Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa {CRI} (no longer Honors)
 

I'm trying to plan for our annual Oct/Nov trip, usually out of the country for 2008. I'm not going to have enough points for an actual award after burning another 265 in Feb for Cabo Hilton.

I have always heard that Costa Rica was great and was relatively inexpensive. I did a search and found the above referenced hotel. To my amazement, I put in some arbitrary dates (end of Oct) and the BEST rate I could find was $359 per night! Say what? Am I missing something here?

It also stated that it is an all inclusive, which my husband says he will never do because all the food taste the same, but I thought if the price was decent, maybe we could just eat breakfast and an occassional lunch or something and explore the island for local fare. But at $359 a night...are you serious? What, is this the Taj Mahal?

Boy, maybe I misunderstood Costa Rica with another island!

Any insight into these prices? Heck, the five star Grand Lido Resorts aren't that much per night!!!!

Dawn

The Four Seasons in the same area had their cheapest roomslast week (off season) going for $515, so the Hilton at $359 isnt bad. Saw a few billboards stating it was to open 12/07, but didnt see the prop itself.

If its anywhere near like the grounds of the 4S $359 is a steal. Theres always the Marriott down south before Jaco Beach, very nice Hotel but doesnt compare in the slighest to the 4S. Offseason the Marriott Los Souces runs $200+

So it's brand new?
 

So, this hotel is not being renovated....it is from scratch? Hum....wish I had points, but I'm not sure how the point structure works with an All Inclusive.

Do you think there is enough to do there to sustain you for a week or so? Nothing less...but 8 days?

Dawn

Costa Rica is not an island. I'm sure it will be at some time in the future, but as of yet, is not. :)

I found some nights for $254 Net Direct. The taxes are pretty stiff, though, 25% or so. At least for a two person booking. I looked for award nights, and they're not showing yet.

Doesn't look like this one is going to fit the bill....
 

We are using Delta Sky Miles for a free flight to the Caribbean, somewhere. I am looking for a relatively inexpensive Hilton property (preferably) that I can actually pay for with cash that won't cost us a lot of money because I won't have enough Hilton Points at that point.

I don't want to go to Puerto Rico or Nassau, so Costa Rica came up with a Hilton property. I was just floored when I saw how much it was going for per night.

I'll keep searching....there doesn't appear to be much in the Caribbean in the way of Hiltons so maybe it will be a non Hilton property this year (did I just say that?).

Thanks.

Dawn

Costa Rica is about as wide open as it gets. They have hotels and resorts of all different shapes and sizes. The Hilton seems to be located in the same region as the FS and Marriott (both very nice and very expensive). I have stayed at the FS and it was incredible.

There are other parts of Costa Rica though that are much much cheaper and can be just as fun, if not better. We stayed in Manuel Antonio for a wedding that we were attending there of some very good friends. The hotel was small and very personal. There was a woman who worked the cabana bar/grill by the pool who was fantastic. When everyone would gather for a pre-dinner drink, she would ask what we wanted for breakfast the next day. Then she would get up at 4:30am to go the market and buy fresh food for breakfast that day. I have never had service like this, even at a FS (although not saying its overall better), not to mention the two level suite we had for less than $200 a night.

We stayed in the Barbados Hilton earlier this year, and enjoyed it quite a bit. However, the food was fairly expensive there. Honestly, I'd find a place that wasn't that expensive to dine, and just have fun. Fares to much of the Caribbean are cheap unless you're going during holiday periods.

Barbecj-can I ask the name of the hotel in MA?

Also, back on topic, anyone have any guess as to how many points the Papagayo Hilton will go for?

There has always been a special requirement for fully inclusive resorts. The only current deals are

http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/.../incresorts.do

Well for 2 adults and 2 kids, no point bargain!

This is true only regarding the 4S. As of now there are NO open Marriott props up in Guanacaste. There is a JW being built somewhere up there but thats a couple of yrs away still.

