Occidental Papagayo - Adults Only

Occidental Papagayo - Adults Only - All Inclusive

Costa Rica , Pacific North Coast / Guanacaste
Golfo de Papagayo, Playa Buena en Golfo de Papagayo
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2026

Jose

Upon arrival, the air conditioning in our room was not working. However, the staff was extremely helpful and responded promptly by moving us to another room where the air conditioning worked perfectly.

Getting to the beach was very convenient. We simply called for the resort’s transportation service, and they were always quick and reliable in picking us up from our room and taking us to the beach.

The food was excellent throughout our stay, and the service was consistently friendly and attentive. Overall, we had a great experience and would gladly return.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Jun 2026

Ginny

Nice basic resort….lots of walking. Food was less than desirable

Partner

4/10

Poor

19 Jun 2026

Kary

Honest review:
Stayed for 7 nights in June as a couple in our late 40’s early 50’s. We frequent Mexico and have stayed at Occidental Cancun, Riu Bahamas, Almare Isla Mujeres, Fiesta Americana Cancun, and various other all-inclusive resorts. This was by far the worst:(
Positives:
The AC in the room was nice and cold. The resort was quiet.
We bought the premium service and the drinks upstairs were delightful.
Antonio was eager to please and funny. He delivered our room service. We ordered a pot of coffee every morning and it was FAST. Under 15 minutes.
It was a quiet resort with hardly anyone there which meant we never waited for anything.
The omelette station in the morning was the best part of their food.
The resort staff were kind and they work hard.
Some nights they had live music on the patio.
Negatives:
Resort needs a facelift for sure.
Both pools were very cloudy and dirty. Greenish and gross.
No pool service. The swim up bar had bottom, bottom, bottom shelf liquor. I watched him pour white wine from an old water jug. They also ran out of ice and didn’t bother replenishing.
The food was TERRIBLE. They tried to serve American junk food. Pizza, gas station nacho cheese, fried chicken, donuts, etc. if you are a healthy eater, like us, there aren’t many options for healthy proteins (outside of breakfast). The vegetables were the best part. The bed was the hardest bed I’ve ever slept on. When we got the room cleaned, they didn’t give fresh towels. Dirty beach.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2026

Kenneth

Great resort! Friendly staff, amazing views, and super relaxing. The staff is super sweet and go above and beyond. I will definitely return :)

Self

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jun 2026

SCOTT

The grounds are BEAUTIFUL. The food was mediocre at BEST (buffet) and the specialty restaurants were just ok. Very little nightly entertainment (other all-inclusive resorts include professional level nightly shows, which we always enjoy). While the rooms were clean, we had trouble sometimes receiving fresh towels. Overall, this resort (while location and grounds are a huge plus) was underwhelming. We did, however, connect with On the Beach Tours (HIGHLY recommend JJ for booking and he is staffed there). We also very much enjoyed our 30 minute beach massages. My mom and I each paid $25 for Rosa (and staff) & she was wonderful; however, our second massage was with Gladys (and staff) for $20 and this massage was above & beyond. We enjoyed our 9 nights but in comparison to other all-inclusive experiences, I can only give this resort a 3 star at best. I definitely would not consider it luxury. The grounds and location are the only 5 star; also, if you have limited mobility be aware it is very hilly as you are in the mountains and there are no elevators. We got our steps in! They do offer shuttle, however.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jun 2026

Karyn Diane

Food was not available until specific times and had to make a reservation to eat and they were booked days in advance.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2026

James

Small but tasty buffet.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jun 2026

Angela

I cannot describe in enough words on how wonderful of an experience this place was. Seeing is believing when it comes to this.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2026

Ernesto

If you want to relax this si the place to be. The staff is amazing. The rooms are cleaned and the property is well maintained.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2026

Gretchen

The food was great. Staff were super friendly. It was a great experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

Andrea

La comida estaba muy buena, tiene linda vista y la playa es super tranquila

Family

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2026

bernard

Overall I enjoyed my stay and would recommend this resort as I would go back. There are some pros and cons to the resort.

Pros: I love that they refill the mini bar everyday with drinks to include water, soda, beer. Housekeeping was fantastic. The speciality restaurants were top notch. Breakfast was great. They do provide shuttle any where you need to go on the resort as some rooms are quite a walk up some steep hills. Very secure and safe resort. Pools and view were amazing.

