too. the BF, Lunch, and Dinner buffets are delicious, however the speciality restaurants stink. There are lots of bars which is great, and the night time shows are pretty good. The service is great and the staff are very friendly. I would love to be back right now. Best part is to take a $10 pp trip and pat $5 to be with the monkeys who will crawl all over you and literally hang off you. I would go back just for that!"
Posted: Fri, Apr 27, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Paul Forlan from Mission, Tx
"very nice"
Posted: Fri, Apr 27, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Tiffany from Detroit, MI
"The hotel was fantastic. Clean and the people were super. We were a little dissapointed in the beach, but they were having trouble with the red tide. The pool more than made up for it. Stay on the Jungle side until new construction is complete. Make dinner reservations early. Book excursions on the beach. Take the boat to Coco Beach instead of the van. Take a walk to the monkey bar early in the morning if you want to see monkeys. overall, a great time. would recommend."
Posted: Tue, Apr 24, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Bill
"The hotel was absolutely beautiful! It is spotless inside with outstanding bars, eateries, and outdoor space. The architecture is out of this world... There is a new (larger) hotel being built the the south side of the hotel which is suppose to be spectacular (but not all inclusive). That was not even a downfall to the view off our balcony either. It actually blocked the sun at times and created picture pefect views over the ocean. The one downfall of the entire complex is the beach itself. Because of the volcanic areas in Costa Rica, especially in that region, it caused the water to be rather dark and dirty. The sulfuric bottom deep in the ocean tends to have a lot of dead blowfish come a shore, which bummed us out. BUT on some days the ocean is blue, clear and definitely fun. AND many other things make up for that... If you walk down the beach towards 'the monkey bar' there is a small hill to hike over and then another beach. On this smaller beach, there is a giant tree where the howler monkeys hang out and rest. IT WAS AWESOME. And the pool at the hotel!!! It is enormous and has a giant swim up bar that is always where the party is at. But if that is not for you, the pool spreads out into 3 more areas where you can have privacy. We took 3 day tours to other parts of the island as well...5 star vacation without a doubt. Tamarindo Beach (surf), Coco Beach (shop), and the Buena Vista megacombo (inland ziplines, waterslide, mud bath, hot spring) are some things that we did and recommend indeed."
Posted: Mon, Apr 23, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Esteban Saborio from San Jose, Costa Rica
"Love it. Outstanding place and service. Friendly staff, excellent food, very diverse menus, lots of things to do. Great value for the price."
Posted: Mon, Apr 23, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Thomas Rigoli from Jamestown, NY
"This was one of the best trip we have took in a very long time. All the staff was so nice . You need to get up and go to the pool with a towel to save your chair at the pool . There was so much choices of food and the drinks were great if they see a tip they come right to you ."
Posted: Mon, Apr 23, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Occasional Traveler
"The resort is very clean and the staff is extremely friendly. The employees work around the clock to make the place sparkle! The beds are VERY firm but not entirely uncomfortable. The food is just so-so. The pool area is really nice, but we mostly avoided the beach - it smelled bad and the water looked dirty. I think we were visiting at the tail end of the red tide. The drinks are okay, but they are weak unless you ask for a double or triple. The excursions are pretty expensive, but overall I think it was worth it to experience the country outside of the resort compound."
Posted: Sat, Apr 21, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Terri from Saratoga Springs, NY
"Entertainment staff as well as all other staff were great! Grounds and rooms very clean. The food was okay not great, steakhouse very disappointing. Very hard to get reservations to the different restaurants. Would definately recommend."
Posted: Fri, Apr 20, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Jennipher from Milwaukee, WI
"We had a wonderful time at this resort. Our favorite restaurant for dinner was the Steak House. We had no problems getting reservations for the theme restaurants as you are able to make reservations one day in advance. We tried all 3 and all had something to offer for everyone. The Staff was so nice. A little tipping goes a long way! Our room was beautiful, we asked a head of time to see if we could get a king size bed facing the mountain. And that is exactly what we got! The drinks overall were wonderful, although you have to ask for an extra shot of rum in the frozen drinks. I feel like if I am going to drink all those calories, I would like to get a buzz off of them! There is no other resorts around the hotel, although they are building a resort right next door. Beware if you go to the beach: THE SAND IS HOT!!!! The sand is a dark grey color once the sun has come up and started cooking, it is impossible to walk without your shoes on. Also, this is a public beach, so there are vendors and sales reps for excursions who will hound you when you first walk on to the beach. A polite 'no thank you' usually does the trick. We did do a few excursions while we were there: We did some fishing (trolling and casting), and caught a black tuna and some other smaller fish. The Mega Combo tour.... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ~ includes: ziplining, horseback riding, hike to waterfall, hot spring/mudbath spa, lunch, waterslide. We paid $130 per person, and was well worth the money. We also took a water taxi to Coco Beach, we loved it there! Its a small town with lots of shopping and bars. This trip was $20 per person and you get to see a ton of really extravagant houses on your way there. We took the trip in the afternoon and on our way back we took a ton of sunset pictures over the water. We had a wonderful experience, we heard a lot of people complaining about the food, but honestly, we had no complaints."
Posted: Wed, Apr 18, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Katie from Bethesda, Md
"I went with 2 of my girl friends and we're all in our early 20's. First, the place is beautiful and we felt like there was a lot to do and we wouldn't feel 'trapped'in the resort. The staff is all very friendly and we felt like the entertainment staff had enough activities to give us something to do if we wanted, but not too many that we felt bombarded or overwhelmed. There was a good mix of guests as well, we had families, young single adults and couples. The food was pretty good, we felt like there were decent options for every meal. The beds were a little stiff, but otherwise the room was nice. We would definitely go back and recommend to others!"
Posted: Mon, Apr 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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A Recent Traveler
"The hotel is spacious and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The food is so-so but you can expect that at all-inclusives, we go to them often. The wait staff is friendly however the cocktails are poor and calorie filled without any alcohol unless of course, you are tipping. My biggest dissapointment was the beach it was horrible and smelly. We had been warned but I am used to the beautiful beaches of MX and DR so this was a real downer. The weather is extremely warm and humid. We went on several side trips, white water rafting, zip lining, horseback riding and rented a cab for the day. All the trips were worth it but they are costly and involve hours ( 2 each way) of driving. In all it was nice to experience but I wouldn't go back."
