Best Western Jaco Beach All Inclusive Resort

The all-inclusive setup was great, and the food was delicious. The water activities, games, and playground were nice too, so I can see this being a good spot for a young family. But the rooms were old and worn, the beds were rock-hard, and our shower water was cold. The music started at 8 p.m. and went until midnight every night. With no sound insulation, it was impossible to sleep. If you need quiet before midnight, ask for a room facing away from the pool.

I was worried this family-oriented hotel might not have much for me as a 70-year-old traveling alone. Seeing the children enjoy themselves was lovely, and I was especially glad to find daily pool aerobics. Ashley Ponce taught the class I took, and it was fantastic, exactly what I needed. Her classes are the very best. Thank you for offering healthy, beneficial activities for everyone.

We had plenty to enjoy as a family, including the foam party, beach volleyball, and sunset sightseeing. The hotel has two pools, a restaurant, two snack bars, and a disco, with all-inclusive service. It's in Garabito, Puntarenas, in the Central Pacific, about two and a half hours from SJO Airport or downtown San José. I'd recommend taking route 27 and then route 34. You can stop at the Tárcoles river bridge to see the big crocodiles, then reach the hotel a few minutes later. A great place to stay at Jaco Beach!

The hotel was very clean and most of the staff were friendly, but the people at front check-in made this a humiliating stay for me. I booked online through the app and accidentally entered one person instead of two. I was on a three-month vacation and had a friend I met in jaco three weeks earlier stay with me. My room was $166 American a night, and the front desk charged $129 for her. The app showed a $48 difference, not triple the price. When we checked in, staff laughed after I told them who my guest was. I felt cheap and humiliated, as if they assumed she was an escort. It affected my mental health, and I barely slept the first night. I asked for a manager the next morning. They sent Annie Abarca, who listened to me, then said after a few minutes that she wasn't the manager. I was confused that she hadn't said so at the start and had played it off as if she were the manager. I told her the camera time was 4:21 p.m., when both front desk employees chuckled at each other after I explained who my guest was. She did nothing about it. The extra guest cost $129 per night. I said I'd pay for one night, but the hotel charged my Visa $270 for two nights without my authorization. At $129 a night, that should have been $258. Where did the extra $2 go? It felt like theft. I asked for my receipt and they wouldn't give it to me. I was reimbursed for the second night, but I don't know which price they used for the extra guest. I feel humiliated that I stayed here and was charged hidden, fraudulent prices. Friends and I had planned to stay here for two weeks in February, but we've all changed our plans. There was no concern for my mental health or for what I saw as fraudulent pricing.