The 2 Marriotts are at least a 5 hr drive from the Guanacaste area. 1 is a 10 min drive from the SJO airport, the other is off the road heading towards Manuel Antonio which from Guanacaste is more then 5 hrs.

PS- FWIW those 2 Marriotts are Not Inclusive Resorts, nor are they anywhere near the 4S, if I had to choose Id stay at Los Suenos which is at Playa Herradura as its very close to the Beach and offers alot more on its grounds and in the area. while the other Marriott is sort in a commerical area, far rom teh water and doesnt offer to do much to do in the immediate area at all.

Costa Rica All-Inclusive's
 

Everyone has different tastes, but I rarely find all-inclusive hotels to be much of a deal. Perhaps it's because I rarely drink any alcoholic beverages, and often the restaurants seem to be below par.

In Costa Rica, I've been to two different Barcelo properties, and even when I've gotten a local rate ($45-$55 per person), it wasn't anything to write home about.

I wonder if the Hilton policy towards your spouse free applies to all-inclusive? Book for two people, and bring one more? That might make it somewhat more appealing.

My husband totally agrees....
 

Jaimito--my husband feels the same way. He doesn't drink and he is very picky about his food, only in the way that he likes very quality food, not so much picky about what....for example, he hasn't eaten at a fast food restaurant in over 30 years. So I may have a hard time with this all inclusive thing anyway.

Dawn

This Hilton in the Papagayo area was formerly the Fiesta Premier. It is a highly rated property. We're headed to CR in December and had this on our short list at $235/night (all-inclusive), but it ended up being too much for us. Property will rebrand itself as a Hilton shortly.

Not 100% OT but I was in this part of Costa Rica 4-5 years ago at an Occidental all inclusive and I would go back in a hardbeat. The beaches and natural beauty were spectacular. Do the zip line, the ATVs, and a day of fishing. The Arenal region (half day drive) is also worth seeing- incredible volcano sights and hot springs.

Give some thought to Tobago
 

The Hilton Resort in Tobago may meet your needs. Low season rates are circa $119.

See http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hote...Hilton-Tobago-
Golf-and-Spa-Resort/index.do;jsessionid=
0EE8B76C7D236C33949A14CF07D886A3.etc22?brand_id=HI &brand_
directory=/en/hi/&xch=102816723,FHZKMGVZYRFZMCSGBIW2VCQ

The billboards we saw around Liberia said Dec '07

didnt know it was an existing Hotel being reflagged.

Theres a new HGI being built right across from the airport I believe thats Hway 21, but the sign said sometime late '08, wouldnt stay there unless I had an early morn flight out, or a flight that arrives after dark.

You could try this URL for the Hilton Resort in Tobago too...

http://tinyurl.com/264ffr (and delete your session ID info.) ;)

Tobago is a nice island - laid back, much nicer IMO than Trinidad, and well worth a visit. Very decent diving and snorkeling (for the Caribbean) as well as interesting wildlife and rain forest. As well, it is off the usual hurricane track (not that there's never a hurricane, because occasionally there is.)

Costa Rica has not been cheap for many years - though one can find bargains, they are a bit more off the beaten track than the resort circuit. It isn't all that crime free either - I remember the days one could go walking / window shopping in downtown San José after midnight with nary a worry, those days are also over. But it remains a spectacular destination, IMO.

oct/nov should fall within the low or transition season in costa rica. the actual dates for rate increases vary greatly from property to property.

costa rica is definitely worth a visit, and easy to get to.

i'd be glad to share experiences. PM me if you're interested.

New Doubletree Resort in Costa Rica
 

I am not that familiar with Costa Rica, but always looking for new options to burn some HH points. Looks like there is also an all inclusive Doubletree Resort that is opening in Feb (rebranded from ?). Will be interesting to see what the redemption rates are at these all inclusive properties in Cost Rica.

Anyone know anything about this property?

