Our Stay at Andaz Resort Papagayo Peninsula – Costa Rica
After 7+ stays at Andaz Resort Papagayo, I think it's safe to say it's one of my favorite places. Read my detailed review to learn about the rooms, activities, beaches, food, restaurants, and more!
*This post was in no way sponsored by Andaz. We have paid for each of our stays here.*
Andaz Papagayo first sparked my interest because I had read several articles listing it as one of the best values for hotel point redemptions.
It's currently listed as a Hyatt category 8 property (used to be category 5 when we first started going). This puts Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort at 35,000 World of Hyatt points per night for "off-peak" dates, 40,000 for "standard", and 45,000 for "peak".
While this is substantially higher than than the 17,000 to 20,000 points we used to pay, it's still a steal!
Jake and I consider Andaz Papagayo as one of our go-to vacation spots. We've been averaging a visit every year or so for the past decade. This speaks to just how special Andaz Papagayo is, knowing we rarely stay at the same property twice.
If you're looking for a tropical, Costa Rican getaway, continue reading to learn why you should consider Andaz Resort Papagayo. I've sent several friends here for a couple's vacation, girls trip, babymoon, and honeymoon...everyone has returned saying it met or exceeded the high expectations I gave them.
Getting to Andaz Papagayo
Liberia airport (LIR) is a breeze to fly into. The airport is small and a 35 minute drive from Andaz.
When we have companion pass status, we'll opt to fly Southwest airlines. This requires a stop in Houston. Otherwise, we fly the non-stop flight from DFW to LIR on American Airlines.
Renting a car is no problem, being a 10 minute shuttle from the airport. It's very affordable at about $45 a day. The drive is easy to navigate and perfectly safe.
Another option is to book a shuttle through the hotel or via LIR Shuttle.
Peninsula Papagayo and the Guanacaste Region
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort is located on, you guessed it, Peninsula Papagayo. The 1,400 acre private peninsula is pristine and offers stunning views along 11 miles of coastline.
Manicured yet natural landscaping, 7 sandy beaches in all colors, and home to plenty of wildlife including monkeys, stingrays, and iguanas.
One thing I really enjoy about Andaz Papagayo, and the peninsula itself, is how natural it feels.
A lot of effort went into planning around the natural landscaping versus just tearing everything up.
Andaz is a completely open design. Common areas like the reception and restaurants are free of walls. This ensures that every meal includes spectacular views with a tropical feel.
Andaz Papagayo resort is on the smaller side with 132 guest rooms and 21 suites.
We've been multiple times when the resort was 100% occupied. It never felt crowded. We've never been in a position to not find a spot by the pool nor lost the sense of a peaceful retreat.
Costa Rica Andaz Papagayo Activities and Amenities
There are four pools (one is adult only) and three beaches.
I usually divide my time between the adult pool (below Ostra) and the main pool (below Rio Bhongo). Your view is great from any of the pools at the resort. Ocean views can be seen beyond the tree tops. You'll often see monkeys in the trees too!
Two of the beaches are on property. One is black sand, the other is white, and both are quite small. I don't usually spend time at these beaches.
The best beach is reachable by boat and aptly named The Beach House.
Andaz Papagayo provides the boat. Departures are every 30 minutes and the ride takes less than 10 minutes. The Beach House is truly unique. Comfortable lounge chairs and drink carts are set among the mangrove trees.
There is also a full restaurant, called Meso, for those who want to stay through lunch or an early dinner.
Pool at The Beach Club
Meso
Each beach has calm, relatively warm, and clear water.
Andaz Papagyo provides complimentary snorkel gear, kayaks, and paddle boards.
We've snorkeled right off the beach and have seen stingrays, a few sea turtles, and too many puffer fish to count. Mind you, this is not the type of snorkeling you will experience in Hawaii. It's pretty much a sandy floor. Don't expect colorful coral or giant schools of fish.
Walking, Hiking, and Biking Peninsula Papagayo
Along with water activities, you can explore Peninsula Papagayo via the walking paths or by using one of the free electric bikes. I highly recommend doing both as the views were unforgettable. You'll likely come across wildlife, like monkeys and Mexican raccoons.
The hotel also has a calendar of activities (some free, some extra) each day including barista, ceviche, and mixology classes, yoga and fitness classes, hiking and biking excursions, moonlight kayak tours, and more.
If all the above doesn’t keep you busy, you can also visit the golf course or Onda Spa.
Andaz Papagayo staff can easily organize a day trip to Arenal Volcano, one of the national parks, or rainforests. There are also tours for adventures like zip-lining, ATV tours, water rafting, and rappelling.
Private or shared snorkel tours, sunset cruises, and fishing trips are also available.
Andaz Resort Peninsula Papagayo - Rooms with a view
After reading the above, it’s pretty obvious you won’t be spending much time in your hotel room. Andaz Resort Papagayo could have given me a shoebox sized room and I would still rave about this hotel just because the common areas and activities are so wonderful.
Thankfully the rooms are much larger than a shoebox and are just as impressive as the rest of the property.
My favorite thing about the rooms are the rain showers that open onto the balcony. It was quite depressing to come home and stare at my tiled shower wall when I had grown used to gazing out onto treetops and ocean views while showering.
The rooms are modern and what I would call minimalist luxury.
