Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection, Costa Rica [Master Thread]
Feb 25, 2018, 7:33 am
#61
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
We are on our third room of a 3 night stay, each room getting progressively better.
Night 1: - standard room, report in prior post, too tiny to be comfortable, easy walk from main area of hotel
Night 2 - one bedroom "suite", much more comfortable, teensy tiny plunge "pool", further along path as first room so equally as convenient from main area of hotel
Night 3 - one bedroom "suite", better layout than 2 night, better view of water, down roughly 3 flights of steps from main area, awkward access by car with drop off point some distance from room
2 of the 3 beds were extremely high
We spoke to a family who were in a 3 bedroom suite. We learned that these casitas are individually owned with renovation determined by the owner. The hotel rents the casitas on behalf of the owners. The lady to whom I spoke felt that their casita was very dated and should not have been considered of acceptable standard to rent.
The property has just 50 rooms and suites. I like the intimate feel of a property this size. The food in general was of good standard. Breakfast was included, at least for us as I am platinum. Prices for lunch and dinner were what I would expect in the US. We had a chocolate shake that I thought was very well priced at $4. We were impressed by the service throughout the hotel. It was uniformly gracious and efficient.
We did several of the complimentary activities. We took a class to learn how to make ceviche. We were then given a generous serving of the ceviche and casava chips. It was the same as what was on the beach bar menu for $15. It was delicious. My husband did ziplining and horseback riding. These are both popular activities and book up. We paid for a half day trip thru the area beyond the hotel. We had a driver and a guide for a tour that lasted over 4 hours and included an excellent lunch. Because no one else booked it, our price was bumped from $75 per person to $85 per person. We could have stopped at one of the beautiful beaches we saw and swam if we had wanted.
Night 1: - standard room, report in prior post, too tiny to be comfortable, easy walk from main area of hotel
Night 2 - one bedroom "suite", much more comfortable, teensy tiny plunge "pool", further along path as first room so equally as convenient from main area of hotel
Night 3 - one bedroom "suite", better layout than 2 night, better view of water, down roughly 3 flights of steps from main area, awkward access by car with drop off point some distance from room
2 of the 3 beds were extremely high
We spoke to a family who were in a 3 bedroom suite. We learned that these casitas are individually owned with renovation determined by the owner. The hotel rents the casitas on behalf of the owners. The lady to whom I spoke felt that their casita was very dated and should not have been considered of acceptable standard to rent.
The property has just 50 rooms and suites. I like the intimate feel of a property this size. The food in general was of good standard. Breakfast was included, at least for us as I am platinum. Prices for lunch and dinner were what I would expect in the US. We had a chocolate shake that I thought was very well priced at $4. We were impressed by the service throughout the hotel. It was uniformly gracious and efficient.
We did several of the complimentary activities. We took a class to learn how to make ceviche. We were then given a generous serving of the ceviche and casava chips. It was the same as what was on the beach bar menu for $15. It was delicious. My husband did ziplining and horseback riding. These are both popular activities and book up. We paid for a half day trip thru the area beyond the hotel. We had a driver and a guide for a tour that lasted over 4 hours and included an excellent lunch. Because no one else booked it, our price was bumped from $75 per person to $85 per person. We could have stopped at one of the beautiful beaches we saw and swam if we had wanted.
Mar 6, 2018, 10:32 am
#64
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
Programs: Marriott Rewards Lifetime Titanium, Amex Plat, Hertz Gold 5*, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 9,467
One thing the map doesn't show is a huge elevation change from the restaurant to the beach. There are stairs and paths to walk or shuttle down, but the view is great from the top.