Cons: They do not provide wash cloths so I would recommend bringing your own or asking for additional hand towels. They give you a card for a swimming towel that's $35 for a mediocre quality towel. You must turn in your towel to get the card back or be charged for that towel. So if you have room in your luggage I would suggest just bringing your own. The lunch and dinner buffet did not have great variety everyday however they do have a snack bar for your unhealthy choices for lunch till about 6pm. I think they should have theme nights for the dinner and lunch buffets. While its all inclusive the drinks were very low quality and no well known drinks. I just ordered the mix drinks for the most part. While the pool vibe was so amazing at night, it closes at 7 pm. Every where I have traveled pools are open till at least 9-11pm at night. The beach area was not spectacular at all, probably the worst have seen. No ATM. My last complaint was there was no late food options so after 930 or 10 thats it.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Jeffery

Very nice resort! Beautiful views, great food, good drinks! The beach was are favorite part. Only negative thing I can say is the towel service. Everyday we would go out and come back in the afternoon to shower and get ready for dinner. Are room would be clean, but we would have no towels to shower with. We would call the front for towels everyday sometimes twice. And we would be told they be there in 5min but was more like an hr or more before they would arrive. They should really replace the towels at the same time the room is cleaned. Either than that we had a great trip and would definitely return in the future.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2026

Christopher

The resort isn't brand new, but it's kept up very well and the older build actually brings the building and the grounds much charm! It fits nicely into the allure of the region!

When I booked I saw that the resort is labeled as \"all inclusive\" but only saw the breakfast buffet as being included with our room purchase, which was ok since we were just using the hotel as a stop over for flying out of Liberia the next morning. So I was surprised when we checked in that they are a True All Inclusive with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bars on property all included in the package!

The property is beautiful with two large pools and the most wonderful breeze coming up from the ocean! This was very welcomed after 3 weeks in Nosara which is far less breezy and far more dusty which makes it a bit harder to handle the hot weather of the period we visited.

The rooms are nice and clean with a nice patio, ours facing the water, which allowed us to sit outside and enjoy the birds and the weather with a drink in our hand!

Our only regret is that we didn't realize how nice this property was before booking because we would have liked to take advantage of their amenities for at least 3 or 4 days as we will next time we come to Costa Rica!

One guest I talked to even said they snorkeled with turtles near the hotels beach which the extra days will hopefully allow us to see next time.

Partner

4/10

Poor

25 May 2026

Francisco

An okay place to disconnect and relax if pool side is the only thing on your mind.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2026

Angela

The staff were amazing. Plenty of activities to do on the property. Lots of food to choose from.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2026

Albert Brent

The property is absolutely beautiful and the staff were exceptional. The tours available at the resort are well worth pursuing with excellent guides. It would be nice to have more benches while waiting for the shuttles, and perhaps some call boxes. Having more umbrellas at the pool would be welcome, and it would be great if the pools were open longer in the evening. The ocean beach here is lovely with lots of big shade trees, and nightly visits from howler monkeys and coatis provided entertainment . I highly recommend this resort!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

Christopher

Resort was clean and property was well maintained. Staff were friendly and helpful. Great views and a nice beach with shade and a breeze for the hot afternoons. Food was good, but options were a bit limited. Lots of hills and stairs to walk around the property, but there was a readily available shuttle if you didn't want to walk.
Overall a nice resort.

Family

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2026

ANGELA

They didn’t clean our a few days when we had sign up to clean the room, and the tours were a little overly priced but the staff were very good and the resort is very beautiful

Family

8/10

Excellent

19 May 2026

Glen L

The room views were incredible. The condition and cleanliness of the room was good. The food selection and quality was not good. One morning I showed up for breakfast at time it opened and all food was cold like it was just taken out of refrigerator: eggs, sausage and even French toast.