A rebrand, currently undergoing renovations. Previously the Meliá Cariari and very close to the airport.

I see there is a rebranded Doubletree opening near the airport, but I was wondering about the Doubletree Resort by Hilton Puntarenas. Looks like it is a 90 minute drive from the airport and used to be the The Fiesta Resort in Puntarenas. Mixed reviews from Trip Advisor.

Here's the link to the press release about the 2 resort properties in CR.

http://www.hiltonfranchise.com/Marke...ica_010407.asp

Does anyone know when this property will be available for reward reservations (normal reservations can already be made). Any idea on how many points it will be?

Of all the places to go to in Costa Rica - ¿Puntarenas? I'm assuming the name is referring to the province, not the town. ;)

You don't like Puntarenas?

I called Hhonors today, and there are still no reward nights entered in the system. I asked how many points it would be, and was told that information should be "available within the month". I'll be checking in a couple of weeks.:p

Has anyone stayed either here or at the Doubletree Puntarenas since the conversion? The reviews on both these properties on tripadvisor are very scattered and candidly I trust FT'er reviews better than anywhere else. The DT is much less expensive than the Hilton (I realize it is in a different city).

Also it looks like there are no point values assigned for awards to these properties. Any guess as to what they will be?

I was told last weekend that the reward room availability and point requirements will be loaded into their system on 02/15 - I will be calling that day.

I was in Costa Rica a couple of years ago getting major cosmetic dental work done - excellent work and less than half the price you'd pay in the states. I stayed at the Hampton by the airport. I was surprised that there was always an armed security guard standing right outside the hotel entrance.

If you're thinking about renting a car and driving into San Jose, you'd better get a really good map - I don't recall seeing any street signs in the city once you got off the freeway. I met an American couple in the hotel lobby who rented a car and turned it in after one day - they were extremely frustrated trying to find their way around. My dentist didn't have an address as we know it: 300 meters east of Plaza Mayor - that's the address on their business cards. The cabbies didn't have any problems finding it, though.

I drive in San Jose pretty regularly, since I have a house there, and it can be a bit wild. There are street signs on the buildings themselves, but are sometimes painted over, or so high up you might not notice them.

My house is another couple hundred meters away from your dentist, nearer to the small airport there. My dentist is probably about half the price of your dentist, so it does pay to check around a bit, as ones that advertise to gringos often have inflated prices.

Some addresses are just, "50 meters past the yellow garbage cans, and the across from the Chicken restaurant. Now the garbage cans may no longer be yellow, and the Chicken restaurant closed 10 years ago, but they'll usually be able to find it!

I wish I would have known this a few years ago. After I read a thread on international cosmetic surgery (I think it was in MilesBuzz), I started to do a lot of research. I've never known anyone personally that had work done in Costa Rica, so I was at the mercy of the limited information I had. They were better than any dentist I've ever had here in the states (I had a lot of work done).

My wife's been bugging me to go ever since I went there the first time - she wants to look at retirement possibilities (which won't be for several years).

I spoke with a CSR this morning. She said the Doubletree in Puntarenas was 50K points/night; the Hilton Papagayo was 60K - and there were no GLON-type awards for these properties. If you want to book an award at either property, you have to call - she wasn't sure when the awards would be available online.

Any diamond experience at Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica?
 

Recently saw that as of Nov. 1, the Hilton Papagayo in Costa Rica will no longer be all-inclusive. We're trying to decide if we want to stay there, and if so, whether we want to do it as the all-inclusive in October or as a regular Hilton in November.

Have any diamonds stayed there since they took over this year and if so, can you speak to any upgrades you received?

Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa Trip Reports and Reviews
 

I recently attended a conference at the newly opened Hilton Papagayo Resort (HPR) located on the Pacific Coast in Guanacaste Province in Northern Costa Rica. At the time of my visit (June 2008), the resort was FULLY INCLUSIVE, and all meals, snacks, booze, nightly entertainment and non-motorized water sports were part of the package. My room rate was $159 (one person) including tax and service. Each addition person would have cost an addition $75.

