Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica

My family of 5 had a great experience on our 1 week trip to Costa Rica. Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica was a wonderful place to stay. Easy to get to from the airport & beautiful views of two different beach areas. Each room was separate and built into the side of the mountain vs. a large hotel building. A highlight of our trip was Nelson who drove one of the vans that ran continuously between rooms and areas. We met him our first day when arrived. He was s friendly, professional & fun, helpful with all of our questions, seemed to be everywhere & always there when we were looking for a ride. He even heard that we were celebrating a birthday & went out of his way to make it special! We lucked out staying in 300-400 area and could easily walk anywhere on the grounds (main pool/restaurant area or spa/restaurant) - but often took the van just to talk to Nelson. Another highlight were the yoga classes, kayaks & evening/sunrise hikes. The food & service was top notch throughout the resort. It was nice to have the active pool area and the quieter spa pool - gave us choices depending on the crowds & time of day. You can schedule excursions right there on sight, but we had planned a Rainforest/Waterfall/Sloth Tour & Catamaran Sunset Boat/Snorkel Tour through Frank the Tank Tours- which I would highly recommend. We will definitely go back!

We just returned from a trip to Secrets over the Labor Day holiday and overall we had a great experience. The resort is older but overall it is nice and they take very good care of it. Our room was always clean and one day my sink didn't drain well and they quickly fixed it. The staff across the entire resort was WONDERFUL! So friendly and accommodating. The shuttle to and from areas at the resort was nice because our room was at the top and it was a trek to get up there.||The hotel missed the mark on food but it wasn't nasty by any means. The restaurants were definitely better than the buffet. Breakfast buffet was also MUCH better than dinner. We only did dinner at the buffet once and did not want to do that again. Drinks at all locations on the property were INCREDIBLE! All made with fresh fruit and no artificial mixes. We loved Himitsu! The food and service were great! Seaside Grill was also delicious! Portofino wasn't my favorite but not bad at all. ||The nightly entertainment was good! Overall we had a great time at Secrets!

We had a very nice vacation in Sept 2025. The location is absolutely beautiful! Fernando came around to ask as many couples as possible how there stay was and we told him that our pillows were a little to soft, not as a complaint but as a preference. He noted it down for comments to take with him. It was a great touch to find out what the guests like and do not like. It was nice to have someone checking on your stay. The food was also very delicious and not one item of food that I would not have again. Drinks were watered down so a suggestion is to stick with beer. The wine selection is at a minimum unless you purchase a bottle. Pool side service is next to nonexistent, the resort is not walking friendly (no sidewalks), and the single use flimsy plastic cups (needs to go) were the downsides to this resort. The transportation vans were always coming around and no longer than a couple minutes wait after a call until one showed.

We had a wonderful stay! The resort is built into a hill/mountain so be prepared for walking up and down or just call for transportation. They are great and quick to pick you up! ||August is the rainy season but don't let that scare you away. It doesn't rain all day every day! It's beautiful at this time. Everything is so lush and green. A paradise!||There's not too many things to do right at the resort unless you schedule something with AmStar. We did our tours through another business and had wonderful success! I highly recommend doing some tours or excursions though to really experience the beauty.

Beautiful resort! We stayed for 5 nights, and our oceanfront room had an amazing view! Lots of wildlife on property, plenty to do and two pools with two very different vibes. The sunset hike was amazing, but a very difficult climb, so don’t believe them when they say it is “medium” difficulty. It’s worth it for the view, but wear good shoes and be prepared to climb.

We spent 10 nights at Secrets for our honeymoon, and had SUCH a wonderful experience!! The staff was so kind-- a special shout out to Merari, Gina, and Ronnie for being especially welcoming! The food was absolutely delicious, and the house keeping service did a wonderful job keeping our room fresh. We also were pleasantly surprised by the incredible nightly dancers and performers throughout our stay. Those shows far exceeded our expectations, and were a wonderful highlight from our trip. Overall, I would highly recommend Secrets-- especially to any couple celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon. We were made to feel so special, and we feel very appreciate to have spent so much time in Costa Rice in such a wonderful resort.

The staff is incredibly friendly. The bartenders, Arturo & William in the preferred club are exceptional. The staff are personable and remember you. The grounds are beautiful. The massage in the spa was one of the best I have ever had. We were staying in the 400s and that is very hilly (but they have transport) and some rooms (ours) required steps to get to - so if you have mobility issues you may want to let them know before you arrive. The main pool area is very active and there are shows every night, so if you are an early bird and go to bed early - expect to hear loud music until around 11:30 or so. However, mornings are very peaceful. The food & drinks were ample. If you like something sweet, Coco Cafe is always available. For a tropical drink, I recommend the Costa Rican Tropical. Seaside Cafe was my favorite for lunch and dinner. Market Cafe was great for breakfast. Portofino was a good experience. I heard good things abou the hibatchi (reservation required) but we did not make it - it is inside Himatsu the Asian restaurant which was just okay. Please note that if you get told you have perks, it is after a pitch for the Unlimited Vacation club (90 minutes of your time, but worth it for a massage or other perks). You can use USD throughout which is helpful for tipping. Overall, it was a great experience. I was able to practice my Spanish, but if you don't speak Spanish you will have no issue at all. I would go back if we were going to do a similar trip again.

This resort has beautiful views of the ocean and you can hear the waves crashing when you're sitting at the pool or doing yoga. It is peaceful and not really a party resort, although there is a lot of activities to do each day. We loved the Live DJ at night and the Beatles show. We also loved the kayak tour. We did an excursion with Frank the Tank, and we got to hike through the rainforest and eat at a local restaurant. The food was excellent. The rooms did not have a separate bathroom, just frosted glass windows for the shower and toilet, so not a lot of privacy. The resort is on the side of a hill and there are shuttles available but we liked walking around to get our exercise in. We enjoyed our time here and will be back!