JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa

Character and identity

Set on the Nicoya Peninsula at the edge of the 4,500-acre Hacienda Pinilla, this 310-room oceanfront resort fronts the small but pristine Playa Mansita and borders dry scrub forest, riding stables, and an 18-hole golf course (howler monkeys outnumber permanent neighbours). The architecture reads as a contemporary Spanish hacienda in basalt and off-white stucco, with hammock-strung courtyards and breezy outdoor passageways breaking the scale into more intimate pockets. A sinuous infinity pool anchors the layout, four restaurants include the seafood-focused Azul grill, and service comes with a warm local register.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're really buying is the setting: a vast private ranch with monkeys, horses, golf, and a tiny untouched beach, wrapped in a hacienda-style resort that handles families and active couples well. Book a balcony room with an ocean or garden orientation rather than a pool-facing one to dodge the music, and plan to eat at Azul at least once.