(Note: On 1 Dec 2008 the HPR will cease to be a “fully inclusive” resort and will become a more conventional full service Hilton)

The HPR has 202 recently renovated, very comfortable, well appointed rooms spread across a very large campus of 33 hectares. The spread-out nature of the resort is one of its few disadvantages.

There are 71 bungalows – each with a private terrace or balcony which have two rooms, available individually or connected. The rooms have the “Hilton Serenity Bed, high-speed internet ($9.95 per day), ceiling fan, coffee maker and flat screen TV with a good selection of channels.

The resort has three restaurants, many bars and a snack bar. All meals at the main restaurant are served buffet style with individual service for drinks (incl wine). There are also two specialty restaurants: El Dorado features Costa Rican cuisine in “an upscale ambiance”; Grill del Fuego features Italian pasta and grill specialties. Reservations (scarce) are required at the specialty restaurants and meals are are served a la carte.

The HPR has excellent meeting facilities; a business center; a full service spa; fitness center; a “Kidz Paradise”; several swimming pools (including a dedicated kids pool); volleyball courts; tennis courts; and two volcanic sand (i.e. not golden) beaches. There is a full schedule of activities offered each day at the pool and beach areas. The activities vary from day to day and include aerobics, bike rides, beach and pool volleyball, aqua aerobics, dance lessons, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, Spanish lessons, croquet, and more. Live music is offered in the main bar at night time; and live song and “dance extravagances” are also presented in the Amphitheatre.

As a Diamond, I was recognized at check-in and upgraded to an ocean-view bungalow with a balcony. I was also given free internet, or use of a PC in the business center. A very nice plate of fruit was delivered to my room. Fortunately, my assigned room (#104) was close to the main complex.

I enjoyed my stay at the HPR and would unhesitatingly recommend it for those seeing an activity centered vacation in great surroundings. The only negative is the sheer size of the resort (there is a shuttle available on request) and this can be mitigated by a wise request/choice of room. Do not accept rooms in the 300s & 400s.

The HPR is located about 20 minutes drive from Liberia International Airport (LIR) and about 30 minutes from downtown Liberia. There are direct international flights from the USA to LIR; and there are domestic flights from San Jose (SJO). It takes about four hours to drive from San Jose to Liberia along a two lane, winding road.

All inclusive ends Dec 1 2008

See NOTE above

However, a FULLY INCLUSIVE option will still be offered.

The website says: "this Costa Rica resort will be offering the traditional options associated with a full service Hilton property rather than the current all-inclusive package that is presently available."

Where are you seeing that both will be offered?

Thanks,
Mike

Looks like a decent place and with the all-inclusive, not a bad deal either!

Thanks for posting the review, Bondiboy. ^ For a HH points stay, do you think it would make any difference (service, amenities, etc. -wise) for someone staying before (or after) the 1 Dec 2008 transition?


One small item... Can the thread title be edited to say "Rica" instead of "Rico"? It would help people searching thread titles only. Thanks. :cool:

Hilton Papagayo Reservation Question
 

my wife and i will be staying in the papagayo (costa rica) resort for a few days next month.

i am a relatively new hilton diamond, and i have a few questions regarding upgrades.

i am trying to decide what type of room to book. the choices are:

king bunglalow tropical - balcony (209)
king oceanview (229)
king bungalow oceanview (249)
king junior suite oceanfront (509)
room selected at check-in (229)

we'd prefer to stay in a king bungalow oceanview (or higher). if i book the king bungalow tropical - balcony, is there any chance we could be upgraded to the room we'd like, or are upgrades limited to "one-class" upgrades?

also, does anyone have any personal, recent experience with this resort? there are a couple older threads about this place, and they've been helpful. just wondering if anyone had any recent thoughts.

thanks.