My wife and two 8 yr olds just left 5 days at Casa Conde. Loved it.

The best: their pools area is large and shallow enough(actually there are tow adjoining pools...one is 2 ft deep and the other goes from 3 ft to about 5 feet...and they are both very good size!), plus there's a waterfall they can jump from! You don't feel cramp or crowded b/c there are only 25 rooms so not many people.

The grounds are lovely and all buildings just 1 story makes you feel in nature.
Small fitness area with just one universal weight set will not satisfy an athlete.

Also good: the beach is beautiful and no waves...and a few steps away past a row of trees that give shade. Local vendors offer ice cream & jetskis but not pushy at all.

Also good: the staff. Sympatico group. We had a mixup and were put in a small room at first but they quicky straightened it out. (Our booking was via TripAdvisor, paid 6 months in advance.) During meals they are attentive, too.

Not so good: their restaurant prices are rediculous ($25/entree). Only options are 5 min ride to Playa Hermosa for 5 restaurants ( nothing quick), or 20 min to Playa del Coco for 50 choices including quick burgers/pizza. If you have a car, this is no problem...we drove around every day and loved it as we also visited beaches and waterfalls.

Now, the issue: we stayed 5 days and then upon arrival home, we noticed bites on legs and back, which another reviewer mentioned as bedbugs. Would such bits take 5 days to surface? I don't think so...but if you go there, check the sheets. Maybe we got bitten by fleas on the plane??? Weird. I would go again to Casa Conde in a heartbeat....and rent a car again too.

I do recommend this place...just be aware. BTW we used "U-save" rental agency and they were fine. Had the Suzuki Jimmy little 2-door tin can. Roads near beaches are good and no 4WD is needed...but if you plan to searching for waterfalls or drive yourself to activities or Monteverde, get the 4WD.

We had high hopes for this hotel! My husband and I have traveled to Costa Rica many times over the last five years and loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, it was not a good experience at Casa Conde del Mar. We booked a Junior Suite with Jacuzzi for a fairly high rate during the peak season and prepaid the cost in full prior to our arrival. When we arrived, we were given a simple, standard room. I showed them my itinerary and the front desk said they would try to find a junior suite for us, if we could wait for an hour...a few hours later we were told that they didn't have any junior suites available, so we had to keep the standard room. Of course, when I checked out I asked to be refunded the difference between what I paid for and what I actually received. The front desk clerk told me I had to call their corporate offices and work it out with them because they couldn't issue refunds at the property. Yikes - so much for personal Costa Rican service! I'm on the phone with our travel agent as I type this review, being given the run around by the hotel again (no manager on site to discuss the issue).

Booking issues aside - this is a perfectly standard resort hotel that caters to families with children, much like you'll find all over Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Definitely not luxurious or quiet or suitable for couples, but otherwise okay. Perhaps the Junior Suites with jacuzzis are really lovely - but I'll never find out :)

We stayed just one night before our resort could take us. It was one of the most pleasant experiences we had in our 12 days in Costa Rica. We were treated like queens, and we had the place virtually to ourselves. The most incredible meal of fresh red snapper specially prepared by the chef, and hours of relaxing by the large and very clean pool were highlights.

We stayed at this hotel as part of a small group trip to Costa Rica -- one location of several. This hotel was fine for our purposes but less luxurious than others we stayed at. The things to do on site are the pool facility (nice pool) and the beach. It is a beautiful beach, but watch out for sand flees and mosquitoes. There are no restaurants or town to walk to. Cabs to neighboring areas are pricey -- we went to Playa del Coco (we had transportation) but another hotel guest told us the cab fare was $40 each way. The air conditioning in the rooms was very effective (it was very hot here) and the beds and bathrooms were fine. Food was average for Costa Rica -- not the highlight (other than the fruit and fruit drinks.) You can get to Palo Verde Nat'l Park from here which we did and had an interesting trip on the river. Wildlife viewing in the immediate area includes birds, monkeys, and skunks. Snorkeling in the area was not worth it including a group that went for a boat trip to a snorkeling area.