The W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal is the ultimate choice for someone looking for bold, expressive style, and a food and drink menu and service to match. If you want unparalleled views of the Guanacaste jungle and a toes in white sand experience, this is the place for you.
We spent 3 days here and put together this W Costa Rica review to help you decide where to stay when visiting Costa Rica! If you’re looking for Costa Rica travel inspiration, we also compiled a 1 week Costa Rica itinerary with all of our favorite sights.
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Disclaimer: Our stay at the W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal resort hotel was compensated. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and as always, all our opinions on this W Costa Rica review and what to do are our own. Please note that some of the links in the below article are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us!
Table of Contents
W Costa Rica Location
The W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal Resort is conveniently located in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The resort is a 1 hour drive from Liberia International Airport, which most guests will arrive at. Alternatively, if you arrive in the capital city San Jose, you will have at least a 4.5 hour drive, or you can take a 50 minute domestic flight to nearby Tamarindo.
The W Costa Rica is located in the exclusive Reserva Conchal. This private reserve is home to the W Costa Rica, the Westin Costa Rica, luxury private residences, a golf course, and beach club. The area is extremely peaceful and quiet, full of the amazing Costa Rica nature, and has ocean views and sea breezes.
The W Costa Rica Resort does not provide shuttle service, however they can organize private transfer for you from Liberia, Tamarindo, or San Jose airports. Alternatively, taxis are readily available at the Liberia airport, however are estimated at $120 USD each way. If you don’t have a private transportation organized, a rental car is a great option. All major brands are located at Liberia International Airport, and having a rental car in Costa Rica is a great way to explore on your own. Both valet and self-parking are complimentary.
W Costa Rica Arrival
When arriving at the W Costa Rica, you will first have to enter the private grounds of Reserva Conchal. After confirming your reservation at the W hotel, you will be let in at the entrance gates and given directions to the resort. It’s a 5 to 10 minute drive to the far end of Reserva Conchal. The drive is totally worth it though as the W Costa Rica has one of the best views of the surrounding exotic landscape.
As you drive towards the entrance, you will pass by the towers that house all of the rooms and suites, before arriving at the impressive round entrance area. In typical bold W style, the entrance is a large circle painted in bold red, with a covered area where you will be greeted by the valet.
As we arrived during COVID-19 times, safety precautions were in place such as hand sanitizers and all staff were wearing face masks throughout our entire stay, as were most guests except when at the pool or dining at a restaurant.
Check-in was completed quickly and easily, there is also a special line for those with Marriott Bonvoy elite status to make your experience as fast and efficient as possible. While checking in we were surprised with one of the most impressive drink displays we have ever seen. The welcome drinks were served in custom glasses, and the elaborate mixology display was highly entertaining and an amazing first impression of the W Costa Rica.
Once we had enjoyed our welcome drink, we were escorted by golf cart by the bellman up to our room, where we enjoyed a second welcome drink in our room; a specialty sangria mix.
W Costa Rica Rooms
The rooms and suites of the W Costa Rica Resort are primarily located in three high-rise style towers slightly uphill from the main building area with the lobby, main restaurant, bar, and pool. The rooms and suites in these towers each have a private balcony, beautiful marble bathroom, and W MixBar, complete with a surfboard as the bar top. The W Costa Rica also offers Sunset Tree House suites located below the main building area amongst the mangroves.
During our time at the W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal Resort, we stayed in a Spectacular Ocean Escape King Room. The room was boldly styled, similar to the rest of the resort, but included a lot of natural touches and local flair. The floor to ceiling sliding glass door was a highlight, allowing you fully open the room to the warm Costa Rican fresh air.
The bathroom was equally luxurious as it was full of marble and included a spectacular rain shower, complete with its own glass door to the balcony. The extremely comfortable bed and plush chaise lounge, made relaxing in the room an easy task. The MixBar included an assortment of alcohol and mix drinks for a fee, but also complimentary bottled water and a coffee machine. This gives you everything you need to enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican sunsets: A beautiful view, comfortable chair, and drink in hand. Pura Vida.
