Occidental Papagayo - Adults Only - All inclusive

Food was good but could have been better.

The property had stunning views and was well maintained for an older resort. Food and drinks were just alright, but about what you can expect for the budget friendly price point.

The front desk, bartenders and shuttle drivers are the best!! They go out of their way to make everything perfect!! The location is what makes this resort great...the views are awesome. The beach area is nice! The rooms are a bit dated and we did not have hot water the first 2 days... and it wasn't for lack of the staff trying!! They did finally fix it and that helped immensely!! Housekeeping staff was mediocre at best. The food was really good... we would visit again!

The location is pretty good but if you’re looking to explore on your own, rent a car. If you do rent a car be aware that the price you’re quoted never includes TPL (third party liability) and is required by CR law. It’s about $15-$20 a day. The resort itself is a decent layout, but be prepared for a lot of walking (and stairs) or waiting for the shuttle. The pool closes at like 7 or 8 for whatever reason, so don’t get your hopes up for night swimming. The beach is about 5 meters from a public access, so you get hassled by tour vendors and massage vendors as soon as you set foot on the sand. The worst part of our stay was the air in our room. It was set to 17 degrees Celsius but probably never made it under 25 or 26. I had to take a cool shower just to get comfortable. I complained but no one really seemed interested in doing anything about it. I only slept well one night because I drunk enough to pass out. The restaurants are not worth it in my opinion, we felt the food was better at the buffet. That said, the buffet is quite small and only has a limited selection. The activities are also less than to be desired if that’s something you’re looking for, but didn’t bother us as we can entertain ourselves. Finally, the onsite shop. I know that it’s on the resort itself and it’s going to be expensive, but they charged us $38 usd for bug repellent and $28 usd for sunscreen. Talk about price gouging! The reason I will never go back to Costa Rica is because of the tourist overcharges