Guest staying at Riu Palace Costa Rica have full access of the resort facilities at:
- Riu Guanacaste
Important Information: All of the above information is subject to change at any time without prior notice. More information will be provided upon check-in. Transportation available but not included. Please be aware that breakfast and dinner must be taken at the booked hotel.
Guests celebrating their honeymoon with us will receive the following amenities:
• Surprise welcome gift in their room
• Small bottle of Rum
• King bed (subject to availability at time of check-in)
• Late Check-out (Subject to availability at time of departure)
• Complimentary upgrade to next available room category (subject to availability and upon request)
• 35 USD Spa credit for a selected service in "Specials for couple" category (120 min). This discount applies per couple per stay and does not apply with other promotions or discounts.
To receive this offer, just enter "Honeymoon" in the Special Service Request section during check-out or call out Customer Care and we will be happy to make the notation for you.
Important Information: Proof of marriage must be provided at check-in and must be valid within 90 days.
Resort Details
- Arenal
Main restaurant with terrace.
- Capuchino
Patisserie & ice cream parlor.
- Coconut
Pool bar with swim-up bar.
- Krystal
Fusion restaurant.
- L'Anfora
Italian cuisine.
- Papagayo
Poolside restaurant - grill and steakhouse.
- Tokio
Japanese cuisine.
- Various Lounges/Bars- Daiquiri
- Flora
- Lounge 24
- Tico Tico
- 24-hour room service
- Children programs
- Children welcome
- Exercise gym
- Free high speed internet connection
- Golf,Offsite†
- Jacuzzi
- Lounges/bars
- Meal Plan Type: All Inclusive
- Pool
- 24-hour room service
- Children programs
- Children welcome
- Exercise gym
- Free high speed internet connection
- Golf, Offsite†
- Jacuzzi
- Lounges/bars
- Meal Plan Type: All Inclusive
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Shops and commercial services†
- Spa†
- Tennis court
- Water sports, Offsite†
† Fees may apply
- Beach
Free sun loungers.
Direct access to Matapalo Beach, surrounded by stunning biodiversity.
- Children's pool
- Children's program
- General †Stay at Riu Palace, enjoy Riu Guanacaste activities too.24-hour dining with unlimited food, drinks, and cocktails.Supports Costa Rica’s eco-tourism and sustainable travel initiatives.
- GymUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old. Sports shoes are mandatory when using the gym.
- JacuzziUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old.
- Non-Motorized Water Sports- Windsurfing
- Pedalos
- Snorkeling equipment
- Kayaking - Pool
There are 4 swimming pools, 1 with a swim-up bar.
- Steam bathUse of this facility is restricted to guests over 18 years old.
- Tennis courtFloodlit hard surface tennis court.
- Water activities †
Riu Splash Water World onsite, near volcanoes, waterfalls, sightseeing spots.
This attraction will offer a variety of water rides and features for all ages, including a children´s pool with slides, Aquaracer, Body Bowl, Aquatube and Kamikaze and refreshments area.
- Golf †
- Motorized Water Sports †
† Fees may apply
Guest Reviews from CheapCaribbean Customers
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
10719 reviews
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Jan 20, 2026Resort was nice, food and pool side service 💩
Hotel was clean and was apparently renovated this spring. Pools are nice, beach isn't great. Food is mediocre and there isn't really pool side service. Today was day 8 and it was the 1st day we saw a server going around the pool with a cart.
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Jan 20, 2026Brand new!
The resort was just completely renovated. Everything is new and looks amazing, not like ordinary RIU, but like a luxury resort. Beautiful interior accents, modern furniture, pleasant rooms. Food is typical for RIU, plenty of fruits, good coffee. Even some expensive alcohol drinks, such Chivas and branded Irish Cream. Beach is volcanic, not my favorite. Very beautiful surroundings, nice walk paths. Absolutely worth every penny! Great job Riu!
