Earlier this year, we travelled to Costa Rica, moving from the rainforest region of Arenal to the tropical dry forest and beachy coastline of Guanacaste where we stayed at the Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa.
After this, and for the last few days of our vacation, we trekked further south and had an outstanding stay at the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort.
The view of the surrounding bay and the stunning mountain backdrop, combined with the resort’s extensive pools and excellent kids activities, made it a very memorable stay.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Booking
In 2024, pricing for a base-level room, a Guest Room with a king bed, ranges between $175–600 (USD) per night, before taxes and fees. The price is slightly higher for a room with two double beds, which will accommodate up to four guests.
For our stay, I booked a Guest Room with two double beds for $290 (USD) per night including all taxes and fees. I applied three Nightly Upgrade Awards to my booking and was pleasantly surprised when five days prior to arrival, I received an email that my upgrade to a One Bedroom Suite had been confirmed.
The hotel charges a 13% tax and a $30/day resort fee on top of these room rates; however, unlike many hotels that offer nothing for this fee, this resort actually tries to give guests some value from it.
If redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for your stay, you can expect to pay 41,000–76,000 points per night. The redemption rate is the same for a Guest Room with a king bed or two double beds.
At these rates, you may find good value in using a Free Night Award at this property by adding a small top-up of points as necessary.
If you’re booking a cash rate, be sure to get in touch with a travel advisor with access to Marriott Luminous, Marriott’s preferred partner program. Doing so will afford you exclusive perks, such as breakfast for two, a $100 (USD) experience credit that you can use at the spa, and more – all at the same cost as the best available public rate.
Book a hotel stay with Prince of Travel through Marriott Luminous and enjoy exclusive additional benefits at no cost to you, including:
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Location
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort is located along the Pacific Coast, southwest of San José. It sits directly on Playa Herradura, a beach which gets its dark-coloured sand from sediment coming down from the adjacent mountains. The ocean water is a bit turbid, but very calm, making it great for young kids.
The resort is one of several properties located in the Los Sueños Resort and Marina complex. The Marina Village houses several eateries and shops and is only a 10-minute walk away. Major attractions like zip-lining and ATV tours are available within a 15-minute drive.
The resort is approximately two hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), depending on traffic. The closest town is Jacó, located 20 minutes away and known for its nightlife and surfing, and as the gateway to several national parks in the area.
Carara National Park, famous for its mangroves and riverways, is 30 minutes away. Here you can visit the Tarcoles River, where you’ll find a large number of crocodiles and an amazing array of resident birds, including the scarlet macaw.
Manuel Antonio National Park is roughly two hours away, but well worth the visit for its beaches and wildlife.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Check-in
The Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort first opened in 1999, but was recently renovated in 2019. It is designed in Spanish colonial hacienda style, with smooth, brick-red stucco walls and terracotta roofs.
On the inside, you’ll find stone and tile floors, vaulted ceilings, arched openings, and wooden support beams throughout. Many features of the hotel draw from the local culture, history, and folklore of the area.
The lobby had plenty of seating arrangements, great for lounging and socializing while having a drink.
Several glass doors opened up to the large outdoor patio that overlooks the entire resort below and, beyond that, the Pacific Ocean.
Our check-in went smoothly, and my husband was thanked for being a Titanium Elite member and offered a welcome amenity of 1,000 Bonvoy points or a daily continental breakfast for two.
We opted for breakfast, and even though the voucher was for two people, on two of our three mornings, the staff didn’t charge for our kids’ meals.
If you’re arriving with your own vehicle, parking at the resort is complimentary for guests. If you have transportation needs or are looking for a tour, a couple of vendor desks, including Avis car rental, are located in the lobby.
Marriott Vacation Club also has a station set up, as the resort is adjacent to the Marriott Vacation Club at Los Sueños. The representatives at the desk offered us 35,000 Bonvoy points or a $150 (USD) as a resort credit or as a prepaid Visa if we attended a 90-minute timeshare tour.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – One Bedroom Suite
The Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort consists of 201 rooms and suites, offering rainforest, garden, or ocean views. All rooms have either a small balcony or a smaller Juliet balcony.
The one bedroom suite was perfect for our family. It was clean, bright, and spacious with high ceilings. The décor maintained the same Spanish flair as the rest of the hotel, with a mix of earthy tones that complemented the wooden furniture in the suite.
The living room area had a dinette set which was great for the kids to enjoy a light meal in the comfort of our suite and for having a family game night one evening. A sideboard housed the beverage station and had a small beverage fridge that was stocked with various drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that were available for purchase.
The seating area had a futon sofa-bed that worked well as a place to watch TV and read, and, in our case, it also acted as an additional bed for our kids.
Decorative elements throughout the suite were made by local artisans with the aim of highlighting different aspects of Costa Rican culture. For example, handmade hammocks are hung in all king bedrooms, and they were a huge hit with the kids.
The bedroom area had a desk, a second large smart TV, and a king-sized bed.
USB outlets on each side of the bed and on the desk made it very convenient to charge multiple devices. There was also ample closet space and an in-room safe.
The main bathroom was spacious and had a tub, shower stall, toilet stall, and a double vanity. There was a separate powder room in the living room with an extra toilet and sink which we found really convenient for our family.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Guest Room with Two Double Beds
My extended family stayed in a guest room with two double beds. I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious their base rooms were as well, and the room décor was similar to the One Bedroom Suite. The rooms were equipped with a single closet, large desk space, single TV, and a chaise longue.
