This was our first trip to CR and we stayed at this gem for the first 5 days. We were completely blown away by this resort, the staff, the location, etc. We then stayed at Si Como No for 2 nights so we were able to compare two resorts in the area...

Staff - we cannot say enough wonderful things about the Arenas del Mar staff. The manager was very friendly and was often visiting with guests to make sure everything was perfect. All staff were accommodating, professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. Everyone was truly "at your service" and greeted you with a smile.

Food - although breakfast was good, we prefer a breakfast buffet over plated table service so that we can enjoy a variety of food on vacation. We never ate at the main restaurant for lunch or dinner. We did eat at Playitas twice and it was delicious. We loved the beachside dining as well as the beach service!

Drinks - happy hour was everyday from 5:30-6:30p and included local beers and cocktails with house liquor. There wasn't anything exceptional about happy hour for us as most of the guests did not come and the drinks were not overly strong. We loved the beach service for beer/cocktails during the day.

Location - the prime location and "private" beach is what sets this resort apart. There are no private beaches in CR but this is as close as you will get because it is quite a hike for non-resort guests. The majority of resorts in the area are high on the cliffs which offers a great view but you have to shuttle to the beach. There are golf carts to take you around the resort which is necessary because the steep hills. There is also easy access to another beach which you can walk down to the Manuel Antonioni national park. Do not expect to be able to walk to other restaurants, bars, etc from the resort.

Amenities - there are two pools although we did not see anyone use the one near the lobby/restaurant. The pool was refreshing but nothing spectacular. But you don't notice when you have the beautiful beach nearby! We stayed in building 2 which was very near to the beach and our room was great. We especially loved the balcony for morning coffee (delicious!) and watching the monkeys, lizards, etc. There was always plenty of lounge chairs at the beach which was a nice as we've experienced issues with availability at other resorts in the past.

Miscellaneous - wireless Internet was available in the room which was great. The local staff's knowledge of the rainforest was incredible and almost every interaction/golf cart ride was a mini tour! Don't be afraid to ask questions. Taxis (or the hotel van) are a must to/from this resort as it is a hike from the resort to the main road to catch a city bus. I would bring a small, soft-sided cooler on our next trip so that we could purchase our own beer and bring it to the beach. The resort overall was very, very quiet, even in the restaurant/bar areas, we would have loved a little salsa/merengue music to add to the ambiance. There were only 2 children at the resort, it was mostly couples.

We would definitely stay here again in the future and recommend this to anyone staying in the Manuel Antonio area. Our entire experience was excellent!

We stayed in an Ocean Breeze Superior room for 5 nights. Both the room and bathroom are quite small. No bath tub and just a single sink and small mirror. We had just come from a very spacious suite at the Nayara in Arenal and I won't lie my husband and I were both disappointed with the room at the Arenas. We thought about upgrading to a bigger suite but realized that would be an addition $200 - 300 more each night. The good news is that the bed and linens were very comfortable and we were able to get a great night sleep and the room was always very clean. Breakfast was great but we were never informed that they don't start serving until 7am which is a problem when you are booked for early morning excursions. We were told after the fact that we could "pre-order" a breakfast if we needed one earlier. So we did that for the following day to eat at the bar @6:30am. 6:30a passed and no one was to be seen at the bar. Finally a front desk staff member inquired if they could help. They passed along the information and someone from the restaurant came to the bar looked around the register and found our "pre- order" still taped to the keyboard. Food came out @ 6:55 we inhaled it and left for our excursion @7 am. Both the upper and lower pool have beautiful views but the upper pool had a total of 5 lounge chairs and the lower pool 2 lounge chairs. Do they not want people hanging out pool side? The pool towels provided were something you would find at a Hampton Inn not a "Deluxe" hotel. The sad thing is no one even used the upper pool, probably because of the lack of chairs and service. The afternoon we used the upper pool we were never offered food or beverage service. My husband would go to the bar each time. Again not the service you expect when you pay for luxury. Service at the beach/lower pool was better but the 2 chairs were always occupied so we had to settle for club chairs located in the shade under the trees. Dinner was very good and we absolutely loved Luis! What a pleasure it was to meet him!The resort is located in a remote part of the coast on a hill side so it requires golf carts to get around and all of the drivers were great! Brandon & Rodbin were our favorites. Very helpful and always looking to make sure you were enjoying your stay. The resort is lovely with beach access into town but access to anywhere else requires a cab or private car and you will pay about $5 - 10 each way to access some of the other local restaurants for dining. The beach walk is a great way to get into the "beach "part of Manuel Antonio and probably a 20 minute walk to the entrance of Manuel Antonio National Park.

I almost hate to write this because I want to keep this place the hidden gem that it is! I've stayed in places, good and bad, all over the world and this place ranks right up there near the top. Everything, from the staff to the grounds to the beach were spectacular. The rooms, however, were otherworldly. Just over the top. So good that I actually tried to book an extra day but couldn't get the flight changed.
My only reason for not giving it 5 stars was the food. While the breakfasts were great and lunch was delicious they dropped the ball on our dinners. I had to send my surf and turf back and my son was less than thrilled w his filet. They were very apologetic and took my meal off of the bill w out my even asking and the service was great at all meals.

We stayed for four nights and had a great time. We had a spacious sea breeze room right by the beach. The beach is pristine and pretty much exclusive. The whole hotel is spread out in its own tropical rain forest with golf carts for the weary to get around. The restaurant, whilst sometimes a bit quiet, has an amazing view out over the bay and is way above the standard of the rest of the town. I cannot recommend it enough.