Occidental Papagayo

usually stay at riu palace tried this for a change big mistake,buffet ala carte food so bad made us sick, just recycled from one day to the next. drinks are so no name taste terrible bar with premium is a hike and never saw anybody in it no music no vibe.service staff don't care completely indifferent, room was dated shower no pressure no water at all for 2 days no hot water for 3 days.pools and beach where OK but not Mexico or Cuba , no real entertainment if you are going to costa rica give this resort a definite pass [Details]

This resort is amazing and highly recommend, from the staff to the view this is where you want to be.
My only concern was being a senior with health issues, the stairs are horrible. Took full advantage of their shuttle and the amazing drivers that will take you anywhere within the resort, including the room. This resort deserves a 5 star review. [Details]

My wife and I just returned from the occidental papagyo adult only resort after a 10 day visit. Our first impression of the resort was ok, the resort is just a bit dated. But the longer we stayed, the better we learned to like it. The view of the bay from the resort was fantastic.Our room was 207 in the # 2 section. The view was not great, but we went with a garden view, so it is what we expected. We had no problem with our room, but we did hear quite a few complaints from other people, so I would suggest checking out other reviews. If you are physically challenged you might find it a bit difficult to get around. To our surprise we did see people in wheel chairs and using canes. They offer a shuttle service to take you around. The beach was very nice, and reminded us of Hawaii. The age group while we were there was mostly 50 seeing we are both in our late 60's that worked for us. The buffet was the smallest one we have ever see in an all inclusive, and we have been to 15 others. The food was good though, and equally as good, or better than the Riu we had stayed at in the spring. I am on a strict Gluten Free diet, and I did not have any problem finding food. My entire stay, I did not have one problem. We only ate at two for there restaurants, first the oriental, then the Italian. The oriental, to us was not good at all, but the Italian was very good. Talking to folks through our stay, most did like the Italian or the Grill better. Nightly entertainment was limited to the lobby, and not every night. They all were some one, playing a guitar, piano, saxophone, ect, on different nights. They have a disco, but we never ventured.There is a workout room and a spa, the workout room was well equipped but the equipment is old but functional. We hung during the day at the swim up bar closer to the beach. We liked it there because it was more shaded then the one closer to the main area. We did do one excursion that we booked through Larry from the lobby, nice guy, bet he could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo. I thought for what we got for the dollar, was a bit high. We paid $280.00 US for the two of us for a half day river cruse excursion off season, it goes up during peak season. If I was to do it again, I would price it out and book on line. The resort was clean, and the workers, only one word....FANTASTIC! Everyone of them were great. Every day, we left A $5.00 on the bed and $2.00 in the fridge, never had a problem with coffer or beverages during our stay. My wife and I are planning a return trip with in the next 2 years, so I guess that tells you something. [Details]

My wife and I were very pleased with our week long stay at the Occidental Papagayo Resort. The Resort is beautiful, the room was fabulous with a great view of the ocean, and the beach was outstanding. The food at the resort was delicious and very healthy, (if you stayed away from the North American fare). The staff at the resort are extremely friendly and helpful. We will return! [Details]

The country is lovely and the staff in the restaurants were lovely and amazing. Loved the Aquafit. Everything is coloured for us now because we have been sick with “traveller's diarrhea” literally, since we got on the plane home. We did not eat or drink anything anywhere else. [Details]

