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"Just finished staying at the RIU guanacaste with my husband and my two friends. From the beginning we did not have the best start they would not let m ... " More

By a verified traveler on Sat 13 May 2023

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Hotel Description

All-inclusive beachfront property with 3 outdoor pools

On the beach

Your stay at this Sardinal property places you within a 10-minute walk of Diamante Eco Adventure Park and Playa Matapalo. Also, Haras del Mar Equestrian Center is within 3 miles (5 km) and Ocotal Beach is within 6 miles (10 km).

All-inclusive

This all-inclusive property features free water park access, a full-service spa, and a nightclub. Enjoy a day at the beach snorkeling, or relax with sun loungers. Bring the family and enjoy the children's pool, waterslide, and playground.

Double Room (U)

Bed Count 2 Full Beds Maximum Occupancy 4 Max
$322* Per night/room Apr 9 - Apr 10

Family Room (U)

Bed Count 1 Full Bed Maximum Occupancy 4 Max

Superior Room (B2C-US)

Bed Count 2 Full Beds Maximum Occupancy 4 Max

Suite (L)

Bed Count 1 King Bed Maximum Occupancy 2 Max

Suite, Jetted Tub, Ocean View (U)

Bed Count 1 King Bed Maximum Occupancy 2 Max

Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms (U)

Bed Count 1 King Bed Maximum Occupancy 5 Max

Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive ratings based on 26 Verified Reviews

Review Summary
3.6 out of 5 3.5 out of 5.0
Room cleanliness 3.5 out of 5.0
Service & staff 3.5 out of 5.0
Room comfort 0.0 out of 5.0
Hotel condition 3.5 out of 5.0

Guest reviews for Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive

Everyone (13) Couples (6) Family (5)
5 out of 5

Posted by on Nov 15, 2023

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2 out of 5
Stayed at RIU Guanacaste Costa Rica for a week in Oct 2023 for my wife’s birthday and our Anniversary. Although Costa Rica is amazing, this resort is not. Here are 5 reasons to find another All Inclusive Hotel: 1. All the alcohol is terrible. You won’t find a single name-brand alcohol besides Costa Rican beer. None of it is good, and you won’t even get a buzz as it all seems to be watered down. Drank 2x, 32oz margaritas and nothing. There are no upgrade (pay extra options). Hope you like Guaro. 2. If you like getting sleep, you won’t get any here. There was very loud music blaring every night of the week until 11pm. They’re in an open even center, ground floor, and directly below the courtyard of all the rooms. Keep in mind most tours leave at 5am. Getting 4hrs of sleep before a day trip is not enjoyable. 3. Staff are not helpful. We checked in and had a leaky toilet. Dyed blue water all over the bathroom floor. Reported it to housekeeping, the front desk several times, and wasn’t fixed until halfway through the trip. a. Staff let numerous “locals /. others” cut in line at every turn while everyone else waits in line. 4. Water is a necessity, and one hard to find. You can’t drink the tap water so bottled water is supposed to be provided. It was stocked on check in with 3x bottles of water. It was only stocked 1x in 7 days. 5. Good luck getting into the restaurants. They have several restaurants on-site, but getting into them is a game. Get there early and wait

Posted by , from Pullman on Oct 30, 2023

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5 out of 5

Posted by on Aug 9, 2023

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4 out of 5

Posted by on Jun 9, 2023

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4 out of 5

Posted by on Jun 8, 2023

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3 out of 5
Just finished staying at the RIU guanacaste with my husband and my two friends. From the beginning we did not have the best start they would not let my friends check into there room because they said the reservation was still under my name even though i changed it to his name. Then when we checked in the staff was very rude and not very welcoming. Then when it came down to the food it was not good at all. We made it to the Asian restaurant and the Italian restaurant and the food was tolerable there. Drinks were good and Diego at the pool bar was great! Rooms were dated and the showers had a mind of there own,the temperature would change on its own. The two rooms we booked smelled like a septic tank which wasn’t pleasant. The hotel didn’t have many things to do. The white party they had the one night was fun. Make sure you don’t forget any supplies because sunscreen at the store at the resort was $25-50. Overall I will not be returning to this hotel.

