Santa Elena Beach Resorts from RM293

"Our review as a Canadian couple in our late 30's, no kids: What we liked: - The beach was fabulous, felt safe and secure to leave items unattended - Small boutique feel, quick walk to the restaurant and beach. Nice atmosphere and well kept. - Monkey sightings outside our door, and other cool wild life on the premise. - Friendly staff, clean rooms. - Locals gather on the beach for picnics on the holiday we were there, which made for a nice atmosphere What we didn't like: - Rooms were a little dated (beds not very comfortable, couch stained, old smart TVs not compatible with streaming apps) - Rooms didn't feel very private. - Rooms didn't feel worth what we paid. - Pool very small and can quickly fill up with 2 - 3 families. Tended to attract families with little ones - Food at the restaurant was good, although dining options are limited and the restaurant expensive (example two desserts and a drink came to $60 CAD). Overall our stay was average. It seems you're really paying for the location/beach access, as opposed to a high end hotel experience that one might expect when paying over $500 CAD a night. Food options are limited aside from the hotel, although there is another restaurant down the beach that we enjoyed. Other meals we bought to store in our room or drove into Playa Del Coco, which is about 15 min away. Highly recommend having your own vehicle if staying here."

"Leaf blower was a little loud in the morning."

"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.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"

"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."

"The front desk staff was rude. There was a roach in my room. The pools were green"

"Our room didn’t have a bedside table or light and you had to park away from our room. The picture they show is for another resort that you can eat at, but not use the pool. "

"The hotel is in a perfect location. the amenities are great; super clean, and the staff is wonderful. "

"Upon entering, it is somewhat clean, but you noticed the extreme rundown check in area, poolside dirty, broken items sitting along edge. Circus rides that look like they need to be torn down! Building & pool need new paint. The food was absolutely terrible. Hot dogs that look from the day before, ground soupy beef ..not sure. We ended up eating elsewhere rest of the trip. The “shuttles” were small pickup trucks that would come every 15 minutes go up and down around the resort…a joke. Pictures are nothing close to what you’re getting & paying for."

"Convenient location to the airport (less than five minutes without traffic). They offer a shuttle and have a car rental office inside. The breakfast was just okay; however, there's a Mexican restaurant within walking distance that was great for dinner - really tasty infusions of Mexican and Costa Rican dishes."