I recently (June 2008) spent a long weekend at the newly re-branded Doubletree Resort by Hilton Puntarenas Costa Rica (DRP). Overall, I was not impressed and I would be reluctant to recommend this property for anyone other than a family vacation with kids/grandkids.

The DRP is located in Puntarenas (a port city on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica about 130 km from San Jose) and was opened earlier this year as a re-brand of a fairly old hotel, the Fiesta Puntarenas. The Resort is FULLY INCLUSIVE and all food (incl all three meals and snacks) and booze are included in the room cost which in my case was $109 including tax and service.

An extensive program of daily activities is offered to guests at the pool (s) and beach areas. These include Spanish language lessons; dance lessons; aerobics; volleyball; football and cricket. There are several tennis courts, a fitness center, a soccer/cricket field, swimming pools and a somewhat dirty beach littered with driftwood and seaweed. There are nightly entertainment programs featuring local talent and staff shows. The resort seems to be designed with families and family entertainment in mind.

As a Diamond, my status was recognized at check-in and I was informed that I had been assigned to an up-graded Ocean view room with balcony. I was given a gold identification bracelet (there seemed to be about three or four different types) which allowed me to select premium booze (did not include any type of cognac). I was also given a priority reservation opportunity at one of the specialty restaurants.

There was extensive monsoon type rain during my visit that restricted any outside activities and required the use of umbrellas to move between the buildings. The beach was damaged by the storm and massive trucks were working day and night during my stay to repair the damage.

The meals are served buffet style, and there was a wide selection with some excellent choices. Wine is also served with the lunch and dinner meals. Unfortunately, the atmosphere during the meals was always noisy and reminded me of a college cafeteria, with the added feature of crying/squealing children. The tone of the restaurant can be guessed by the following signs displayed at the entrance to the main restaurant:

Fortunately. there is also an option to dine “a la carte” at one of the specialty restaurants – TOSCANY, features Italian cuisine; & CANA BRAVA features seafood. Both of these specialty restaurants require reservations, which are very limited.

There are a number of bars (incl a SPORTS Bar) serving beer, soft drinks and fairly generic booze. There is also a fruit bar and a snack shop. Tea Time (4 pm to 6 pm) features a variety of teas and coffees and a selection of pastries

The DRP appears as a hodge-podge of buildings at various levels with little ambiance and consistency of design. The accommodations are comfortable and the room amenities are what you would expect from a Doubletree. The staff was friendly and helpful. Check-in was quick and professional but my check-out was an ordeal that involved an “exit pass” to show on the way out.

The DRP is about 2 hours drive from downtown San Jose (less from SJO) and about 3 hours drive from the new Hilton Papagaye at Liberia. In addition to driving, you can get to the resort by public bus (frequent services) from both SJO and Liberia.

(Note: The rate for one person on September 1 is $115 (incl tax and service); the rate for two is $159. Each person is an extra $45.)