El Mangroove Papagayo, Autograph Collection

Our room was lovely, with a screened porch that gave us a place to hang out after the kids were asleep. The beach was quiet and lovely, and service was excellent. One surprise was that the beautiful main pool was adults only. I understand why, but we hadn’t expected it. It’s a great place to go right after landing at LIR, since it’s so close and you can get to the beach quickly. We chose the all-inclusive option for our two-night stay and were glad we did, since we didn’t have to think about anything before heading elsewhere. Breakfast was great, and lunch and poolside food were good. Dinner was unremarkable and expensive.

Jose, William, and Evans, thanks for the great hospitality, the drinks, and for spotting those howler monkeys. Kevin, Kevin, Kervin, Tracy, Wilberth, Orlando, Carlos, Javier, Eloisa, Alberto, Gabriel, and Johnson, you all made the trip so special. We’re sad we had to leave and can’t wait to visit again and catch up. My wife and I stayed at El Mangroove from Feb 16-24 for our honeymoon, and it was the perfect first visit to Costa Rica. The staff made us feel welcome from arrival to departure, always going above and beyond. The food at Malu, Matiss, and Makoko was amazing and very well priced. Housekeeping left our room spotless and organized every day. I’d definitely recommend Bearth Spa. My wife loves massages, while I’m usually not much of a massage person, but the couples massage was worth every cent. We both felt relaxed all day afterward. The beach views and sunsets were gorgeous, and there was wildlife all over the property. The adults-only pool was a beautiful spot. Playa Hermosa and Playas del Coco were only about a 20-minute Uber ride away for nightlife or excursions. Everything about the trip felt easy and awesome.

We visited when the hotel had very few guests, so it might feel different when busy. The adults-only pool was a favorite, and staff do enforce the age rule. Families will also appreciate the much larger family pools. Don’t count on Marriott status getting you an upgrade. Restaurant seating seemed tied to room rate, so you could end up in the back facing a hedge instead of the pool. A polite request to move might help. The hotel was good value at around $225 a night, though the cheaper rooms are small and their odd layouts don’t help. Try to avoid rooms overlooking the carport and entrance, where traffic noise and constant music can spoil the peace. It was quiet at night, though. The rooms are quirky, and the music throughout public areas may bother some people, but friendly staff, the pools, and direct access to the public beach make up for a lot. Dining was well done, with attentive, personable staff. It’s also less than 40 minutes from Liberia Airport. I’d consider staying again.

The best part of our stay was the personal, friendly service. At check-in, Natalia noticed from my fiancée’s passport that it was her birthday. She upgraded our room, reserved a cabana, and sent up a handwritten card, fruit basket, and cake. At the Bonvoy happy hour, Jose and Johnson heard about her birthday and gave us complimentary Guaro Sours, which I highly recommend, and sparkling wine. We were really touched by the hospitality. The room was spacious and nice, the food was pretty good, and the location near Liberia airport is incredibly convenient. We visited in the off-season, so one of the three restaurants was closed. We wish we’d been told ahead of time, though the main restaurant’s food was really good. My fiancée had a spa massage for around $250 USD. There are also third-party masseuses on the nearby beach who charge less.