What We Love
- It’s an all-inclusive and adults-only resort perched on a cliff with breath-stealing views.
- Explore on a guided cycling tour or book an excursion to one of Costa Rica's epic sights.
- This exotic paradise has bird watching and organized nature walks. Pack your binoculars.
Things to Know
- The resort is only 35 minutes from the airport.
- Upgrade to Premium Level for VIP access to restaurants, exclusive lounge, free Wi-Fi & more.
- The resort gives you a tide schedule, so you know the perfect time to hit the waves!
Property Information
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Resort Details
Dining
Amenities
Activities
Hotel Advisories
General Policies & Fine Print
Check-in Policy - Hotel requires a credit/debit card authorization or cash deposit upon check-in for incidentals; this will place a hold on your funds.
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 Policy - This hotel cannot guarantee a spring break-free environment.
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.
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
7619 reviews
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Nov 23, 2024A good resort that gets too many undeserved negative reviews
This resort’s 5 star (self) rating is in comparison to other Costa Rican resorts and is probably accurate. However, compared to American hotels, it would likely be a 4 star property. In my opinion, it earns that rating because it has 4 restaurants, 4 bars, 2 clean pools, a well-equipped gym, a spa, a very large and very beautiful beach-front location, transportation around the grounds, immaculate gardens, excellent service, and spacious, clean rooms. The main weakness is the activities program. The boss lady is personable and friendly but seems a bit slack and does not promote the program very well. She and her activity leaders usually show up late. There could be stretching and exercise classes indoors even when it rains but that doesn’t happen. Most of the equipment is cheap (eg. one beginners’ bow for a whole line of archers). Snorkelling is advertised as being included but when I asked the boss lady about it she replied, “We don’t have any snorkel equipment but I can get a friend to rent it to you.” On a sunny, dry morning, I asked her to confirm my bike tour that day and she said, “It’s cancelled because of the rain last week.” The daily activity listings are different between the website, the activities board in the towel area, and the sheet that the reception desk hands out. You never know what is actually going to be offered at what time, -- and cancellations seem to be the norm. Tripadvisor reviews of the Occidental Papagayo are mixed. Some reviews are accurate but others need correcting: 1) “The staff are grumpy and rude.” Wrong. For the 2 weeks we were at the resort everyone was unfailingly polite, friendly, and helpful. Perhaps we got that kind of service because we were always polite and friendly and tried to use a few Spanish phrases. Treating staff members like servants won’t get an enthusiastic response from them. The ones who speak good English are smart and well-educated and expect courtesy and respect from fellow countrymen as well as foreigners. 2) “There is too much walking uphill and you have to wait 30 minutes for a shuttle.” Wrong. The Premier buildings are, of course, at the top of the hill to allow for great ocean views. It's hard to understand why guests who chose those rooms would complain about long, steep walks when the locations of the view buildings are clearly shown in website photos and are mentioned in countless reviews. We never waited more than 3 minutes for a shuttle. If you’re in a standard (“deluxe”) room, use the shuttle road to walk to the restaurants and you won’t notice the elevation gain. 3) “The food is terrible and the buffet has few choices which are the same every night.” Wrong. The buffet has around a dozen hot choices every meal and features dishes from different Latin American countries each evening. There is also a good salad bar, lots of bread choices, and a dessert bar. I think what reviewers mean when they say the food is terrible, – is that it is not American food. They seem to forget they are in Costa Rica. The offerings are basic and local, and are fresh and well-cooked. But don’t expect to find sandwiches, bacon strips, hamburgers, or imported foods such as apples, pears, blueberries, nuts, craisins, cheeses, etc. Regarding specialty restaurants (Oriental and Italian): they are superb, – with large menus, sophisticated food choices, quiet music, great ambience, and excellent service. People whose favorite dinners include steak, fries, and tortilla chips may not like these restaurants. 4) “Wifi in rooms costs $45 USD per day”. Wrong. It’s now free. 5) “You have to book excursions with the on-site tour company (On The Beach Tours) because other companies are not allowed on the property.” Wrong. We booked all our tours with Native’s Way and they picked us up at the lobby. Just give your room number to the guest services person and she will phone to the gate keeper so your pickup van can come to the lobby door. 6) “There is only cold water in the shower.” Wrong. It’s the long stem of the tap that has to point left to get hot water. 7) “They charge fees to use the tennis court.” --- “You can only get one towel at the towel desk.” – “There is no AC in the restaurants.” “There is no poolside drink service.” Wrong X4. Overall, considering this resort is in a developing country, Occidental has done a commendable job of providing a quality vacation experience.
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Nov 21, 2024Short stay
The resort was beautiful and the room was comfortable. That does not outweigh the negative. We found the service extremely slow. We only went to the buffets and there was little variation each meal. We couldn’t go to the restaurants as this was an unexpected stay due to extended trip and my spouse didn’t have pants. There was little entertainment and it was dull. Would not recommend unless you are only looking to relax and do not enjoy variety or entertainment.
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Nov 20, 2024
Not sure i would rate it a 4 star
Had to wait 2.5 hours for room to be ready in 90+* heat. Didn't get towels in room until the evening and never a facecloth. Never changed the sheets on the bed in a one week stay. Buffet for breakfast, lunch & dinner was the same EVERY SINGLE DAY! It was horrible, everything was cold. Steakhouse was not open so only 2 restaurants italian & oriental, both were much better than buffet. Only entertainment was every 2nd night in lobby someone playing an instrument. Shuttle to get around resort never came when we called for it. Every time you stepped onto the beach someone tried to sell you something. Even in the rain. Not a resort for anyone with mobility issues, lots of uphill walking and stairs. Only replaced drinks in room fridge once. Resort needs updating.
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Nov 17, 2024
Average Resort- Beautiful views and good food
Decent resort that could use some updating, including closing the slats on the bathrooms so bugs can't freely come in/fixing the sugar ant problems in the bathroom. On a positive note, the grounds are gorgeous, lush and green. The staff was kind and hospitable. Great drinks at the bars. Beautiful pools. Delicious food. Of note, Alot of walking and stairs to get to the rooms, so definitely not for someone that struggles to get around. I'd say overall vibe was geared towards an older crowd. Not a ton of entertainment and bummed that the pools closed early at 7pm. I would say don't spend the money on the premium room, they don't quite deliver what's promised with it unless you continuously ask (such as stocking the fridge with water/beer) Overall, we enjoyed our stay based on the views, drinks, and location. Overall value is good considering the buffet and alcohol is included.
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Nov 17, 2024
Nice but explore other options
Beautiful, sprawling grounds. Kid free is a plus. We are 47 & 60 friends but the majority of the crowd was older than us. We stayed overlooking beach. Check in easy, except we didn’t get 2 beds as ordered so unhappy with that. Golf carts transport you. Rooms are outdated, beds are firm and things were broken. Problem with golf carts are they do not start until 7 am we had an excursion and had to walk, the walkway is steep and bricks not always stable. They do not answer the phone until after 7 either. No coffee in the front either just the one in the room. Food is just okay. Refrigerator in room had 2 sodas no water or beer. A guy we talked to time share owner said he had to buy his own gin at gas station they said 1 week before it came in. They had premium bracelets and there is zero benefit. Friendly service but not fast at all. Pool looked good, but traversing steep steps is not. jacuzzi is room temp, uh no thanks. I didn’t experience any timeshare sells. Been to Mexico 22 times, this is one of the few all inclusive in CR and they don’t know what they are doing 😂 I would byob and stay somewhere else, buy i can see It is quiet and relaxing, safe as well.