Self

4/10

Poor

19 May 2026

Erick De jesus

El hotel es viejo , no le han hecho renovaciones , la comida es terrible ; todos los dias para desayuno,comida,cena es el mismo menu!! No hay variaciones en nada!!
Y la comida no es buena , no tiene sabor
Si algo se acabo en el menú, ya no lo reponen para los demas , ejemplo : una 1 bandeja de queso para el desayuno , si en 1 hora los primeros customers ya lo consumieron. Ya no lo ponen mas porque se acabo . Etc

Friends

2/10

Poor

15 May 2026

Jenny

WORST RESORT I HAVE EVER STAY. As a costarican myself. I am embarrassed of the service received from almost everyone that works there. Very dissapointed.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

13 May 2026

Maryanne

Room needed updates; request for water and beer in room needed to be requested daily, which we sometimes never got water for day; ac unit broke twice- no ac to sleep; pool bar ran out of drinks on Sunday; flies at pool bar was overwhelming; toilet clogged first day there; food was below average; staff was great- welcoming and friendly. Beach was great- no rush to grab chairs.. if looking to hub to travel Costa Rica- this is place; if looking for pampering vacation- find somewhere else.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Mauricio

Great place to get away from reality and relax

8/10

Excellent

07 May 2026

Monica

Beautiful resort- Not enough umbrellas at pool.
Food options were ok would have liked to see more.
Cups for drinks were pour quality- definitely bring your own.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 May 2026

Michelle

Staff was fantastic! Christian was a great bartender. Facilities were beautiful. The breakfast buffet was good but the rest of the food was just MEH

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2026

Alex

From the start of our stay the staff was incredible, from offering up travel tips and explaining all that the hotel has to offer. Emmanuel at reception went the extra mile to make our stay unforgettable. The property is beautiful and the animals of Costa Rica are your neighbors. We saw spider monkeys among the mango trees on the property, and heard the howlers as well as the many bird species all across the resort. The views from our bay view room were incredible, offering beautiful sunsets and a snapshot of the whole bay. Occidental offered an amazing stay for our first trip to Costa Rica!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

02 May 2026

Brittany

The staff was very helpful and nice! It was very peaceful and had nice views. The food could definitely be better.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 May 2026

Gerardo

This resort sits on top of a hill overlooking Papagayo Bay, so be aware: there are a lot of stairs. If you have mobility issues, this place isn’t for you. The staff do offer a shuttle but you’ll still need to manage a lot of steps.
Premium level have their own golf carts.

But if you want a quiet, adults-only resort with great staff, good food, and comfy rooms with amazing AC, this is it. They have a good variety of food options. Lots of tropical fruits. If you want to hear and see the howling monkeys, have breakfast early at the snack bar/restaurant by the big pool. The resort is a beautiful garden, lots of flowers and mango trees loaded with fruits! Lots of wildlife too!

Pros:
Friendly, attentive staff
Good food with nice variety something for everybody.
Comfortable rooms with strong AC — a lifesaver after a hot day
Have chicken wings (it’s the best!) and nachos at the snack bar/restaurant.
The Grille and Mediterranean restaurants were great, but The Oriental was forgettable.
Massages offered at the beach by local masseuses.

Cons;
Hilly, lots of steps and stairs.
No elevators

Peaceful, not a party place. Not a dressy place. Amenities were great. Try their Papagayo Special drink, it’s so refreshing! Rooms were clean tho a bit dated. Tours offered at the lobby. Check-in was just a bit slow.

Highly recommend for relaxation and Pura Vida.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Friends

8/10

Excellent

28 Apr 2026

stephen allan

Beautiful quiet resort. Good food. Fantastic beach.

6/10

Pleasant

28 Apr 2026

Shannon Marie

Clean and comfortable. Pretty grounds with cool monkeys and a nice bar. However, I would not recommend for solo travelers. No excursions could be booked without 2 people to make it happen. Poor lighting at night around the property.

A ton of stairs, more than the average person could climb regularly. Be prepared to be tired walking around for food unless you call for a shuttle. Shuttles drive so fast, I was almost run down twice while waking. No mention of a gym or spa. Not a lot of food choices especially for vegetarians.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Alison Mary

Lovely quiet resort, beach ok but not amazing. Reasonable range of activities but not extensive. Our biggest issue was the lack of shade around the pools

Family

2/10

Poor

22 Apr 2026

Skyler

It was good room over priced for some food that hurt your stomach really no activities and have to buy your own shuttle to airport which should be include in 3k price for 4 days

Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2026

Mercy

I love everything about this hotel. The only bad thing was that the mattress was pretty bad. Very uncomfortable to sleep. We were not able to sleep good. Everything else was good food, entertainment, workers, facilities, etc.. It will be nice if they can upgrade all the mattress to a better ones because I will go back to this hotel not doubt.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2026

Emily

The staff was very friendly, the property, rooms and common areas were very clean.
The bars had many different specialty drinks and pool bar. The resort is beautiful with gorgeous views. There were lots of activities or places to sit and stay cool to relax.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Heather Kathlene

The staff was freindly and accommodating. The resort was a nice size, not too big and the excursions offered were great. Will go back.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Ivy

Everything was very clean, the staff were accommodating, and it isn't overrun by guests even though it's busy. There is comfortable space without feeling crowded, which is great when you want to relax.

