Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

In all candor, I'm quite picky with hotels. This one was on my list for quite a while and we finally made it this year for Thanksgiving (we were supposed to go last year but our pup got that weird dog virus and we had to cancel--this is relevant). When you turn into the Peninsula entrance, pick your jaw up from the floor of the car. It is beyond gorgeous! We checked in and were greeted with huge smiles and delicious coconut water! The staff knew my son's name and made him feel part of the check-in process (he is 11). The golf cart driver, Geison (who is awesome btw), took us to our room. We were spoiled with a lovely upgrade courtesy of Raquel. I emailed because I was trying to upgrade via Fine Hotels and Resorts and couldn't figure out how to do so. She and I got to corresponding and I explained how we were supposed to go last year, etc etc. When we got to our incredible room with the most spectacular view (Canopy One Bedroom with a plunge pool), it took my breath away. When we walked into the room further we saw a beautiful fruit and cookie display with two carefully framed pictures of our dog and a handwritten note from Raquel. I can honestly say that this brought tears to my eyes! What an elegant touch and what a way to make us feel right at home. THIS is the type of act that sets a Four Seasons apart from other hotels. It is just next level. The staff is nothing short of spectacular at this resort. They are kind, helpful, & always smiling! From breakfast with Charlie, Ana, Omar (thanks for my delicious acai bowls daily) to Anejo with Yonder, Pesce with Oscar.....the list goes on and on of fabulous staff members. The golf cart driver, Geison, who checked us in often helped get us up that steep hill to our room. He called out to our son by name whenever he saw him which made him feel special. The food is delicious and fresh and crafted with pride. Need a substitution, no problem. Have an allergy, they accommodate. Truly fantastic! Now to the hotel guests.....you will randomly run into and/or meet awesome people here. We were pleasantly surprised at the number of kids on premises and they seemed to just play beach volleyball or have a catch or whatever very organically. Our son made friends from all over! We were so impressed that we emailed the hotel manager to compliment him. He was mid-way to Europe but responded super quickly and so nicely. We hope to meet you on our return trip. This hotel is run incredibly well, the staff is amazing and we will be back next year. We are all talking about it and trying to bring friends! This was hands down one of our best family vacations EVER. If there is one suggestion I would make it is to order more umbrellas for the blanca beach. And that is truly the ONLY thing I can suggest. Is this property expensive....yes. Is is worth EVERY single penny....100% We can't wait to be back! Pura Vida!!!!

