Great resort, not the best beach but right next to one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches - Avellanas - the service at all restaurants and bars is GREAT. Difficult to get there but worth the effort.

I really can't say enough about this hotel. The staff is top notch. From checking in, baggage, maid service, everything. This place is really great. The property is still fairly new, only a few years old and is very, very clean. Everyone there works really hard to maintain the property and the sense of pride really shows. There was always some one sweeping, cleaning, dusting, etc. The staff really make the property a wonderful place to visit. Our bellhop, Carlos, was quite charming. We flew Copa Air and they lost 7 people's luggage. We waited for 3-4 days for our luggage and every time he saw us, he gave us an update on the the status. He really truly made us feel like he cared about our trip. We rented a car and each and every time we pulled in, they would race to open the doors. You get what you pay for at this property. The beach was gorgeous. There is an area to swim and the sandy beach is clean. Not to mention, a very short walk away is a very beautiful beach with less rocks. I was concerned about the other reviews of the beach, but it's nothing to worry about. The pool was so clean, the towels easy to get to. Roberto was our pool guy. Very friendly. We travel a lot and most often find, if its not on the menu then you can't get it. But Roberto knows customer service. If we asked for something, he got it for us. I mean, after all, that's what you are paying for. It's not an inexpensive resort and they run this place the way it should be run. I never met the manager but kudos to him for hiring the right people and putting customer service first. I did not waste one moment chasing luggage, towels, food or anything. They do it all for you. The staff always was smiling, helpful and really made our family feel like we were on a vacation. I don't remember all of the names of the people who work there, but I can say, they were all wonderful to us. Kudos, JW. Kudos. Now, head on down to Los Suenos Marriott and teach them a little about customer service, honesty, and how to keep the property maintained.

We split our time in Costa Rica bw the JW and Marriott Los Suenos. I wish I wouldn't have burned my money or time in the latter of the 2. Los Suenos, you have a looong way to go before you can compete with the JW.

Spent two nights here on a tour. When we arrived at the hotel, I was impressed by the beautiful grounds and the hammocks just waiting for you to lay down on - an inviting indication that you are meant to relax at this lovely hotel. My room was on the 1st level (reception is on level 3). When I walked into the room I realized that this was probably the nicest room I had ever stayed in (and I have stayed in a lot of hotels!). The bathroom was very large. It had a shower with a separate marble tub. Above the tub was a "window" with sliding wood doors so you could open the doors and even watch television while soaking in the tub. The toilet was behind a wooden door. Furniture was all high end, beautiful and in excellent condition. There was a flat screen television, a mini-fridge, a safe and even a dvd player. The room was extremely clean, Each room has a nice sized terrace or patio.
The property boasts one of the largest swimming pools that I have ever seen. If you stay here, you can enjoy watching the sun set into the Pacific - a magnificent sight. I had five meals at the hotel and the food was very good. Dinners were at the Mansita restaurant buffet and I there was an extensive salad bar, carving station, hot dishes, a dessert bar and a station that changed every night. One night it was a paella station and another night it was a pasta station. The food was included as part of our tour price but food was quite expensive at the hotel if you were staying on your own.
The staff was very polite and friendly. The Costa Rican people are amongst the friendliest and nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
The negatives? It was impossible to get a beach chair. Yes, it was Christmas week but there should be some sort of system to prevent guests from dropping a shoe and a towel on a beach chair and then leaving for hours at a time. It was frustrating not to be able to enjoy the pool because I had no chair. There seemed to be a problem with napkins. Tables were reset after guests had used them but minus napkins. Seems if you weren't the first guest to use the table for a meal, then you had better eat neatly and keep your hands very clean! There weren't enough workers manning the stations. One night the poor chef at the pasta station did his best but there was no way he alone could serve all the guests expediently and the line was very, very long. Also, my room was not cleaned until after three. I was gone from the room for a lot of hours and wanted to take a siesta in the afternoon but I had to wait until the room was cleaned as I didn't want to be interrupted by housekeeping. Also, like most of Costa Rican hotels, be prepared to deal with a few bugs. I even had a little lizard in my room. It was very cute but I was petrified that it would find its way into my bed! Luckily, my husband caught it in a glass and we set it free outside.
The positives more than outweighed the negatives and I would have no hesitation about staying at the JW Marriot in the future.
The hotel is pretty isolated so if you want to go to town, you need to take a taxi

I could easily live here every day . . . if I were a millionaire. Pura Vida! Nothing to dislike about it (except for the dirt road for some of the way in to it). That dirt road is trivial in my part of the U.S. The beach, pools, rooms, and food are all awesome.
Located on a Pacific beach, this excellent resort has just about everything you'd want: Excellent food, pools (with an infinity pool to die for), warm sunshine, and dry forest (with howler monkeys to ring your alarm in the morning if you listen for them). Although we had wanted an ocean view room, we appreciated the monkey howls and bird calls in the trees away from the ocean.
Rooms are spacious and excellent. Bring your own goods if you want to save money. Everything is pricey here--no surprise. You can buy just about anything at the stores in the mall in town--about a 30-60 minutes drive. Nothing else is near this hotel, but that makes it special and ideal. There is an international airport somewhat nearby.
Beware of the sand-colored, low rocks disguised as sand on the beach. They hurt feet and eat cameras.