Andaz on the Papagayo Peninsula: What to Expect

At the top of the Nicoya Peninsula, the Papagayo Peninsula sits, jutting out even farther into the Gulf of Papagayo, creating the Culebra Bay. Per government mandate, 70% of the land on the peninsula must remain natural and largely untouched, which helps ensure this area’s natural beautiful doesn’t become tainted by overdevelopment. Not only does this serve to preserve local ecosystems, but it adds to the exclusivity of each resort residing there.

Papagayo Peninsula is the fancy, gated-community resort experience of Costa Rica, and while I think you’d miss out on the charm of Costa Rica if you spent your whole vacation here, it really is a lovely place to spend a few days. Especially if you’re staying at the Andaz!

Below we have detailed what you can expect from your at the Andaz Papagayo Peninsula. From eateries to activities to beach-side relaxation and all the infinity pools in between, we have the scoop on everything that awaits you.

A Room with a View

First things first: the room! We booked a Bay View room, and loved the the modern, intuitive design, love terrace, and perhaps my favorite part of the room— the river stone rain shower that opened up right to our private terrace. While we spent most of our time outside exploring, it was nice to have a relaxing space to return to… with a spectacular sunset view!

Nothing negative to report! Below we have a video to get a feel for the room and the layout (briefly ft. one sleepy husband flopped down on the bed).

Dining

The restaurant options provide five unique dining experiences while still reflecting an inspiration based in local Costa Rican cuisine. On a plant-based diet? Vegetarian and vegan options are offered at every restaurant. You can read more about each niched dining experience below. 

We’re apprehensive about resort food (on occasion) as it can sometimes be devoid of local cultural influence. We didn’t find this to be the case here! While there were certainly dishes we recognized, it was nice to see Costa Rica reflected in the menus.

Rio Bhongo Restaurant

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you are guaranteed to find a fantastic meal at Rio Bhongo any time of day. Our favorite was their to-die-for breakfast spread. I enjoyed a smoothie from their smoothie bar every morning, whereas Salvador went all in for the ‘Rio Bhongo Breakfast’ buffet. Bonus: you can enjoy the whole array of the Rio Bongo menu from the pool, with the attentive pool-side service. 

Andaz Beach House 

Does your ideal vacation entail spending the entire day beach-side? The Beach House makes this possible as you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your lounge chair to order lunch. The menu is an array of light, yet filling entrees. Don’t sleep on the homemade ice cream… a perfect afternoon treat! The less you have to plan for a beach day, the better— especially if you have little ones. It’s so nice to have someone stop by you lounge chair, grab your order, and bring your food out to you!

Ostra Restaurant 

The most posh dining experience at the resort, Ostra’s menu boasts an enviable array of seafood delicacies. The ambiance is a bit more private with the intimate booths and dreamy garden set-up. This is a perfect spot to go if you’re celebrating something special… or perhaps if you just have a hankering for some good seafood.

Chao Pescao Small Plates & Bar

This is the spot if you’re looking to end the day with tapas and a cold drink. The mixologist menu is extensive, but you have to try one of their signature craft cocktails! Guaranteed to have you ready for another! 

Eat In 

Activities 

Active Relaxation 

Andaz boasts both family and adult-only infinity pools, but if you ever get the itch to leave the pool, they have a wide array of activities available to suit guests of all ages and adventure palettes. The pura vida lifestyle Costa Rica is known for makes yoga a popular practice here. For curious yogis, there are twelve different yoga classes offered. If you like yoga but are wanting more strengthening components, both pilates and barre classes are offered as well. 

Beach Adventures 

Andaz guests are afforded the use of kayaks, snorkeling and paddle board equipment—  complimentary with your stay. In addition to the complimentary activities guests can participate in coral gardening, snorkeling, free-diving, and outrigger-canoe exploration. Who would pass up the opportunity to potentially see moray eels, spotted eagle rays, puffer fish, octopus, parrot fish, surgeonfish, turtles, trumpet fish and butterfly fish in their natural habitat?!

Bikes

If you want to explore the peninsula at your own pace, there is a complimentary bike share program available to all guests. Not only did the bikes make the peninsula exploration that much more thrilling, but we were beyond impressed with the guest services. While we were getting set up with the bikes, we mentioned to the woman assisting us that we planned to ride them around a bit and then head over to the Beach House. When we were done riding, someone was waiting at the bike drop off area with a golf cart to finish off the last leg of our beach-side journey. We were beyond impressed with the coordination and anticipation of our needs!

Golf

The Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course on the Papagayo Peninsula is as beautiful as it is fun, with nearly all the holes featuring a breathtaking panoramic view. As you play through, you’ll have the opportunity to see a multitude of colorful plants, trees, birds and animals— especially the cheeky capuchin monkeys.

ONDA Spa

There’s no better way to unwind on vacation than a day at the spa unwinding, and the ONDA Spa is an oasis of relaxation. The 11,000-square-foot is tucked away amongst the trees of the jungle. It boasts nine lavish treatment rooms, including four couple’s treatment rooms. ONDA Spa offers an extensive array of treatments, including massages, body scrubs and wraps, facial therapies, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. 

