W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal Reviews

Guanacaste, Costa Rica has many boutique hotels to offer, and even a few name brand options for those of you who belong to loyalty programs or just like routine.  The W Costa Rica located in private Reserva Conchal is one of the most talked about hotels in Guanacaste, and today I’ll share with you my hotel review so you can decide if this is a property you’d like to consider staying at yourself.

Hotel Website:  W Reserva Conchal Marriott

W Costa Rica

W Reserva Conchal Information

If you are familiar with the W Hotel brand, you know the hotels are designed in bold fashion and cater to people with upscale tastes.  This modern resort was carefully planned to fit the vibe and culture of Costa Rica yet continue the elegance that W hotels are known for.

Playa Conchal is known for the white sand beach and often takes top honors in the rankings of Costa Rican beaches.  Both locals and tourists alike flock to Playa Conchal for unforgettable views, sun, and sand.

The hotel sits on a sprawling nature preserve that has to be seen to be truly appreciated.  Located just over 30 minutes from the Liberia International airport, it’s easy to get to the hotel, unlike many other off the beaten path Costa Rican resorts.

W Costa Rica Reviews Summary

If you look around, you’ll find many sites have rave reviews from past guests.  Costco Travel has a 4.8 rating with over 200 reviews and counting.  (I do a full digest of Costco Travel here.)

Marriott’s page has a 4.6 rating (it’s under their brand umbrella so if you are a Bonvoy Member you’ll earn points.)

W Playa Conchal
The rooms are very well appointed.

Our stay echoed what the other travelers largely say – this hotel lives up to it’s billing and offers a unique experience in one of the best parts to visit in Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal.

You will be hard pressed to find a more impressive destination at this price point in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.  The W Hotel reviews speak for themselves, and now having been a guest once again, I can speak from experience and highly recommend this property.

W Costa Rica Foosball

In my personal experience, overall I’d give this hotel a 4.25 out of 5, so it’s only right that I explain why my take is a little lower than other W Costa Rica reviews.

The Pro’s:

The property is beautifully manicured with excellent attention to detail. The rooms are very well appointed and on par with other W hotels you’ll come across.  The pool and spa provide excellent service and a variety of drinks and menu options.  There are plenty of activities to partake in, from sitting at the beach club on the water, to the adults only “Wet” pool while listening to the DJ, to the amazing spa, which was perhaps the highlight of our trip.  You can also play golf, zip line, ride horses on the beach, and even rent jet ski’s.

The Con’s:

Like any resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, expect to pay resort prices.  You’ll definitely overpay for any name brand spirit compared to what you’d spend in the United States or Europe, but it’s hard to knock them because again, Costa Rica is a bit of a tourist trap and they are aware of this.  Can’t really fault Costa Rica for taking advantage of their corner on the Central American market.

The service is hit and miss. In our experience, we had an issue with ordering a margarita and “making it skinny,” (meaning hold the simple syrup, which was communicated in Spanish very clearly) which led to it going from $16 to $25.  How they came to this conclusion was a mystery.

After some back and forth, the manager at the beach club did fix this, but it wasn’t a fun talk or anything pleasant.  There was no “sorry about that, my mistake,” but rather a confrontation that led him to slam the check down and not say thanks.  Mind you, tips are included in service industries so they clearly didn’t care about the experience.

However, Stephanie, the amazing manager who actually does everything imaginable to make sure guests are happy, ended up driving us from the beach club to the main area was quick to get involved and even take some stuff off our bill.  Had she not asked us about our experience, this would not have happened.  Also, this was within our first twenty minutes on property and left us in a sour mood and wondering if it would happen again.  Fortunately, it did not.  Big kudos to Stephanie who looked out for us and asked many questions about the encounter and followed up with a nice courtesy gesture.

Other nuances included the long commute to the other areas of Playa Conchal, like the stores and shops located at the Westin hotel on premises, but that could be by design.  They have a unique shopping area where you can buy food, alcohol, souvenirs, and even a coffee shop.  We had a rental car so fortunately we were able to go there by car.

The food at the property was average at best.  The breakfast buffet was $42 and had pastries, a made to order omelette station, local cuisine, and full juice bar.  Las Vegas buffets offering much more than this with dynamite food cost less, but again, they have you there and take full advantage.  Being a Bonvoy member earn you some free breakfast, but we had a family so it only covered two of them which obviously helped but again at $42, it leaves a lot to desire for average food.

Related:  What do People Eat in Costa Rica?

Photos of the W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal

W Costa Rica Pool
A view from the west side of the pool near the bar.
W Wet Pool Costa Rica
The Bar at the “Wet” pool. (Adults Only.)

The Rooms at W Costa Rica

Here’s a shot from our room, which had a clear ocean view.  Not all rooms have this view, so I HIGHLY encourage you to look for one with an ocean view.  They even have rooms with plunge pools!

w costa rica views
A picture is worth 1,000 words.
W Costa Rica King Suite
This is the King Suite.
W Bathroom
The bathroom is HUGE. this pic doesn’t do it justice.
W Costa Rica Terrace
The Terrace in this suite was amazing!
w conchal plunge pool
I highly recommend the plunge pool!
The W Conchal
The views are outstanding!

Activities at the W Costa Rica

jet skiing Reserva ConchalJPG
Jet Ski in the open waters at Playa Conchal and enjoy the view of nearby Playa Flamingo.

This property ranks on my list of the best Marriotts in Costa Rica.

Beach Club at the W Costa Rica

The beach club offers a bar, kid-friendly pool, and access to the beach.  Once on the beach you can take part in a variety of activities, such as sun bathing on gorgeous Playa Conchal, jet skiing, as our son is doing in the above pic, or even sport fishing.  Last trip we caught two sailfish on a half day excursion!  Here’s a shot of the Beach Club Bar.

Beach Club at the W

Conclusion:

Concluding my W Costa Rica review, I’ve laid out some pro’s and con’s about staying here.  Overall, it’s a gorgeous property on one of the best beaches in Costa Rica, so you can’t go wrong staying here.  Just know the prices are going to be in line, if not higher, than what you’ll spend at home so this isn’t a budget trip.  It’s the best hotel in Playa Conchal, but it’s only real competition is the all inclusive Westin Resort.

How to Book W Costa Rica

Book directly at Marriott.com and earn Bonvoy rewards which accumulate to status and future stays.

RESERVA CONCHAL,

GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA, 50308

Other Hotels in Costa Rica

5/5 - (4 votes)
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About 

Tim Schmidt is a 20+ year Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer. A Fort Lauderdale-based "Digital Nomad," he enjoys traveling as much as possible with family and friends. AllWorld is his escape to document all of his adventures, including being a hardcore "foodie." He has property in Costa Rica and visits several times each year and is happy to offer his expert advice for planning your trip. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.

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