The entertainment team was terrific; we enjoyed meeting and getting to know a lot of them. They all work hard there to make sure your stay is enjoyable.

I would highly recommend this resort for those looking for something a little more secluded, with relaxation being the main reason. It is not one of those huge all-inclusive resorts where it takes you forever to get from one end to another and has a bazillion activities. Look elsewhere for that.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2026

Jerome

Clean room, great staff and right on the beach

8/10

Excellent

14 Apr 2026

Theadore

Incredible views from the premium rooms. Beautiful public beach. The driving staff was very accommodating. Enjoyed the premium lounge for a quiet cool break. I recommend the buffet and staff at the snack bar. We enjoyed breakfast there in a quiet and professional setting. Lots of elevation and many stairs between the rooms and amenities.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Apr 2026

Ana

I stayed at this resort from April 9 till April 13, we pay for the luxury room which is on the top I was expecting more from this room but Not , you pay for the view the room is ok I will not recommend to pay for this since you have to walk a lot to go to the restaurant and the pool and way down for NOT private beach where you have to find spot because the locals will come to picking on the beach. Now the buffet food is not good at all it was flies on the food , unless you make reservations on the three restaurants they have you will not have good food. To go to be pool they only give you one towel for person and you have to bring it back to change or they will charge you for that. It is not room service for free you have to pay for the food . To change the sheets for the bed they ask you if you want every other day to save I guess.
Costa Rica is beautiful but very expensive , I probably never come back. I have spend less money in Puerto Vallarta with a top luxury resort.

I would recommend to look before to different places and resort.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2026

Ivy

it was lovely

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

07 Apr 2026

Melissa

Room was dirty. No hot water. Couldn’t get bottled water check in was a nightmare as well as checkout

Friends

8/10

Excellent

31 Mar 2026

Bonny

Food was good and pools were fun. Met a lot of nice people. Difficult walking, lots of hills so not good for people that have trouble. Shuttles run all day till late at night and never had to wait long for one. They take you wherever you need to go from your door.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2026

Ernesto

Normal

Friends

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2026

Craig

Breakfast was good not great. Buffet was not for me any other time. Not many options. No options for picky eaters. Waters and coffees are hard to get yet its all inclusive. Kinda misleading

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Mar 2026

Josee

No shade around pools ,no place to get money exchange for smaller bills for tips ex...

Business Friends

6/10

Pleasant

23 Mar 2026

Samantha

Food variety was not great, buffet was very small often had to wait to be seated . There was only one transportation for such a large resort so wait times were crazy. This is a hotel more if you looking to just relax and don’t mind walking long periods of time to just go to the pool.

Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Mar 2026

Beverley Ann

The resort is lovely, we enjoyed the food at the buffet and the restaurants plus we loved breakfast and lunch at the grill restaurant. Our room was always clean and welcoming.

Enrique (restaurant manager) organized a beautiful milestone birthday celebration in the Italian restaurant that was perfect!

Kevin (entertainment manager) had great events organized and I enjoyed stretch class and aquafit in the pool every morning.

Our only complaint is the lack of shade at the pools. By the end of our 2 weeks there was 2 umbrellas at the smaller pool near the beach and the larger pool had 6 umbrellas… we won’t go back until there is adequate shade at the pool. It was sunny and 34-36C every day, you need shelter from the sun.

Other than needing shade, I’d recommend this resort if you’re looking for a quieter adult only place.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

20 Mar 2026

Daniel

Upon first glance, this is a beautiful property. The grounds are well maintained and the staff couldn't have been nicer. But the food made me violently ill. Nothing I ate during my time there was outstanding (which is to be expected at an all-inclusive in this price range), but it was the seafood soup that put me over the edge. Other guests reported having similar stomach issues. Needless to say, I won't be going back. I mean, the least an international resort can do is not poison its guests, right?

Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Mar 2026

Shannon

You get what you pay for here. Generic liquor and beer. Buffet was subpar but the other restaurants were good. The grill by the pool was my favorite. Our view in room 2003 was spectacular. The staff that made the biggest impressions were Katherine, who took us out on kayaks, and Jasmine, and Kevin who always had a smile on their faces and positive energy! The beach was public, so you are bombarded with hawkers. We didn’t spend any time there except for kayaking. Overall, it was nice for the price.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2026

Michael

Clean room, friendly staff, food variety, atmospheric (relaxed) and overall peaceful experience.
The grounds do need a bit of a facelift (we returned after 11 years and it appears EXACTLY the same), but no stars lost just a friendly suggestion.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

16 Mar 2026

Lois Ann

Pool yes

Friends

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

Barbara

Buffet at dinner time needs a major overhaul. Property is starting to show its age and needs work. Check-in was okay but the individual who checked us in did not convey slot of details about the resort.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Mar 2026

Michelle

We enjoyed the swim up pool. The oriental restaurant was by far the best. Even though the buffet looks rather small they do a nice job of changing up the food. Take advantage of the excursions they were amazing

8/10

Excellent

14 Mar 2026

Neil

Room was clean and the property is generally well maintained. There are very few activities to keep the visitors entertained so there's not much to do at the resort except hang around on the beach or at one of the pools. The food is uugenerally average. The buffet is the best of the options but the specialty restaurants are below average. The alcohol seemed to be of inferior quality and generally substandard. Some staff members were friendly but most did not acknowledge guests. I would not return to the resort and do not recommend it to anyone expecting memorable experience.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2026

Mark

Rooms looked tired, noisy ac, leaking shower and basin. Food was good.

2/10

Poor

08 Mar 2026

Verified traveler

Are first couple nights the air conditioning did not work. Rooms needed updating. The cleaning ladies were the only one reliable, they came everyday. As far as rooms being stocked that was hit or miss. When they did come you were allowed 2 bottle of water, 2 sodas and 2 beers. You couldn’t even offer a few dollars for extra water. You could walk up to the lobby and get a bottle or 2 if they have it. I wasn’t a coffee drink however heard from others that coffee was hard to come by (in the rooms).
Food, was good; however, options limited. Specialized restaurants food, staff, everything very good. Emmanuel, (front desk) was awesome. Great communicator and helped us when we had issues with our stay. Sergio (manager) was kind enough to give us premium privilege because of the issues we had.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

07 Mar 2026

ROBERT

There is no wait staff at any of the resort except in the restaurants. In bars and at pools you have to go to the bar yourself. There is very limited shade at the pools. Only loungers and no sitting tables. Seats in the shade get towels on them as early as 6am. The food is limited in selection although the wings, burgers and fries from the grill at lunch were great. 3 out of 4 of us got diarrhea and puking at some point over the 2 weeks there. 2 got very sick for a few days. Not alcohol related.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Mar 2026

Tammie Stoddard

Loved everything about this place!!!

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2026

Michael

Clean room

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Feb 2026

Lynda

There is the buffet and snack bar. Snack bar is not open for dinner, its the steak house then. We ate most meals at buffets, and while small, food was not too bad! Snack bar does have made to order burgers! Oriental and italian were great with great atmosphere! You do have to go to the front desk to make reservations.
We did premium so did get premium lounge which had better alcohol, and had room service which we did once.
Drinks were only okay. We could not find a good margarita all week, anywhere!
Tried both white and red wine which were both good, and loved the Imperial beer!
While old, it’s beautiful and quaint. Lots of walking, but there’s also a shuttle running all the time too.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Michael John

Clean rooms, friendly people, great tours

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Jesse

Clean rooms, great staff, great location !

