Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — Hotel in Nacascolo

Traveler context: We are not social media influencers. My husband and I are in our mid-forties and enjoy luxury hotels (when the price is right) and love to travel. It's our first time at a Reserve property and for this stay, we used Marriott points for our 5 nights in mid-March 2025. I have basic gold status with Marriott. The resort fee for this stay was $245 per night which we paid out of pocket since you can't cover those fees with points. Actually not sure what is included in the resort fee since there was no information upon check in or no pamphlet that listed the inclusions. If we had paid cash, the rate for this room during our stay was $3,000/night according to the website at time of booking. Disclaimer: I will say that I priced out other weeks throughout the year and noticed the resort fee fluctuates between $110 - $245 a night, which I've never seen before. ||Location from LIR airport: 45 minutes to the property both ways. We are based in Dallas, TX and the flight was about 4 hours direct. We pre-arranged our private transfer service through Liberia Airport Shuttle Service (used them twice and love them. They are so inexpensive). We prefer the Papagayo Peninsula location vs the Reserva Conchal location due to the shorter transfer time from the airport. Upon return to LIR airport in March our flight departed at 2:05pm and we left the property at 11:15am. With the long (but quick) security lines at the airport, it left us 30 minutes post-security to grab a quick bite and get situated. We did not check bags. You will see that most transfer companies tell you to be at the airport at least 2hrs and 45 minutes prior to your flight but we've never done that and have had no issues. 2 hrs prior to flight departure has been plenty.||Property: WOW. WOW. WOW. Stunning does not even capture the property view, location, and grounds. The concept here on property is so well executed in that you feel like you're staying at a friend's estate. Quiet, private, serene, comfortable...all of it. ||Manzu or "Butler": Upon arrival you are assigned a Manzu who will be your go-to for all dinner reservations or questions and needs during your stay. You will have to communicate with them via whatsapp so come prepared. Our manzu was great and worked hard to ensure a comfortable stay and was always checking on us when he could. ||Ocean Reserve Room: Our room was an ocean reserve room (an entry level room with ocean facing view). Room setup was nice. We thought the patio was beautifully furnished and the bed/foam pillows perfect. There is one speed for the fan: HIGH. The a/c worked great for us and had no issues. The coffee maker setup is lacking (small and basic) and does not include any stir straws or cream options. We asked for additional water each day via notepad from our housekeeper because it goes quickly. While we did see random refill stations around the property there was no complimentary refillable bottle for guests to utilize. We were also not made aware of the refill stations. We are also used to being offered a "beach bag" to use during our stay from brands like the St. Regis or Four Seasons but this property did not have those as of 3/20/25. In addition, there is no room information booklet that contains the typical run down regarding restaurants, spa services, etc but your butler will text it to you via whatsapp. So be sure to add both spouses on the whatsapp communication so everyone gets the information. I'm sure they are still working on those things since they just opened in February. ||You will find there are no traditional light switches in the room but instead a digital panel (11 of them in our room). The first few nights these panels operated by motion sensor and would light up when you approached it (which we preferred) but the last 2 nights the panels stayed fully lit the entire night. So, bring a night mask if you like it dark. We had the engineer come by to explain the light switches and how after a couple of power surges on property we felt like they had reset to staying bright all night. ||The room has a full bar, nice cocktail glassware to use, two separate closets, a hand-held steamer for clothes, a separate water closet which is critical, and a full-bath tub inside the large shower to name a few things. The bath products are Nimbu (their spa) and are just ok. They are nothing exciting or impressive like a Diptyque or Le Labo or Aesop or something better known. ||Grounds: The property is perched up on the cliff so the views are spectacular. It is possibly one of the top 3 coolest views we've experienced at a hotel. At times, you will feel like you are walking among the clouds when you are walking through the grass near "La Cosona". To get to the beach you can take the really cool (air