Margaritaville Beach Resort

meggan1975 wrote a review April 2025
Lake Elsinore, California

Beach front.

Ocean front, small dirt road in between which was never an issue. Water was crystal clear and warm. Resort staff where friendly and accommodating to needs. Surrounding area has shops, restaurants and marina within walking distance. Rooms were clean and nicely decorated.

Date of Stay: April 2025

PugwashSanFrancisco wrote a review April 2025

Delighted to return, but always sad to leave!

Myself, my wife and our now fast growing 15 year old daughter have stayed as guests at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in beautiful Flamingo Beach many times in the past. We keep returning for one enshrined, simple reason, we LOVE the place. The setting is perfect and the many classy folks who collectively work very hard to please guests are ALL fantastic. Kudos to everyone who works at the Hotel. Special thanks and mention to the delightful lady ambassador, Flower, also to Manuel, to Elliot, to Mallory, to the amazing Elias, to attentive and kind Douglas, to Wendolyn, to Joy, to Germaldy, to Jose, to Mauricio and the many other kind people who ply their trade at the hotel. Hard working and exemplary folks. The vibe at Margaritaville is not stuffy, nor intrusive. It is friendly in low key fashion, extremely relaxing and it suits the preferences of our family trio perfectly. We tend not to like glitz and glam and tinsel and fake actors or such settings and thankfully Margaritaville has none of that on display, but rather an unpretentious, inherently relaxing and healing gem of hospitality which we appreciate very much. Steps from the beautiful Flamingo Beach. We loved swimming in the ocean and walking the sands from the north ridge to the south ridge many times. Breakfasts were delicious, lunch too and dinners also. We dined downstairs at the main restaurant, upstairs at the lounge and several times at Cappricio’s restaurant. The world’s best waiter, a memorable gentleman by the name of Haime is unfortunately no longer working at this restaurant. We missed him. Haime was such a class act. We hope someday to see him again in a different setting perhaps, but Mauricio and Gabriel have taken over at the Italian restaurant helm and looked after us very well in the absence of the revered and much loved, Haime. We enjoyed savory pizza, pasta and salads. We stayed in Suite 1321 and it was a very comfortable and spacious abode. Falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the beach is my favorite kind of stereo. If you need a ride to or from the Airport, to Tamarindo perhaps or any local taproom or nearby eatery, I would enthusiastically recommend Rizo Taxis. Manrique Rizo operates a fantastic and reliable taxi transportation business. The front desk can give you Rizo Taxi service contact information. The front desk people I should also mention are also very helpful and easy to engage with.
We did not swim in the pool as much this year as in years past, but many kids and families still seem to enjoy the sizable pool, the swim up bar and all of the fun activities associated with that. I did enjoy watching and will always remember my fellow countryman winning the Masters on the 73rd hole whilst I was nursing (or not) a few Imperial brews served up by bartender, David who kept the golf channel on the tv screen for me as I held court by the poolside bar. Thank you David for allowing me to watch ‘the good walk spoiled’!
From my family to everyone at Margaritaville we sincerely thank you for another wonderful stay-cation. Take good care. Pura Vida and our gratitude to all of you.

Date of Stay: April 2025

Daydream449377 wrote a review May 2025

Would Not Recommend

I had originally booked a week-long stay at Margaritaville in Costa Rica for a family vacation, with high hopes for a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, the reality was far from what we expected. After just two nights, we made the difficult decision to cut our stay short and check out early due to several unacceptable issues.

The most concerning problem was the condition of the rooms — they were noticeably outdated and poorly maintained. Most troubling was the fact that the door lock to our hotel room would not properly secure, raising serious safety concerns for me and my family. Despite reporting this issue, it remained unresolved.

At the time of our early departure, hotel staff assured us that we would receive a refund for the unused nights. However, it has now been over three weeks, and we have yet to receive any reimbursement. I have reached out to the hotel’s management, Ricardo Vargas, four times to follow up, but I have not received a single response.

Given the poor condition of the accommodations, the safety concerns, and the complete lack of customer service and accountability, I cannot in good conscience recommend this resort to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

Date of Stay: April 2025

bethc475 wrote a review May 2025
Indianapolis, Indiana

Excellent Resort

Wonder resort! Not too big, not too small. All rooms have a view of the pool. It is a short walk to the ocean. Resort and room were clean with a very friendly and helpful staff. My only complaint is that the sink in room bathroom is too high and not enough light for doing makeup and hair. I’m short and wear glasses so I could not use mirror in bathroom. Malorie at the front desk was especially helpful. We loved the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar for watching the beautiful sunsets each night. Fiorela was our favorite server. She was so sweet to us! The resort manager, Scott, stopped by to introduce himself on our first day and we saw him there every day interacting with the guests. All the food was fantastic!