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2026

Christine

It was a good sized room and a comfortable sleep. But, to be honest, the room was dated and perhaps not spotless, yet everything else made up for it. The beach is wonderful, you do need to go down stairs to get to it. The grounds are hilly and steep but amazing and the tram was always available to pick us up. The food was okay. No one went hungry. The Italian à la carte was delicious. I would definitely go back. The staff was wonderful.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2026

Sheryl

This was the perfect resort for us. Beautiful, clean and friendly. Very easy going, so much to do for anyone! I cannot say enough good things for this resort!! We can’t wait to come back.😁

4/10

Poor

13 Feb 2026

Susan

The buffet at night was poorly done every night it was cold and the same items.
Urber is the way to travel as the locals take advantage of tourists by triple charging.
Rooms were only cleaned if we asked.
Staff are very friendly and shuttle drivers are awesome.
Costa rica is beautiful but would not return to Occidental papageo
If your looking for a budget place not picky about food and want unlimited drinks this is the place for you…..
Bartenders are well versed and Christian in lobby bar was great

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

11 Feb 2026

Dawn Elaine

On the first day of our trip, I slipped and fell coming out of the lower pool bathroom and cracked my head on the cement. I was taken by ambulance to a hospital and Had to have a CT scan. The hotel was really good about calling an ambulance and making sure it was comfortable when we got back to the hotel.I had a concussion so I ended up not being able to really enjoy my vacation for four days they did however, upgrade our room and gave us a beautiful new room, but we had upgraded with the premier package which included premier drinks and stuff and then after my fall, I thought they should’ve given us the upgrade for free as I actually didn’t drink much after that accident which happened on the first day. I am kind of disappointed that they didn’t offer to take that charge off our bill. We were mostly concerned about them putting in some mats or something so the area wasn’t slippery for other customers because I wouldn’t have wanted that to happen to anybody else.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

11 Feb 2026

Anna

In my opinion. The resort is 4*, food, 3.5*, room cleaning 2.5*.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

10 Feb 2026

Jacques

This resort was a small one. We arrived at 230 pm and the staff made everything smooth for us to get our room immediately. The place is clean and only 30 minutes away from Liberia airport. We have room 606. Awesome location. View to the ocean bay. Just one level complex with 6 rooms. It needs some updating. The food is average. Could be more selection in the buffet. We made it work. Steak house was terrible, the Italian and oriental we’re good. The staff was really good. If you are looking for a small adult resort 4 star. That’s your place.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2026

Carolyn

Staff at the Occidental were fantastic! Rooms vary in sizes and layouts and widely spread out throughout the hillside Food was nothing to complain about- not a huge variety compared to other resorts but staff would accomadate by request - (room service has bacon, Buffett does not) We celebrated a couple birthdays and they brought mini cakes to the room, and for dinners Twi pools and swim up pool was near the beach. Beach has excellent options for group tours at discounted rates as well as excellent massage by local therapists - $30-49 US for a hr. Be prepared there is a LOT of walking and many steps. If any mobility issues I would choose another resort. However we loved it and also recommend the premium upgrade. For the premium lounge access and extra perks tgropoolsafternoon.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

JAMES

Food was excellent. Staff was very friendly.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Feb 2026

Yolanda R

Our stay at the Hotel was fantastic. The weather was great, the staff amazing, and the property immaculate. Our first time to Costa Rica, and we took advantage of the beach access at the resort. We went with friends, and the ladies enjoyed the snorkeling right from the beach area.

The restaurants were good. Our favorite was the Oriental. By day three, the staff reconized us, went out of the way to treat us well, such as having coffee poured and ready for us by the time we sat at our table for breakfast each day. The bar service was good. I do miss having poolside service.

Our room was comfortable. In building number 1, which was central to everywhere. At anytime, you could have the shuttle take you anywhere on the resort.

I must call out a few staff for being excellent to our group. Thomas (The Omelette guru) was charming, and very engaging. He'd hi-5 us every day. Jill, Kimberly, and Noesti (sp?) always smiled, and made us feel like royalty. Finally, a big thank-you to Sandra at the reservations desk, she was so friendly, kind, and accomodating. Even on short notice when a member of our group had to cancel.

Our only small complaint was with housekeeping, and it may been more of a communication mixup, but we had a couple of days, where there was nothing done to our room, despite asking them (in person) to do so. Carlos, David, and the wonderful Henrique (Manager) made our dinners so memorable.

We are already discussing booking for next January.
Cheers!

