Cantón Carrillo Holidays from AU$2,064

We stayed in the Ron Ron suite. Wonderful views. Great food and service at the restaurant. Hotel was difficult to find since it was the evening. The viewing platform had great views but lots of bugs and ants up there.

The property and villas were stunning! Staff was very knowledgeable and attentive. Everyone knew us by name! Loved having breakfast included with many delicious options. Having a stand alone villa was a treat. No noisy neighbors! We spent a couple mornings at the main pool and usually ended up in our plunge pool in the afternoons. The views from everywhere are amazing! Although we loved our Sunset Villa, it was warm in the late afternoon when trying to get ready for dinner. No way to block out the sun in the bathroom. The town of Las Catalinas was a bit of a let down. Maybe because we were there off season but other than a few restaurants, there wasn't anything going on. No shops or entertainment. Pretty beach but no place to rent beach chairs and make a day of it. The only excursion we did was a coffee/chocolate tour at Tio Leo Coffee. Highly recommend! It was about 1 hour away. Very relaxing trip, which is what we were looking for. Casa Chameleon made us feel very special.

The RIU Palace is a great destination for travelers who want the access to Costa Rica without the hassle of having to rent their own car, look for places to eat and excursions. Pros: the food was surprisingly delicious for an all-inclusive, the drinks (as a non-drinker) were also good, the massages at the spa (shout out Hazel) were reasonably priced and amazing! The coffee shop was working overtime! The coffee was to die for! And the mountain views were stunning. Importantly, it is 5 minutes from Diamante Eco Park. The hotel has vans that depart every 30 mins so it was great. Cons: it was incredibly hot, not the hotel’s fault, just something to note. Guanacaste is an arid area so hotter than other parts of the country. The hotel has a 2000’s look. It is definitely older and it shows. The AC was not super cold, some light fixtures were not working and my shower did not fully drain. The beach was not blue (to be expected given the volcanic sand) but it was not clean either. There were some fruit and garbage scattered throughout. Lastly, LAR is a transportation company located inside the hotel, that took us to Coco Beach. That area was not what we were told AT ALL and when we called for them to pick us up they told us to wait an hour and a half for the next van. In conclusion, if you want a taste of Costa Rica but you don’t want the “three hour hike” version, do RIU. You’ll have food, great coffee, amazing views, and you can go to the park for a taste of nature.

Overall, I had a really good time. The food was actually very good compared to some of the reviews that I saw that mentioned it was mediocre. The transportation staff were top-tier and their driving abilities are unmatched. The only thing is that I did call and asked for the in room snacks to be stocked, but that was never done during my time.

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Papagayo Golden Palms and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Costa Rica. The property was extremely clean and very well maintained, and the entire staff went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable and relaxing. Everyone was fantastic — from housekeeping to the restaurant staff and chef — and you could truly feel how much they cared about the guests’ experience. The service was warm, friendly, and attentive throughout our stay. The grounds are beautiful, lush, and tropical, creating such a peaceful atmosphere. The pool area is amazing, and the beach is just steps away and perfect for relaxing and enjoying the scenery. One thing that really helped us was renting a car. It made exploring the surrounding areas, beaches, restaurants, and local attractions much easier and allowed us to see more of this beautiful part of Costa Rica. We would absolutely stay here again. Thank you to everyone at Papagayo Golden Palms for such a memorable vacation!