Their bathroom was simpler than ours, having only a glass-enclosed shower stall, a toilet, and a single vanity.
It’s worth noting that the resort recently opened 13 swim-up, adults-only rooms which offer guests a semi-private pool shared between several rooms.
These rooms include special amenities, like a daily floating breakfast, beach hats for their guests, special spa discounts, and more.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Dining
The resort features six indoor and outdoor dining venues that serve varying food options to satisfy any palate.
Located in the main resort building are: Hacienda Kitchen, a sitdown restaurant serving Costa Rican fare for breakfast and dinner; Bar Ocho, which serves up casual food and cocktails in the afternoons and evenings; and Diverso, the resort’s evening Asian-fusion food bar that features a seasonal menu in the lobby. This winter they were serving ramen, poke, and sushi.
18 & Greene is the resort’s steakhouse, located by the golf course and open on weekends for dinner. ZOE is the poolside restaurant serving seafood and Mediterranean fare, open mid-morning to late afternoon.
If you’re looking for a quick grab & go option, there is Casa del Café which is open 24/7 and serves sandwiches, salads, gelato, and beverages. The resort’s first food truck is scheduled to open soon, and it will be serving small, quick bites.
You can find menus or more information about the dining venues on the resort’s website.
The resort offers daily dining and drink features, like 2-for-1 margaritas from 4–7pm. Having any level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status also gives you exclusive food and beverage benefits.
Eating at the resort was not overly expensive, and the food was good. Should you be looking for more options, the Marina Village also has a few restaurants as well.
The complimentary continental breakfast with our elite status was served at Hacienda Kitchen. This can be upgraded to a full breakfast buffet for an extra $20 (USD), but we found the continental options substantial enough that there was no need to upgrade.
If you choose the buffet option, you’ll find the offerings to be ample, with a variety of fresh fruit, including strawberries and mangos, a bread station, an extensive savoury and sweet pastry section, yoghurts and smoothies, eggs, waffles, and even a gluten-free station.
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort – Other Facilities
Information about the resort can be accessed via QR codes displayed in the lobby and hotel rooms. TV-screen signage throughout the lobby displays daily activities for kids and adults, as well as the daily food and beverage specials.
Pools & Beach
The resort has a large free-form pool that is one of Costa Rica’s largest resort pools. During the day, guests can enjoy poolside food and beverage service. There is also a small swim-up bar.
The pool is open until 11pm and is warmed to an inviting temperature, which my family appreciated. After returning from a day tour and having dinner, we still had time to take a relaxing dip in the pool.
The resort also has a wading pool for toddlers, and a smaller, quieter pool over on the Marriott Vacation Club side, which many guests don’t know they can use.
Cabanas are scattered around the pool, and can be reserved for the day for a fee.
Between the resort and the beach is a grassy area that is lined with palm trees and seating arranged throughout for guests to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Although Playa Herradura’s brown sand isn’t as pretty as the white sand beaches to the north, its calm and warm waters and picturesque backdrop more than made up for it.
Activities
Many activities on the resort are included in the resort fee, including the use of non-motorized sports equipment such as bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
Beach volleyball, tennis and pickleball courts can be reserved with equipment provided, just be aware that for pickleball there is a $5 (USD) fee to play.
La Iguana Golf Course is one of Costa Rica’s best golf courses. Green fees start at $140 (USD) for the sunset rate, but use of the driving range with golf balls provided is complimentary.
If you’re not up for golf, a complimentary one hour eco-tour is a great way to see the course and also some local wildlife, with toucans, sloths, and monkeys often making appearances. Space is limited to 12 guests per time slot, so book early.
The resort also has a fully equipped gym with free weights, weight machines, and cardio machines. Next door to the gym is Sibo Spa, which offers a variety of massage and body treatments.
Activities for Kids
The resort does a good job of catering to families. There are a plethora of activities to keep kids entertained and spaces specifically designed for them.
The Kids Club is located by the children’s pool in its own building. It consists of a large room that is bright and filled with books and all sorts of toys. Several tables are set up for crafts and other activities with daily schedules provided. The space is open to children aged 4–11.
My only concern about the space was the lack of air conditioning; however, during our visit, the heat didn’t seem to be an issue for my kids, thanks in part to the large ceiling fan that keeps the air circulating at all times.
Water toys and floats can also be borrowed from this area and taken to the pool.
Just outside of the Kids Club is a small mini-golf course and a large sandpit with a wooden play structure and several ride-on toys. For older kids, there is a foosball table and a ping-pong table.
Hacienda Kitchen also offers complimentary activities like pizza-making and cupcake decorating. Every afternoon, there is complimentary marshmallow roasting by ZOE, and every evening there is a movie night in the Kids Club, should parents want to enjoy a kid-free dinner.
Best of all, the resort offers a program called the M Passport, which is a brilliant rewards program that is fun and can be a bit addictive for kids. Kids obtain a passbook from the front desk or Kids Club, and whenever they participate in an activity, they get a stamp for it in their passbooks.
The more stamps they acquire, the bigger the prize they can access. Prizes include gelato, slushies, milkshakes, chicken fingers, and toys – a great way to motivate kids to participate in activities and introduce them to their first “rewards” program!
Conclusion
We left the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort wishing we had stayed an extra night or two. Its spacious accommodations, incredible pool, variety of dining options, and amazing activities to keep kids entertained made it the perfect family resort for us.
Set a little further away from the more touristy towns and cities, it affords a quieter setting than we had at The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa.
My only suggestion is to book early to secure a great rate, as you’ll get even more value from your stay that way.
