Marriott Vacation Club at Los Suenos

It’s a beautiful place, and the stay felt safe and relaxing, though it’s very touristy. Food was pretty mediocre and expensive. Jaco is close by if you want a more local feel, and there may be better places to stay.

The beds were so comfortable that I slept like a rock all week, even though I usually sleep badly in hotels. I loved the roomy room, little kitchen, washer and dryer, and pool just outside. The people above us were my only complaint: their small kids got up very early, and we could hear every footstep, so we woke up early too. Still, the rooms were great. I’d ask for a top-floor unit to cut down on the noise.

The wildlife and mountain and ocean views were a real highlight, and the staff were helpful and welcoming. Everything felt clean, luxurious, and safe. Bar Ocho served good, fresh food, and the resort gym was small but had plenty of equipment. Hacienda’s buffet was good, though at $40 per person it didn’t feel worth the price; the fresh juices were a nice touch. In the nearby town, about a 15-minute walk down the beach, Soda Bahia had good gallo pinto, while Coco’s, a few doors away, didn’t use fresh or real seafood. High tide comes twice daily, so plan your walk accordingly. The resort is around two hours from SJO airport, somewhat remote from other tourist spots but near other resorts and hotels. You can stay on site the whole time, or leave if you want. Vacation Club was a great place to stay, and I can’t wait to return.

The course was beautiful, with unreal tropical scenery, a challenging layout, and plenty of iguanas. They also gave us a sleeve of golf balls. But we were very disappointed by the golf. Playing cost about $700 for the two of us, and the staff were rude and wouldn’t let us choose our sets flexibly. My clubs were a mess, with dirty club heads, and my husband couldn’t swap his flexible-shaft driver for a regular one. Nobody told us the course had been seeded the day before. The hotel is 15 minutes from the city, and next time I’d stay in Jaco and travel to the course. Hotel food and drinks were mostly good, but pricey. I wouldn’t have dinner there, the city restaurants taste much better.