Wow, what a shock after reading all the exceptional reviews before we went. We stay at 5-Star resorts all over the world and this resort does not even come close to 5-star with their service. The hotel contacted us several times before our stay and we pre-arranged almost everything. When we showed up nothing had been done and they did know anything about our requests! So we started off bad and it only got worse. We constantly had to call and get our room re-serviced and our mini-bar restocked. One day we ordered room service to have beer delivered and they brought us hot beer to put in our fridge! The dining experience was average and the service was terrible. I finally just bought a full bottle of scotch and carried it to dinner with me every night so I could have more than one drink in an hour.

The front desk was useless. You might as well have been talking to the wall. On day 3 we had enough and decided to ask for a manager. We were told that he was "having lunch" and he would call us in our room later! Two hours later he responded, and did nothing to correct the situations.

This hotel is not for kids! There is nothing for them to do but bother other guests. We even had one kid urinate on the lawn while we were having breakfast. The only thing they can do is swim which thankfully we had our own pool.

The only saving grace for this hotel was the tours and the view. "Bo" was our tour guide on most of the tours and he was a lot of fun. Also, they do not promote the "city tour" but you should arrange for a car and visit "downtown".

We will not be back, due to the poor service. There is too many other places with good views and tours to choose from.

Punta Islita, although on the Pacific, is the Caribbean resort we havge been looking for. It is isolated, quiet, luxurious, beautiful and totally relaxing. Flying in, you realize how totally isolated it is and, even though they are build around the hotel, it will remain so for many years to come.

We have been there twice, both times for five days. One reviewer compared it to Lapa Rios. They have nothing to do with each other. Lapa Rios is an ecoresort which specializes in animal watchin and local flora and fauna. Punta Islita is a beach resort, meant for beach, pool, tennis, spa and sun, sun, sun. Twice that we have been there there have been weddings - a picture perfect setting for one.

We have only stayed in the two bedroom suites. They are very private, quite lovely and each has its own small dipping pool (about 5' deep, ten feet long and 5' wide). The views from these rooms is the stuff that dreams are made of. We actually looked at five or six of these rooms and all are perfect.

The food is good, not great, although it was better this year than last. Remember, this is Costa Rica, not St. Martin. Costa Rica is not known for its great food. The dinner up top, generally accompanied by local entertainment, is romantic. We asked them to seat us outside the big room on the grass by the pool; they put up tiki torches and it is really lovely. If you want something not on the menu they will try to do it for you. I thought breakfast was excellent. Lunch, either up top in the main restaurant or down by the beach, is exactly what one wants - salads, burgers, veggies. Don't expect an active night life. This is a great place to relax, talk with new friends, have a leisurly dinner, watch the stars from the hammocks outside of each room and go to sleep.

We found the service to be accommodating. Because the rooms are on a hill descending down a long hill, they will send a van to pick you up to go to the beach or to the main house. It is rarely more than a few minutes. The rooms are kept immaculately.

The spa is wonderful. Getting a massage on the beach (in a private hut, but with the sound of the surf pounding against the beach is incredible. They actually do a wonderful couples massage with two excellently trained and fabulous masseuses.

The have a nice small gymn, free internet access and a great store featuring local crafts. A visit to the wonderful, picturesque town and the couple of local restaurants is worth the trip - if you can get youself going from the absolute relaxation of the place.

The beach could be cleaner; there is too much litter, mostly due to locals and the stuff that comes in off thewater. It isn't as bad as most public beaches in the U.S. but it is somewhat jarring, especially in a country which is immaculate.

The hotel will provide excellent day trips to see local animals and habitat. They do have a small zip line, horseback riding, tennis, deep sea fishing and, soon, a small golf course.

All in all, this is a true Costa Rican resort hotel. it is not the Four Seasons, which is wonderful, but it is a Four Seasons and could be anywhere.

We cannot wait to go back to Punta Islita.

My husband, son, and I have just returned from another wonderful stay (our sixth) at Hotel Punta Islita. Our other visits have included vacations with another family and a romantic week without our son, and we have had the opportunity to sleep in just about every type of accomodation they have available. We now consider the hotel to be our "home away from home," and the entire staff as part of our family. Their sincere desire for guests to have a fantastic experience is evident. I love Hotel Punta Islita's concept of involving the local community in all facets of their operation, and the boost they have given to the local economy is apparent.

Other reviews and the hotel website show the fabulous setting and describe the many ammenities, and I want to add that the 1492 Restaurant is one of my favorite places in the world! The ambiance and view are wonderful, and we have been pleased at the quality of food, the service, and the prices. They went out of their way to prepare a birthday feast for my son, and the rice pudding cake that came with candles and local music, was delightful. We spoke with the new head chef, Guillermo, and learned that he will be making some great changes to the menu. The Borrancho Club at the beach offers other delicious dishes, and Jose at the nearby restaurant, Cambute, makes excellent casadas (typical Costa Rican meals) and a delicious black bean soup--try it with the egg and a little rice.

We can't wait to return to this tropical paradise! I know we will be doing so for years to come.