Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo captures the magic of Costa Rica’s pristine natural beauty with breathtaking views of Culebra Bay and an immersive experience in the tropical forest. Located within the exclusive Peninsula Papagayo community on Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast, this luxury resort offers spacious guest rooms, luxury suites and 25 multi-bedroom villas with private pools. Rooms have been recently refreshed and are categorized by view. The resort offers four restaurants, a spa, five pools, including an adults-only pool, three pristine beaches, including Casa de Playa beach club with breathtaking transfer by boat. Andaz offers a complimentary kids club and teen activities. Within Peninsula Papagayo, Andaz guests enjoy access to Papagayo Explorers nature and adventure-focused activities, extensive hiking and biking trail network, an Arnold Palmer Signature golf course, a tennis center, pickle ball and complimentary transportation to 8 other restaurants within the community.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in Costa Rica's natural splendor, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort captivates guests with its tranquil atmosphere and immaculate surroundings. While the resort's stunning views and clean, thoughtfully designed rooms receive high marks, some travelers suggest that the value proposition is diminished by the high costs of activities, food, and certain rooms that fall short of expectations. The array of amenities, including exceptional pools and a beach club, are celebrated, although guests have pointed out room for enhancements.
Despite its picturesque and wildlife-rich remote location, the distance from off-site attractions has been noted. Service is typically commended for its warmth and attentiveness, though there have been occasional comments regarding service inconsistencies.
Location
Remote
Atmosphere
Tranquil
Rooms
Stylish
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Abundant
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Resort is fairly large and situated on a hill, surrounded by local flora and animals (like the howler monkeys, iguanas and variety of bugs) As others mentioned, depending on location of your room, some areas fairly easy to walk while other areas may need to rely on their golf carts, especially for older folks or with kids or if just plain lazy like me. These carts are readily available by phone/text. Typically they will arrive 10 mins after your request so plan accordingly.
We had the king bed room w/ partial ocean view and stayed in building 5. Partial view was nothing special so if you MUST have a view, I'd recommend going FULL ocean view. Regardless of view, I recommend requesting building 5 as it's fairly close to the family pool on one side and the adult pool on the other side. Rooms were spacious even with the rollaway bed for our child. Every room has a private balcony which was nice since we ordered breakfast to our room for the entirety of our stay.
You'll note that there are several restaurants on site. Food was good to above average. For kids especially, you'll find common items like chicken tenders, pizza and buttered noodles. For adults, each restaurant has different offerings depending on your taste and since it's fairly subjective, you'll have to try for yourself. They encourage making dinner reservations for each restaurant except for their Rio Bhongo. They are all open air so beware of mosquitos!
There are several pools and never feel very crowded. All are well designed and surrounded by trees that provide shade, which was greatly appreciated. Limited pool chairs however. During certain times, staff will serve icy popsicles which was a real treat for the kids! Staff will provide menus for food and drinks by the pool.
The on-site beach is probably the weakest point of this resort, however you can go to their other private beach by boat or by shuttle (both included in your resort fee). The other beach has a pool and restaurant and you can practically spend the entire day if you wish. Water was warm, clear with very little current making it easy to wade, swim or use their kayaks or paddle boards (also included in the resort fee)
We had some issues with our room which were promptly corrected by the staff. I'd say SERVICE is probably the biggest strength of this resort. Communication was easy, can be done by phone or Whatsapp. Check in and check out was easy as well. I responded to their survey and was pleased to see that it was actually read and responded which means they really do strive to do their best. So for that, I have no hesistation recommended this resort if you are staying in the peninsula.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Building 5 recommended for those with kids making it close to both the family pool and adult...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I just returned from Andaz where we had a fantastic 4.5 days that we wish had been longer. We were delighted from the moment we arrived (from the cloud forest) and were handed fresh coconut water in the coconut and a cold towel. Our room was perfectly located for us to see the sun rise each morning (don't miss it), watch a few birds in the trees and walk a few steps to Ostra for breakfast everyday. We loved breakfast at Ostra and preferred it over the buffet at Rio Bhongo. Both offer delicious, abundant food but Ostra was more leisurely with excellent, attentive staff. Golf cart drivers are available everywhere to take you around the property but we preferred walking, and walk we did. All over the place. We also took the boat to the beach club but ended up preferring the local beach and adult pool. We paddle-boarded and snorkeled daily but best to do when the winds are calmer. We were able to gage the windiness throughout the day from the adult pool and when it calmed we would head to the beach for exploring. My husband saw everything imaginable when snorkeling, including sea horses and a sea turtle. I saw the sea turtle while paddleboarding. I recommend taking a headlamp and walking to the marina before sunset and coming back in the dark with your headlamp and a blacklight if you have one. By day we saw a plethora of tropical birds, monkeys, iguanas, coati, hermit crabs, ghost crabs and more. The staff at the restaurants and pools and beaches were outstanding. The snacks and beverages in our room were much appreciated. As for beaches, don't expect white sand and azure blue water. Much of the beach is in the trees so be prepared for that.