Four Seasons Costa Rica was recently named “Best Four Seasons Hotel in The World for Excellence”. The award recognizes the hotel for their commitment to exceptional service and core values. My family and I recently returned from an 8 night stay at the Four Seasons Costa Rica. The hotel absolutely deserves this wonderful honor. Everything they do at the hotel is First Class! It puts a big smile on my face just thinking about the fabulous vacation we had there. The property is gorgeous with stunning landscaping and breathtaking surroundings. What makes it so special? When I asked my 9 year old grandson,” What is the best thing about this hotel?” and his response was “The Staff!” From the moment you enter the reception at the hotel you are greeted with the biggest smiles and the best attitudes. This continues throughout the resort including restaurants, concierge, beaches, spa, housekeeping, bellmen, and golf cart drivers. The employees will greet you by name and are so friendly and kind. I have to say that in all my travels the staff is the best I have ever encountered. There are 6 restaurants on site, with a variety of cuisine including Italian, Mediterranean, Latin Grill, a Steakhouse and Tapas ( Sushi and Thai). All the food was beautifully presented and delicious. The Italian restaurant which is our favorite is better than any restaurant we had in Italy. The décor of each restaurant is exquisite! In all our travels all over the world in luxury hotels for last 45 years we think it is the BEST food of any hotel we have been too. The luxury accommodations include rooms, suites and villas with terraces and panoramic views. Our family was booked into the entry level rooms called the Terraza that was very spacious with 603 square feet and included a lovely terrace. We also booked the One Bedroom Canopy Suite with a private pool that had a separate living room that was 1200 square feet. The décor of all the rooms and suites was of the highest quality with luxurious linens. All the accommodations feature large marble bathrooms with a sunken tub and walk in shower. The hotel has 2 beaches one facing the Pacific Ocean. All the cabanas are complimentary on the beach. The other beach has all the adventure equipment including, Paddle Boards, Kayaks, Canoes, Jet Skis, and Snorkeling. The non- motorized sports are all complimentary. There are 3 beautiful pools with lots of lounge chairs. You can order lunch and drinks at the beaches and pools. The staff there are so attentive. The concierge are so helpful in planning your activities. You can do this in advance of your stay or when you get to the resort. My family loved the 3 hour Aerial Adventure Zipline tour which included 7 ziplines and high rope obstacles. The adventures are endless including racquet sports, archery, horseback riding, river rafting, water scooters, catamarans, Arnold Palmer designed golf course, specialty hikes, mangrove canoe tours, surfing, scuba diving, fishing, pottery classes, mountain biking, sightseeing in the Rain Forest, Helicopter tours, and the list goes on and on. There are many complimentary activities including, Infused Rum, Chocolate & Rum Tastings, Mixology Classes, Guided Kayaks, Paddle Boarding, Snorkeling Tours, Cooking Demonstration ,Coffee and Juice Classes, Nature walks, Dance Classes, and also ebikes. Don’t miss the “Trail of the Giants” – where you drive a golf cart and go to beautiful areas of the property with a group led by a guide.They print out a weekly activity sheet and you can sign up the day before. There is a “Kids For All Seasons program” at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica that is is a complimentary program for children ages 4–12 that offers a variety of educational and fun activities that was designed by a world famous architect. The program includes- Nature exploration where children can learn about local plants, insects, and reptiles on supervised excursions. The program includes Arts and Crafts and there is a variety of indoor activities, including games, puzzles, and movies. There is also a outdoor pool there. The Teen Club is great and features a Basketball court, Pool table and video games. Also at the hotel is a gorgeous Wellness Shala with a diverse range of wellness activities, from yoga and meditation to immersive cultural experiences. The 21,000 square foot Spa is Magnificent! It has separate facilities for men and women that include a steam room, Jacuzzi, cold plunge and pool. The treatments including massages and facials are absolutely fabulous with the best therapists. Be sure to book in advance so you can get the times you want. During the Thanksgiving holiday when we were there they had many special events including a fabulous outdoor BBQ with entertainment by the Golf Course and Thanksgiving Dinner with an amazing buffet and decorations. We met guests from all over the world. Many who are repeat customers and everyone we talked to loved the resort. This extraordinary resort is led by the guidance of the Resort Manager- Pierre, and the General Manager- Ian. They both are always present and engaging to the guests. Their passion for excellence is truly special and Four Seasons Hotels is lucky to have them. We adored both of you! Ian even asked me what suggestions do I have to make the hotel better. I told him- “Absolutely nothing as you cannot improve on PERFECTION!” If you are looking for a MAGNIFICENT RESORT, with LUXURIOUS ACCOMODATIONS, DELICIOUS FOOD, FABULOUS ACTIVITES and EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE then you should choose the Four Seasons Costa Rica! It is rated 5 stars by Forbes Travel Guide- the travel industry’s highest rating for luxury hotels. It is surely PARADISE! We can’t wait to go back! I want to thank the staff that made our stay so fantastic with their dedication and passion for providing the best service. Golf Cart drivers- (that will pick you up from your rooms to go to the beach, breakfast, restaurants etc if you don’t want to walk.) Julio, Jason, Ovivio, Jorge M., Rudys, Armando, Javier, Ovidio, Osaman, Sigifreedo, Rigo, Heiter and Mike. Waiters and Managers in the Restaurants- Thank you for your outstanding service and all the attention you gave us. Pesce Italian: Randall, Walter, Rosisnel, and Dimitris Nemare Steakhouse: Mario and Cristhel (Manager) Bahia Latin Grill: Jorge and Chris (waiter for Thanksgiving Dinner) Viador Mediterranean: Kenneth and Will. Breakfast Bahia Grill: Sharon, Charlie, Ana, Chris , April, Patricia (GM)- and David (Assistant GM) Anejo Restaurant: Jaime Housekeeping: You cleaned our room to perfection twice a day. We are so appreciative of your amazing service. Adult Pool: Cindy (adored you!) Hotel Night Operator- Guadalope- who was always so kind for all our requests. It was a pleasure to meet you! Room Service: Danelia – you were so cheerful and lovely! Spa: Marlene and Jenny (you both were the BEST!) Guest Relations Manager- Kaio Assistant Food and Beverage- Sonia Executive Chef: Emiliano ( All your food at the hotel is exceptional) The breakfast buffet has a huge selection of the highest quality. There is also an extensive a la carte menu too. Reception: Thank you for the superb service you provided. Concierge: Roger and Dylan - enjoyed our phone calls before arrival and talking with you both at the hotel. I saved the BEST for last- Evelyn (Concierge Supervisor)- You planned with great detail all of our dinners and activities in advance with lenghty emails and phone calls. You are a very special person with so much patience and great communication. Once at the resort you were always there for us. You were truly one of the highlights of our stay! We miss and love you!

