TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We had a wonderful time in Tamarindo! The place was comfortable and affordable, and we loved being so close to downtown. It was a great base for enjoying the area, and we would definitely stay here again. While searching Google for transportation companies in Costa Rica, we found Gabriel with Nomad Tours Costa Rica. Communication was easy, everything was punctual, and the vehicles were very clean. The service was excellent and made getting around Tamarindo so much easier. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

This hotel could use a complete makeover. It is very dated. The landscaping and surrounding areas are beautiful but the rooms themselves are very old

I genuinely don’t understand how this is considered a four-star resort. Perhaps part of the discrepancy comes from the fact that many of the positive reviews appear to be translated from Spanish and written by local guests, who, based on what we observed during our stay, seemed to receive a noticeably different level of service than international tourists. I’ll start with the good. The location is beautiful and it’s an easy walk into town—which ended up being a huge plus because we found ourselves wanting to leave the resort as much as possible. Our room was comfortable, with a clean bed, good air conditioning and a large bathroom. We also loved seeing the monkeys, iguanas and other wildlife throughout the property. Unfortunately, that’s where most of the positives ended. The biggest issue was the service. The majority of the staff seemed unhappy and visibly annoyed whenever they had to assist guests. The front desk staff were particularly unfriendly. During our eight-day stay, I genuinely don’t remember seeing them smile once. At one point, we simply asked if they could call us a taxi and were met with an eye roll and, “What, you don’t have Uber?” We were also there for our honeymoon, which made the complete lack of hospitality feel even more disappointing. When we booked, we were specifically asked whether we were travelling for a special occasion, and we indicated that it was our honeymoon. We absolutely weren’t expecting a room upgrade, elaborate decorations or any kind of special treatment, but when we checked in, it wasn’t acknowledged at all—not even a simple “congratulations.” It honestly made us wonder why they bothered asking in the first place. Ironically, the only acknowledgement of our honeymoon during the entire stay came from friends we met at the resort, who paid to have champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries sent to our room for us. It was incredibly thoughtful of them, but it also highlighted how little effort the resort itself had made. Even a small gesture like that—or simply a warm congratulations at check-in—would have cost very little or nothing at all and would have gone a long way. Instead, what should have been a special trip felt surprisingly impersonal from the moment we arrived. There were also times when no one at the front desk could communicate with us in English, so we had to use a translation app just to ask basic questions. I completely understand that we were visiting a Spanish-speaking country and would never expect everyone to speak fluent English, but for a resort marketed internationally through companies like Sunwing, I would expect there to consistently be someone available who can communicate with international guests. The bartenders and security staff weren’t much better, although we did encounter a few friendly housekeepers. We tipped throughout our entire stay, but it rarely seemed to make a difference. On multiple occasions, staff would simply take the tip from our hand without a smile or even a thank you and continue on their way. The food, as many other reviews have mentioned, was pretty bad. I wasn’t expecting five-star dining, but there was very little variety and even basic things weren’t handled well. Bread for toast, for example, would sit out so long that it was already stale by the time you went to eat it. The snack bar was easily the worst I’ve encountered at an all-inclusive resort. Half-cooked-looking hot dogs and burgers would sit out in the heat for hours, which made us uncomfortable even considering eating them. The pool also wasn’t maintained particularly well. On windy days, debris from the surrounding trees would fill the water, and it often seemed like nobody bothered to clean it. By later in the day, it could get pretty unpleasant. Security was another major frustration. At times, it felt more like we were being monitored than treated as paying guests. One member of our group was told they were “too wet” to stand at the pool bar—which is literally beside the pool—apparently because a maintenance employee was tired of mopping up water. On another occasion, we were told we couldn’t have drinks while sitting on the edge of the pool, despite there being more than 20 Spanish-speaking guests doing exactly the same thing without anyone saying a word to them. That difference in treatment was difficult not to notice throughout our stay. The resort offered activities, but if you didn’t speak Spanish, there was very little opportunity to participate. The entertainment and music were also almost exclusively in Spanish during the entire eight days we were there. Again, we completely understood that we were travelling to a Spanish-speaking country and expected—and wanted—to experience the local culture. What we didn’t expect was to feel unwelcome or like outsiders simply because Spanish wasn’t our first language. Ultimately, this feels like a resort primarily designed for local guests, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem is marketing it internationally as a four-star, all-inclusive resort without providing international guests with the basic level of hospitality that normally comes with that description. When you’re paying more than $2,000 per person, you don’t expect perfection, but you do expect to feel welcome. We could have overlooked the mediocre food, poorly maintained pool, limited activities and other shortcomings if the staff had simply been warm and hospitable. Unfortunately, that was the biggest thing missing from our stay. Based on our experience, I don’t think Sunwing should be marketing this property as an all-inclusive resort that caters equally to international travellers without being clearer about the experience guests can expect. The location and wildlife are wonderful, but hospitality makes or breaks a resort—and unfortunately, we left feeling like our presence was more of an inconvenience than something the staff welcomed. I do want to give a special shout out to Carlos who seems to genuinely love his job and the guests he encounters working there, as well as Ricardo who remembered us when we ran into him outside the resort and also helped make us feel welcome and wanted. The photo team Sebastian and his girlfriend were great as well, we loved our photo session and it’s nice to see there are a couple staff members genuinely trying to make the place what it should be.

It’s a beautiful and warm place, with a large pool, and being just a few steps from the beach is definitely a plus. The room was very spacious, and the housekeeping staff was always very attentive. There are plenty of activities for everyone, and since it’s an all-inclusive hotel, there are lots of food options at the restaurants, including chicken, fish, salads, desserts, and cheeses. The chef at night was also very attentive and made sure everyone was happy. We also booked a few excursions with Gabriel from Nomad Tours Costa Rica. They are a small local company, but the service was great and the prices were very reasonable. We booked our airport transportation, Buena Vista Adventure tour, and catamaran with them, and everything went smoothly. We’re already planning our next trip to Costa Rica. Pura vida! ????

I will never stay here again,some staff are very rude and unwilling to help,told me to come to the front to get more towels instead of bringing them to my room. You only get 2 bottles of water a day and they will not give u anymore till the next day,even if u dont drink soda or beer you can not trade those in for water which is ridiculous to me