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Review collected in partnership with Hyatt Hotels
Date of stay: December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We had a spectacular stay at the Andaz in February 2023. Our family of four (two young kids) loved the pools, the popsicles, the food, and the various monkey and wildlife encounters at the property. Though we rented a vehicle, we hardly left as there's so much to do on-property if you are staying five nights or fewer. The grounds are stunning and the materials blend right into the hillside and the jungle. Walks through the property are both aesthetically pleasing and exciting as you'll hear and possibly see howler monkeys and white faced capuchin monkeys. If you don't want to walk across the resort, you can order or hail one of the many golf carts roving the property. The rooms are stunning with natural wood and the ability to open the nano doors to an open-air rainfall shower. We loved the breakfast buffet at Rio Bhongo, the tapas and cocktails at Chao Pescao, but our favorite restaurant was Ostra due to the beautiful ambience, excellent menu, artistically plated dishes, and super service. I initially hesitated ordering Costa Rican oysters on the half shell, but by the end of the trip, I had eaten over 50. If you enjoy oysters back home, do yourself a favor and order them here. A few tips: The steam room and gym locker room is almost always empty. It's a great way to start the morning or end the evening/night. The white faced capuchins seem to congregate in the later afternoon behind the spa in the trees by the plunge pools on the balcony. Enjoy, but watch them carefully and be alert to any aggressive behavior. Also, there's a seemingly undiscovered adult-only breakfast restaurant at Ostra which has a healthy a-la-carte menu in a very peaceful setting. We also visited the Four Seasons for a couple meals (which is a stunning property itself), but we are certainly glad we chose the Andaz. We are especially thankful to Henrique and team for ensuring our stay was outstanding. We've since recommended the property to several people and can't wait to go back again!
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Unpopular opinion: the Andaz Papagayo is just OK. Almost universally the reviews are outstanding, but it just didn’t do it for us. The pools are cold, there is no hot tub, the beaches are not well maintained, and our room was the size of a postage stamp. Barely any room for suitcases and not nearly enough storage for 2 adults and 2 kids.
The ferry to the new beach was broken, so we took a 20 minute shuttle only to find out that the water was closed to swimming for jellyfish, and the beach was covered in sand flies. That’s not necessarily their fault but it definitely put a damper on our stay.
It did not come off as family friendly as most people seem to suggest. By 530, as the sun was setting, the entire pool area cleared out like a plague was hitting. Unless you send your kids to the kids club (which is not our style), we found there was very minimal to entertain them. Also depending on which building your room is in, you are almost entirely reliant on the staff to shuttle you around on golf carts as it’s spread out and very hilly.
The double queen beds come with one “shower room” that encompasses the shower, sink and bathroom. I love the inclusiveness, but there is zero privacy. If someone is using the shower, there’s no way to get to the bathroom without walking past them. There’s no door or a curtain separating the shower from the sink in the bathroom. And if someone needs to use the bathroom, forget about trying to use the sink or shower.
There is no gift shop or sundries shop or anywhere to purchase any minor conveniences. We had a minor need, but couldn’t purchase it. The advice was to take a shuttle to the Four Seasons. We did actually take a shuttle to the Four Seasons, and moved our stuff for another three nights and it was phenomenal.
We were told that we needed to make reservations for dinner every night regardless of the restaurant. This just seems very inconvenient. Part of the joy of being on vacation in a place like this is taking your time and just enjoying the day. Having to be locked into a dinner time is less than ideal.