Mar 20, 2018, 8:29 am
#66
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,737
Mar 20, 2018, 10:05 pm
#67
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
Programs: Marriott Rewards Lifetime Titanium, Amex Plat, Hertz Gold 5*, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 9,467
Mar 28, 2018, 9:52 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
Just wrapped up a five night award stay at Hotel Punta Islita with my wife and daughter. Overall, a nice stay with a few hiccups, many of which have to do with bad timing on our part (Spring Break). We flew into Liberia and rented an SUV through Vamos. We were scheduled to arrive mid-afternoon, which would have made for an easier drive, but American Airlines got us in about 3 hours late, so I had to do the drive in the dark. The roads were quite good until the end. As others have noted, the last stretch is unpaved and a bit bumpy, adding to the adventure (and travel time). It’s fine during the day. At night, it’s a little trickier, especially on arrival.
Room
We usually don’t travel during Easter week, but every once in a while, Spring Break for my wife and daughter aligns with the traditional school break, which is what happened this year. As a result, the resort was fully booked and we were in a standard room, which is VERY small, as described by San Diego 1K. I’d guess we had about 275 sq.ft. Plus a patio with a couple of chairs and hammock. It was tight for us and became uncomfortable at times. I’m guessing a visit during a different time would have increased our chances of an upgrade. To their credit, the FD agent apologized for not being able to offer a proper upgrade and sent a bottle of sparkling wine to our room. We didn’t have a view or a plunge pool, but at least the proximity to the lobby was convenient.
Activities
The fact that activities are included at this resort was a major draw for us and they didn’t disappoint. We did zip line, horseback riding, some crafts in town, a monkey hike, and the dusk nature walk (a surprise highlight of the stay). All were very well run and super efficient. The same guides did most of them and they were great. At the conclusion of each, you’re given a bill to show the “value” of your activity and the opportunity to charge tips to your room. The crafts in town (a 2 minute drive from the hotel) are fun and they have a small craft shop where you can buy art, keychains, etc. Despite the resort being crowded, we were able to book everything we wanted. We also did the ARA project ($20 pp), which is a scarlet macaw breeding center. Kind of a lengthy presentation, but the opportunity to see about a dozen macaws pretty close, which was neat. We later saw several flying over us during the horseback ride and a couple visited a tree outside our room on our last morning.
Food
Breakfast buffet was included as I believe it is for most/all guests. It consisted of a few plates of fruit, 6 hot dishes, an egg station, and some cereals/pastries. Nothing spectacular, but good enough. We had a couple of lunches and dinners onsite and they were very good and reasonably priced. Lunch dishes were about $15 USD each (fish sandwiches, ceviche, etc.) and dinner ranged from $15 to $30 for the most part. Portions were generous and an entrée was enough for each adult. We were pleasantly surprised by the dinner quality. We also had a few dinners offsite at the two restaurants in town (Kmbute and Don Ramiro). Both were very good and reasonable, but we didn’t experience noticeable savings over the hotel restaurants. Both also accepted credit cards. Kmbute has more of a tropical resort vibe. Don Ramiro was more family run out of a house feel serving small plates. If there for a few days, I’d recommend trying each if only for the variety and experience. Much to our surprise, the hotel offered free shuttle rides to and from either restaurant. Town is very close, but there are some big time hills so the ride was always appreciated.
Other Things to Do
We drove to Samara for lunch and beach time one day. It’s about 40 minutes (half on the famed unpaved road). There are a handful of trinket shops and some eateries on the beach. We enjoyed a nice lunch at Luv Burger, which allowed us to enjoy a shaded table on the beach for a few hours. Samara is also home to the closest ATM to the resort, which never had a line shorter than 6 people deep.
On another day, we drove through town to Corozalito (one town south of Islita). It’s more unpaved fun, but well worth it for the huge beach with minimal visitors. We happened upon a baby turtle making it’s way to the ocean. Hopefully, it made it though the Internet seems to suggest the odds were against it. Corozalito is home to a great restaurant (A La Lena on google, but local signs also call it Yoleini). Amazing lunch essentially served out of a family’s house. It’s more legit than I’m describing…probably one of our best meals of the trip.
