We stayed at the RIU Palace Guanacaste from July 5–12, 2026 as a family of five (two adults and children ages 16, 14, and 6). Overall, we had a nice vacation and enjoyed our stay, but there are definitely some areas where the resort could improve.
The resort is showing its age, although we were happy to hear that renovations are scheduled from August 2026 through March 2027. Hopefully many of the issues below will be addressed.
Pros:
* The staff were genuinely kind and welcoming. We never felt like they were expecting tips—they simply seemed to enjoy helping guests.
* The breakfast and dinner buffets had a great variety and we were able to find something for everyone each day.
* There are multiple pools with plenty of lounge chairs, so we never had trouble finding a place to relax.
* The coffee shop near the lobby serves milkshakes, which were a huge hit with our kids.
* We booked a family photo session through the resort with Carolina, and she was wonderful. She made everyone feel comfortable, and we were very happy with the photos.
* Booking excursions through the hotel was convenient and easy.
Things that could be improved:
* The resort still uses traditional room key cards instead of wristbands or digital access. Our keys became deactivated multiple times, which was frustrating.
* Breakfast and dinner buffet lines could get very long during peak times.
* Dinner doesn’t begin until 6:00 p.m., which felt a little late, especially with younger children.
* The specialty restaurants do not take reservations—it’s first come, first serve—so you need to arrive 15–20 minutes early and wait outside if you want to secure a spot for dinner.
* The poolside lunch menu was the same every day (typically pork chops, grilled chicken, rice, and potatoes), so it became repetitive. We actually preferred walking over to the neighboring RIU resort for lunch because the buffet had more variety.
* Breakfast ends at 10:30 a.m., but lunch doesn’t begin until around noon or 12:30 p.m., leaving a gap with limited food options. The coffee shop offers snacks during that time, but the selection is small and popular items often sell out.
* While the beach is beautiful, the Palace side didn’t have beach chairs or umbrellas set up during our stay, so it wasn’t very inviting. Because of that, we spent almost all of our time at the pools.
* We requested connecting rooms when booking since we were traveling with teenagers and a younger child, but unfortunately the resort couldn’t accommodate the request, and our children ended up staying a few doors away.
* Some of the rooms had an odd mildew smell, which was noticeable at times and took away from the overall comfort.
There also isn’t much within walking distance of the resort. The hotel offers a shuttle to Playas del Coco (about $25 per person), and if you’d like to explore farther, places like Tamarindo are about 1.5 hours away. We were quoted approximately $250 for a private van for up to 10 hours, which is a nice option if you want to see more of the area.
Overall, we had a relaxing vacation thanks to the friendly staff, good food, and beautiful pool areas. While the resort feels dated in places, the upcoming renovations should make a big difference. We’d consider returning after the renovations are complete to see the improvements.