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

02 Feb 2026

Bethany

The location is stunning with amazing views and so much wildlife on the resort. All the staff is friendly and hard working. Tip: go to the snack place before 5 and get a burger if you want a dinner before 6:30. Also, walk down main driveway resort entrance and take the left into public access of beach to avoid crowds of vendors. Although the beach massage by Rosa was amazing. Howler monkeys walk down the white fence to the beach everyday around noon and if you want to see hermit crabs in mass walk down to beach at night and look by the trashcan at bottom of the stairs. The resort is has hill after hill with many stairs.. not friendly for individuals with mobility impairments. Ultimately a great resort could use some love.. updating, new plumbing.. but worth it.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Feb 2026

Matthew

Occidental Papagayo is a great adults-only, all-inclusive resort. The location is beautiful and relaxing, the staff were consistently friendly and welcoming, and the beach was wonderful. We definitely felt like we got great value for our stay.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Jan 2026

Petra

We liked the hotel and the room we got. The premium upgrade is a must,We loved the bar tender at the premium lounge, Yenileisi, she is awesome. For the room service of the minibar You just need to call almost every day to get water bottles and coffee. The hotel areas are really nice developed. Watch for raccoons though. They want to sneak in your room. The beach is great. You can kayak or have a wonderful relaxing massage from Rosa.
The only disappointment is the food. The specialty restaurants have good meat but the chefs don’t know how to cook it properly.. we could get a decent meal at the Oriental restaurant. But the Grill and Italian need more training of the chefs.
All in all it was a great stay and we will come back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2026

Vincent

Outstanding staff and beautiful location make this resort stand out. This is the second year in a row we have stayed for a week. All inclusive, nice clean rooms, 2 pools, good food. Live entertainment most nights. Pool aerobics are fun. Great birds and iguanas. Monkeys, white squirrels, friendly raccoons and magpies at your door step. The ocean view and beach are amazing. Best food at the regular buffet—the restaurant option is more private, the the food and selection is really the best at the buffet.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2026

kevin

Fantastic place good food, nice activities, best place in the area

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Jan 2026

Joshua D

We took this trip for our honeymoon. Overall, it was a good experience. The room was kept clean but a bit dated. The property was beautiful. The food was good and the dining areas were clean. Some of the male staff members were not the friendliest but we didn't let it ruin our trip. We are willing to try other Occidental properties but will most likely not return to this one.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jan 2026

Ion

The standard of the resort it is maybe exagerate for 5 star resort.
Definitely need a little renovation...
The services doesn't exceed expectations.
We encountered small problem from the check in...The problem was solved,but in a slow motion speed and in not a realy professional way...Only one mention name:Paul for the entertainment team...Very professional guy and very nice talking...He is a big plus for this resort,this man,Paul Congratulations.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2026

Susan

Staff, location, variety of food, quiet and clean comfortable,

Bathrooms should be modernized.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jan 2026

Craig

It was a good stay. Wasn't a fun place. Adults only place it more like a senior place.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 Jan 2026

Karen

Room was clean - overlooked the pool - building one. Food was delicious in buffet, grill, Asian and Italian

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jan 2026

Michael

The staff was extremely polite and saw to our every need. The meals were wonderful and the amenities were great!

4/10

Poor

04 Jan 2026

Kyle

Food:
Breakfast consistently felt below standard. Nothing extraordinary.
Lunch options were okay but not fantastic. We much preferred the snack bar.
Supper meals were enjoyable only at the restaurants Orient and Italian. The buffet options were consistently disappointing.

The New Years Supper was excellent!!!
I did wish there was additional celebration elements like fireworks similar to other resorts we seen. Would have elevated the experience.

Beach (2/10)
My major complaint is the beach size and atmosphere.
The beach itself is extremely small.
For an adults only resort the environment on the beach did not reflect that at expectation at all. Included a large amount of local children which made the area extremely loud. We’ve been lucky to visit many resorts and they have designed separate areas for resort guests and public visitors. The beach situation was the primary reason for my low rating. I personally love the beach and I think we were at the beach only twice out of our 7 days because we couldn’t enjoy it. I would not stay at this resort again.

Resort:
The grounds are well maintained though the property is quite large requiring lots of walking and stairs. Shuttles are available which helps but good to keep that in mind.

Activities:
Maria, JJ, Larry were amazing for booking excursions. Ricardo was great at taking us to the places we wanted to be!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2026

Dawn

My first time in Costa Rico and Occidental Papagayo was a good pick. Was able to enjoy all the resort amenities without overcrowding. Staff were friendly, professional and attentive to guests.