Date of Stay: May 2025

jaredcY2876KG wrote a review May 2025

Small but confortable resort + Major tpirs costa rica by Minor Gonzalez

I loved the resort and all the team that made us felt as well as home very warm friendliness with all the guess . Fodd was very good
The pool entertaim3nt kept us fit while swiming
Lovely white sand beach
We meet Minor Gonzalez before geting here on tripadvisor he had so many positive reviews
So we booked our excursions on lime with him howm did no ask us for a deposit on line or any ki d of payment wich it was so nice we paid him once we got here and did not cjarge us any kind of taxes
We went to the rain forest to se sloths . Toucans . We swimed into an amazing waterfall
And did the rio creeste . Then we did the sunset cruise . And palo verde national park where we saw so many monkeys
No doubt if you want to have a wonderfull experience and fell the friendly and watm ticos culture and traditions go wit minor
You can contac him on whatsapp
506 6091 1417
Or Email majorturscr@gmail.com
He wont disapoint you

Date of Stay: May 2025

P9506QPabbyh wrote a review May 2025

A decent all inclusive hotel

My husband and I stayed at Margaritaville for part of our recent trip to Costa Rica. The hotel was clean and the pool area was lovely, but it is quite small so we could see it being very packed during busy months and people may find it difficult to get a sunbed. The rooms were nice and comfortable, and had everything we needed. Customer service was very inconsistent - some staff members were lovely but others could be quite rude and dismissive. We had the all inclusive package and it was quite refreshing to not have a buffet for every single meal. The food was good, however the menus are quite small so it could quickly become boring if you stayed for longer than 4-5 nights. We felt the all inclusive package was slightly over-priced for the range of food and drink choices available. We booked a sunset boat tour with the hotel which was excellent - we would definitely recommend this if you are staying here: the boat staff were very friendly and helpful, and the tour itself was wonderful.

Date of Stay: May 2025

K2625LCclaires wrote a review May 2025

Amazing Trip

We had an amazing time at this beautiful hotel and resort. Our room was very spacious and overlooked the sea and pool. We saw the best sunsets I have ever seen at this resort and if we didn't make it down to the beach we could see them from our balcony. The staff were all very friendly and worked very hard and the food was great with a good choice. We were all inclusive which I was very pleased about as the prices were quite expensive.

The beach was lovely with soft white sand but the waves were quite rough so you needed to be very careful.

We went on an amazing trip with Minor Gonzalez (Major Tours) and we swam in a waterfall and saw some sloths so close up which made my day. We also saw lots of other wildlife including monkeys and at the end of our tour we were lucky enough to see a toucan after trekking through the rainforest. Would definitely recommend a trip with Major Tours and Minor.

All in all an amazing once in a lifetime holiday we will never forget.

Date of Stay: April 2025

erickabaer wrote a review June 2025

The Best Resort in Costa Rica!

Truly one of the best vacations I’ve had! This resort is incredible! It is on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The rooms are very spacious and comfortable! The staff is super friendly. The food is excellent and has a great variety. I came with my husband and some of our friends and children and it was the perfect getaway for everyone at every age! I highly recommend and will definitely return! Thank you Margaritaville Playa Flamingo!

Date of Stay: June 2025

KurtisG79 wrote a review June 2025

Great beach side resort

My wife and I just checked out of a ten day stay at Margaritaville and we had a blast. The staff was attentive and always looking to help. I thought the food was great, also. We never even felt the urge to go off the resort to eat. My favorite was the Lomito steak, the steak sandwich, and the chicken club sandwich. The chicken tenders were awesome too and a great poolside snack. The ocean here is gorgeous. Absolute picturesque views of jungle and some of the warmest ocean water on the planet. This is my second trip to the resort and I plan on coming back again.

Date of Stay: June 2025

amyrB6217GB wrote a review June 2025

We had a blast

We just returned from a week stay and had such a good time at Margaritaville! The location is beautiful right on the beach which is soft sand and warm water (and tide pools a few mins down the way). Forgot something in your room? It takes 30 seconds to go grab it and head back to the beach. The pool is great, there is a fun swim up bar and volleyball net. There is an amazing kid pool that is completely shaded adjacent to the big pool. The staff is so friendly and we got to know each of them. By far the friendliest staff at any hotel we've stayed at. Margaritaville is very family friendly and accommodating with the baby pool, ample high chairs, game room, movie theater, beach/sand castles, craft hour by the pool for the kiddos, there was always something for them to do. They were able to provide us with a pack n play for our 1 year old too which made traveling easier. They more than tolerated our group of 12 adults and 11 kids and never made us feel unwelcome or bothersome. The food was delicious as well, and the buffet made it easy for the kids too. Can't wait to come back!