Other Thoughts
As referenced above, I think we were probably victims of bad timing. Most visitors to the resort seemed to be families with 3+ kids, many of whom were traveling together. The result was large packs of unsupervised kids (mostly ~8-14 years olds) taking over the pool area. Yelling, screaming, splashing, throwing balls, etc. The beach pool is small to begin with and this compounded the problem. I didn’t get the sense that the staff were empowered to shut it down and the parents seemed to keep ordering buckets of beer down on the beach. The few childless travelers had it made up at the adults only pool while the rest of us suffered through what I would describe as a prelude to Spring Break Cancun 2025. At one point, Mrs. Goodman got pegged with a ball and declared, “It’s on” which led me to comment that this is why some hotels won’t let us enter the club lounge with our daughter.
Room
We usually don’t travel during Easter week, but every once in a while, Spring Break for my wife and daughter aligns with the traditional school break, which is what happened this year. As a result, the resort was fully booked and we were in a standard room, which is VERY small, as described by San Diego 1K. I’d guess we had about 275 sq.ft. Plus a patio with a couple of chairs and hammock. It was tight for us and became uncomfortable at times. I’m guessing a visit during a different time would have increased our chances of an upgrade. To their credit, the FD agent apologized for not being able to offer a proper upgrade and sent a bottle of sparkling wine to our room. We didn’t have a view or a plunge pool, but at least the proximity to the lobby was convenient.
Activities
The fact that activities are included at this resort was a major draw for us and they didn’t disappoint. We did zip line, horseback riding, some crafts in town, a monkey hike, and the dusk nature walk (a surprise highlight of the stay). All were very well run and super efficient. The same guides did most of them and they were great. At the conclusion of each, you’re given a bill to show the “value” of your activity and the opportunity to charge tips to your room. The crafts in town (a 2 minute drive from the hotel) are fun and they have a small craft shop where you can buy art, keychains, etc. Despite the resort being crowded, we were able to book everything we wanted. We also did the ARA project ($20 pp), which is a scarlet macaw breeding center. Kind of a lengthy presentation, but the opportunity to see about a dozen macaws pretty close, which was neat. We later saw several flying over us during the horseback ride and a couple visited a tree outside our room on our last morning.
Food
Breakfast buffet was included as I believe it is for most/all guests. It consisted of a few plates of fruit, 6 hot dishes, an egg station, and some cereals/pastries. Nothing spectacular, but good enough. We had a couple of lunches and dinners onsite and they were very good and reasonably priced. Lunch dishes were about $15 USD each (fish sandwiches, ceviche, etc.) and dinner ranged from $15 to $30 for the most part. Portions were generous and an entrée was enough for each adult. We were pleasantly surprised by the dinner quality. We also had a few dinners offsite at the two restaurants in town (Kmbute and Don Ramiro). Both were very good and reasonable, but we didn’t experience noticeable savings over the hotel restaurants. Both also accepted credit cards. Kmbute has more of a tropical resort vibe. Don Ramiro was more family run out of a house feel serving small plates. If there for a few days, I’d recommend trying each if only for the variety and experience. Much to our surprise, the hotel offered free shuttle rides to and from either restaurant. Town is very close, but there are some big time hills so the ride was always appreciated.
Other Things to Do
We drove to Samara for lunch and beach time one day. It’s about 40 minutes (half on the famed unpaved road). There are a handful of trinket shops and some eateries on the beach. We enjoyed a nice lunch at Luv Burger, which allowed us to enjoy a shaded table on the beach for a few hours. Samara is also home to the closest ATM to the resort, which never had a line shorter than 6 people deep.
On another day, we drove through town to Corozalito (one town south of Islita). It’s more unpaved fun, but well worth it for the huge beach with minimal visitors. We happened upon a baby turtle making it’s way to the ocean. Hopefully, it made it though the Internet seems to suggest the odds were against it. Corozalito is home to a great restaurant (A La Lena on google, but local signs also call it Yoleini). Amazing lunch essentially served out of a family’s house. It’s more legit than I’m describing…probably one of our best meals of the trip.
