Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5888 reviews

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  A Honeymoon to Remember

  We absolutely loved our stay at Secrets for our honeymoon! Unlike some all inclusive resorts this one is much smaller, but we loved that. Adult only meant that it was calm and relaxing. Nothing was ever crowded or too loud. The staff was so nice and THE FOOD. Oh my gosh the food was absolutely out of this world! This place is good if you want something low key, it doesn't have a flashy feel at all, but what we loved was that we felt secluded and calm with amazing food and friendly faces!

  Dec 26, 2025
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  Consistently Inconsistent

  I am honestly not sure how this resort maintains a 4.7 rating. Lets start with food. The food is sub-par at best, and more importantly, consistently inconsistent. There are two restaurants, a buffet-style option, and a separate upgraded-tier restaurant. Even basic items come out unpredictably—my “poached” eggs arrived fully hard-boiled, while the guest at the next table got perfectly cooked ones. The Asian-fusion restaurant tries to cover every cuisine—Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Indian—but none of them reach the level they should. They would be much better off choosing one and doing it well. The Italian offering isn’t much better. Pasta comes out extremely undercooked, and the spaghetti served there tastes suspiciously like the same noodles used in the chow mein and pad Thai. That says enough. It got to the point where, despite being at an all-inclusive, we actually took a taxi to another hotel just to have a decent dinner. Service across the resort is minimal, bordering on nonexistent. If you do manage to snag a cabana—which requires calling right at 7 AM—you still won’t see any staff checking in, offering water, towels, anything. You’re basically on your own.The resort layout makes things worse. It’s built into the hills, so it’s not walkable, and you’re constantly waiting on vans to get anywhere. The one standout is William, the bartender in the private bar. He’s exceptional—creative, attentive, and genuinely talented. Guests actually track his schedule so they can catch him. Just tell him to surprise you; he’s a gem. If I were management, I would give him a raise immediately. Rooms are fine—nothing remarkable, nothing terrible. Although one of the guests we met told us how they had to change rooms because of termite they found, but the staff and resort was very accommodating. There are no chairs and no umbrellas on the beach. I can’t understand why a beachfront resort would neglect something so basic. The staff is friendly and clearly trying, but this is nowhere near a true 5-star experience.

  Dec 25, 2025
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  From Resort Relaxation to Outdoor Adventures in Papagayo

  We had a wonderful and relaxing vacation in Papagayo. The property was beautiful, well maintained, and the staff was always friendly and attentive. Shuttle service made getting around the hilly property very easy. We also booked our excursions and airport transportation, and everything exceeded our expectations. The drivers were punctual, friendly, and the vehicles were very clean. We highly recommend La Leona Waterfall hike, zip lining, rainforest, and jet ski tours. It was an amazing experience for both adults and children

  Dec 24, 2025
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  Good resort with bad drinks

  The location was beautiful and the food was generally good to very good. The employees were all friendly and the service was good. The location is not a good choice for people with mobility issues due to the resort being on the side of a mountain. Having said that, they do have shuttles to take you around the resort and you normally don't have to wait very long for a pick up. The worst part of the resort is the drinks. All of the regular bars only offer cheap low quality watered down alcohol and only 1 type of beer. The only bar with good quality alcohol is the preferred club bar. There is also too much pressure to buy the expensive wine or Fire Show dinner.

  Dec 22, 2025
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  We Can't Wait to Return!

  We loved our vacation at Secrets Papagayo and will definitely be returning. The location is convenient to the airport, yet feels wonderfully secluded. The resort is beautiful, featuring a striking black sand beach, scenic bay views, and great snorkeling right off the shore. There are two distinct pool areas: one quiet and relaxing—perfect for reading, resting, and unwinding—and another that’s more lively, with music, activities, and higher energy. We enjoyed spending time at both. The restaurants offer a nice variety of options, and our favorite was Portofino. We were fortunate to have Armando as our waiter each time we dined there—he was friendly, fun, and provided excellent service. The Entertainment Team truly stood out for their warmth and enthusiasm. We enjoyed snorkeling, sunset kayaking, water sports and games, trivia night, a fire show, dance lessons, and empanada making. A big shout-out to Merari, Tammy, Bayan, Josh, Winston, Belen, and the entire team for their hard work and positive energy. We especially loved the privacy of our bungalow, which offered quiet moments and a peaceful retreat. The resort is clean, beautifully maintained, and the service across the board was excellent.

  Dec 22, 2025