Good hotel. Would not consider it 5 star probably a higher 3.5 or a 4 star. Rooms are a little outdated but comfortable: deluxe bay view has a beautiful view and nice open room and deck. Housekeeping can do a better job. There was left over hair all over our floor, stains on sheets and the curtains are in rough shape but we are not to particular so this did not bother us but other people would be very upset about that. The one day they cleaned they left no towels in our room so we had to call to get some. Other then that good experience we enjoyed the food, views and drinks we would come back [Details]

his hotel is a real Gem outside.The property is well kept and beautiful. I love all the palm trees all around. The pool is a real beauty especially at nights when its lit up oh my. As much as I love the hotel I was disappointed with my room. It didnt have the 5* or 4 1/2* touch no way. My curtains were dirty, the toilet needs repair and I didnt like how the bathroom was so open no doors no curtains so therefore if i have a guest and am showering there werent be able to use the washroom while I shower. entertainment needs improving, the resorts can get boring I would reccommend it for people who are laid back, just want to relax and for seniors. One important thing the snack restuarant closes at 6pm wow thats madness. There is a night club so If I party all night i may be hungry and feel for something to munch on. From my experience most people are hungry after they party, all other resorts I have been to including cruise they have a late snack restuarant or even a 24 hour. Overall I still love this place and hoping that they will fix those problems because I would like to return one day . [Details]

I had the pleasure of staying at this beautiful resort from Nov. 6 to Nov.16 2018. When we arrived, we were assigned to a gorgeous bay view room with a king bed. Since we were two single females travelling together, we wanted our own separate beds. We called guest services right away and they accommodated us quickly, efficiently and with a smile. The staff at this resort went above and beyond to make sure we got what we wanted and needed. We were able to have a room in block number 1 and had views of everything, as well as a close walk to the main building. There are also shuttles to provide transportation to everywhere on the resort.
This resort offers so much to do and see, the snorkeling and kayaking right on the beach with equipment provided is a big plus.
The buffet restaurant features a different country every night, and the ala cart restaurants are very good. We were able to have the Oriental restaurant twice as well as the Italian. We tried to reserve the grill but didn't make it on time before it was completely booked. Unfortunately, they only open the grill on Saturday evenings. The snack bar at the resort for lunch is so yummy! The snack bar also provides drinks to the main pool.
Both pools had bar service, the small pool has a swim up bar (mi amiga es hermosa) [Details]

As a first timer is was a nice experience but I would not go back. I would rather try somewhere different. There was only a beach area during low tide. I'm not a beach person so that didn't matter to me. Wi-Fi was slow. Staff were very nice. [Details]

Beautiful resort - well maintained. Lovely beach, fabulous food, great room. Very friendly staff. Our overall experience was wonderful and we would go back again. [Details]

Highly recommend this resort! but there's lots of stairs and hills. The food is good staff is friendly. Everything is always clean and very safe. Tons of excursions to take.
absolutely loved our vacation! Pura Vida! [Details]

It was great we loved it the people were amassing and the food was great we had a very nice place [Details]

I was put in one of the very lowest end rooms but paid much more than other travelers who stayed in the royal club. [Details]

We spent two weeks at the Occidental Grand Papagayo in November 2013. We came home ready to write an awesome review of this resort- it is indeed a beautiful place and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay despite the fact that our room was broken into and $1500.00 American was taken from inside our safe. The management was very apologetic and treated us superbly giving us excellent service that night in the dining room. A ride was provided to Liberia to do the police report and one of the office staff who was on a day off came to the police station to interpret for us as we do not speak Spanish. The manager who witnessed the the marks on our door where the invader had gained access with tools, assured us that the hotel report along with the police report would be forwarded to the hotel's insurance company and in all likely hood , our loss would be covered because we had used the room safe. WHAT A JOKE!
Since we have been home, we have made two phone calls and sent two emails directly to this manager. He has not returned replied at all with any information as to how the claim is going. All we have asked, is to be informed of what is happening, only to be ignored completely. We asked for the name of the insurance company in order to deal directly with them and he did not even give us that! After the break-in, we discovered that there is access in every room to the attic which was lit up and open so that anyone could gain access from one room to another. It is quite clear that their renovations have not rectified that situation either. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE PLACE TO STAY AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE MANAGEMENT IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING! We have been very patient only to be treated back with dishonesty and deception!!!
Norm and Julie Roe
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada [Details]

overall pretty happy with this resort [Details]

everything was beyond my expectation. [Details]

I would strongly suggest avoiding staying at this resort for the following reasons:

1) Cleanliness -> The bathroom had a strong smell of mold and our bathtub/shower was visibly covered in mold. I injured my leg early in the week and left some blood on the sheets which remained there all week because our sheets were NEVER washed. The resorts hygeine and food handling protocols are evidently lacking as both my friend and I suffered food poisoning.