Posted: Mon, Apr 09, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Tourist from Illinois
"They thought of everything!' No other way to describe it, everything was perfect. I've traveled to other countries many times and this by far was the most beautiful and luxurious resort I've ever stayed at. Pros are the people, food, and view. You don't need to leave the resort but do go to Arenal volcano, Tabacon spa, zip-line, suspended bridges. Plan on a drive because Guanacaste is in the Northern region of Costa Rica....but it's worth it. Avoid the bus trips....trust me!"
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A Recent Traveler from Sellersburg, IN
"Read reviews prior to arriving which were very helpful and avoided surprises. Beautiful grounds and pool, undesirable beach and ocean. Red tide when we were there causing the ocean waters to be 'toxic' per staff. Very pleased with reservations and transportation. Had a jungle view room which was nice, after spending the first night on construction side, I think it is a game they play betting that you won't want to change rooms the next day - definitely worth the persistence of negotiating the change of rooms. Food was ok, did not like the buffet lunch and dinner after so many people had access to the food and serving utensils. Enjoyed the Italian and Asian restaurant, Steak House disappointing. Great tours booked with guys on the beach. Great shows at night - Grease, Mama Mia, and Michael Jackson show. All in all great time and would definitely return."
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A Recent Traveler
"It was excellent in every way the beach was covered with dead fish"
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Angela from Kankakee, IL
"everyting was great. Hotel was clean organized. Pool was beautiful. Loved the loundgers in the pool. Food was great. View from room wonderful. everyone was friendly. Shows where a lot of fun."
Posted: Mon, Mar 26, 2012- Overall Experience:
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- Would Return or Recommend?Yes
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Frank M from Niagara Falls, NY
"My girlfriend and I absoulutely loved the Riu resort in Costa Rica, the staff was very friendly and pleasant. The pools on the resort were great, along with the indoor jacuzzi in the wellness center. We took two excursions, zip lining and a river boat tour. All of our guides were awesome and very friendly. Transportation to and from the resort was hassle free. The resort itself offers tons of activities during your stay - water sports, volleyball etc. The only negative criticism I can make is the food at the Asian restaurant was sub par. The buffets were very good, especially breakfast. The a la carte steakhouse was very good, although it's get booked very quickly. The Italian restaurant in my opinion was below average, although the desserts were pretty good. The beach is very nice, however it is somewhat small and it was VERY windy during our stay which made it alittle rough to lay out on the beach with sand flying in your face. But overall my girlfriend and I had an amazing time and we will definitely be looking into Riu resorts again in the future!!"
Posted: Sat, Mar 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Jeffrey Harris from Fairport, NY
"Our week stay was simply amazing. The hotel was terrific...clean rooms, excellent service throughout the complex. The food was also very good and the variety of choices were vast. The pool area and bar were the center of most guests attention. I was struck by the party atmosphere and the good nature of the staff. The beach was truly beautiful...if you are expecting 'white' sand, then you need to think about going to the Gulf Coast instead...the sand is volcanic and is a heavy and clean mixture of black and brown flecks of crushed lava. We also enjoyed the Howler monkeys each morning and afternoon. The beach horseback ride as one of our most memorable activities for the week. Also, the casino was a good time, although, the nightlife didn't pick up until after 10PM... The 35 minute drive from Liberia Airport to the resort was not an issue at all. I would STRONGLY urge that you give this resort a try...I will definitely return another time."
Posted: Sun, Mar 11, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Diane Geoffrooy from Lowell, Vermont
"This is a very nice hotel with extremely friendly and helpful staff. Rooms were nice with balcony and cleaned every day. Food was excellent. While they all serve at least part of the meal buffet style, there are so many choices, it is hard to complain. The Italian one was really exceptional. This is the 4th Riu I have stayed in and the food here was the best of all. While it is remote, there is so much offered here it is not necessary to leave. We did the Arenal volcano & Tabacon Hot Springs tour, the Tempesque River Cruise and the Tenerio Rainforest tour. All were good choices. I probably would opt for a closer volcano & hot springs tour as it is about 8 hours of driving to get there and back."
Posted: Sat, Mar 03, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Rose Carbone from Clarion, PA USA
"Everything was wonderful, from the moment we arrived with our free airport transfer, to our free departure transfer. Front desk personnel could not be more helpful, and all employees of the hotel were extremely polite and accommodating. Food was wonderful! Beautiful grounds, beach and swimming area. Bartenders are accommodating to those who wish to have nonalcoholic drinks. Nightly entertainment was also fun. Room was very comfortable and view of ocean and surrounding area is magnificent."
Posted: Thu, Mar 01, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Laura Cadieux from Almonte, Canada
"Loved the resort,just beautiful. Great staff,very efficient. Only criticism, disorganized when being picked up at resort for excursions that were booked through the resort. When transports pick you up several buses,at a time,they all arrive at same time and do not represent to tourists waiting,which tour is which. Maybe they should hold a sign up for us to see."
Posted: Mon, Feb 27, 2012- Overall Experience:
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Danette Wiggins-Hedgepeth from NY, NY
"GREAT TIME!!!! WANT TO GO BACK!!!!"
Posted: Fri, Feb 24, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"This was my first time in Costa Rica - and first time at an all inclusive. Don't expect name brand booze or beer or any amazing food. The place is in the middle of nowhere and takes 20 minutes to get to Coco beach and over 1.5 hours to Tamarindo .. which are the places you'll wish you stayed.
Hotel rooms are nice. Beds suck, pillows suck, wifi sucked, toilet didn't work right and ran all day. Pool was nice but you'll get sick of hearing the water aerobics and poor music selection. Do it the right way and get a hotel on the beach or in the jungle. You pay for the all inclusive and what you get in return is not worth it at all."
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"We had a wonderful week here and the staff were wonderful....."
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"POSITIVES: Clean, friendly staff, clean, rooms are spacious, efficiently run and huge so you dont run into the same people.
