Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica, by Hyatt — Hotel in Nacascolo

We had a return trip to Costa Rica late April through mid May. It was our 1 year old's first time out of the country and we wanted an 'easy' trip and to revisit a couple of hotels we loved. We started in Monteverde which was new to us, then 5 nights at Tabacon in La Fortuna (perfect stay, review coming) and lastly, 5 nights back at the Andaz Papagayo. Our stay was mostly enjoyable and I'll start with the good and then get into the bad that will probably keep us from returning. My post from my previous stay is below.||||With our larger family, we booked an Andaz Suite with points (cat 7 at the time of booking), and we also had family in another suite and my mom/FIL were in a forest view room. The room was excellent, spacious, in great shape and a really nice layout with two little kids. We were in building 7 which was favorable for the proximity to the main pool, breakfast, Cambi and Chao Pescao but a negative for proximity to weddings. The room was restocked consistently.||||The pools always had available chairs and were also kept spotless. The pool staff was again excellent and attentive. The Cambi kids club was again very under utillized but at least this time we had two kids and their two cousins in there so they enjoyed it quite a bit. The kids club staff was a lot of the same girls as two years ago - all really sweet and our kids liked them. We also hired them to babysit in our kids in one of the suites which was great.||Food at Rio Bhongo seemed a bit better than our last stay, Chao Pescao a little worse and only Ostra was excellent (best dinner I had in Costa Rica this trip.)||||The new Meso restaurant and pool at Necascolo beach was really nice and they serve much better food now at that beach. We ate at Meso one night and for dinner it was not as good as Chao or Ostra so really not worth the shuttle drive there and back. This starts to get into the negatives of the hotel. Meso is only open for dinner 4 nights a week and during our stay there were events there 3 out of 4 nights. We only found out the whole beach is closed for events after we took the boat over at 3pm and they told us we could only stay for 30 minutes before we had to leave since they were closing for an event - it would have simple to put that schedule on activity calendar, the sign leading to the beach to catch the boat, etc.||||The negatives for our trip started day 1. After getting into the room and trying to make plans for dinner, we were told that Meso and Rio Bhongo were closed for events and there were no available tables at Ostra or Chao Pescao so our only option for dinner was room service. After pressing, they finally said we could have a table at Chao Pescao. That table was right next to the band which my little kids hated and we couldn't move to the empty tables outside because they were 'unavailable.'||||At check in, they tried to sell us on a $195/day per adult food and drink package making it a full all-inclusive. I already had reservations at the Four Seasons and wanted to check out the dive bar so we declined and they said we could add it any day but would have to keep it the rest of the stay after adding it. The next day I cancelled my dinner res and tried to add the package and they said it wasn't available to us because 'we paid with points.' This took many, many messages on whatsapp, a trip to the front desk and eventually the manager came and found me to sort it out. The manager said the guy at check in was correct and we could add it, but they still kept charging us for room service, drinks, etc which took another couple of hours to resolve. Then they kept adding that package to my mom's room which took another call eventually to the manager to finally resolve.||||We'd make plans around whatever info they told us, ie, when pools were open or closed, when the shuttle or boat to the leave would go, etc. Only to find out the info we were told was wrong. For example, I went in person to a front desk guy and he said every pool was open 8am to 7pm. I clarified that included the new beach pool and he said yes so we could swim there until our dinner reservation. On the way down to the boat they told us the boat wasn't going that late today so I went back to get the shuttle and they said 'ok but just so you know the beach is closed for the day and dinner doesn't start until 5pm.' So again, wasted time.||||In general, the hotel is clearly catering to events. There were two large corporate events and a wedding during our stay and they don't provide enough info to know what will be open/closed and when. During the wedding, the music was loud enough we could clearly hear every lyric. They stopped the music at 10pm which kept our kids up and was not the environment we came for sitting on our patio.||||Three years ago this was a cat 4 hotel and if it were still a cat 5 or maybe even 6 it might be worth coming back. The issues we had were mostly minor (lots more I didn't put in here) but dealing with 4-5 different little things each day gets old. This hotel is charging ~$650-1250/night plus tax for the base room and the quality of hotel is nowhere near that level. We had far better service at Tabacon which charges less and was much better value. Hopefully it's just growing pains and they can improve their service and figure out how to cater to regular guests and events at...

We arrived at the hotel at around 1pm, and were warmly greeted by the two bellhops. They took our luggage from the car and guided us to check-in. Andaz hotels has a unique check-in situation. Rather than going to a front desk, the agents walk around the lobby with an ipad and check you in that way. We were asked to relax on some seats and given a welcome lemonade drink as we checked in. The lobby of this resort is open and has great views of Papagayo Bay and the rest of the resort. Check-in took about ten minutes and at that time, we were shuttled along with our luggage to our room.

We walked into our room and were amazed by the size. The room featured a full master suite with bathroom, living room, working desk, and even a separate half bath. Prior to arrival, I had informed the hotel that we were traveling with a child and baby so they had already placed an extra bed and crib in the room. The finishings of the room were very luxurious, including high-quality material finishes, and the latest in light and sound-speaker technology.

The room also featured various gifts for you to keep including flip flops and very nice fedora hats. We were also welcomed with a basket of fruit, some delicious coconut cookies, and a mixture of popcorn. One unique aspect of Andaz hotels is that they offer free drinks and snacks from their mini-bar. This included a variety of juices and sodas, water, milk, chips, and cookies. The room also featured a coffee maker, a separate espresso machine, and another water boiler for tea.

