Barcelo Tambor - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5524 reviews

• 

  Costa Rica self drive trip.

  This Barcelo is definitely not up to Barcelo standards. I give this property a true rating of 3 at best. I stay half the year in hotels and motels for work, I can honestly say that I have stayed at 2 star motels that were better kept and cleaner than this Barcelo Tambor.

  Jan 18, 2025
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  Theft

  The resort itself was fabulous. Nice pools and beautiful beach. Good food. The problem is security. My nephews had their electronics stolen out of their backpacks from their locked room while we were at dinner. My suitcase had also been opened in my locked room, as I had made sure to close it, and it was opened upon returning. It seemed like a scam they run. It happened on a Friday night, knowing the police do not work weekends and wouldn’t come until Monday. We’d be gone by then. The hotel also said the video cameras showed nothing suspicious. We all know someone entered the rooms. Put everything of value in the safe and don’t let the staff clean your rooms while you are there.

  Jan 14, 2025
• 

  Loud and not clean, but OK if you know what to expect

  Marcelo Tambor is not a bad place, but it has some aspects you might not expect. So, please read many reviews, including this one, to be well-prepared. Let’s start with a few positives. The facility is quite large, and as a result, it is not crowded anywhere. Despite not finding a spot at the pool, there are typically beach chairs available in the quieter areas. The pool is also quite large, so you're not bumping into people. Some rooms have a great view of the water, and there are many things to do. Getting the premium level is a must. The premium level and access to the lounge are essential. It is the only way to get a drink in a timely manner, and when the lines are too long for food, you can at least get some food in the premium lounge. It is also one of the few areas with air conditioning. The lady at the desk is very friendly, speaks fluent English, and can help with any issues. She also helps with check-in and check-out, which can take a long time at the main front desk. While there is typically no line at the main front desk, the service is so slow that it can take up to half an hour. Additionally, the premium level gave us one bag of laundry per room, which was a helpful perk. However, cleanliness is lacking. Although housekeeping mops the same small areas of the room every day, they do not clean the corners or under the bed. We found many long black hairs around the room and bathroom, even though we are all blonde. We were also unlucky to find very small crabs (the little live animals) in our room daily, which might have come from a nest somewhere. It wasn’t a big problem, as this is Costa Rica and nature is everywhere, but it was still unexpected. What bothered us more was that some people left plates with food around the facility, which were not cleaned up for hours. Even though staff was aware and made aware, they sometimes just left the plates sitting there, allowing animals to rummage through the food for hours. Lines are a constant issue. Although drinks are included, you will have to wait 15 to 30 minutes to get a drink from the one bartender on duty. Whether at the land-based bar next to the stage or the pool bar, there will always be long lines. The premium lounge helped us here, as we were able to get our drinks there. We dined at the Japanese restaurant, which was decent. It wasn’t busy, and they did their best to accommodate us. Unfortunately, dinner at the steakhouse was a disappointment. Two of us ordered filet mignon, but when we started eating, it tasted very different. It turned out to be turkey. We’ve eaten both turkey and filet mignon before and were certain it wasn’t beef. We also checked with other guests and found that the filet mignon served there isn’t even beef. Unfortunately, there was no one to report this to, as the service at the restaurant was extremely limited. We didn’t get refills on water or drinks, even though it was supposed to be all-inclusive. We did notice that other tables, especially those with Costa Rican guests, were well-serviced. We filled out a written complaint about the issue at the steak restaurant but never received a response. Bear in mind that it can be quite dark around the resort in the evening, especially in the beach area, as there are very few lights. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s something to be aware of. Since 90% of the guests are from Costa Rica, the entertainment is fully in Spanish. While this may be expected, it may be a challenge for guests who don’t speak Spanish. We brought our own Apple TV to hook up to the TV in the room and watch shows – easy, just bring the right cables. One of the biggest issues was the very loud music around the pool all day. They play fast-paced, loud music, which can be overwhelming. I asked the entertainment staff if they could turn it down a bit, but they either couldn’t or didn’t want to. (The entertainment staff seems more focused on their own enjoyment and is not very attuned to the guests' needs.) Eventually, we just left the pool area. If you’re looking for a quiet resort, Marcelo Tambor is definitely not it. However, it’s unlikely you’ll be spending much time around the pool anyway, as seats are saved the night before. You won’t find an available chair during the day. We participated in some fun activities like pool volleyball and beach volleyball, and the kids loved them. They also played darts and ping pong. Unfortunately, even though the water was calm, they claimed we couldn’t take out the kayaks any of the days because they always had a red flag hanging. Not only at the steakhouse but also at the main restaurant, Tucan, we observed a lack of service for non-Costa Ricans. We didn’t get coffee or water, even though everyone around us did. We were typically ignored. And no, we weren’t unfriendly or rude. Getting coffee is only possible in the premium level. The coffee machines in the main restaurants are often down, and when they’re working, there’s usually a long line. We also saw the chef give a private kitchen tour to a family he met in the lounge. This didn’t seem very sanitary. I suppose this falls under the laid-back nature of Costa Rica. All in all, it’s not a bad resort. You just need to take into account the limitations and compare prices to determine if it’s worth it. People coming from countries where service standards are higher, like the US, will definitely want to have the premium level at least—or consider going elsewhere. Some of the issues mentioned here were brought to the staff’s attention during our stay to allow for action to be taken, but no one seemed to care.

  Jan 13, 2025
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  Worst higiene

  The room was dirty hairs everywhere and the bed sheets were not clean, toilets do not flush and get clogged, bathroom with mold. But my main concern is how is it possible that in the restaurants the dishes are placed dirty, glasses had the dirtiness stuck everyone the would grab would put them back down, it’s disgusting going to a high class hotel and the higiene is horrible. And last one of the guys at the bar by the show area didn’t grab his name but looked like the youngest one cursing at us because he all of sudden started a line and we were not aware. Worst service I’ve had in an all inclusive hotel. I will not go back again.

  Jan 06, 2025
• 

  Think twice

  This “resort” was part of a tour with Caravan. That said, you get what you pay for. It’s not great, rooms are very old, no updates. Beach is on a bay, very rocky, NO soft beach sand whatsoever. Pool is large, a lot chairs, they treat towels like gold. Food is not at all good in any way whatsoever. Drinks, mediocre, excursions- most were not available. Phones in rooms don’t work, so no room service or able to requests any needs, like more than 2 hard, rough, cheap room towels. But remember you get what you pay for has never been more true. If there is a next time in Costa Rica, might try the Caribbean side and up the budget.

  Jan 04, 2025