NEGATIVES: (1) In the middle of no-where. Nearest off-resort activity is at least 1.5 hours away (at least, that's what it was for us). (2) the food and drink are OK. Two of the restaurants require advance dinner booking and if you don't get there soon, then forget about reservation. (3) Entertainment is very sub-standard. For example, they had an African night with a bunch of Spanish people randomly blurting Africa-Africa with Indian music in the background....
That being said, food and drinks are included which otherwise would cost you substantial $$."
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"Our overall trip was not good although it may have begun well. When we first got there we told them it was our honeymoon and they informed us that they would be bringing a bottle of champagne to our room and leaving a little something special for us each day. After about four days of not getting anything I went to the front dest and politely asked what had happened. A day later we got a small fruit plate which had a dead bug in it. They also say they have free wifi but when you arrive there you are informed that it is only free in the lobby and only 90 minutes every 24 hours, if not you have to pay an absurd amount of money for it in your room. This normally would not have bothered me one bit since I was on my honeymoon but then a huge problem occured. Hurricane Sandy hit our home town and we needed to reach our family to see if everyone was ok and homes were ok including ours. Well, the free wifi was 'down'. i asked about it and they said one hour and it will be fixed. waited a couple of hours and still nothing, now they tell us the next morning, the next morning they tell us another day, but if we wanted we could pay for it. This was after we were able to check quickly before wifi went down that our house was flooded and we werent sure about the rest of the family. I explained to the front desk our situation and all they said was you will have to pay for it, after it is promised that you will have some free wifi availability. As much as the office people were a horrible experience and inconsiderate, the rest of the staff was amazing and extremely nice. the bartenders and wait staff work their butts off around the clock and are always on top of everything, wish I could say the same for the rest."
Posted: Mon, Nov 05, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"Lovely! Extremely large resort with beautiful fountains and art work throughout; largest of all the RIU's I've stayed at. July is rainy season... Staff very friendly and the entertainment crew was awesome. I like the dancers in Jamaica better, they were more coordinated. This hotel had more children than I anticipated so that was a bit of a bummer because it added a 'PG' theme to the entertainment and activities. They have a kid area, however no one uses it so the kids are everywhere... pool, sports bar, and club. The beach provided some solice from the kids. The beach was ok. Nice waters though; filled with beautiful fish, soft shell crabs, and sea shells. I recommend the zip lining excursion (Ultimate package), Cocoa Beach shopping (cheapest) and the Cocoa beach is nice... bring a towel. Enjoy. "
Posted: Wed, Jul 25, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"Just returned from a week at the Riu Guanacaste. Loved it. Very clean hotel, great food. Excellent filets in the Steak House, and wonderful Italian food. Something for everyone in the buffet lines. Our only problem was that the humidity and rainfall of the area made all the ceramic- tiled hallway floors very slippery. The staff did their best to keep them dry after each rain, but they were always slick. Took tours with CAT Tours, through the hotel; felt well cared for. Had a 12 yr. old granddaughter with us, who loved the ATV, zip lining, and horseback riding/waterfalls tours. Pools, grounds, and beach quite beautiful. Roads are bad, insects were not a problem while we were there. Did have a rain shower almost every afternoon we were there, but it wasn't a problem. We had been promised an ocean front room, which we didn't get. But our room facing the mtns. was very peaceful, and the rooms soundproof. Although the hotel says all gratuities included, you will need to tip lots of people with the tours, etc. Take lots of $1 bills with you. Food in the airport is outrageously expensive; $15 for 6-8 pieces of suishi, $5 for a dip of ice cream.. "
Posted: Tue, Jul 17, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"We had friends who visited Costa Rica and this hotel and they provided good reviews, but it does not compare to our own experience. I give this hotel a 5 Star as we were very pleased with everything. The only thing that they can improve upon is their Asian restaurant the food was not good at all."
Posted: Mon, Jul 16, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"I had an amazing time. We got an incredible deal and truly enjoyed our time in Costa Rica. The people were friendly, the scenery was beautiful, and there were many activities to do while we were there. The black sand got hot as the day went on, but the water was clear, calm and refreshing. Lots of fish to see and you could get snorkel gear on the beach to explore further. We booked two excursions with Geckotico Tours on the beach. Palo Verde river tour was so much fun and featured many different animlals. Make sure to get a massage on the beach. A couples massage was only $65 for an hour and made our trip. We had two during our stay! The pool area was fun and I never had trouble finding a chair. The drinks at the swim up bar were plentiful, but a tip can help if you want them to be a little stronger. Ask for a Hernandez special! The Riu was a great place to stay. Lots of food options(my favorite was the steak house, but Asian was also very good) and the rooms were clean and comfortable. I would highly recommend the resort and would stay at another of their resorts in the future."
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"I wanted a vacation not a stress out trip this was not a beach vacation the beach was filty and fill of locals not clean and very scary for tourist everyone thath was on vacation was pretty upset this was never told to us when we book our trip room was suppose to be ocean front, which I paid extra for , but instead we got a rom overlooking he pool. TV was only broadcast in spanish. All employees speak only spanish ,english speaking workers had attitude. I would NOT recommend that RESORT"
Posted: Sun, Jul 01, 2012- Overall Experience:
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"A great disappointment!! The ongoing construction noise during the four days we were there was most annoying. In addition, the view was obstructed by the the construction. The food was mediocre at best. Same dishes recycled the following day with a couple of additional pieces of decor. The flies that buzzed over the food did not add to the quality. The drinks were tasteless and seemed to contain no alcohol. The three specialty restaurants which had to be 'reserved' did not differ from the daily buffet. The Japanese restaurant just had an a la carte menu, we were told, but it was really a buffet. Because we were celebrating an anniversary we were told we would have a fruit plate sent our room. That never happened. When we mentioned it a check-out we were told, 'sorry!' The staff was not particularly friendly. In all fairness to them they seem over-worked and under paid. They try hard with the evening performances, but it wasn't worth staying up for."
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"Very satisfied with stay at the Riu hotel would recommend to anyone.
However, the transter service, Jacamar Natuuralist Tours were terrible. They were an hour and a half late picking us up at Airport on arrival and late picking us up for return trip to Airport."