Safety --> The resort does not even have a first aid kit on hand. Additionally, the beach is public and my friend and I (we are both females in our 20's) were harassed on a daily basis.

Amenities --> We did not have hot water for 2 full days. We were only given one small water bottle per day. Our mini fridge was never stocked. Every room is suppose to have a safe but ours did not have a working one and it took us 4 hours of waiting and dealing with rude staff to finally get access to one.

Entertainment --> Terribly lacking at night.

Additional comments --> We were assigned to building 16 which was over a 10 minute walk to the beach/pool/restaurants, etc. We called to have a cart sent to us which is suppose to be readily accessible however half of the time we were left waiting for a cart that did not show up and when we'd call the front desk they'd hang up on us.

I would never stay at another Occidental resort after this experience. [Details]

This is not a 4.5 star hotel

This is a 3.5 star at best. on a good day [Details]

Our first impressions of the hotel were positive. We were greeted with a cocktail upon our arrival from the airport and the staff were courteous and helpful. However, our room was very disappointing - dated and rundown. It was clear that the accommodation has been neglected from any improvements. In addition, the allowance of only two beers and two bottles of water every second day seems petty given it is an all inclusive resort. On a couple of occasions we retuned to our room to find the fridge empty. On a positive note, a call to housekeeping resulted in the drinks being delivered to the room without hesitation.

The buffet restaurant was fine and offered a wide range of food. However, there was little variation and meals became predictable with only one or two changes. In addition, despite serving dinner until 9.30 every night many dishes ran out by 8 pm and were not replaced. Thus the choice was limited and the food after this time tended to be dried up. However, the staff were wonderful - always friendly and gracious and some appeared to go beyond their basic duties to provide an excellent service. The a la carte restaurants provided a much more enjoyable experience with food of a higher standard but guests were restricted to only two visits per stay.

The lack of nightly entertainment was also a surprise and disappointment compared to resorts of a similar, or inferior, rating. In addition, the arrival of a large group (50 ) from Washington impacted on the already barely adequate facilities. For example, food in the buffet and snack restaurants were depleted early into service, waiting times for a table were extended and there was a considerable shortage of chairs in the lobby area and around the pool. It would also seem that a lack of staff exacerbated these difficulties i.e. one member of staff serving at the bar in the snack restaurant at lunchtime. Further, the construction of a stage across the pool restricted the pool area and there were no fun club activities on some days although these were scheduled.

Compared to all inclusive hotels in other destinations, particularly Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, the Occidental is inferior and does not live up to its claims as advertised with regard to amenities and services. Overall, it fell far short of its four-star rating and, as a result, our expectations were not met. [Details]

hotel is very nice with excellent service from all the service people. The snack bar food needs to improve. Nightly entertaiment needs to be better. [Details]

Check in was smoothe. The resort grounds were clean. The buffet was small compared to other resorts I've visited. No food after 930pm, snack bar closes and there are no restaurants close by except in Coco beach which was a $40 cab return fare. The staff were very attentive and hospitable, to mention Victor, he was awesome. No nightly entertainment shows like other resorts, very low key. Internet cuts in/out in lobby, but free. The main buffet was small, and sometimes had to wait to be seated, needs to be larger to accommodate resort capacity. The food was very tasty but little variety. They had theme nights like other resort. One night for the Japanese theme, the sushi platter they had laid out so pretty finished and was told there were no more. Other resorts would have replenished it. You can get $25 for an hour massage in Coco beach by an RMT instead of $75 resort price. Conchal beach was the best, Tamirindo beach was nice for surfing, the resort beach had lots of rocks so take water shoes. Overall, had a good time, maid did not clean our room one day, which never happened in all my travels. We left tip everyday. Costa Rica was beautiful, plan to go back but to stay in Liberia next time, more central. Met people from Riu on excursions and will try that resort on my next trip. [Details]