Date of Stay: June 2025

Discover07970011897 wrote a review June 2025

Costa Rica - what a surprise, we will be back!

POV- We are two parents in our early 50s with two adult children in their early 20s. We've stayed at different all-inclusive resorts and then without that feature. Costa Rica was not even on our list to visit, but as it appeared, everything became more appealing. Costa Rica has been, by far, the safest country that we have visited.

The resort was just what we all needed to refresh. We appreciated the smaller resort (120 rooms), and it was at 50% capacity when we were there in early June. The all-inclusive feature was different in that you ordered what you wanted, and it was cooked fresh. We all appreciated this and loved the lack of food waste of what you see at other resorts. We also liked that the tips were included in the price, and we didn't have to carry cash around. Our maids cleaned the room fantastically, always supplying fresh towels. We stayed in the room with a King and 2 bunk beds - perfect even for our adult kids to have their own space. The pool was big enough not to be crowded. The beach was lovely. The sunsets were beautiful. One gal walked around the pool area handing out watermelon in the morning - nice touch. Coffee was brought around in the afternoon, but way too hot to consume coffee at that time for these foreigners! All staff were friendly. Rodolpho (sp?), waiter at the restaurant, was especially helpful, pointing out how things worked when we first arrived. The breakfast buffet with omelet station was great! We all enjoyed the fresh fruit. Bring passion fruit to America! We lacked for nothing while there. Try the Green Monster - my favorite new drink with passion fruit, lime, and mint. The gym was enough to get a workout done, but it could use some refreshing. The pizza restaurant required reservations, but it was no problem to get. That was our favorite place to eat, but all the food was good. Family resort, not a party resort, which is what we were looking for. Enjoyed seeing all ages, including a college soccer team staying there for a few days. Bew sure to see Minor on the beach for an all day tour. Thank you so much for a great trip!

Date of Stay: June 2025

Pru_travels wrote a review June 2025

Best vacation ever

We absolutely LOVE this resort! This was my third visit to Margaritaville, and it met all of my previous expectations and more. This time, I visited with a group of girlfriends and our families. The resort is so family friendly- something I hadn't noticed on my previous trips because I hadn't had my children yet! There is the best little kiddie pool attached to the main pool (perfect for swimming to the pool-side bar for a virgin piña colada for the kids- so good!) and a cute playground adjacent with a swing. Priscilla, the youth activities director was the BEST! She essentially took over childcare for a couple hours a day with her arts and crafts, treasure hunts, and sandcastle building. She would even put together impromptu activities for our group, and the kids adored her! If you have kids, don't miss movie nights in the theater (!!), popcorn and games in the game room! Seriously the kids had the time of their lives! The adults too! All inclusive had me so spoiled. The food at all the restaurants and pool side are delicious and have something for everyone. We were there for a week and I didn't get sick of the food one bit. I really wish I could have a Flamingo Burger right now!! Don't miss the ice cream. I had actually never noticed the little Italian restaurant hidden upstairs- make sure anager, housekeeping, pool you make a reservation, it's so quaint and cute. The drinks were delicious (I'm not a huge drinker) but it was so fun to try different drinks and the bartenders are all experts and can make you pretty much anything. I loved the coffee every morning too! The staff was all incredibly kind and accommodating- everyone from the front desk, resort mstaff, and all the restaurant employees. The fruit is so fresh- best papayas I've ever had. Also, the beach at the resort is so beautiful- there are tide pools, and the beach is very long with plenty of space to walk and take in the beauty. The water is always the perfect temperature for swimming, and the sunsets are spectacular. I miss it already and I can't wait to come back.

Date of Stay: June 2025

DiegoT504 wrote a review July 2025
North Bend, Washington

Amazing Stay with Exceptional Service from Staicy!

Got it! Here’s the revised version with the correct restaurant name:

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We had a fantastic stay! The hotel is in a perfect location—right on a beautiful beach that’s just steps away, perfect for relaxing, swimming, or catching a stunning sunset. The property is clean, inviting, and well cared for, and the staff across the board were warm, helpful, and welcoming.

A special shoutout to Staicy, our wonderful waitress at the Five O’Clock Somewhere restaurant. She truly went above and beyond—hardworking, kind, and always with a genuine smile, even after a long day. Her warm, caring service made our experience that much more enjoyable. Thank you, Staicy—you’re a star and a true asset to the team!