Floor to ceiling windows and nest inspired balconies allow you to take in the views 24/7. The beds are comfortable, I've never heard my neighbors, and the free stocked mini bar with plantain and yuca chips, waters, and soft drinks is an added bonus.
Chao Pescao
Chao Pescao
Ostra
Dining and Restaurants at Andaz Resort Papagayo
There are four restaurants at Andaz Papagayo Costa Rica.
Meso is located at The Beach Club (reachable by boat). The menu is simple and includes tropical drinks, burgers, grilled fish, salads, and tacos.
Ostra is the romantic, “fancy” restaurant. The menu focuses on fresh seafood and ceviche. Some nights they have "sushi" night where a sushi inspired menu is available in the bar area (bar seating and high tops). We ALWAYS opt for sushi night when it's available.
Chao Pescao is our favorite spot for a lively/casual dinner. While the dishes are small, we are fine ordering two items (since we eat such a large breakfast...more on that later).
Our favorite dishes are the chicken cazuela, pork belly, and chaofrijo. All these options are under $20 and large portions compared to many of the other menu items.
Andaz will sometimes host a themed dinner in the conference area. It's usually Italian since they have a pizza oven. As with the rest of the resort, this area is completely open. I still prefer Ostra and Chao Pescao for dinner.
Rio Bhongo
Breakfast Buffet at Rio Bhongo
Rio Bhongo offers all day dining and is where the breakfast buffet or special themed dinner buffets take place.
The full breakfast buffet is $39 and one of the best I've ever had. The options are substantial; plantains, eggs, fresh fruit, pastries, incredible banana bread, chia seed pudding, overnight oats, yogurt bar, bacon, chorizo, spicy potatoes, corn pancakes, etc.
The continental buffet (priced at $29) is substantial as it includes everything except the "hot" section (eggs, plantains, beans, rice, eggs, etc.).
Hot or iced coffee is included, whether you order a buffet or one of the menu items.
You can also order a la carte. I always choose the Costa Rica breakfast. It's amazing and super filling with gallo pinto (rice and beans), eggs, cheese, beef stew, fried plantains, and corn tortillas.
I recommend at least one person orders the buffet so you can try an assortment of Costa Rican specialties along with American options.
Breakfast is free if you're Globalist status on the World of Hyatt program! This is probably the best free breakfast you'll get from a Hyatt resort.
Breakfast is served until 10:30. We usually go around 9:30/10:00 so we can fill up and skip lunch.
We usually have dinner around 6:00 pm as it gets dark around 5:30 pm. The breakfast buffet easily keeps us full until dinner.
Keep an eye out for monkeys! They'll try to steal your food when you walk away (if they decide to make an appearance that morning).
Andaz Papagayo Resort Points Pricing
Andaz Papagayo resort is our go-to tropical vacation and we plan to continue returning each year! This is a wonderful luxury getaway that doesn’t have to break the bank since it’s such a good point redemption value.
Seriously...you can stay at one of the best resorts in Costa Rica for just 35,000 points!
We transfer our Chase Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt to pay for our stays and usually spend about $100 to $150 per day on food.
In Summary
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo is easily one of our favorite resorts. If you're looking for a tropical stay, and possibly somewhere to spend your points for a free stay, this should be your top pick.
The views, food, activities, lush landscaping, and chill vibe make this win win. I also appreciate that the restaurants aren't too expensive (nothing like the Four Seasons), so you can stay within a decent budget.
If you want to see more pictures or videos of the property, head to my Instagram account, abroad_with_ash, and go to the Costa Rica stories highlights. I have a video showing the entire property.
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Our Stay at Andaz Resort Papagayo Peninsula - Costa Rica
Hi Ashley. Great blog! My family has a vacation planned to stay at the Andaz Papagayo for a week in January, but obviously with COVID we’re debating whether to postpone. Do you think it’s worth going to with the current situation or would we not get the full experience? Also, would you be able to list a day-by-day of the activities you did while you were there (I’m trying to put together an itinerary)? Thanks!
Hi Stu! I know Costa Rica has some extra measures in place for being allowed entry (purchasing specific health insurance for each day you are there and a negative test result, etc.), so definitely stay updated on that. I’m not sure what this specific property is doing, but we just stayed at Andaz Scottsdale and it was great. Yes, you have to wear a mask when in the lobby or going to your table at the restaurant, but other than that, it felt relatively normal. Also, this resort is great because it’s all outdoors. Everything is open, the restaurants, hallways, lobby…outside of the gym and spa…you are always “outside”. Typically we would go on a run/walk in the morning, go paddleboarding and snorkeling, have a late breakfast, spend the afternoon kayaking or lounging by the pool/beach. Then it was time for an early dinner. I know there are some tour operators if you want to include a day trip to the rain forest, etc. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for this post – I am currently looking at locations for holiday and until now haven’t thought about Costa Rica at all. It’s so helpful and the pictures looks incredible!
It’s one of our favorite places EVER! I would be in heaven if I could go every year 🙂
We are currently considering Costa Rica for our summer vacation. The Andaz sounds amazing. We were also looking at the W. How many days do you recommend? We don’t have a ton of time but don’t want it to be too short either. Thanks!
100% Andaz. We actually did the W and Andaz last time and were sad we wasted time at the W.
4 days is a good amount of time. You could easily stay longer, but I feel like 4 nights makes the trip feel worth it and that you got enough sun and relaxation.