Leisure Self

2/10

Poor

31 Dec 2025

steve

Rude staff and horrible food and drinks. Give this place a 1 out of 10. So disgusting service. I can’t believe we paid over 400.00 for 1 night.

6/10

Pleasant

31 Dec 2025

Anthony

Better variety food choices for the buffet. Make the ambiance a little adult sexy. Staff was good. Rooms are okay but its the wildlife that was crazy. You cant leave ya doors open that much they have raccoons and coati's running around.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

30 Dec 2025

darin castallo

Room had crabs, spiders, ants daily. Room shower not very clean. I paid for ocean view premium room and asked to pay for a suite upgrade. They don’t even look at system or days your stating and just say no, yet I saw empty ones the entire time we were there. I asked if I could get refunded fur last two days of my stay so we could relocate and I was told to email the manager who never responded with multiple attempts. Getting coffee refills in am was so hard to get. Food was disappointing at best. We ate off property last day because we couldn’t do any more meals there. Even reservation restaurant food was just edible. Fruit was only thing good. No pool side service or water . Swim up bar is dingy. As soon as you step on beach you get asked about paying for messages . Locals can use beach chairs so they fill up fast. Pool needs work was foggy and dirty. No yoga classes at time it says , I showed up at 8 and nothing. No one at beach to help with kayaks. Drinks are not good and barely any alcohol in them no matter what you order you can have multiple drinks without noticing any alcohol. “No liquor before 11am” apparently but this changed depending on who you asked. “No champagne” yet they have mimosas at one location but not the others. It’s Costa Rica and coffee was out of a machine and tasted awful. I would not stay here. American cancelled our flights and we were a day late and hotel could do nothing, they couldn’t refund day we missed, or add day.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 Dec 2025

Joseph

The food was not that good. You only get two English tv stations. And you are charged for everything they can. Air not that great. But people where very nice

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

Tina

Everything was great. Lots of steps and walking but the scenery was beautiful for it.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Dec 2025

Terri

Staff

8/10

Excellent

28 Dec 2025

Aleksandr

Everything was pretty good, except a funny smell in the room (we were in the building 2)

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Edilio

Linda vista hacia el mar, el personal muy amables y atentos a las necesidades de los huéspedes,
Excelentes frutas.

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2025

ryan

Staff was great. Amenities

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

24 Dec 2025

Brad Marshall

Check-in was unorganized. it felt as if nobody really knew what to so. No supervisor or manager assisting or guiding staff. I was advised my room was ready. traveling companions waited another 1 1/2 hours to get their room- 5 doors down. corrective action- clean the rooms that you have customers waiting in the lobby first! Communication was HUGE issue the entire stay. 1 1/2 hour wait to get bathroom towels. TV remote batteries dead. Electronic safe batteries died with safe locked close. Food service in main buffet low quality. NEVER opened on time- watched staff look at watch while sitting around table with other staff at opening time and ALWAYS waited 5 minutes or so before they decided they would get up and walk to unlock the door. EXTREAMLY bad optics. Snack Bar staff- very friendly and helpful- same quality of food but at least much better staff. Upper pool- more attention to keeping the pool clean of debris. Lower Pool bartenders very friendly- very welcoming. Drinks quality changed from bartender to bartender. Most were good- one particular was not at all. Grounds were nice- however after cutting and trimming, the debris would sit on the walkway for a couple of days. Leaf blowers and weedwhackers running at 0700 DONT Come to relax- won't happen. Travel Companions have the same opinion-- WE WONT BE BACK. I am General Manager of VERY high end customer service related business. This was NOT even close

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

24 Dec 2025

Donald

Room service (Cleaning) was spotty, at best, check in took forever (Room not ready). Staff was sometimes rude or did not follow through with what they said they were going to do. Antonio from the restaurant was completely unprofessional and rude when we brought fish back from trip to have prepared (a service they offer, but it seems like a service they do not wish to provide). Bartenders were not all trained, depending on who was working the bar made you decide if you wanted a drink or not. Thelor was an awesome host! Bottom line is that you never knew if you were going to get consistent service or not, except for the ladies serving in the restaurants, they were very consistent and pleasant.
If you have ever stayed at a Barcelo property, this would disappoint...

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2025

HILDA

Clean rooms, great staff. Selection of alcohol not
So great. Cocktail paper cups not a good experience.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Dec 2025

Marvin

The service the staff the safe was first class.

Leisure Partner