Other Thoughts
As referenced above, I think we were probably victims of bad timing. Most visitors to the resort seemed to be families with 3+ kids, many of whom were traveling together. The result was large packs of unsupervised kids (mostly ~8-14 years olds) taking over the pool area. Yelling, screaming, splashing, throwing balls, etc. The beach pool is small to begin with and this compounded the problem. I didn’t get the sense that the staff were empowered to shut it down and the parents seemed to keep ordering buckets of beer down on the beach. The few childless travelers had it made up at the adults only pool while the rest of us suffered through what I would describe as a prelude to Spring Break Cancun 2025. At one point, Mrs. Goodman got pegged with a ball and declared, “It’s on” which led me to comment that this is why some hotels won’t let us enter the club lounge with our daughter.
Mar 29, 2018, 7:08 am
#69
Join Date: Dec 2003
Programs: AA Plat Pro, United Silver, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,120
...
Other Thoughts
As referenced above, I think we were probably victims of bad timing. Most visitors to the resort seemed to be families with 3+ kids, many of whom were traveling together. The result was large packs of unsupervised kids (mostly ~8-14 years olds) taking over the pool area. Yelling, screaming, splashing, throwing balls, etc. The beach pool is small to begin with and this compounded the problem. I didn’t get the sense that the staff were empowered to shut it down and the parents seemed to keep ordering buckets of beer down on the beach. The few childless travelers had it made up at the adults only pool while the rest of us suffered through what I would describe as a prelude to Spring Break Cancun 2025...
Other Thoughts
As referenced above, I think we were probably victims of bad timing. Most visitors to the resort seemed to be families with 3+ kids, many of whom were traveling together. The result was large packs of unsupervised kids (mostly ~8-14 years olds) taking over the pool area. Yelling, screaming, splashing, throwing balls, etc. The beach pool is small to begin with and this compounded the problem. I didn’t get the sense that the staff were empowered to shut it down and the parents seemed to keep ordering buckets of beer down on the beach. The few childless travelers had it made up at the adults only pool while the rest of us suffered through what I would describe as a prelude to Spring Break Cancun 2025...
I'm sorry that part of your stay was bad...but at least everything else was good. This is my new favorite hotel, and we already have next winter's stay booked and are taking our adult children!
Apr 11, 2018, 10:14 am
#71
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SNA
Programs: STARS/LUMINOUS, PRIVE, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club
Posts: 2,612
I recently had a 3-night stay at this hotel and my experience was quite different than Sam Goodman's - seems like we stayed the following week and missed the crowds. I just paid for the stay given the relatively low rates. We were upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite and the plunge pool was much appreciated by the kids (6 and 4). I guess it helps that they do Spring Break late at our school district.
I won't repeat a lot of what has already been said. But where my opinion differs:
Overall a great stay. We don't typically go back to places, so I won't say we'll go back but worth it for a one-time experience. Very satisfied.
I won't repeat a lot of what has already been said. But where my opinion differs:
- We had an extremely poor experience at Kimbute where our food was overly salty and over cooked, specially the lobster. To be honest, I do not understand what the great reviews are about. And there isn't any substantial savings over cost at the hotel.
- We ate 2 lunches at the beach and 2 dinners at the restaurant at the top. I can see how the menu might be limiting over a longer stay but worked for us.
- Random conversations with 2 couples suggested that they became bored on a 5 night+ stay.
- Our kids loved the horse riding where we did it two times. Book this activity ahead as it fills-up.
- We had no issues driving on the roads - we drove from La Fortuna, so had even more unpaved road than from Liberia.
Overall a great stay. We don't typically go back to places, so I won't say we'll go back but worth it for a one-time experience. Very satisfied.