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"Everything was Great the only thing l would have preferred a direct flight to Costa Rica"
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"The food could have been better, needed more restaurants that served you. We felt like all the food was cafeteria style. Not enough lounge chairs around the pool, that was to small for all the guests. The suites were nice and good size. Beautiful grounds, clean and well kept. Not enough bars around the pool, and none on the beach. More snack bars would be nice in the pool and beach areas, there were none. Hotel staff was helpful and it was really nice to get your boarding pass and pay the exit tax at the hotel. The staff on the beach was a great source for water taxis to Coco beach, fishing and all tours. He was a really good source of info and quality tours."
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"It was TERIBLE , no phone conection . cant used Cel pone on the property Phon only from room 1 min with Chicago $ 13,75 for 12 houers i was in spend phone bill $ 150 U was only ONE day in Hotel and move OUT service TERiBLE to at reception desk .
Alex Burekovic expiriance from Feb 01 to feb 02 2012 i m osumig to get my mone back becuz prepaid for 10 day s and used only one night i spended $ 2.900 for ther trip and expiriance"
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"We just returned from a week at this resort and are happy to recommend it. The beach and pools were very nice and the buffet food was superb! We had an ocean facing room with a great view. The hotel is too set back from the water to hear the ocean sounds and the balcony is pleasant but small with just a table and two chairs, but very private from other rooms. We booked our tours, an overnight to Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest, and a river boat trip to Palo Verde with Jacamar Naturalist Tours, www.arenaltours.com, and this was an excellent choice for us. I highly recommend them! For a relaxing getaway with excellent food and ambience, this is the place!
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"We had a relaxing, fun, and wonderful vacation at the Guanacaste RIU. From the time we got to the hotel to the time we left a week later, we felt totally pampered and surrounded by beauty. The people at the hotel and hotel spa were genuinely friendy and accommodating. We also met people from all over the world during our stay at the RIU and enjoyed their company. The excursions such as zip-lining, the volcano tour, and the Baldi Spas were terrific experiences as well. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and we plan to go back! We highly recommend the Guanacaste RIU all-inclusive hotel."
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"Sorry for my English but I'm a French Canadian.
When I booked my trip to RIU Guanacaste I dont know why but my expectations were high and I'm very disapointed in some aspect of the Hotel.
I booked an Ocean Front suite from Dec 20 to 29th.
1- Wi-Fi it seems that RIU dont understand today's technology, there is no WIFI available in the room and they say there is WIFI in the lobby, but there is so many persons in the lobby trying to get a connection to the network that it is almost impossible to connect from 5pm to midnight. Only one solution left go to the conference center on the other side of the street there is another network available named RIU Conferencias. This is very ironic that RIU have a conference center and no connection in the room, how they are expecting to bring conference people in this hotel with proper WIFI connection.
2- Restaurant selection is very limited and the space is also very limited in the specialty one. Be ready for a fast meal even in specialty restaurant you have less than an hour to eat and if your fast to eat you can be out in less than 30 minutes, nothing romantic there. BTW food quality is good, menu selection is limited.
3- Restaurant reservation is at 9:00 AM be ready to wait in line and if your planning an excursion you can expect the buffet the next day as it will be impossible to have a specialy restaurant booked.
4- Wine selection in the restaurant, did I said wine selection? there is none, wine quality is so poor. Red wine is undrinkable and always to hot. White wine is just one little step better than the red wine but also always to hot. Obviously wine is not a priority in this hotel.
5- If you like the pool you will like it a lot, but if you are like my wife and I in love with beach you will once again very disapointed. There is no beach hut and/or umbrella and there is no service on the beach. You have to walk alot to get a drink.
6. One last detail if you book an Ocean front suite like us, make sure to get a suite on the western side of the hotel because you will be so close of the pool and pool bar that you will hear a lot of noise coming from the pool, on the western side it is quiet and relaxing.
Those are the issues we faced and we are not expecting another trip to that hotel even if the quality of staff is very good to excellent and even with the quality of the room that is also very good to excellent.
If your not effraid of ATV go see Gustavo on the beach and book a 4 hour ride directly with him, this is fun and you will see alot of nice spot."
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"The resort is very impressive and the accomodations were very good. The staff seemed to be a little over stretched due to the holiday season and the service could be better. There is no room service at this resort. Food was very bland and no one in our group (17 members in the group) was really impressed by the cuisine. Resort activites and entertainment were OK at best.
Pool, private beach and other amenities were excellent."
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"Hi,
I would like to say my first trip to Costa Rica was in September ( RIU GUANACASTE ) I liked it so much so that I returned in December. I cannot say enough good about the wonderful time I had from the Hotel to the staff and local people, food the entertainment and so on they realy do a great job, i'm even looking to return in 3 months. I would like to give a special thanks to the front desk manager. I'm missing so many people I would like to thank you all, you should all be very proud , miss you all !!!
All the Best
See you all very soon !!!!!!!"
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"Hotel is awesome. room was cleaned thoroughly but the bed sucked. It felt like sleeping on a board. Pool amazing, beach is not nice at all but beautiful views.
Food was plentiful and average. Hotel is so off the beaten path, 45 minutes from airport when it said only 15 minutes. Would definitely go back to Costa Rica and would stay at the same hotel."
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"Great hotel, great staff and beautiful location."
Posted: Sun, Dec 11, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"comida servicio i todos los empleados"
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"Everything was okay except the food. I do understand and acept different foods and cultures but none of the meals were hot in temp.This gives me a concern of safety."