The staff was very nice and helpful and the food was pretty good but overall I would notrecommend it.
Would strongly suggest the Four Seasons over the Andaz. Better food, beaches and pools.
I get the impression that a lot of people who stay and like the Andaz are staying on points because it doesn’t seem worth the price.
I understand I’m in the minority with this review but it just wasn’t a good fit for our family.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Building 7 is ideal location for pool/restaurants.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is absolutely fantastic. We travelled with our two small children and the staff everywhere were wonderful. We were dealing with some significant allergy issues for our baby and they went as far as to bring rice from a different restaurant one night so she had something to eat and we’re so careful with food preparation that she didn’t have any allergic reactions while we were there. There are kids menus at all the restaurants and they are truly so welcome. We didn’t take advantage of the babysitting but there are sitters who will help you anywhere in the resort, and even as just another pair of hands for dinner or at the beach.
The location itself is stunning, falling asleep in the rainforest sounds was unforgettable. The food everywhere was excellent, with Che Pescao being a favourite. Service was fast and friendly and the concierge was very responsive on WhatsApp.
Getting the boat to the beach club was so fun, the decor everywhere is gorgeous. I hope to return in the Costa Rican summer as we were unlucky to have a tropical storm while we were visiting but it didn’t take away from the fun we had which is quite a feat. The kids club had lots of activities and, and the main pool is perfect for kids as well as being chill for parents.
We had a bay view suite, with sweet touches of little gifts for the kids and truffles and wine on arrival. The check in process was smooth with fresh coconut water from coconuts, lovely after a long travel day.
Golf carts are available to run you around if you need and are very prompt and friendly. If you are on the fence, just go. It’s wonderful.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Context: My stay was during the rainy season with kids. The good: - Absolutely stunning design. The cover photo is of the lobby; at checkin you're greeted and taken to a seating area where you're given free coconut water and cold scented towels while your details are sorted. Then you'll be whisked away via golf cart to your room, which is eye-poppingly beautiful. Really great start. - Pool areas are lovely - Animals! We saw dolphins on the way to the beach, monkeys at the pool and restaurants and tons of other animals around the resort. - Food options are varied, quality is good and atmosphere is amazing.
Things to know: - The shower door and toilet door are almost totally transparent. The bathroom area is separated from the beds by a large closet, which we used for privacy; when someone needed to use those areas the others just went on the other side. Be warned though - sound also carries through the glass. This is typical for the Andaz brand so just be aware if you are traveling with kids. - The shower can open out to the patio for an open-air experience - If you're looking for a beach vacay, know that the beaches are very small/rocky at the resort, and at the private beach while the sand is whiter, it's still not the "beach experience" you might have in mind if you're used to Florida beaches. - You're basically in a bubble the whole time you're here. You have the run of the entire peninsula and many companies offer excursions, but you are isolated and the prices reflect that.
I'd recommend this for anyone who wants to totally unplug and relax or couples. If you're coming here to experience Costa Rica from the US, there are a lot of places in the states that feel very similar without the long flight and travel. If you want a relaxing vibe with great atmosphere and a little bit of local flavor, this will suit you just fine.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Families should choose buildings 1 or 2 which are close to breakfast and the family pool
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our group of 17 had an amazing time at Andaz. Globalist recognition included complementary breakfast at Rio Bhongo and Ostra and room upgrade. Easy checkin with mini coconut drinks and cold towel on arrival. We enjoyed the food and drinks at all the restaurants, we did a private dinner which was okay but should have sticked to the regular restaurants. One annoying thing was every evening there would be zero towels around the pools, we did go when it was busy but totally unacceptable to not have fresh towels replenished at all times. Beach club was fun and easy to get to with the boat or van shuttle. The resort could have more complementary activities given the high price point and limited options for excursion close by. Overall, we would return for a few night stay.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â The resort provides sun block and bug spray.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great family vacation and Our family of 5 had a great time during our week stay. Location is beautiful: the beach was amazing, the pool and grounds were beautiful and we saw all kinds of interesting animals like iguanas, monkeys and a tiny little deer. Food was very good and (including our three teenagers) spent a LOT of time at the pool swimming between the bar, the pool volleyball net and one of the islands. Had a minor issue when one of our room locks stopped working but the staff responded within minutes and replaced the battery which fixed the issue. Everyone there was very helpful and friendly.We booked some tours with nomadtourscr. Both tours were amazing! They both had great guides, packed in a lot of local interests (palo verde nacional park, , Buena vista adventure and jetski tour and were safe and reasonably priced. Overall was an amazing and relaxing resort and experience. Highly recommend this resort and the tours. Pura vida!
