Originally Posted by
MBS MillionMiler
I found some amazing award travel options to get us to Costa Rica around Thanksgiving...I've never been. But booked 4 UA award tix for myself, wife, and our 8 and 10 year old daughters.
I have five 50K/night certs and will gladly go over that amount per night..However, the only places available with points are:
- Mangroove
- JW Marriott
- (Planet Hollywood shows available using points from the properly listing screen, however if you click on it, it trips out and says "no rooms available").
Any thoughts to which property is best of the two that I can book?
Lifetime Plat that may end up Titanium by the time we get there...Breakfast should be included with both for the wife and I at either, right?(I don't mind paying for the kids).
Goals are:
- Beaches/ocean swimming/maybe some snorkeling (but snorkeling is not a dealbreaker)
- Pools
- Relaxing
- Hopefully a good room experience (the more space the better). Have more than enough SNAs to try to use at least, and wouldn't mind paying $ for an upgrade up to maybe $100/night either. Any experiences with using SNAs? It appears the JW has A TON more options for suites, as Mangroove is only showing 1 type, a Nesto suite, but the photos online don't really show much.
We are not drinkers, we could take or leave the booze, and zero interest in nightlife. We tend to get up early on vacation, hit it hard, early dinner and to bed to do it all over again the next day.
I would love any input, please. Would have considered many of the other properties I read about here, but they're $$$$ and no point availability.
Thank you, fellow FTers!
My husband and I along with our two girls (6 and 8) just checked out of the JW on Sunday. We loved it. The pool was wonderful. Every chair had access to an umbrella and there were plenty of them so didn’t have to worry about making sure you get out there in time for an umbrella spot.
The resort has a free kids club that our girls really enjoyed and free activities for adults too. So you can drop your kids at the kids club while you go to the Latin dance class etc.
We got the free breakfast but did have to pay for the kids breakfast which was $16 each for the buffet and it had plenty of offerings.
As for the beach we spent some time walking and going calf deep but didn’t swim in it bc of rip current risk in the area.
Our SNA cleared and we got a one bedroom ocean view suite that was great.
Agree with not spending all your time here. We did three days here after spending time in La Fortuna and it was a nice relaxing end to our busy adventuring there.