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"The resort was beautiful and clean, our trips that we booked through Costa Rica Amazing were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The bartenders at the pool bar were hands-down the best bar tenders we've had at any all-inclusive. The food in the steak house was really good; the Asian restaurant was nice as well. The buffet was a what we expected - adequate. The pool was nice and we were happy about that because the beach is not. The many people cleaning around the resort and the food service people were extremely nice and helpful. On the bad side, it was the last day of the vacation before we saw a waiter at the pool. We paid for room upgrades but they refused to upgrade, saying Bookit.com did not indicate that on our reservation, nor were our requests to have rooms (three rooms of family members traveling together) near each other honored. We were told the hotel was completely booked Friday night, and there were many locals there, but it didn't seem to be booked to capacity. They offered to let us move Monday, which would have been day three of our 7 day vacation - no thank you. We only had washclots in the bathroom when I left a note and a tip. The activities crew was also a disappointment. We had kids of ages 16, 14, 12, and 10 and there were not approached one time to join an activity. As a matter of fact, the only activities we witnessed besides water aerobics were directed at adults and revolved around drinking. There was a carnival Thursday night that had a little for the kids. The shows were OK, but we didn't go to many of them. One elevator was broken all week so it was quicker to walk to our third floor room. Wi-fi was hit and miss in the lobby. I will think twice about booking with this hotel again."
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our vacation was fantastic, Loved the resort, the food was great and the shows were great too! You do have to book early that day if you want to go to one of the
restaurants to eat or they are booked, We were doing a lot of excursions so we only ate twice at the Italian restaurant and the Asian which were both delicious . the buffets are great too the food is very good, love the breakfasts ! love love the excursions we did were fantastic, from zip lining,horseback riding,Atv riding and loved the monkey zoo where you can hold the monkeys and play! make sure you go onto the shuttle that takes you in town cocoa,(lots of US locals and fun bars and street shopping) The things I did not like about this resort were -after 10.00pm only the sports bar has snack food to heat up to eat and is very lousy, wish they had pizza to heat up in stead of that other stuff that was awful, or a night time buffet, the liquor drinks were good but very weak had to ask for doubles (think they were watered down) the resort was beautiful and would def go back, loved all the workers there who were be on friendly!!"
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"The hotel itself is beautiful and will not disappoint. We arrived 1 hour late due to a flight delay. The transportation through Bookit.com was there waiting for us with a sign with our names and a very nice 15 seat tour bus. We waited for the other two couples and then were off. We did not realize that the bus covers several other hotels so we made a few stops and it took us 40 minutes to get to the hotel. This was true on the way back to the airport as well.
We checked in and got our room, but it did not have any wash cloths and it smelled very musty. I asked why only one glass in the bathroom and the attendant told us the bathroom water was not for drinking. I called the hotel operator and she said all the water in the hotel was OK for drinking. I read the Service Directory again and it said the drinking water is not fit for drinking. On the plus side there is free bottled water in the stocked refrigerator and hard liquor in the room.
I read the hotel rules in the room and realized we did not have a required bracelet for the all inclusive program. The next morning I went down and waited in line to get the required bracelets. Apparently they are locked up late at night so if you arrive late you will have this problem.
We noticed the RIU towels being used for many other things besides being your bathroom towels. We saw them used for cleaning the lobby floors, walls, tables and other areas of the hotel. Is this a 5 star practice?
The pool is very nice and if you are near it you can hear the games and hotel hosted programs during the day. The activities start at 10 AM with pool staff loud music and it is a party atmosphere. The pool closes at 8PM and the party moves to the event and show area.
The event and show area is located downstairs and the sound permeates the courtyard from 8PM until midnight. If you face the courtyard it will be loud because the sliding glass door is single pane. We had to use ear plugs whem we went to bed before midnight. Also the halls echo since they are made of cement and tile so those late night drunks will be loud as they get back to their rooms.
We took a walk along the beach to the south of the hotel and the beach and water looked pretty dirty not white like the pictures on the internet. If you lay on the sand wet you will get up looking muddy. There are three streams to the south of the hotel beach that empty and this may be the cause of the dirty water. It also might be because of the runoff from the hotel property that causes dirt to mix with the sand. The beach to the south of the streams is beautiful with clear water and small waves. The only problem is that you have to access it at low tide or swim to it.
There is a little market close by but it is expensive. It will cost you $10 for a bag of chips and $25 dollars for a small bottle of sunscreen. If you buy them in the closest town of Coco beach the cost is $4 and $8 for the same items. It costs $40 round trip by taxi to get there or $15 per person in the hotel shuttle that leaves at 9, 12, and 3 and returns at 12, 3, and 6.
There are lots of hustlers on the beach who will hit you up immediately when you cross the hotel/beach boundary and try to get you to spend your money for fishing, water taxi rides, ATV rides, etc. Be aware these are illegal activities, since the beaches are public, and none of them have the proper insurance required by the government and you can get into trouble using them. By that I mean robbed, or pay for a round trip and only get one way, etc. There are 4 tour companies in the lobby and all pay the $2000 per month insurance costs and are sanctioned by the government tour agency. They cost the same as priced on the beach anyway, although the beach boys will lie to you and tell you they are giving you a better deal. If you have a problem with a hotel tour operator you can get the problem addressed.
You have free access to paddle boats, kayaks, and windsurf boards, but you are limited to a football sized area right off the beach. This took the fun out of it for me.
We bought our tours through Bookit.com. They contract through Jacamar tours and are not present here in the hotel.
Zip line Canopy Tour/Dry Forest.
This tour is composed of eight separate zip lines with speeds to 28 Mph. The prettiest time to take it is at the end of the rainy season around November. Later in the year the leaves fall off as the dry season progresses. They only use dual cable zip lines and they change them out every year. This measure of extra safety you should be interested in. The guys at the zip line tour have been there for up to 10 years and were great. I was told the all day zip line tour is much faster and more of an adrenaline rush.
If you want the view don't take the 5th floor or you will have to walk out on the balcony to see the view. All the other rooms the view can be seen from the room and I think the 4th floor is the best if you can get it.
The casino is very smoky if there is a large crowd so we went there just after it opened for fresh air.
Wifi is available, but only in the lobby area. I think is should be available throughout the hotel and pool area.
The TV offers only 3 or 4 channels of English programs. Most of them are the news. Only one channel is an English programming channel. I think they should update their system and offer more choices.
We took out a monopoly game from the pool area and found a piece missing so we could not play the game. When we mentioned it to the pool guy we could tell he really did not care. This was a little disappointing on a hotel that thinks it is five stars.