We stayed for 2 nights, this was our third hotel in Costa Rica this trip and by far the best one (2 cuts above all else) We stayed in a terraza room - lowest category. Every detail was immaculate and room was fully equipped with everything we needed. We even had a view of the monkeys and iguanas. Service: World Class, proactive, quick and what you'd expect from a four seasons and more - highly impressed with every employee we interacted with, particularly pablo and karla We found Nomad on TripAdvisor, and they made our trip unforgettable. Gabriel helped us organize two amazing excursions with Julio as our guide. He was very informative We visited the stunning Rio Celeste waterfall, did a cacao and coffee tour, spotted sloths, toucans, monkeys, and more on a wildlife tour, and ended the day relaxing in the volcanic hot springs. We took a private boat tour of the bay, enjoying the beautiful scenery, We also did a Jet Ski tour to explore the coast, and it was spectacular! Highly recommended Four season and Nomad for your excursions!!

Four season was very clean, staff was friendly, the pool was amazing, drinks and food were always good..We went for a bike ride and saw lots of animals..Our room was very nice and we enjoyed seeing all of the wildlife around the resort. My husband loved his time on the beach and we both enjoyed the beautiful restaurant right outside of the resort. Costa Rica is absolutely gorgeous- we booked some outdoor tours with Nomadtourscr linked us to an incredible excursion where we went hiking to a waterfall in a national park, swam in a river, saw sloths, and went on a coffee and chocolate tour all in one day. Our tour guide, Jose, was knowledgeable, kind, and let us take all the time we wanted at all or our stops.I highly recommend this place!

Business Conference and vacation days attached. It is a beautiful hotel sitting on beautiful property. What makes it so outstanding is the staff and their attention to your every need. There was not any area I was in that staff did not stop to ask could they assist me in some way. Rafeala (?) who attends to the guest on the Bay side beach is probably the best Guest Attendant/Staff I have ever had attend to me at any hotel in the world. This woman genuinely wants you to relax and enjoy your experience at the hotel. She remembers your name, all the folks with you & your preferences. She stops and chats with just enough familiarity to make you feel welcome but then moves on to fulfill your order or move to next guest. On the day I was to checkout I ran down to beach searching for lost item before the transport picked us up to leave. We had 40 min to get breakfast and get to lobby. Spoke with Rafaela and she had found it the night before & turned in to Lost & Found. She told me to go get my breakfast. She contacted Lost & Found then personally escorted them to Restaurant area to track me down to get it returned to me. "Thank You"! I have no idea of her status or rank at hotel but I hope Four Season's management knows what a jewel they have!