Costa Rican Culture

If you’re interested in expanding your Costa Rican cultural horizons, pottery and spanish classes are available. Barista, mixology, and cooking classes are also open to guests looking to learn from the best! If you’re even mildly curious about the barista class, breakfast at Rio Bhongo will seal the deal. The coffee artisans make it look like a craft, and the pour over carafe for the table makes even a simple cup of coffee feel extraordinary. 

More information regarding the above activities, including cost and length of participation can be found here. If you’re wanting to adventure a little further, tours are also available through Andaz. 

Kids

Have you ever heard the saying, “Once you have kids, it’s not a vacation anymore— it’s a family trip”? Well, we are still child-less adults, but we did notice all the kiddos having fun. Not only is the resort kid-friendly, but it honestly seems pretty kid-welcoming. We noticed their CAMBI Day Camp offers loads of different activities to keep kiddos of all ages busy. 

If you’re planning a parents-only moment of relaxation, babysitting services are also available from 8am to 10pm. Pricing is on a sliding scale, depending on how many children you have as well as how old they are.

For tweens and teens, there is a Young Explorers camp. These older kids can enjoy sports, adventure, & exploration with their peers, while the subtle themes of boosting confidence, inspiring perseverance, and team building are encouraged. 

P.S. if you’re looking for a child free slice of relaxation, there is a pool that’s specifically designated as adults only. Can’t promise it won’t get rowdy but it will be all adults making the ruckus.

Transportation 

Parking 

Valet and self-parking are both complimentary and available to all guests. This lends itself to a strong first impression. Someone graciously greets you at your car and facilitates your arrival— handling your bags and taking them to your room, offering a cold bottle as you step out of your car, and leading you to the beautiful view that serves as a backdrop to the check in desk.

Intra-Resort Golf Cart Shuttle 

We love walking everywhere, but for guests that are unable to move as well, the golf cart shuttle service was easy to utilize, for anyone needing a hand making it to dinner. All you have to do is send a message to the provided number via WhatsApp! 

Adjacent Property Shuttle 

For guests ready to explore, a shuttle is available to transport hungry travelers to the Dive Bar (a nearby, off-property restaurant) or adventurers down to the Nacascolo Beach to enjoy the sand, bay, and Beach House. We’d ridden out biked down to the beach but were feeling a little lazier when it was time to return. It was so nice to just zip back to the resort, easy peasy.

Airport Shuttle

If you plan to stay at the resort for your entire stay and/or utilize their tours exclusively for your Costa Rican exploration, it likely makes the most sense for you to utilize their airport shuttle service. The pricing for this is included below as this is not available on their website (pricing is in US dollars). 

Prado	up to 3 passengers	$130.00
Expedition	up to 4 passenger	$186.00
Lexus	up to 4 passengers	$220.00

If you think this may be a good option for you, you can contact reservations.papagayo@andaz.com with any additional inquiries or to reserve your transportation. 

Thoughtful Touches 

Welcome Gift 

All guests receive a pair of flip-flops as well as a charming fedora-style hat. Not only is it fun to arrive with a gift awaiting you, but they’re both practical! The Costa Rican sun will burn you if you’re not carful, so it’s nice to be able to protect your head and face. These vacation essentials come in handy while visiting, but are such a fun reminder of vacation whenever you wear them again at home. 

Got Your Back 

Beyond the usual courtesy amenities provided to guests, towels, sunscreen, and bug spray were available pool-side, beach-side, and anywhere else guests might need it. Especially for those of us that burn easily, this is a godsend! It’s the little touches like this that make a difference.  

Mini Bar Snack

The worst kind of mini bar is one that charges $10 for a snickers bar. No such case here! Not only is the mini-bar stocked with all kinds of local snacks, but all non-alcoholic drinks and snack treats are complimentary with your stay. Even better, your snacks and beverages are replenished every day!

Parting Thoughts

We enjoyed a few nights at Andaz at the end of our two-week road trip through Northern Costa Rica. This luxury resort provides a beautiful escape for travelers looking to indulge. We highly recommend this resort, and we would definitely go back. The wide array of experiences makes it perfect for intimate couples as well as exuberant families. The only downside? You absolutely have to leave to truly have an understanding and appreciation for the rest of the country. While the Papagayo Peninsula is gorgeous, we 1000% renting a car or booking a tour to head over to Arenal take in the lush volcanic jungle.

We visited in January of 2021, just as the country was beginning to open back up for travel. As such, our stay was during a relatively low occupancy season. Despite the havoc the pandemic has wrecked on the hospitality industry, we received nothing less than exemplary service throughout our stay.

Salvador loves his Hyatt card. He recently made it to the ‘globalist’ tier of membership, and touts this as a proud accomplishment. As such, our stay at Andaz Costa Rica was actually completely paid for with points we’d accrued. Andaz CR is an Award Category 5, so if you have Hyatt points burning a hole in your pocket, this is your sign to spend them here!

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