The hotel also offered an amazing kids club. The staff were incredibly friendly and my daughter loved being there throughout the day. The club is open to kids above 4 years old and opens from 8am to 5 pm with a one hour lunch break in the middle. Again though, the absolute best part were the genuine and extremely friendly staff.

The main attraction of the hotel though is pool and beach area. The pools were spectacular. The main pool complex featured three pools on three separate levels. There was a separate adults only pool that we didn’t visit. The salt-water pools were very comfortable to swim in and the water temperature was perfect.

This hotel has two beaches. The main beach area was around 100 meters in length. There were canopy trees on the beach that provided excellent shade during the day. There was also a vary nice breeze coming from the bay that made the setting excellent. There are numerous lounge chair and hammocks spread throughout and there were no problems securing a seat. Guests can also borrow snorkeling and paddle-boarding gear and can enjoy the water. The snorkeling was very easy and rewarding as there are large corals and creatures close to the beach including sea turtles, sting rays, starfish, and numerous groups of fish. The beach setting was so ideal, that we spent most of our days there. Even the monkeys enjoyed the beach.

The food in the hotel was excellent quality. We were impressed with all of the food we had. The waiters often also went above and beyond offering us complimentary fruits and drinks. We also ordered food at the pool and beach and found the food and service to be equally as impressive. One most have dish while visiting is the famous baked pineapple. An entire pineapple is brought to the table along with a huge assortment of toppings. For $12, it is a bargain that can easily shared by six people.

Throughout our stay, the service from ALL of the staff we encountered was absolutely amazing. We would be greeted by name throughout our stay. While walking throughout the hotel, all the staff will say hello and offer you a lift on their carts. The restaurant staff were all very friendly and extremely generous. The kids club staff was amazing.

I loved, loved, loved this hotel. The room was fantastic, the activities were numerous, the beach was the most practical I’ve seen, the pools were amazing, and the staff were wonderful. I wouldn’t change a single thing about the hotel. I highly recommend visiting the hotel and look forward to going...

We have absolutely no complaints about our experience from the Andaz, except that we wished we could have extended it for another week. The all-inclusive package was well worth the purchase, as it left us free to enjoy ourselves fully carefree at each of the pools and restaurants. The attendants ensured we always had a drink in hand. They were not very strong drinks, but I consider that to be a good thing in the Costa Rican heat. For food-lovers, I strongly recommend Chao Pescao - each of the "tapas" was entree-sized, and the drinks were terrific (and these were, of course, full-strength). Those who enjoy metropolitan cocktail bars will not be disappointed. The service throughout our stay was phenomenal - the WhatsApp concierge was super responsive (coordinating shuttles, answering our questions, scheduling trips, etc.), and the housekeepers even folded the (clean) clothes we'd left piled on our chair and rinsed out the sand in our beach shoes. The property does have a few steep climbs, but if you are generally fit and active it is only a minor inconvenience. Golf cart shuttles are available but it can sometimes be a 5-10min wait for one, so call in advance if you need one. Everything is very Covid-safe. There were hand sanitizing stations at every corner, sanitizer provided in the rooms, and it is the first thing they provide for you when you are seated at a table. Every staff member wears a mask at all times, and guests are asked to wear one and wash their hands as they enter a "building" or walk around inside. Not every staff member is vaccinated (limited access to vaccines in CR), so this is for their protection as well as your own. Everything was super eco-friendly. There were no plastic bottles or bags in any of the rooms - not even in the trash. Recycling containers in the rooms and throughout the property. Straws were made from plant fiber (not paper - stronger and did not wilt in the drinks). Glass water bottles provided and they even gifted us metal water canteens for our hike. We saw more wildlife in one day at the Andaz than the four days we spent at La Fortuna, including howler monkeys, iguanas, butterflies, parakeets, cappuchin monkeys, and a sea turtle. There was so much good snorkeling around the hotel beach and at their beach house! Honestly, the room and its balcony and views were so comfortable and beautiful I could have spent a day lounging and never leaving the room and been totally OK with it. But there is so much to do and see! The "views" denote the floor level - if you want a higher floor, opt for full bay view. The main Andaz beach and the beach house beach are small, but within access to larger public beaches. We never felt deprived of a beach experience. Towels, umbrellas, plenty of chairs and lounges, multiple levels of SPF sunscreen were provided. The staff truly made us feel like family. I'm sure much of this is part of Costa Rican culture, but also speaks to the tremendous lengths they go to serve their customers. We wish we brought more USD bills to tip with - which we did frequently. It was NEVER expected or asked for - we just wanted to show our gratitude for their attentive care.

The only downside to our experience had nothing to do with the Andaz itself - they allow some locals to sit on their beaches to sell their handmade goods. If you say yes to one, they will all come to show their wares, but if you say no, they will generally leave you alone. Do your research with the boating excursions though - they are NOT affiliated with PEG or the Andaz and you CAN haggle between companies, but they will try to sell you the sun and moon to get you to take a trip. If the weather and water is good, it can be a stellar experience (as it was for many of our fellow Andaz guests). For us, who are non-experienced boaters, we had bad luck with rainy weather and windy seas. We ended up cutting our 5-hour trip short by 3 hours and not catching any fish or...