Additionally, the room and bathroom were extremely well-stocked with W branded amenities such a shoe shine kit, sleep kit, and other toiletries if needed.
W Costa Rica Amenities
Everywhere you go at the W Costa Rica, you’ll be impressed by the vibrant and bold style that gives everything a great vibe. Included in the main lobby and check-in area are and impressive open-air Living Room bar, as well as the Cocina de Mercado, main restaurant.
As you walk through this main area to the main pool, you are greeted with excellent views of Reserva Conchal and the surrounding ocean. The main pool area is called the WET Deck, and has lots of places to lounge and relax around the pool, as well as the Latitud 10 Norte Restaurant to serve drinks and snacks poolside.
This main area of the resort is located uphill from the beach, and amongst the lush tropical jungle. There is a pathway down to the beach and Zona Azul Beach Club which you are free to walk or take a golf cart. Golf carts travel back and forth quite frequently, or it is about a 10 minute walk. Halfway to the beach you’ll pass by the AWAY Spa & FIT area for all of your spa relaxation needs and a fitness center to stay active.
Once at the Zona Azul Beach Club, you’ll instantly be relaxed and enjoying the Pura Vida Costa Rica lifestyle. The W Costa Rica Beach Club is beautifully designed with an infinity pool in amongst the mangrove forest. The open deck includes the restaurant and bar area of the Zona Azul Beach Club, as well as a games room and activities center.
However, if you want to get down to the Zona Azul Beach Club but you don’t feel like walking or taking a golf cart, you’re just in luck. The W Costa Rica also has an impressive zipline, where you can race high-speed above the trees down to the beach. The zipline has limited hours, so be sure to check those out once you arrive at the W Costa Rica Resort.
While down at the Zona Azul Beach Club, make sure to take a walk out onto the beautiful white sand beach of Playa Conchal. This was one of the nicest beaches we found in Costa Rica, and we wish we could have spent even more time here enjoying this stunning landscape. The water was perfectly warm and clean, and you have views all-around of Reserva Conchal.
As a guest of the W Costa Rica, you can also access the driving range, putting green, and 18 hole Reserva Conchal golf course.
W Costa Rica Dining
The W Costa Rica Resort had some of the best food we tried throughout our one month in Costa Rica. The meals and drinks were focused on bold flavors and fresh ingredients for the best culinary experience.
The main restaurant is Cocina de Mercado which serves up international cuisine for breakfast and dinner. Here we enjoyed an excellent breakfast buffet with an emphasis on quality and freshly prepared items, as opposed to large amounts of preprepared items so common at many buffets. The outdoor seating at Cocina de Mercado is a perfect way to have a relaxing morning with coffee. Just watch out for the overly friendly coatis! These cute racoon-like animals were definitely accustomed to people leaving food outdoors; be sure not to feed them and enjoy them from a distance.
For lunch, you can opt to eat the WET Deck poolside or at your cabana. The items on offer include salads, grain bowls, and flat breads – perfect for a light bite while relaxing near the pool. Of course, the bar is also fully stocked, and the bartenders are ready to prepare some amazing cocktails.
Alternatively, you can head down to the Zona Azul Beach Club for lunch. The menu is impressive with lots of Costa Rican influence, including fresh seafood and locally sourced produce. Lunch at the Zona Azul Beach Club was our favorite meal at the W Costa Rica where we were again treated to an over-the-top mixology drink display, with a custom drink served in coconut shells. Everything we ate here was delicious, but the ceviche and sea bass were truly impressive.
For dinner, the boutique restaurant Latitud 10 Norte is also available for an elevated 7-course dining experience with unique fusion dishes with Latin American influence.
W Costa Rica Conclusion
The W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal is a modern and vibrant oasis in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle. This is a great resort hotel for anyone looking for fun, bold luxury design, delicious food, and great service. The W Costa Rica has everything you need for your next vacation to Costa Rica.
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