JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa

Fantastic Hotel, stayed here for 6 nights in early December 2025. Had an ocean front room and booked a package thru Costco (which was cheaper than thru on-line sources). Everything about this hotel is great. The beach is beautiful and swimmable, pool is amazing and grounds are beautiful. Staff is super helpful, room was very nice and free buffett breakfast was amazing. When we were there the hotel was probably 40% full which was very nice and gave it a low key vibe. 5 stars for sure. One thing to be aware of is that this hotel remote compared to other locations in Tamarindo. It is about a 25 minute van ride away. We liked this but it limits you to eating lunch and dinner on the hotel property. There are a number of good restaurants on the property but they are expensive. So if this is an issue for you please be aware of it.

We stayed for six nights at the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa and had an incredible experience from start to finish. The people here are truly exceptional—everyone is smiling, warm, and genuinely focused on delivering great customer service. Our days started perfectly with relaxing yoga sessions on the beach, a highlight we looked forward to every morning. Housekeeping was spot-on throughout our stay, and the entire property is beautifully maintained. The resort itself is stunning, with a huge pool and direct access to a gorgeous beach. The location is also ideal. It’s close to Tamarindo and surrounded by plenty of local restaurants and beautiful nearby beaches, making it easy to explore the area. Overall, we highly recommend this resort. It exceeded our expectations in every way, and we would happily return!

Very large resort with enormous pool! Easy to stay on the grounds for our entire stay, but I am glad we walked to an adorable cafe down the beach (Lola's) and took the transportation into town one day. We also did the resort's horseback riding outing, which was fun, especially riding on the beach. Our favorite restaurant was the Asian restaurant on the resort premises. Reservations are recommended. The breakfast buffet is huge and delicious.

We just came back from resort where we spent our vacation and celebrate our 50 Th anniversary. This is the second time we are coming here. We are so happy to choose to do so. The resort is spotless, resort staff is very friendly. We liked all restaurants, food and service. There is restaurant by the pool Azul where we had lunch one time and I had Tempura salad which was wonderful. I told to our server Susana Araico who was very nice and attentive. I complimented the salad and, chef’s beautiful job who prepared it and Susana brought him to talk to us, his name is Hansel Ortega. I also want to say thank you Josue for his help and advice. We were surprised when we came to our room in day of our anniversary and room was beautifully decorated for our special day. Very thankful to all stuff. Thank you very much.

Amazing place to stay in Guanacaste region. A bit far from the main city which makes it quite and gives it a private beach access. But that also makes it a little difficult to go to the city to enjoy local cuisine/culture. You will most likely need a rental car for best experience. A special thanks to Guest Relation Manager - Nelson for giving us a surprise moment upon check-in in the room on our special date! Breakfast buffet has tons of freshly prepared delicious options. Dinner options are equally good! The huge pool is a kids dream. Loved our stay!

We celebrated Our 20th Anniversary at JW and it was fantastic! The Staff is incredible, the pool is incredible and the breakfast buffet was impressive! Our room was clean and very comfortable. This resort is close to The Pinilla Golf Course, which is great and places to eat, like Lola’s. THANK YOU to Daniel (Reception), Henry (Poolside Bar), Minor, Roman, Sebastian, Jose and the nice girl on the coffee/gelato shop!! We will be back!!!

Our recent stay at JW Mariott Guanacaste was absolutely amazing. We were traveling with 3 generations and the experience was just wonderful. The Concierge Manager, Owen went above and beyond and gave our mother exceptional care and service. This was our first trip to Costa Rica and we would definitely go back. The people were so kind and helpful wherever we went. The hotel is about 90 minutes away from the hotel which is the only downside. We had a connecting flight and so it made for long travel time. Once you arrive at the property, there is a gravel road for about a mile. It left me questioning the choice of hotel for a moment until we arrive at the entrance! Wow. We were able to upgrade to a garden view suit which worked out perfectly as one afternoon, we saw a family of spider monkeys traveling through the trees. The early morning is filled with the most amazing bird songs and one if us even saw a Maccaw fly above the pool. Unbelievable! The evening vibe was very relaxing. Christmas decorations sprinkled throughout. Marshmallows to roast on the beach every other night. The morning breakfast buffet was excellent. As vegetarians, we had no trouble finding a healthy spread of items. Lunch options however, were a little less although we really didn't feel the need to eat after breakfast. Dinner options were good and again, the Asian and Italian restaurants offered tasty vegetarian options. Food quality was superb. The hotel is located about 20 minutes from Tamarindo. We were able to rent a car right at the hotel which was very convenient. It was about the same cost of the shuttle service to town for the 4 of us. Tamarindo was a great beach vibe town. We enjoyed a beach front lunch reasonably priced. The souvenir shops were quite pricey and everything is in $US. We went to the local bank to get $US dollars however the ATM only dispensed local currency. I recommend taking $US from home before traveling. We did an day trip that included a pineapple, coffee and chocolate plantation tour. It was so interesting learning about the most consumed drink in the world! Amidst the jungle and tropical setting, our guide took us around the property where we saw a baby sloth, howeler monkeys and tucan birds. The nature scene was like we were in a movie. Truly spectacular! Lastly, we were traveling in celebration of our Mother's birthday. We mentioned that when we checked in. About an hour later, we got a knock at the door and a beautiful chocolate cake was delivered courtesy of the hotel. It was such a thoughtful and sweet gesture! Mom was over the moon. Overall, this trip was 9.5/10. We would absolutely visit this hotel again. Owen, a special thank you for making this trip so amazing for our Mother. The farm tours were a perfect recommendation from you. It was senior friendly and we now have a new appreciation for every sip of Cosa Rican coffee we drink in Canada, every piece of Costa Rican pineapple we eat and not to forget the chocolate. Thank you so much! As the saying goes in Costa Rica, Pura Vida!

Room and location were great, the food as stated in the reviews below was very sub par. Went to the steak house one night and had the ribeye.. it was $80 which typically I would be okay with. However the steak had no life to it and fell flat, it tasted like a $12 steak from either Kroger or Food lion. Also ordered Mac and Cheese as a side and it tasted like kraft. Super disappointed. Would recommend staying here but renting a car to drive off the resort in to tamarindo for dinner. Honestly the all inclusive breakfast was the best meal out of all the restaurants. Wouldn’t recommend the steak house.