Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10783 reviews

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  Hot weather spring getaway

  Typical RIU this is the fourth location that we have stayed at. The rooms have been renovated and are very nice. Our ceiling fan was not working but the A/C more tha made up for it. The airport experience (both ways) was well organized by Nexus reps. The buffet was busy but well provisioned and staffed. The weather was quite warm as expected and there were plenty of loungers at the pools and beach. As a note the beach is public and so care should be taken in regard to personal property when entering the ocean. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. Special note Lita at the American Sportsbar who can be depended on to provide excellent morning coffee. Marie Luisa at the buffet was very attentive. Joshua at the Tamarindo makes a terrific “Bloody Mary”and is very patient with me practising poor Spanish. The morning buffet precludes trying to flag down coffee which is usually the case at other resorts; as the serving staff deposits a coffee carafe and hot milk on the table where you can help yourself at your leisure. The steak house is the only restaurant that requires a reservation which needs to be made online. The other restaurants are self serve buffet style and are first come first serve with pager/buzzers handed out to those awaiting tables. All around as advertised 4-5 star. Remember your sun screen and insect repellent.

  Apr 12, 2026
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  Disappointing snorkeling experience

  Nice and big hotel. Newly renovated and clean but our room had some faint sewer smell coming from the toilet. Great food and variety at buffet. No need to go to restaurants with the exception of the Steak house. Pools are fun but water is cloudy. Beach doesn't look too great with the black sand. Entertainment for the whole family is very nice. Many trips and diving excursions offered but snorkeling trip was a disaster. You will go to a dead reef that is 50ft from shore just like the one in front of hotel. Water is not clear and very few fish... all I saw was 2 tiny yellow fish and one dead gray fish. Very disappointing and a waste of money .

  Apr 08, 2026
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  Loved it!

  Our family of four (kids aged 4 and 8) had a great time at this resort. Everyone was very friendly. The waterslides were so much fun, the food at the buffet was delicious, as was the ice cream by the kids pool. The beach was beautiful and had just enough waves for endless fun. The Kahoot game at night was lots of fun and the shows were entertaining. The Riu party on Friday night was amazing! They really do a good job ensuring everyone has fun. There is also a free shuttle to the animal sanctuary that is literally right beside the resort. The only negative is that they don't allow men in the buffet at night with a tank top. I understand the need for full shirts at the other restaurants, but the buffet? It's a casul atmosphere. Women can wear whatever they want, but men can't wear tank tops. This rule should be updated. All in all, I would highly recommend!

  Apr 06, 2026
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  Disappointing Experience

  I had a very disappointing experience at Hotel Riu Guanacaste that unfortunately ruined my trip, involving possible theft from the hotel staff. On the second day of my stay, I took out a small coin purse filled with USD cash that I was using to tip housekeeping. I placed it on the drawer after tipping and then left to let housekeeping service the room right after. The next morning, when I went to grab the coin purse again to leave a tip, it was completely gone. I searched the entire room thoroughly with my family, every drawer, bags, even under the beds, everywhere. I reported the issue to the front desk immediately. The response I received was extremely disappointing. Initially, it took over 30 minutes just to get any information about what could be done. They said they would check with housekeeping and asked me to follow up the next day. When I returned the following day, the staff seemed confused about the situation and sent me back to my room to wait saying that they would call me. After another hour waiting in my room eventually I was told that no investigation could be done and that it was my fault for not putting the money in the safe. This response was frustrating and dismissive. I find it so upsetting that the money was literally taken out to tip housekeeping, and the purse disappeared during the exact window when the room was serviced. I understand hotels cannot make accusations, but the complete lack of effort to investigate or take the concern seriously was incredibly unprofessional. After doing a quick search online it seems like there's been similar stolen/missing item cases from Riu Guanacaste housekeeping. In general, the room cleanliness was also poor. We found ants and hair throughout the room, and housekeeping did not appear to be cleaning thoroughly. The only positive thing I can say is that the fruit at the buffet was good, but that’s something you can find almost anywhere in Costa Rica. Overall, the experience left me feeling extremely uncomfortable and disappointed. Between the missing money, the poor handling by staff, and the cleanliness issues, I would not recommend this hotel and will not be returning to any RIU properties in the future.

  Apr 05, 2026
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  Family Spring Break Trip

  This review is strictly about the resort—not Costa Rica as a whole, which we absolutely LOVE. Overall, we had a very good stay. The rooms were beautiful, the decor felt updated and inviting, and the pools/waterpark were a lot of fun. The beach was also a big highlight. The food was plentiful with enough variety to get through a week comfortably. The quality was just okay—though we may have higher standards than most. I’d say it was on par with, or slightly below, a Royal Caribbean cruise. Drink options were abundant, including a minibar and fully stocked fridge in the room. I don’t drink alcohol, so I do wish there were better non-alcoholic options. I ended up buying a few NA beers during an excursion. One downside: there was no room service. Any requests had to be made through their app, and restocking (towels, toilet paper, fridge, etc.) didn’t happen during daily cleanings. We made multiple requests that sometimes took a full day to be fulfilled—even after calling. The entertainment was below average, but still enjoyable. The Michael Jackson impersonator was actually pretty good. The location is quite secluded—it took 40+ minutes to get to any town or excursions. Transportation was expensive, and anything on-site came at a premium. For example, sunscreen was around $40 for a bottle that would cost about $10 back home. Overall, we’d give it a 4/5. Would we book a RIU again? Probably not. We’re more of an Airbnb family and wanted to try an all-inclusive for the simplicity—but it just may not be our style.

  Apr 04, 2026