I was referred to Ocotal by a friend who was there last year and said it was good and the beach was amazing. After reading several reviews I was concerned about the construction and food but took a chance - it was WORTH it! The pool deck and restaurant are great - what a beautiful pool! I found the food to be great - fresh, great presentation, and great taste. The beach is wonderful - so close and easy to access and great that you can take pool loungers there make it the best. My room was very clean, well maintained, and very comfortable. My favorite part of the trip was the staff - what a great bunch of people. Some of them are a bit shy but once you talk to them they are so friendly and helpful. I am looking forward to going back in a couple of months. I saw families as well as couples enjoying their stay.

For a first timer to Costa Rica, we ended up selecting what I consider the BEST location for a safe jumping off point to numerous local attractions. Ocotal is close to Liberia Airport (about 45 min more or less), and offered what was effectively a ‘private’ beach (since there were few other vacationers around.

It provides the comforts of a resort without the overpriced resort crush. Examples, a local oufitter delivered sea kayaks right to the resort beach; we used the reception staff to book an adventure tour at a local volcano; the massage therapists are available on the beach regularly; the K-lamar Snack Bar staff were ultra-accommodating and helped me practice my Spanish; the kids played in the pool and on the beach with friends they met on site; the security into and on the resort was exceptional; we used Ocotal as a starting point to beach-hop and restaurant hop in Playas de Coco, Conchal, Grande, etc - the list goes on. I’ve never returned to vacation in the same place twice, but I am strongly considering going back to Ocotal with friends or family !!

We spent 3 relaxing nights at Ocotal Beach Resort in early April 2008. As far as we could tell, our room had the best views of the harbor and night lights, and it seemed larger in both the inside as well as the outside terrace area than other rooms we checked out. We live fulltime in Costa Rica (retired to Santa Ana 5 years ago) and came down just for a little seaside getaway for my husband’s birthday.

Ocotal was perfect for us - - peaceful setting, nice room, great service by hotel staff and also for room service, very relaxing. We just lounged by our pool and read books most of the time, but we did take a tour with guide Sebastian Hernandez, who was very helpful.

Overall, we loved the Ocotal compound, including its layout of hillside terraces and its lovely Beach Club.

Where do I begin…. It is everything that you can imagine and more. If you are thinking of planning a destination wedding this is the place and there is no need to look any further. People at the Hotel won me over with their responsiveness and sensitivity. It was so refreshing after all my searching for places to have a wedding to finally meet a person like them that understood the value of professional and attentive service.

Just a few things to know before you go:
- Carlos makes the best Margaritas in Costa Rica and the world for that matter.
- Alfredo has the best selection of music that I have ever seen. We danced the entire 5 days. (my feet still hurt)

- Maria is the kindest lady that will offer the shoes off her feet if she thought it would help.                          - The food is extremely fresh and tastes amazing. The chefs do a wonderful job in feeding so many people. We are definitely foodies from New York that appreciated and enjoyed every ounce of food that was served.Jefe is the sweetest and he will capture you heart.

I could go on forever, if you have any questions about my experience please feel free to email me!

Carmen is the wedding planner and there are no words that will describe how amazing she is. Her attention to detail, the willingness to go above and beyond to get things done and her cheerful, kind nature makes anyone feel at ease. I was never a girl who had dreams about her wedding and what overwhelmed me was that Carmen created a wedding that was beyond anything I could have ever dreamed.

Without a doubt , I will be going back every year to relive the experience. The staff makes everyone feel like the villa is your home for the time that you are there. Everyone will feel like they are part of your family. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet them and to experience their wonderful creation named Ocotal.

I know I have been talking about my experience here from a wedding standpoint, but Ocotal is also a great place to just getaway. Everyone is so friendly and the atmosphere is second to none. If you are worried about going to Ocotal during the time that a wedding is going on, do not worry you will have an amazing time as well. My friends and family are still talking about the wonderful time that hey had.

As a last note, I have to say something about the photographer that I had for the wedding. She made me understand that if you have the right person taking pictures that the pictures would tell a wonderful story. Penelope Artavia is an astounding photographer that captured everything that was wonderful about Guanacaste. She was also able to encapsulate the true feelings of the wedding couple in just a few moments of knowing us. I would recommend her to my best friend. She is an amazing person that will make you feel comfortable from the beginning.

My husband and I stayed at this resort from February 9th to the 16th. We had an amazing time. The flight down( Air Canada) was a little rough, but we arrived safely!

We ended up meeting 3 other couples from Nova Scotia while we were waiting for the room and ended up hanging out together for the whole week.

ROOMS: The rooms are dated, but how much time do you really spend in your room anyway?! I do have to say that I was not completely happy with our first room ( gound level and away from the main area) so I went to the front desk shortly after we arrived and asked a kind lad named Mario if we could be changed. He said no problem, but we would have to wait until the next day. I gave him a $5 tip and asked for a really good room. The next day we were moved, we also got a second floor room with an ocean view!

GROUNDS: Not much to say besides breath taking.

FOOD: I thought the food was great, (thier beef and chicken does taste different than ours) We booked 2 a la carts, the Italian and the Mediteranian which was the best.

BEACH &POOL: They were both great, lots of chairs and shade and water as warm as a bath tub!

SERVICE: The service was outstanding not one complaint. The workers always had huge smiles on thier faces, Typical in Costa Rica!

Beware though the vendors are relentless! Everywhere you go, but you can find good deals through them if you don’t mind the harrassment! Cheapy cheap!

So as I said, we had an amazing trip!