Last edited by zakami; Apr 11, 2018 at 12:11 pm
May 13, 2018, 4:39 pm
#73
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: BA Gold, Starriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Lidl Sapphire
Posts: 35
Just back from a stay here - it really is lovely.
Come if: you're a couple, want quiet, being remote, wildlife, the sea, friendly and personal service; if you are fine driving an unpaved road, and can accept the occasional bug or "natural intruder" as part of the tropical experience.
Don't come here if: you need a big beachfront resort with a white sand beach suitable for young children, if you want nightlife, if you want to be close to the airport. Also don't book a standard room, always go for a suite.
The hotel has a stunning setting above the Pacific Ocean, scarlet macaws flying through the trees, friendly and attentive service from the small staff (you will see the same folks making you cocktails as serving you breakfast the next day), interesting and varied activities. It is remote, but with improved roads less remote than it used to be - no more fording rivers. You could make it in a regular 2wd but a 4wd will get you there more comfortably, especially in the wet season. You will need it anyway if going to other interesting parts of Costa Rica, which had much worse roads than the one to Punta Islita! We rented through Dollar Costa Rica and had no problems, make sure you include the mandatory insurance in what you're pricing up and there will be no surprises.
Our one bedroom suite was incredible, with a million dollar view out to the Pacific, a plunge pool and private garden with shade from a tree. This was a great improvement on the initial room we were offered which was one of their standard rooms with two double beds that could only be accessed on one side because they were both up against the walls. These have a small terrace with a hammock and a couple of chairs. These rooms are tiny and are not recommended. We were travelling on points and you can reserve either a "standard room" ("mountain view" - I think there may only be one or two of these) or a "deluxe room" which is the same but with a partial ocean view. As a Platinum member possible upgrades include their junior suites (with outside "tub" pools) and one bedroom suites ("junior suite premium" with a small plunge pool) but not the 2+ bedroom villas which are privately owned and managed by the hotel. If on points, the hotel may offer you a guaranteed upgrade to one of these ahead of time for a (chunky) fee - in peak season when there may not be availability of upgrades on arrival, take it...
The included activities were a highlight, in particular for us the nature walks - there's a dawn birdwatching walk for hummingbirds, mot-mots and more, a night walk to see scorpions and tarantulas, and a monkey hike which can either be a 2 minute stroll to the bottom of the driveway or (as for us) a strenuous jungle hike to find the howlers. They have their own zipline/canopy setup. Al the guides were knowledgeable and friendly and willing to go the extra mile for their guests.
We spent many hours just watching the wildlife flying by our deck, and the leafcutter ants using the side of our pool as a shortcut were an amusement. There was even a small grey fox a couple of mornings which left muddy footprints all over the chairs outside!
The beach itself is rugged and raw - grey volcanic sand and rocks. There are amazing sandy beaches either side of the resort but they're a bumpy drive away over the hills either side. Overall the beach area (down the bottom of the hill) and pool is a good place to corral other people's children, but as we don't travel encumbered we avoided the beach. No kids are allowed in the infinity pool at the top of the hill, which ensures it retains a chilled and relaxed vibe.
The hotel food was good but quite expensive, and after two or three days you may need to venture out for some variety. There's a couple of (also expensive) restaurants in the village and a local shop which has prices the locals surely do not pay. Stock up on snacks before heading out here. It's a 40 minute drive to Samara, the nearest small town, or a 40 minute drive the other way takes you past more amazing Pacific surf beaches and a few small beach cafes etc.
The hotel and village are closely linked, we saw staff in the local shop or restaurant in the evenings, it is well integrated into the community. Everyone seems proud to be working there, and proud of their country and its charms.
We don't often go back to places but this is somewhere I think we would return to, it's a little bit of paradise on earth. We have more to see in Costa Rica anyway, for a small country it takes a long time to get around!
Come if: you're a couple, want quiet, being remote, wildlife, the sea, friendly and personal service; if you are fine driving an unpaved road, and can accept the occasional bug or "natural intruder" as part of the tropical experience.