There is an international phone with $10 and $20 cards available in the 24/7 Sports Bar. This is super loud environment if there is a game going on and this phone should be moved to a quieter area so you can hear who you are talking with, especially at this high rate per minute. The cost to the US is $1.20 per minute. If you use your 3G phone it will be $2-4 dollars per minute depending on your plan. The hotel charges an additional hook up fee if you call from your room. It is only .26 cents per minute from the US to make a call to your room with our Comcast account.
We did not find the place buggy in November and the place is green and beautiful. All the trees still have leaves. We noticed several people from other hotels had been bitten from the bugs at sunset.
Men are not allowed to wear sleeve less shirts in the dining areas. This is not pointed out well and we saw lots of men turned away at the meals.
We found the exchange rate to be 474 Colonies to $1 at the hotel and 550 Colonies to $1 at the Casino. That is a big difference!
Take a flashlight if you want to check out the beach at night. The turtles were hatching in November.
There is a large construction site going on to the South as they are expanding the RIU. I was told it will go on until November 2012. If you get a room on this side of the hotel it will be an ugly view and loud. Ask for the north side if you are getting the non ocean front room.
The 5th floor has a solid cement balcony wall so you will need to walk out to see the view from your room. All the other floors have a nice view from the room through the iron bars.
Hope this helps, have a great trip."
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"The only bad thing was Bookit.com's handling of transfers to and from the airport!!! They arranged pick-up from the hotel that made us late for our flight, thus causing us extra expense to get on another flight and return later than expected causing mutiple problems!!!!"
Posted: Sun, Nov 13, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"My husband and I went for our honeymoon and had a blast! We got a great deal through Book-it and would definitely return."
Posted: Tue, Nov 08, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"The country is beautiful ,the people so friendly, the hotel was really good: clean, lots of variety of foods and drinks, beach, pool activities. It is a bit secluded so for bigger adventures you have to drive a bit, but the activities are so fun you have to go. Buy your activities through Bookit.com; it is cheaper!"
Posted: Mon, Nov 07, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Really liked and enjoyed staying at the RIU. Food was 'good' and varied, Wouldn't say it was five star, but still it was good. Alcohol bar in room was 'free', and all drinks throughout complex were free. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Hotel is beautiful. Jacamar tours were great. My Gripes>>>TV was poor in English content. >>> Amazingly 'free' WiFi only present in lobby area, no room WiFi (?), 'Really' RIU? Overall, I'd say this was an excellent value, and with only a few quibbles to speak of, my wife and I enjoyed our week vacation at the RIU Guanacaste. 'Pura Vida'"
Posted: Tue, Nov 01, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"We had a Great Time! The resort was off the beaten path which was good and not so good depending on what you are looking for. It was great because we were able to really relax as well as experience nature. The not so good was that going anywhere outside of the reseort required a drive; however once we got to our various destinations, we were never disaappointed. Liberia is a place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. If you're looking for past paced action or nightlife, this isn't the place."
Posted: Sun, Oct 30, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"The hotel is outstanding the food,entertainment,and drinks and service was excellent.The only complaint i have is if you want to eat at the speciality restaurants you have to book it that day between 9am-2pm most of the time my wife and i were out on excursions rafting, zip-lining hiking in the rainforest etc... so therefore you cannot book it but the buffet is excellent anyhow they even had bbq on the weekend as well as carvery during the week. Overall i would definetly recommend this hotel and yes i would stay there again."
Posted: Fri, Oct 28, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Free round trip transfer from airport to hotel and Spa credits thanks to Bookit. We love the RIU and have stayed with them in other countries. This one was no exception the Hotel, Staff and Entertainment group were everything we expected and more. The evening entertainment was awesome and the Tribute to Michael Jackson was incredible. The food was very good and plentiful. Our favorite was the Italian restaurant. The hotel was very, very clean and what we have come to expect from the RIU. We will definitely be visiting this one again. There were several companies offering excursions and we chose the Swiss Travel group for the day long Volcano tour which included lunch and dinner and the hot springs. The tour guides were excellent and made the day very enjoyable. We had a fantastic time and would highly recommend it!!"
Posted: Wed, Oct 26, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"This trip was with myself and my girlfriend, we are in our mid-30's. I read many reviews on the Riu before booking and was ready for everything from bed bugs to just a nightmare stay. What I got instead was a very pleasant experience. The hotel is very big, lots of walking to get from point A to point B, but it is not so bad as some reviews stated. The hotel was extremely clean and our room was amazing (we stayed in a suite). The staff for the most part was very good but we did have some issues with some of the bar staff, nothing that really effected the stay. The food and alcohol served was very average, but there was always something to find so we never went hungry. With the alcohol, after the 3rd one, you never even realized the difference. We did eat at the Steakhouse one night but it was as average as the regular restaurant so we mainly stuck with that.
Overall, I gave this resort a 4 star review based on the level of food and drink but I had a great time and would definitely go again."
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"Very nice resort. The pool was amazing, staff was incredibly friendly and nightly entertainment was fun. Catch the Michael Jackson performance if you get a chance! Several excursion companies are located nearby and offer great day trips. We went with a company called Jacamar and they did a great job."
Posted: Wed, Oct 19, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"One of the best trips, I have ever had in my life!!! The employess of the hotel were a big part of making it happened. I am amazed how great people treated me and my husband. I have no words to describe how amazing this trip was. All the adventures (including the company Jacamar). Everthing was phenomenal. The food, the service, EVERYTHING! LOVE IT!!! Costa Ricans are beautiful people! you will love it! PURA VIDA!!!!
P.S: More than the people you will think speak English!"
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"Hello all!
I loved my trip to the Hotel Riu Guanacaste. It was wonderful! The best hotel I have ever stayed at!!! I recommend it to everyone!!!!! The only thing I hated was that we only had 3 English television channels, 2 of them were local news channels and the other one had TV shows. I would of liked more English Channels. The other thing I didn't like was we had no cell phone service there, Our Cell phones didn't work at all. They charged $13.00 for the 1st minute & $3.00 for the additional minutes! Too Expensive, I bought a calling card from the hotel and that didn't work. Other then that I loved everything about it!!! Everything was all inclusive, they didn't need a credit card at the front desk for anything at all. People down there are sooo friendly!!! The hotel is very clean. 24 hours a day, the staff is cleaning the hotel!! Alcohol beverages are all free! The fridge in your room had soft drinks, water, & alcohol that is free also. The food is wonderful!!!! Many delicious food items to choose from, plus a salad bar, fruits, & so many deserts to choose from everyday. I'll be definitely going to the RIIU again in Costa Rica. I'll also be staying at the RIU in other countries!! I love the RIU!!!!!"