Posted by on May 13, 2023

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3 out of 5
Our 5th week in past years and the food presentations have not seemed to change. While some of it was tasty, we each experienced two cases of dysentery which on our last day made it very uncomfortable traveling back to Texas. Probably our last trip (at least to RIU)

Posted by on Jan 19, 2023

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4 out of 5

Posted by on Dec 23, 2022

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2 out of 5
This resort is like 2-star rooms on a 4-star property with 2-star service. The rooms are very dated. Similar in comfort to a LaQuinta. Definitely not what you’d expect of a 4-star resort. The grounds are well maintained and met my expectations. The restaurants were very poor quality. We had much better food off property during our excursions. The pool is shallow, but otherwise ok. The pool bar is the highlight of their service. Small tips for the bar staff yielded excellent results. The beach area is pretty enough, though I did not get in the water. Overall I regret staying at the Riu Guanacaste. I considered switching to the Riu Palace, but we opted out after speaking with people that were staying there since it didn’t sound much better. Evenings are very noisy. Not recommend for a relaxing vacation. We will avoid all Riu properties in the future. Staying here put a stain on an otherwise wonderful vacation. The Costa Rican people are amazing.

Posted by on Nov 24, 2022

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5 out of 5

Posted by on Nov 22, 2022

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About the Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive

Location Sardinal de Carrillo, Sardinal, Guanacaste

All-inclusive Details

This property is all-inclusive. Onsite food and beverages are included in the room price (some restrictions may apply).

Gratuities and taxes
Gratuities are included and additional gratuities at guests' discretion are accepted.

Food and beverages

  • All buffet and à la carte meals, snacks, and beverages included
  • Room service during certain hours
  • In-room minibar (all beverages included)

Activities and facilities/equipment
All onsite activities and use of facilities and equipment are included.

Water activities

  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
  • Windsurfing

Land activities
  • Volleyball

Entertainment

  • Onsite entertainment and activities
  • Access to onsite nightclubs
  • Onsite live performances
  • Theme parties

Not included

  • Motorized water sports
  • Sailboats
  • Scuba-diving excursions
  • Snorkeling excursions
  • Surcharge for premium or imported non-alcoholic beverages
  • Spa/beauty facilities and services
  • Activities and services offered by independent operators
  • Offsite tours
  • Transportation to offsite activities

  • Kayaking included
  • Access to onsite nightclubs included
  • Windsurfing included
  • Buffet-style meals included
  • A la carte dining included
  • Surcharge for premium or imported non-alcoholic beverages
  • Volleyball included
  • Scuba diving excursions not included
  • Snorkeling excursions not included
  • Motorized water sports not included
  • All available beverages included
  • Spa/beauty facilities and services not included
  • Activities/services from independent operators not included
  • Transportation to offsite activities not included
  • Offsite tours not included
  • Sailboats not included
  • Onsite entertainment and activities included
  • Gratuities included
  • Additional gratuities accepted
  • All meals included
  • Minibar (all beverages included)
  • Room service during certain hours
  • All onsite activities, and facilities and equipment included
  • All non-motorized water sports included
  • Onsite live performances included
  • Theme parties included
  • Snorkeling included

Property Features

Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive is an all-inclusive property. Room rates include meals and beverages at onsite restaurants and bars. Other items and amenities, including taxes and gratuities, and access to recreational activities and entertainment may also be included. Additional charges may apply for meals at some restaurants, special dinners and dishes, certain beverages, and other amenities. As a guest of Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive, you'll find a full-service spa, a complimentary water park, and 3 outdoor swimming pools. There are 5 restaurants on site. You can enjoy a drink at one of the bars, which include 5 bars/lounges and a poolside bar. Free breakfast is served daily. Public spaces have free WiFi. A children's pool, a health club, and a nightclub are also featured at the family-friendly Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive. Self parking is free. This 3.5-star Sardinal property is smoke free.

  • 1 building
  • 701 guestrooms or units
  • 6 levels
  • 5 dining venues
  • 5 bars or lounges
  • Buffet breakfast (free)
  • Nightclub
  • Beach lounge chairs
  • Towels for the beach
  • Umbrellas for the pool
  • Dry cleaning
  • Front desk (24 hours)
  • Staff is multilingual
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Car service
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Wedding services available
  • Pool or billiards table
  • Garden
  • Gift shop
  • Beauty salon
  • Onsite shopping
  • Bellhop
  • Elevator
  • No smoking on site
  • Bar by the pool
  • Swim-up bar

Family Friendly Amenities

  • Free water park access
  • Number of outdoor pools - 3
  • Children's pool
  • Waterslide
  • Free WiFi
  • Indoor tennis courts - 1
  • Playground on site

Internet

Available in all rooms: Free WiFi

Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking

Free self parking

Transport

  • Parking: Free self parking

Room Amenities

Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive offers 701 accommodations with minibars and laptop-compatible safes. Rooms open to balconies or patios. Flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. This Sardinal property provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is offered daily and change of towels can be requested. Housekeeping is provided on request.