Date of Stay: July 2025

SpamboEngland wrote a review July 2025
Bradford, West Yorkshire, England

Two weeks of bliss

We had an amazing time at The Margaritaville and it was much better than I expected on most things like the rooms, the pool, the beach, the food and the drink.
The buffet was small and limited, but there was always a good salad, chicken and beef loin on offer so you could make a nice plate.
We only ate at the buffet twice - the rest of the time we mixed between 5oclock Somewhere, Banana Waves menu and the pool bar - each had something slightly different plus the Italian which was lovely (and had exceptional service).
To be fair, the service everywhere was brilliant - the people in the pool bar worked their socks off and always had a smile on their face.  I loved that soft drinks didn't have to be in plastic cups and you'd get the bottle of Coke zero.  The cocktails were very strong and blew my head off, but that's probably because I'm a bit of a lightweight :)
We did eat local food but it wasn't really to our taste so the tex mex menu was great for us.  I did worry that the decent food from the menu may all be charged at a supplement, but there were only a couple of dishes that this applied to.  The Quesidillas and Nachos are some of the best I've had.  And my husband loved The Hangover Burger.  Breakfast nuffet was ok and the eggs and omelette were lovely but there was never any bacon.  I found out on our last morning that there's actually an a la carte breakfast menu with bacon, eggs benedict etc.

We were booked a package through Tui as it worked out much cheaper than doing flights and accommodation separately, even with renting a car and doing a self-tour for 5 days.

Check-in was a dream and the receptionist was welcoming and friendly, she knew we were tired so just gave us the detail we needed before we were taken with our bags to the room.
The room was lovely, bright and breezy and our balcony overlooked the small pool at the back where Oreo the Racoon spent a lot of time. 
We are used to big, sprawling all inclusive resorts with buffets that could fill a football pitch - this isn't one of those, but we found it much better.
I only smoke on holiday and should have done my research better as it's illegal to smoke on the hotel property and in national parks so if you're a smoker, beware however as the resort is so small it's a stones throw to the beach road where I met some lovely fellow smokers.
The only negative that I have is that on one smoke, gardners had like a snake catcher stick and a big black bin bag. I asked them what they were doing and they said that they were relocating the lizards, u asked to see in the bin bag and it had loads of them, all different sizes squirming around in there.  They said that they weren't going to kill them (which I thought was an odd thing to say) and they were relocating them literally 50 yards around the corner because they were ruining the plants.  I said that us tourists would probably prefer to watch the lizards than see a perfectly tended flower patch.  I'm also dubious about Oreo's family whereabouts as the official line is that they had all just upped and left him.  As we're from the UK, it was the first time we'd seen a racoon and we thought he was fab.  He sat like a dog beside the table waiting for treats but I understand that people with more experience of racoons were not as thrilled with his presence.

The beach was lovely and we went swimming in the sea every day, you have to time it right as the waves can be really rough and knock you over - defo take off your hat and sunglasses,  there are some submerged rocks to the right so beware.  We also watched many glorious sunsets.

We went to the night market which was ok and we went on a quad trip with Gerald, a guy from the gate.  Make sure you've checked the Tui trips tho as we paid for a private tour to go into the jungle and waterfalls as we didn't want to go to the beach.  We went to the beach and there was another couple with us.  Actually, it was a nice experience but not what we'd asked for or paid for.  Also it was 30 dollars more expensive than the Tui one, so don't just assume the guys at the gate are cheaper.
We rented a car from near the marina for 5 days, it was fine.  We were prepared for really difficult driving conditions but in the main it was fine, even at night - maybe we're just used to single lane tracks in the UK?  We went to La Fortuna and Monte Verde - it was breathtaking, we saw sloths, went ziplining, did the hanging bridges, waterfalls and so much more.
The world is too big to go back to the same place unless it's truly exceptional.  This is one of those places and I'd go back in a shot but unfortunately this was the last season for Tui and they have now withdrawn their flights and packages to Costa Rica.  We will definitely return though, at some point and can't wait!

Date of Stay: March 2025

607karir wrote a review July 2025
Midland, Michigan

Happy great stay !!

We stayed for a week with a group of 8 in two rooms . Staff were fabulous . Rooms very clean, no bugs no smells or etc . Showers nice . In room safe . Beds seemed small so we requested a roll away which they were prompt to deliver. Food variety was so -so. Ordering off the menu was better than buffet . Italian restaurant (requires reservations) was very very good. . The night upstairs bar was fun but stops serving at 10pm. Pool and swim up bar was great and cleaned daily. Beach was easily accessible. Security at both entrances to keep things safe . Beach towels , boogie boards and bikes available for checkout . We paid for all inclusive and you still have to sign the bill at meals but we had no extra charges at checkout . Tour desk helped arrange rides for us. Everything we did was on time. Gift shop was one of the best gift shops we’ve been to . Marina with restaurants and a few shops within walking distance and safe for venturing out . Overall we enjoyed our stay very much . A laid back resort with everything we needed .