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Patrick Schori, Director General at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica
Responded 6 Nov 2024
Dear Sandra, Warm greetings from Andaz Peninsula Papagayo. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are thrilled to hear that your family enjoyed the resort, the excursions, and the beautiful surroundings. It´s wonderful to know that our staff was able to assist you promptly and that your stay was memorable. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you and your family back for another amazing experience in the future. Best regards, Patrick Schori General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is a lovely hotel, set in the peninsula. The rooms are spacious with good maid service. Meso and Ostra are very good restaurants; Chao Pescao and Rio Bhongo less so. Breakfast in Rio Bhongo was regularly chaotic, taking too long seat people and too long to provide drinks, often getting the order incorrect. Breakfast at Ostra by comparison was excellent. The gym is very well appointed but gets very busy. The boat service to the beach at Casa de Playa was excellent and the boatmen were helpful and even went out of their way to show us dolphins. The drinks service at Casa de Playa was very poor, taking a long time to get drinks and a very long time to get the bill! The hotel were very good at acknowledging mistakes with restaurant bookings and tried their best. The cookies at the cookie and coffee place were very good. This is expensive as a hotel and especially when you add on the taxes and service charges, which add almost 25% to your expected bill. Not 100% five star but a very good hotel.
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Best resort ever! Low tourist season, adult pools, water, sun block and bug spray available at private beach and pools. The check in experience was in the outdoor lobby. They bring you fresh coconuts and chilled water. The views were stupendous. The food was delicious. The service was perfect. Many thanks to concierge services and on staff Doc. The open and airy restaurants were fabulous. I suggest taking advantage of the breakfast buffet, and the Tapas restaurant. We had the bay view room with floor to ceiling windows and a balcony, overlooking haler moneys of roof tops and a beautiful ocean view. They have golf carts, just call or ask and 1comes and picks you up.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Don't be in hurry, Costa Rica is all about relaxation
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Washington DC, District of Columbia15 contributions8 helpful votes
Nope, not at all, wi-fi works pretty well there as well. Had service most times on the road in and out as well, with a bit of sportiness here and there.
The Andaz does NOT have great beaches in my opinion. Even the beach club was disappointing. Crowded and chairs right next to each other on this smallish beach. The boat ride there is great. The main beaches at Andaz feels more like pond fronts. None of the beaches have F&B service at chairs. No breeze because location is inner bay. Water is clear and nice but sand is more like a pond. If you are expecting a Caribbean quality beach this is not it. Get a day pass to the Four Seasons. Pack a bag for dinner. Stay the entire day. Gorgeous. Beaches were breezy as the location is end of peninsula with exposure on both sides. Pools are huge, pristine and lovely. Chairs are comfy and beaches are soft white sand. Never crowded like Andaz. Water was perfection. Eat lunch on the beach, swim and enjoy the day. Water sports included with day pass. You have the full guest experience. Then go to the lockers at the gym for shower and change for dinner. Dine at open air Asian fusion restaurant or any of the restaurant offerings. You charge everything to day pass number and settle up on the way out. Up to four guests runs $250 w taxes and fees for the day. F&B extra of course. Was our best day of the trip!
Los Angeles, California727 contributions219 helpful votes
I visited in August in the middle of the "rainy" season. It was sunny most of the time, but when it rained, oh my goodness did the heavens open up (see photo in my writeup). The folks said they really hadn't had any rain up to that point but when Ma Nature is involved YMMV. Have a great trip.
There are more places to choose from in the Gulf of Papagayo area.
PRICE RANGE
RMÂ 3,151 - RMÂ 5,626 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of GuanacasteGulf of Papagayo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
177
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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