  • Private balcony or patio
  • Minibar
  • Flat-screen television
  • Satellite channels
  • Shower and tub combination
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Hair dryer
  • Laptop safe
  • Toiletries (free)
  • Telephone
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Blackout drapes
  • Climate control (air conditioning)
  • Ceiling fan
  • Ensuite bathroom
  • Change of towels (on request)

Food & Drink

Guests are served free buffet breakfast daily from 7 AM to 10 AM.

Liberia - Overlooking the ocean and pool, this buffet restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Furama - This restaurant specializes in Asian cuisine and serves dinner only.

La Toscana - This restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine and serves dinner only.

Tucan - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves dinner only.

Ocotal Steak House - This poolside restaurant serves dinner only. Reservations are required.

Nearby Activities

An indoor tennis court, a health club, and a complimentary water park with waterslides are featured at the property. 3 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a children's pool. Other recreational amenities include a sauna.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

  • Snorkeling on site
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Volleyball on site
  • Beach volleyball on site
  • Kayaking on site
  • Windsurfing on site
  • Ziplining nearby
  • Playground on site
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Boat tours nearby
  • Fitness classes on site
  • Scuba diving on site
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Golf lessons available nearby

Spa Services

Renova Spa has 8 treatment rooms. Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, sports massages, and Swedish massages. The spa is equipped with a sauna and a spa tub. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy.

  • Number of treatment rooms 8
  • Manicures and pedicures
  • Body wraps
  • Facial treatments
  • Body scrubs
  • Aromatherapy treatments
  • Hot stone massage
  • Deep tissue massage
  • Swedish massage
  • Sauna in spa
  • Spa tub in spa
  • Sports massage
  • Massages

Accessibility

If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.

  • Wheelchair-accessible on-site restaurant
  • Wheelchair accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible spa
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

Hotel Policies

Check-in

  • Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
  • Check-in time ends at 11 PM
  • Minimum check-in age is: 18

Special check-in instructions:

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival.

This property does not permit name changes on reservations. The name on the booking must match the name of the guest who is checking in and staying at the property; photo ID is required.

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival.

Check-out

  • Check-out by 11:00 AM

Payment types

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Kids stay free! Children 2 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cribs (infant beds) are not available.

Pet Policy

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive

Policies

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 21 years old

The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation

This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted

This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.

This property uses a grey water recycling system

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit

Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.

A credit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.

Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 21 years old. The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation. This property accepts Visa and Mastercard. Cash is not accepted. This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival. This property uses a grey water recycling system. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit in each accommodation. <

  • Grey water recycling system
  • Debit cards not accepted
  • Humane animal treatment
  • Staffed front desk
  • Children stay free - maximum age 2
  • Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
  • Credit card pre-authorization
  • No rollaway/extra beds available
  • No cribs (infant beds) available
  • Comprehensive food waste policy
  • Comprehensive recycling policy
  • Smoke detector
  • Children stay free
  • Service animals not allowed

Hotel Names

  • All Inclusive Guanacaste
  • Guanacaste All Inclusive
  • Guanacaste Riu
  • Riu Guanacaste
  • Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive
  • Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive El Ocotal
  • Riu Guanacaste El Ocotal
  • Hotel Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive El Ocotal
  • Hotel Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive
  • Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive All-inclusive property El Ocotal
  • Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive All-inclusive property
  • Riu Guanacaste Inclusive Ocot
  • Riu Guanacaste All Inclusive
  • Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive Sardinal
  • Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive All-inclusive property
  • Riu Guanacaste - All Inclusive All-inclusive property Sardinal

You should know

  • Reservations are needed for massage services and spa treatments. For reservations, contact the property before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
  • Children 2 years old and younger stay free in the same room as the parent or guardian when using existing bedding.
  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

Awards & Affiliations

Eco-Certified Property
This property participates in Travelife, a program that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural-heritage, the local economy.

  • Travelife
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Frequently Asked Questions

*Price based on the lowest price found within past 24 hours and based upon one night stay for two adults over the next thirty days. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.