Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Papagayo Bay
There is so much to say about El Mangroove hotel in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. From the moment we were picked up at the airport by the hotel driver we were treated as valued guests and welcome friends. The drive from the airport was only 20 minutes and as soon as we went through the gate onto the property we entered a lush tropical haven offering beauty, peace and tranquility. As in many tropical locations the check in desk is a covered open air space merging hotel operations with nature. Again we were warmly greeted by the staff, check in was fast and easy with a thorough review of the current Covid-19 procedures. We were escorted to our room and were ready to start our holiday!
We were in a Nesto suite which has two separate areas. The bedroom, with two queen beds, and bathroom are air conditioned. There is a sliding glass door which opens to the sitting area which has a sofa bed, table and chair. This area is screened in and faces the mangrove so you feel like you are in the middle of the rain forest.
After unpacking enough to find our swimsuits and flip-flops we headed to the pool to bask in the warm sunshine and relax. The pool area is gorgeous with comfortable lounge chairs, umbrellas, great music, and private cabanas. There are QR codes on every lounge chair by the pool so you can pull up the food and drink menus on your device creating contactless service. The waiters at the pool and beach area are constantly making the rounds ensuring guests have everything they could want or need whether it is a snack, meal, drink or extra towel. There are plenty of towels available along with touchless sunscreen, aloe, and hand sanitizer dispensers in two different areas. The pool itself is great with zero entry, a shallow area for little ones to splash or adults to lounge and then the deeper end has a ledge along the length of the pool perfect for sitting on to read a book or chat.
As you walk towards the beach there are plenty more lounge chairs and tables shaded by the canopy of trees. The fine black sandy beach leads down to the crystal clear water of Papagayo Bay inviting you to take a dip. I highly recommend using a kayak, stand up paddle board or snorkel equipment to take advantage of the quiet water and see the aquatic life such as stingrays, dolphins, and schools of fish. This activity is best done in the early morning (8:00 am) or late afternoon when the water is the calmest and the wildlife is most active.
The hotel offers two restaurants-Makoko and Matisse with a majority of the seating outside. Makoko has a beautiful inside dining area that is fully enclosed by glass on three sides. The outdoor dining area is fully covered and has the bar area and the buffet set up (which is currently closed due to Covid-19). Matisse, which has its own bar, has a more casual atmosphere with a sand floor and high thatched roof. Service in both restaurants is fantastic-while getting our food in a timely manner we never felt rushed. The food is incredibly fresh and delicious with beautiful presentation. If you prefer to eat in your suite room service is available!
El Mangroove has a gym, water sports rental, amazing spa, kids program area appropriately named Guppies, gift shop, bike rentals and concierge service. The concierge and guest services department can help you create any experience you can dream up from private parties to a romantic beachfront meal. They can also book land tours so you can discover more of Guanacaste beyond the environs of their property. Each of these services will be covered in a subsequent post!
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