conditioned) funicular ride which doesn't require an attendant to be with you or you can walk down about a couple of hundred stairs. I believe you can call for a golf cart ride as well but there will still be a set of stairs to walk down. During our 5 nights, the funicular was out of order 3 different times (2 whole days). We walked down the couple hundred stairs to the beach twice during our stay and our legs were beyond sore. ||Restaurants: We tried every single restaurant on property. Overall, our favorite restaurant was Niri down by the beach where we had dinner. Not a lot of menu options but the ones we did have were good. Cafe Rincon was great for all versions of coffee as well as a nice breakfast spread. Mirardor, the breakfast restaurant, was good all around. The servers were so gracious and friendly at each establishment.||Bars: The soon to be famous tree-house bar, "Ambar", was a standout experience! This cannot be missed during your stay. You will want to make reservations with your Manzu immediately as the space looks to hold roughly 18-20 people all seated. We went twice during our stay at 5pm to watch the sunset around 5:50pm. On our second seating we enjoyed a family of monkeys hanging out in the tree next to us. If you've ever been on a luxury safari in Africa, it reminded us of that vibe. We would return just to experience this bar again, with friends. There is not anything like it around.||Another surprising experience (if you're lucky enough to find it) is a hidden speakeasy on property. You'll have to follow the clues so ask your Manzu during your stay. We've been to a few speakeasies but this one topped them all. Their cocktails are very complex and custom. The story and design behind the speakeasy made it even more interesting. ||Cocktails: Overall, all the cocktail prices across the property ranged from $21-$25 and definitely were on the more "complex craft" side. If you're like us, we always wanted to try something different each time but remember they can still make your go-to standard cocktails if you're not as adventurous. ||Tipping: Every transaction for food/beverage includes a 10% service charge which I confirmed is pooled together and dispersed to employees rather than directly to that one specific server. There is a line to add additional gratuity if you elect to do so. I feel this is always important because it varies from country to country and it's better to know before you go. ||Pools: 3 total pools and 1 random, small forest grotto pool. The "kid friendly" pool is the main and largest infinity edge pool next to the poolside restaurant. Luckily during our stay we saw maybe 10 total kids on property which was great for someone who is kidless. The adult pool is the lower pool that includes the large infinity edge hot tub. We LOVED the padded loungers and soft towels provided at every pool. The semi-private double-bedded lounger cabanas at the adult pool are complimentary and first come first served. During most of our stay we felt like we had the entire property to ourselves and no one was crowding around anything at any point. I hope it always stays that way. The pools offer complimentary SPF 50 but just know it makes you really white (so bring your own if you don't want to look like a clown). During the day, servers would come by and drop off a complimentary snack for you to try. Servers were attentive, friendly and tried to get to know you by name. For adults who want the best view, head to the Spa pool which is almost as big but super quiet and peaceful. The view is STUNNING. They offer a limited menu with healthier items (think poke bowl) but also serve alcohol, smoothies, and fresh juices. There is also a random forest grotto pool in the ravine area but when we visited it, it looked really dark, sad and dirty. I'm not sure who it's for but we didn't want to get in. ||Beach Club: Down next to the beach you'll find the beach club where you can schedule water activities (like complimentary kayaking which is included with your resort fee). We were provided a double-kayak and our guide went with us across the bay to a little island. It took us 1 hour round trip and was enjoyable. We went at 8:30am in the morning when the bay was calmer. Upon our return they guys brought us fresh bottle juices and a fresh coconut with straw! Due to the funicular being out of order that day we asked that he drive us up to the spa to spend the rest of our day versus walking up hundreds of stairs. ||Gym: The gym is in the facility where the spa is located. Open 24 hours and well-equipped with techno-gym equipment, including treadmills, two bikes, and stationary sets. They also have free weight sets, chilled water and towels. For those who like to roll out their muscles, they have those items for you to do that.