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"Thanks to Bookit we received free round trip transfers from and to air port. When we first arrived it was around noon and we could not get in the room but they still checked us in so we could eat something. Then when we got our room it was a little dirty but it was taken care of immediately when we brought it to their attention. Everything else was great the staff is very friendly and accommodating. There are great varieties of food available throughout the entire day and unlimited drinks as well whether you choose with or without alcohol. All in all our room was very nice; we thought it was a terrific value."
Posted: Wed, Oct 05, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Free round trip transfer from airport to hotel thanks to Bookit. The hotel is a great value unlimited food and drink, alcohol or none at the bars only red or white wine at the restaurants. The staff is super friendly and accommodating the only thing is that the hotel does not offer any toiletries besides soap. And the prices at the resort stores are about a few times more than prices back in the US and a little more than the surrounding areas. Make sure to take sun block it is very expensive anywhere in Costa Rica, 6oz bottle 28 dollars. But we had a great time would like to go back. Room was a little dirty upon arrival but was taken care of immediately"
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"This hotel all inclusive is absolutely a class act! From the moment we arrived until we left, there was not a thing that my wife, Diane and I could say was less than favorable. The staff bent over backwards to see to it that all of our needs were met. The knowledge of the tour guides that were hotel recommended was complete, and I was impressed with there willingness to see to it that you had all of your questions answered. The food was endless, and varied. The chefs were masterful at there trade. The drinks were endless. I can say that in summing this all up that I would make it a point to plan my trips with Riu as my destination . We had the time of our lives. This was all possible because of Bookit. They saved us from going to a hotel with a not so good reputation, and when they did, they also managed to save me a bundle of money . Also , beware when you are visiting Guanacoste Costa Rica that you use only vendors for tours etc. that are affiliated and recommended by the hotel. lastly, if you are told that there is no duty free at liberia Airport, be aware that it is totally untrue, and the driver taking you back to the airport may try and take you to a souveneer shop near the airport where they get kick backs in addition to the gratuity that you will give them. This has nothing to do with the hotel or Book it. "
Posted: Wed, Sep 28, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"I booked with Book It .com for the first time. At first I was skeptical but they took care of us in grand style. The arrangements went off without a hitch. They even provided us with FREE shuttle service to and from the hotel Riu. Imagine our pleasant surprise when we landed and there was someone there with our name on a sign for pick up. Waiting for us with a bottle of cold water, air conditioned van and a travel guide.
Check in at the Riu was great, every thing prearranged by Book It . We had a marvelous time and I will certainly be booking with Book It.com for my London trip in March 2012."
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"It was great, staff (all of them) very friendly .Susansa ,Ben, Emiliano, Yendri, Alonso. Sonia Karla Vanesa a d of course Ricardo/
To all od them many many hugs and thankyou."
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"My husband and I just returned from the RIU Guanacaste. We LOVED it! The resort itself is beautiful. The staff is working relentlessly at keeping the grounds clean. The food is very good - but don't really count on 24 hour food (the sports bar food leaves something to be desired). You should be able to get enough at every meal to keep you satisfied. We stayed in a suite which was always spoptless and very roomy. Actually, I found the gift shops (I'm not talking food or personal items) to be reasonablly priced compared to the local Coco Beach area. Personal items will cost you a bundle - so pack accordingly. The resort staff were all very friendly and helpful. We can't wait to go back to Costa Rica!!"
Posted: Mon, Sep 12, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Thanks to bookit.com our trip was amazing. When we arrived, we felt really special because a bookit rep had a driver waiting on us-thanks to our complimentary transportation transfer. Our driver was really helpful because he gave us with advise on what 'tours' we should take, along with a price sheet and contact numbers. The resort staff at RIU were friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our trip to Nicaragua!"
Posted: Sun, Sep 11, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"We had a great time at this hotel! The staff are very helpful and the hotel is very clean. The food was plentifull and good. They gave you as much as you wanted to drink. We saw Monkey from our hotel balcony and lots of birds. The only draw back was there is no ATM anywhere near by, so bring some cash for tips and incidentals. The ATM charges in town were $9 and that did not include a conversion fee. They take American dollars, but you might get back change in the local currency. We can't wait to go back!!!"
Posted: Wed, Sep 07, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Just returned from an amazing week in CR. The Riu was everything I hoped it be. A little bit of everything. The food was incredible. The options were endless and the restaurants (reservations required) offered a different and more formal dining experience. Waking up to monkeys swinging and howling outside your window is a bonus. Many day excursions and activites (find Diego) or you can stay on site for fun in the pool and relaxing on the beach. Weekends are busy with locals but not an issue. The service was exceptional. Alway someone to help you and serve you. "
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"This hotel is absolutely beautiful. When we arrived the staff was very welcoming and friendly. The check-in went very fast and we were off to our room in no time. The room was very nice, spaceous and overall clean. We read a review about little bugs in the bed and there were some in ours. Not sure if they were bed bugs or just some small bugs from outside. We sprayed the bed with some Off and did not see them untill our sheets were changed. We had to call for someone to come and open the safe in our room because whoever stayed in the room before us locked the safe with the Iron full of water in there. The staff was there for whatever you needed and super friendly. If you want to tip them take plenty of small bills. I recommend bringing small bills for what every type of shopping that you want to do. 10s &20s are ok but if you are getting change it will be in Colones, the local money. The road to the hotel is long, twisty and takes about 20 minutes from the first major road. So if you get car sick be ready. The hotel has several tour groups in the lobby and they are all very nice and helpful. The tours through Book-It are good but the tour company does not have a table at the hotel, so waiting and going through one in the lobby is a better idea.They tell you that you have to dress up for dinner at one of the three reservation only resturants but they are not too picky so don't go all out. Just something casual and absolutely no tank-tops at any meal for guys. This place is very close to the equator so if you burn it will happen very fast. Bring lots of sunblock and bug spray. If you run out it will cost you $25-$35 for a small thing of sunblock at the hotel. The small shops on the hotel grounds are very pricey compared to other places like Tamarindo beach. So, go there if you can. You don't have to bring beach towels they will give you a towel card for clean beach towels. We went the last week of August and it is not crowded at all during this time. This is considered the rainy season but it usually rains later in the evening so it doesn't ruin anything. All in all it is a very great place and we would go back."