We enjoyed our stay at the hotel. Rooms are clean, big, and confortable. We experienced the best of services from the staff. The food was good, the sweet table need to be much improved and also to include icecream. The selection of food at the pool is poor.There should be more fresh fruit available. The drinks were excellent. It was awkward getting out of the bath due to the high bathtub. [Details]

This hotel certainly deserves an A for service. Lovely location with beautiful views and lots of wildlife. The beach could be better, but it can't be helped as there are high tides. All the staff is well spoken, professional, but not robotic. They all have personality and are very attentive. The Head concierge, Roberto went out of his way to make our trip a pleasurable one.He made it his mission to tackle any given situation. I don't think the phrase "can't be done" is in his vocabulary. The food could have been better and the hotel could use one more pool with a swim-up bar. I believe Canadians will feel very much at home at this hotel. We also appreciate that we were speared the cheesy nightly entertainment that most all inclusives provide. [Details]

We loved this hotel. The only real problem we saw was with our bathroom (we had one of the old ones). I know many of them have been recently renovated and they are in the process of renovating all of them.

The staff and people at this hotel really made the trip. The beautiful grounds and beach were also exceptional. Although the buffet was small (relative to other hotels I've been to), it was very good and I always had more than plenty to choose from. Would recommend this hotel to anyone...however, there is a lot of 'uphill' walking (worth it for the views) but if you aren't particulary mobile, or lazy, I'd perhaps look elsewhere. [Details]

I have been to costa rica several times and have never been to such a dump before. this place would be good for a group of 40 people, but as an all inclusive resort with hundreds of people they just dont have the room or staff to keep up. the pool is always filthy, the kid pool has algae in it, there is always a long line up to get into the buffet, rooms are in a very sad state of disrepair, the staff is very rude and most of them barely speak any english. the beach is rocky and tiny, and completely dissapears when the tide comes in.once in the resort they make you feel like a prisoner.They would not let me take a cab into a local town, the only way out of the resort is to book an overpriced tour through them. the landscape around this resort is dry, and desert looking with a lot of dead trees. there is no greenery around the resort like what you would expect costa rica to look like. for that you will have to travel for several hours. I feel completely ripped off and would not recomend this resort to my worst enemy! [Details]

All in all pretty good. Bathrooms need a little updating, but plenty of hot water. Food was very good. Especially in the a la cartes. Restaurants are not big enough to accomodate, people had to eat in shifts. Beds are very comfortable. People are wonderful and pretty much made the stay great. This was our best vacation stay, I recommend two weeks or more you need that to see all that Costa Rica has to show you. [Details]

I have read lots of bad reviews but we had a great time. They upgraded our room at no extra cost. The food in the al a cart restaurants were excellent. The buffet needs work and it is not large enough to accomodate all the guests. [Details]

It was a pleasure going to the occidental grand papagayo we will be going again for sure. [Details]

The hotel is nice and clean. But there are so many stairs to go to the dining room/lobby...

Dining room too small since they take your name and make you wait in the lobby to have your meal. Annoying.

Lounge area and pool area too small since the beach disappear with tide, everybody leaves the beach but there are not chairs available.

We had problems getting fresh towels since they were out of them.

Beach disappear with the tide,very annoying. But good for snorkeling.

At 6:00pm, there's nothing to do. No life.

We rented a car for 4 days and that was AWESOME! We explored the country since it was very boring at the hotel. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere.

We will definitively NOT go back to this hotel but will go to Costa Rica again! [Details]

Lack of entertainment, far walk from beach to get a drink. Staff are friendly and helpful.Wi-Fi available for free in lobby but difficult to stay connected. Alot of walking up and down hills is required. [Details]