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Jan 20, 2026Great Stay but needs some improvements
recently stayed at this hotel with my wife and our three young children (ages 5, 3, and 2). Overall, the experience was good, but there are a few areas that could be improved. I’ll start with the negatives, which were minimal but still worth mentioning. The biggest issue is the reservation system for the specialty restaurants. Since RIU encourages guests to use the app for entertainment schedules and other activities, it would make perfect sense to allow restaurant reservations through the app as well. Instead, guests end up waiting in long lines just to secure a spot, which feels outdated and unnecessarily inconvenient. The food at the restaurants was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. We also had the fire alarm go off twice during our stay—both times around 4 a.m.—and there was no communication from the hotel about what happened. Being woken up in the middle of the night with three small kids was definitely not ideal. On the positive side, the staff truly works around the clock, and it shows. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, accommodating, and genuinely committed to making our stay enjoyable. The resort itself is large and always has something going on, which is great when traveling with children. The road leading to the hotel is a bit rough, but we had a private transfer, so the ride felt safe and manageable. The rooms were recently renovated, and the modern design made them feel clean, comfortable, and relaxing. That was a definite highlight for us. With a few improvements—especially around the reservation system and communication—the experience could be even better. But overall, we had a pleasant stay and appreciated the hard work of the staff.
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Jan 19, 2026
Great stay!
My husband and I stayed at this resort for our honeymoon and had a wonderful experience. Transportation to and from the airport with Amstar was smooth (a bit bumpy at times and expect about an hour, but the drivers were great). The resort grounds were beautiful and expansive, with staff constantly working to keep everything clean and well maintained. We loved the easy access to the beach from the pools. There were plenty of adults-only pool options, which was really nice. The resort felt lively without ever feeling overcrowded. I do agree with some other reviews that additional nighttime entertainment beyond the kids’ programming would have been a nice touch, even something simple like live music outside. The newly remodeled rooms were very nice, and we especially loved waking up to monkeys most mornings with our jungle view, such a fun and unique experience. It was an easy walk to the Monkey Bar, and we enjoyed walking along the beach as well. There were always plenty of beach loungers available, which was a big plus. The food options between the buffets and restaurants were plentiful. The steakhouse had a longer wait, but we never went hungry and appreciated the options. Service was great at the restaurants. The staff was wonderful and friendly. Our room was always thoroughly cleaned and the fridge stocked. Staff seemed to appreciate tipping for good service. Overall, we had a great stay and would definitely come back!
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Jan 17, 2026Disappointing
Dirty hotel and ground areas. The food was lacking any flavor and service was poor. All inclusive hotel but every restaurant we asked for a glass of wine they told us we have to pay. We asked for a manager and we were told there was no one on duty “at this time “
- AdvisoryCosta Rica will impose some restrictions for Holy Week. Alcohol is not permitted to be sold or consumed. This ban on alcohol starts the Thursday prior to Easter and runs through Easter Sunday. A few hotels purchase special permits to serve alcohol, but generally it is not available. In addition, most restaurants, shops, and bars will be closed for the same time period. Restaurants in the hotels will be operating. The City Tour will not be operating.
- Advisory*Important Information for Our Guest* As of April 2012, the destination of Costa Rica has gone non-smoking in all public buildings and areas. All hotel rooms are also non-smoking.
- AdvisoryStudent Groups/Spring Breakers (either groups or individuals, regardless of age) are not allowed at any time during the year. Guests disturbing or generating complaints from other guests or hotel may be removed from the property, at their own expense. Parties in rooms are not permitted.
- AdvisoryRiu Palace Costa Rica will undergo a complete renovation starting August 31st, 2026 and reopening on March 13th, 2027. During this period, the hotel will be temporarily closed to ensure the best possible results and guest experience upon reopening.
- Check In: 3:00 PM
- Check Out: 12:00 PM
- Minimum Check-In Age: 18
- General Policies:
Check-in Policy - Deposits or credit/debit card hold authorizations are not requested at check-in. Minimum age of 18 is required for check-in, an ID/Passport will be requested upon arrival.
Convention Policy - Individuals attending a convention cannot book this property for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be subject to higher room rates upon arrival.
Hotel Spring Break Policies - Student Groups/Spring Breakers (either groups or individuals, regardless of age) are not allowed at any time during the year. Guests disturbing or generating complaints from other guests or hotel may be removed from the property, at their own expense. Parties in rooms are not permitted.
Transfer Policy - A price may display when children stay free, if your vacation includes transfer to your hotel.
General Information - Room taxes and service fees are included in vacation price.
Minimum night stay restrictions may apply.
Reservation changes may not be permitted unless authorized by the hotel. - Early Departure Policy
- Early Departure Penalty:1 NightApplies: Sunday - Saturday 01May25 - 23Dec26
- Early Departure Penalty:2 NightsApplies: Sunday - Saturday 24Dec25 - 30Apr26