My wife and I stayed at this resort in December 05 and then went back the first week of February and got married there. I can tell you without a doubt this is the nicest resort I have been to. The first stay in December we were upgraded to the ocean view suite which had a very large living area with a hot tub on the balcony. The bathroom was a little small but not uncomfortable. The bed as with most Westins and luxury resorts seems to always exceed expectations. The hot tub while warm never got really hot, which wasn’t a problem and never prevented us from enjoying a nice sunset from the balcony of our room. The rooms were cleaned twice a day and the bed was turned down every night, some nights a nice gift was left on the bed for us to keep. Overall the rooms were clearly above average but not the best you will ever find. The second stay in February we stayed in the Ocean front suite, this room was smaller then the first but every bit as nice. This room also has a hot tub on the balcony and the view is amazing. Having a group of 35 people with us we were able to see about 5 rooms and everyone of them were different. I can't say there's a bad room in the resort.

The service is what helps this resort separate itself from the others. It seems that after a day or two everyone knew our name and was very helpful. We always had someone there to take our order for drinks or food whether we were on the beach or on an oversized couch watching the day go by. It’s hard to walk around without someone from the resort saying hello or asking if there’s anything they can do for you.

This resort is not near any big towns so that might not be for some people. There are a few very small towns within 15 minutes or so from the resort where you can find some small restaurants. There is also playa rosa which is a great restaurant within walking distance from the resort and is on the beach. The place is fantastic and so is the polo club restaurant which is about a 30 minute drive away. The restaurant at the resort was great and they have no problems going off the menu and preparing something just for you. One of our favorite places was a little fish hut that’s walking distance from the resort. They serve fresh fish for $8 and beer for $1, it’s in a beautiful location right on the beach. Next to the fish hut there is small open outdoor bar that has music and drinks at night. They have a bonfire on the beach and a place to dance by their bar, both places shouldn’t be missed.

While the resort is only 48 rooms we found plenty to do the week we were there. We spent one day out on a boat following three humpback whales and also stumbled upon a school of over 100+ dolphin. We also went fishing for marlin and managed to latch on to a good sized one before he decided it was time to get off. The massages were some of the best my wife had ever experienced. I also took the time to go to El Tamarindo and spend the day golfing. The course is amazing, they never book more then 40 people a day and according to our caddie they never get close to that many. Whether it’s snorkeling, mountain biking, hiking or watching a movie in their theater it seems there was always something for us to do. I have also read that the resort is starting a SCUBA program very soon. This place is perfect for shore dives and I am sure it’s also close to terrific diving locations.

All in all, this place is top notch, from the location to the people who work there. We are already planning a return trip later this year. It’s hard to convey what a magnificent place this is. We had 35 people come to the resort and stay for three days and every one of them rated it as five stars.

Review by William.

Posted at March 5, 2006 8:24 AM