Posted: Fri, Sep 02, 2011- Overall Experience:
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"Fantastic Resort!! This resort is super clean and the staff is extremely friendly. We snorkeled right off the beach and saw tons of fish!! We liked the fact that they have FREE Wi-Fi in the lobby. The food at the Italian and steak restaurant was good. The buffets have a great selection and I was happy that the 24-hour sports bar had an espresso machine!! We would DEFINITELY come back to this resort. The only downfall is the road to get to the main road is unpaved and really bumpy and it takes about 25 minutes to get to the main road. Also, bring bug spray, I paid $15 at the resort store. "
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- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Style Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- A-la-carte Dining in the 3 specialty restaurants with unlimited visits - on-site reservations required.
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- 90 min/day of FREE Wi-Fi-connection in the lobby. Wi-Fi throughout the whole hotel, at a charge
- Gym, free use of steam-bath and Jacuzzi [ages 18 and older]
- Sports and activities including fitness center, aerobics, tennis, beach volleyball, ping-pong, snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, and scuba diving center with lessons in pool
- Daily daytime entertainment programs for adults and for children ages 4 to 12, as well as evening programs with live music, variety shows, Riu Theme shows, night club and casino complimentary entrance [drinks not included]
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
- - 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- - Buffet Style Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- - A-la-carte Dining in the 3 specialty restaurants with unlimited visits - on-site reservations required.
- - UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- - UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
Kids Stay FREE - Book w/Flight and Save More!
PLUS: FREE $35 Spa Credit Per Adult
- 2 Kids 0-12 Years Stay FREE!
- Biggest and Best in Guanacaste
- 35% OFF on Golf Rates
- On-Site Night Club and Casino
- BookIt.com Guests Favorite
- Hurry, Ends at MIDNIGHT Tomorrow!
Not Valid: No blackout dates!
Kids Stay FREE - Book w/Flight and Save More!
PLUS: FREE $35 Spa Credit Per Adult
- 2 Kids 0-12 Years Stay FREE!
- Biggest and Best in Guanacaste
- 35% OFF on Golf Rates
- On-Site Night Club and Casino
- BookIt.com Guests Favorite
- Hurry, Ends at MIDNIGHT Tomorrow!
Not Valid: No blackout dates!
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Swim-Up Bar
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Entertainment Program
- Non-Motorized Water Sports
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
Room Amenities:
- Two double beds or one king size bed
- Air-conditioning
- Ceiling-fans
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct-dial phone
- Radio alarm clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Bathroom equipped with bathtub and Double sink
- Hairdryer and amenities kit
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Swim-Up Bar
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Entertainment Program
- Non-Motorized Water Sports
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
Room Amenities:
- Two double beds or one king size bed
- Air-conditioning
- Ceiling-fans
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct-dial phone
- Radio alarm clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Bathroom equipped with bathtub and Double sink
- Hairdryer and amenities kit
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Swim-Up Bar
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Entertainment Program
- Non-Motorized Water Sports
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
Room Amenities:
- Two double beds or one king size bed
- Air-conditioning
- Ceiling-fans
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct-dial phone
- Radio alarm clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Bathroom equipped with bathtub and Double-sink
- Hairdryer and amenities kit
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Swim-Up Bar
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Entertainment Program
- Non-Motorized Water Sports
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
Room Amenities:
- Air-conditioning
- Ceiling-fans
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct-dial phone
- Radio alarm clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Double sink
- Vanity mirror
- Hairdryer and amenities kit
- Suites have bathroom with hydro-massage bathtub, shower cabin and bidet
- 24-Hour All-Inclusive
- Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Swim-Up Bar
- UNLIMITED Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails
- UNLIMITED All Day Snacks
- In-room mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Entertainment Program
- Non-Motorized Water Sports
- All hotel accommodations, taxes, and gratuities
Room Amenities:
- Air conditioning
- Ceiling fan
- Regularly replenished mini-bar and liquor dispenser
- Satellite TV
- Direct dial phone
- Radio alarm clock
- Electronic in-room safe [15-inch laptop size]
- Iron and ironing board
- Walk-in closet
- Bathroom equipped with hydromassage bathtub
- Extra shower cabin, bidet, double-sink, vanity mirror, hairdryer and amenities kit
- Balcony or terrace with ocean view and private jacuzzi.
- 24 Hour Security
- 24-Hour Front Desk
- ATM Machine
- All-Inclusive
- Audio/Visual Equipment
- Babysitting
- Ballroom
- Banquet Facility
- Beach Front
- Beauty Shop/Salon
- Business Services
- Casino
- Children's Play Area
- Children's Program
- Coffee Shop
- Currency Exchange
- Dry Cleaning Service
- Exterior Corridors
- FREE Local Calls
- FREE Wi-Fi
- Fine Dining
- Fitness Facility
- Gift Shop on Property
- Great for Kids
- Great for Nightlife
- Guest Activity Desk
- Handicap Services
- Honeymoon Amenities
- Kids Club
- Live Entertainment/DJ
- Lounge/Bar
- Massage Services
- Medical Services
- Multilingual Staff
- Multiple Swimming Pools
- Ocean View
- On-Site Convenience Store
- On-Site Dive Shop
- On-Site Entertainment
- On-Site Events
- On-Site Travel Agency
- On-site Nightclub
- Outdoor Pool
- Parking
- Poolside Bar
- Restaurant
- Spa Services
- Swim-Up Bar
- Swimming Pool
- Tennis Courts
- Theater
- Wake-Up Service
- Widescreen TV
- Wireless Internet Access
(+) = Additional fees may apply for the use of these amenities.
(*) = Free, some restrictions may apply.