||Spa: The facility is beautiful and well done. There are separate mens and women’s facilities that include an outdoor steam room and dry sauna but there's no gender signs pointing you to which one is male/female. Even when you're using the spa changing facility there was no visual signage (that we can remember) pointing you to your assigned area so definitely ask. An outdoor cold plunge and hot tub are also available on each side. We did try the 90 minute Juanilama massage which is equivalent to a Swedish style massage for $395 usd each, before tax and tip. At the spa, the 10% service charge is not a part of the cost but there are options to add 15% and 18% gratuity. We are used to having monthly massages and facials back home and we splurged so we could compare. Unfortunately, our treatments were very standard and just “ok” at this Ritz. Definitely not anything to rave about for a Reserve property. Despite the therapists being so kind and lovely, at that price tag, we both walked away with a “we’ll never do that again” mentality because the therapist skill level and total experience did not align. We were hoping for an elevated relaxation experience with the best of the best therapists and were overall disappointed in the service. For example, when we were done with our treatments they escorted us back up the stairs near the pool and said goodbye. In comparison at other places, you are typically escorted to a relaxation area where you are served water, hot tea, snacks etc. I know these are small things but at what point do you differentiate the price tag on something if not through the total experience? ||Free Shuttle: There's a free shuttle that runs between the properties on the peninsula. To take it, you can go to the casita and ask the valet to call them for you. We tried a restaurant at the Four Seasons one evening and upon our return we quitely chatted about how glad we were to have stayed at the Ritz. ||Overall, this Ritz Reserve is worth experiencing. We had lots of fantastic moments here and would like to return in the...

My partner and I visited the Nekajui the first week the property was open to guests. Despite some minor hiccups likely related to their opening, we had a truly amazing experience and can’t wait to return. For reference we are in our mid-30s, did not bring kids, and stay in hotels close to 100 nights/year. ||Property: The Papagayo Peninsula where the property sits is an incredible setting for the Nekajui. We loved how the hotel was built directly into the landscape, and the views overlooking the ocean are stunning- the view from the family and spa pools were our favorites. Be prepared to see some natural wildlife - we saw monkeys directly outside our balcony and a tarantula was directly outside our room one night! We enjoyed walking around the peninsula, and the main road has a sidewalk for easy and safe walking. There was some minor construction ongoing at the property, but nothing unexpected for opening day. ||Hotel Room: We stayed in one of the Ocean Reserve Plunge Pool rooms, and were on the end of the building. The bed was very comfortable and we loved the size of our balcony. The room’s temperature was well-controlled. The main downside with our room was privacy. The screen between our balcony and the room next door was not fully opaque. Additionally, the water room in the bathroom had a window not fully covered with a privacy screen at night, so we could easily see out to the property and presumably people could see in. Our room also had a desk but no chair. Finally, we wish the room had the bed facing the ocean - it was facing sideways and it felt awkward moving around the room. ||Service: In general, everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful at the property. The whole vibe of the resort was welcoming and relaxed, it felt like a true vacation because of the service!||Our manzu, Wilson, was extremely engaging when navigating the property. He communicated with us via WhatsApp and was not overbearing, and responded immediately whenever we had a request. As an example, when we asked for sunscreen, he personally brought us a bottle at the pool! When Wilson made reservations for cocktails our last night, and even took care of the bill! He made sure our visit was comfortable and fun. ||Service at the pool was a bit spotty - there were not consistent staff to set up towels on the beach loungers, and occasionally sides would be forgotten for lunch. However, this was always corrected quickly and in general food and drinks were fast to come when ordered. ||Service at the restaurants was fantastic. To preface, we are definitely sit-at-the-bar people, so we loved the one-on-one time we got with Piña the bartender at Puna for two nights in particular. All of our food and drinks came quickly at both Puna and Niri, and the staff was helpful with food restrictions and coursing out our