Date of Stay: July 2025

jwanb2021 wrote a review July 2025

Margaritaville Easter Wedding

We had our wedding at the Margaritaville Beach Resort on Easter Sunday. The planning efforts were well thought out by the wedding coordinator and AGM, they made sure that all of our needs were met for our perfect day. We had 75 family and friends stay in the area and attend the wedding and everyone had a blast!

Date of Stay: April 2025

112lazaror wrote a review August 2025

Beyond Expectations — A Magical Stay in Costa Rica

On March 16, 2025, we sent a single email — and that was all it took to set in motion the wedding of our dreams.
Our friends told us it couldn’t be done. “You need at least a year to plan a destination wedding,” they said. “Three months isn’t enough.”
What they didn’t know was that we had Estela.

Estela is not just a wedding coordinator — she’s the wedding coordinator of a lifetime. From the very beginning, she worked tirelessly, handling every detail with grace, patience, and the kind of professionalism that turns stress into peace. She approached even our most specific and mundane requests with a smile and a “can-do” attitude that never wavered.

When the big day finally arrived, it was better than we ever imagined. Though rain fell just an hour before the ceremony, the skies cleared as if Estela herself had arranged it. While we originally planned to have the reception in the garden, we played it safe and celebrated under the beautiful tiki hut — and we’re so glad we did. The energy carried us through the night as we danced, laughed, and partied almost until dawn.

From the unforgettable celebration to the amazing vegan breakfast the next morning, every moment was seamless. Surrounded by those we love, and with the help of our new Costa Rican friends, it was a night we will never forget.

Thank you, Estela. Thank you, Margaritaville staff. Thank you, Costa Rica.

Pura vida.

Date of Stay: June 2025

meghana69 wrote a review August 2025

Can't beat beachfront location and the staff here was great!

We were warmly welcomed by the front desk and staff who kindly helped us get our luggage to our room - and then back out of our room the day we left. We had a few questions throughout our stay and any staff member that helped us was great. The best thing about this hotel is the location, basically right on the beach. And a beautiful beach with very soft sand, no rocks at all, and pretty big waves, which were lots of fun for our older teens. Beach was pretty quiet, not super busy, you could ask the hotel security to bring you chairs over from the resort which was nice. Some trees to try to get shade. Women doing massages for a very reasonable price - and these were great! I was out on the beach early morning and felt very safe. We walked the beach road in the dark to a restaurant and were told by the security it was safe, and it felt safe. Hotel room was nicely decorated, good storage/closet space, and it was very clean. We had a walk out room by the pool and that was great, although if we returned, which we would, I'd ask for a room closer to the beach. The pool was a good size, about 4 feet deep, volleyball net, some shallow areas to sit in. It seemed pretty clean. We played pool one night in the lobby, watched some Jimmy Buffett concert footage another night. We saw the raccoon family every night but they were no where near the restaurant when we were eating, just kind of slinking around the pool area and trash. They did not bother us one bit. There were these crazy very loud black birds in all the palm trees by the pool at night, making a fair amount of noise, this was interesting but not problematic from my point of view. I enjoyed getting coffee at the breakfast buffet early then walking on or sitting on the beach. Food at the breakfast buffet was good, made to order omelettes! Drinks at the pool were fine - nothing special. Easy to walk to marina and some other little shops and places to get food very close by - the "town" of Flamingo was small and quiet at night but we didn't mind that. Sunsets from the beach were amazing. This does not feel like a luxury hotel but it's nice, clean, good breakfast, friendly staff, and, as I said, amazing beachfront location. We would definitely go back.

One thing that surprised us, and was a downside, was that the swim up bar closed early - I forget what time but the pool is open until 9 and I think the bar closes around 6 - we had been at a previous resort and swam til the pool closed with many people ordering food and drinks. So if you wanted drinks you had to leave the pool and walk upstairs to the restaurant bar. Not awful but just unexpected. I do feel like the atmosphere in the restaurants was nothing special. We didn't do all inclusive and just got breakfast, and that was pretty good, but I am glad we didn't opt for all inclusive. Probably good for families with young kids who want things easy but for us with older teens we liked walking to dinner each night.

Date of Stay: August 2025