Don't come here if: you need a big beachfront resort with a white sand beach suitable for young children, if you want nightlife, if you want to be close to the airport. Also don't book a standard room, always go for a suite.
The hotel has a stunning setting above the Pacific Ocean, scarlet macaws flying through the trees, friendly and attentive service from the small staff (you will see the same folks making you cocktails as serving you breakfast the next day), interesting and varied activities. It is remote, but with improved roads less remote than it used to be - no more fording rivers. You could make it in a regular 2wd but a 4wd will get you there more comfortably, especially in the wet season. You will need it anyway if going to other interesting parts of Costa Rica, which had much worse roads than the one to Punta Islita! We rented through Dollar Costa Rica and had no problems, make sure you include the mandatory insurance in what you're pricing up and there will be no surprises.
Our one bedroom suite was incredible, with a million dollar view out to the Pacific, a plunge pool and private garden with shade from a tree. This was a great improvement on the initial room we were offered which was one of their standard rooms with two double beds that could only be accessed on one side because they were both up against the walls. These have a small terrace with a hammock and a couple of chairs. These rooms are tiny and are not recommended. We were travelling on points and you can reserve either a "standard room" ("mountain view" - I think there may only be one or two of these) or a "deluxe room" which is the same but with a partial ocean view. As a Platinum member possible upgrades include their junior suites (with outside "tub" pools) and one bedroom suites ("junior suite premium" with a small plunge pool) but not the 2+ bedroom villas which are privately owned and managed by the hotel. If on points, the hotel may offer you a guaranteed upgrade to one of these ahead of time for a (chunky) fee - in peak season when there may not be availability of upgrades on arrival, take it...
The included activities were a highlight, in particular for us the nature walks - there's a dawn birdwatching walk for hummingbirds, mot-mots and more, a night walk to see scorpions and tarantulas, and a monkey hike which can either be a 2 minute stroll to the bottom of the driveway or (as for us) a strenuous jungle hike to find the howlers. They have their own zipline/canopy setup. Al the guides were knowledgeable and friendly and willing to go the extra mile for their guests.
We spent many hours just watching the wildlife flying by our deck, and the leafcutter ants using the side of our pool as a shortcut were an amusement. There was even a small grey fox a couple of mornings which left muddy footprints all over the chairs outside!
The beach itself is rugged and raw - grey volcanic sand and rocks. There are amazing sandy beaches either side of the resort but they're a bumpy drive away over the hills either side. Overall the beach area (down the bottom of the hill) and pool is a good place to corral other people's children, but as we don't travel encumbered we avoided the beach. No kids are allowed in the infinity pool at the top of the hill, which ensures it retains a chilled and relaxed vibe.
The hotel food was good but quite expensive, and after two or three days you may need to venture out for some variety. There's a couple of (also expensive) restaurants in the village and a local shop which has prices the locals surely do not pay. Stock up on snacks before heading out here. It's a 40 minute drive to Samara, the nearest small town, or a 40 minute drive the other way takes you past more amazing Pacific surf beaches and a few small beach cafes etc.
The hotel and village are closely linked, we saw staff in the local shop or restaurant in the evenings, it is well integrated into the community. Everyone seems proud to be working there, and proud of their country and its charms.
We don't often go back to places but this is somewhere I think we would return to, it's a little bit of paradise on earth. We have more to see in Costa Rica anyway, for a small country it takes a long time to get around!
Sep 17, 2018, 8:48 am
#75
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Atlanta but Washington DC will always be home.
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Hyatt Explorist,, Delta Plat,
Posts: 2,070
Does anyone have experience making a points reservation for an upgraded room. Or is the only option paying $$$, or playing upgrade roulette on arrival? For example, legacy SPG allowed you to pay extra Starpoints for a better room than the standard redemption.
TIA.
TIA.