orders. ||Food: By far one of our favorite parts of the trip! We eat gluten- and egg-free, and found plenty of options at both Niri and Puna, in addition to Mirador for breakfast and lunch at the pool. We ate at both Niri and Puna twice, and everything we had was fresh and unique. ||At Puna, we had the unique experience of being able to watch Chef Diego and his beverage director Luis orchestrate their opening, and as a result got to try some unique cocktails and dishes- it was so fun saying a type of spirit we Iike and have custom drinks made for us based on our tastes. They also were able to show us the property’s “speakeasy” during dinner one night, and having some of the most unique cocktails we’ve ever tried in the middle of our dinner was an experience we’ll never forget. ||Niri was more laid back, but the outdoor seating was comfortable and the waves crashing in front of us was romantic! The only downside to this restaurant was that it got relatively smoky both nights due to the wood-fired grill. ||Amenities: |The pools have incredible views and were a highlight of the trip. The loungers at the family pool were extremely comfortable, and the water was the perfect temperature for the hot days. The chairs at the adult pool faced the wall of the pool rather than the ocean, but there were cabanas at the adult pool that faced outward. The hot tubs at the adult pool were also not heated when we stayed. Finally, the pool didn’t have sunscreen, but more recent reviews note that’s been added. ||The gym is attached to the spa, and a bit small - there was an area big enough for about 2 mats to be laid out, otherwise equipment filled the indoor space. There were also machines outdoors overlooking the ocean! They also had open cups for water which was a bit awkward, but did have a refillable water bottle station. ||We did not utilize any spa services, but the outdoor pool at the spa had a stunning ocean view. ||We did not spent a significant time at the beach club, but taking the funicular down provided fantastic views. Chairs were set up on the beach even at high tide, and kayaks were available to rent. The sand was soft and the water was quite warm!||Overall, the people and the incredible setting of Nekajui made our trip an unforgettable experience. We cannot wait for our next vacation to this...

Our experience at The RItz Carlton Papagayo, Costa Rica was nothing short of spectacular. We were in Costa Rica to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary…and we are so very thrilled we had the opportunity to visit this recently opened masterpiece. The property is stunningly beautiful and features some of the most elegant architecture and ocean views my wife and I have ever seen during our decades of travel. Though brand new, the property is wrapped in a very comfortable, elegant sense of grace, augmented by the professional staff members…and in particular ‘Jeffry’Garcia Zuniga! Jeffry greeted us upon our arrival and had assisted us with coordinating a special day of wedding celebration. Jeffry is one of those unique talents who possess an amazing sense of hospitality and joy….and attention to detail that creates forever memories. Jeffry greeted us upon our arrival, toured the property, justifiably proud of this lovely place. He arranged for a couples massage (thank you Stephanie and team!) and facial at the spectacular spa (elegant, spotless, cold plunge, hot tub, hydrotherapy pool, etc). Having enjoyed several massages in wonderful locations, this was among the very best! After that we enjoyed a lovely light lunch at poolside, taking in the view and the occasional cool-off dip in the pool overlooking the Las Palmitas. Spectacular! After changing into late afternoon attire, Jeffry took us to the funicular for a quick visit to the beach. Wow! And then Jeffry and staff went over the top…he escorted us to ‘Ambar’, a small onsite bar with the most spectacular view of the sunset. Jeffry and bar manager Luis had champagne on ice, flower adorned champagne glasses, a framed photo from our wedding (he sourced this through social media!) AND a Ukelele (I play guitar, Jeffry seemed to note that and had arranged the Ukelele as a nice, thoughtful touch!) with “Happy 30th Anniversary!’ Imprinted on it….qll without any coordination from my wife or me! Unbelievable! We wrapped up our day with a wonderful dinner at Puna, overlooking the ocean….and a ‘special treat’ from Jeffry, which he requested we keep secret…but look him up and and I am sure he will ‘clue’ you in. During our visit, we also met Hotel General Manager Omar as well as many other staff members….all of whom were fantastic! We cannot wait to visit again! Fantastic. Five Stars…and more. Having visited the other hotels in Papagayo, in our view, this is the very best…particularly for a romantic stay…..and Jeffry…you are...