Short answer: Most of Costa Rica’s all-inclusive resorts are in Guanacaste, on the dry North Pacific coast, clustered around the Gulf of Papagayo and Playa Matapalo, 30 minutes or less from Liberia’s Guanacaste Airport, with a few more near Tamarindo. Outside Guanacaste there are only a handful, near Puntarenas and at Tambor on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. Costa Rica has relatively few true all-inclusives: most hotels and eco-lodges sell rooms with breakfast or optional meal packages, so Papagayo suits a classic resort week, Tamarindo suits travelers who want a beach town next door, and Puntarenas and Tambor suit families on a budget-minded package.
That makes the choice in Costa Rica a little different from other beach countries: many visitors spend a few nights at an all-inclusive and the rest of the trip at a volcano, cloud forest or rainforest lodge. This guide explains what the plans cover, where the resort areas are and who they suit, and lists all-inclusive resorts by type, as of October 2026. For a full budget, see How Much Does a Trip to Costa Rica Cost?
How all-inclusive works in Costa Rica
The big all-inclusives here work much like those in Mexico. A standard plan typically covers buffet and à la carte meals, snacks, house drinks including local beer and spirits, non-motorized water sports such as kayaks and paddleboards, pools, the kids’ club and evening entertainment. Several chains also sell an upgraded tier (Premium Level, Star Class and similar) with a private lounge, a separate pool or beach area and priority restaurant bookings.
Usually not included: premium spirits and bottles of wine, some signature restaurants or dishes with a surcharge, spa treatments, golf, motorized water sports, scuba diving, and off-site tours such as zip-lining, volcano trips and wildlife boat tours, which most visitors to Costa Rica want to book. Read the resort’s own plan description before you compare prices.
Taxes and service: Costa Rican hotels and tour operators often quote prices “plus taxes” (más impuestos): the 13% value-added tax is then added to the bill. Restaurant bills include 13% tax plus a 10% service charge. Some rates you see online include tax and some do not, so check before you compare. The US$29 departure tax is normally included in your airline ticket; if not, you pay it at the Banco de Costa Rica counter at the airport.
Transfers: fly into Liberia (LIR) for Guanacaste and into San José (SJO) for Puntarenas and the Central Pacific. Airport transfers are usually extra unless they are part of a package, and resorts can arrange them.
Where to stay: the main resort areas
Gulf of Papagayo and Playa Matapalo (Guanacaste)
The heart of Costa Rica’s all-inclusive scene, on the bays and beaches of Guanacaste’s northern coast. Resorts here are about 25 to 30 minutes by road from Liberia’s airport, so transfers are short. It suits couples and families who want a classic resort week with sun almost guaranteed in the dry season, and it is a good base for day trips to Rincón de la Vieja’s volcanic mud pots and hot springs. Guanacaste has the country’s longest and most reliable dry season, from December to April, with almost no rain from December to March at Liberia.
Tamarindo, Playa Langosta and Playa Conchal
About an hour to an hour and a quarter by road from Liberia, or a short SANSA flight from San José to Tamarindo’s airstrip. Tamarindo is a lively surf town with restaurants, bars and surf schools, and Playa Langosta just south is quieter. Next door is Las Baulas Marine National Park, a leatherback turtle nesting beach, and Playa Conchal, about 30 minutes north, has sand made of crushed shells and clear water for snorkeling. This area suits travelers who want an all-inclusive base but also want to eat out, surf or walk into town. See our Tamarindo guide.
Puntarenas and the Central Pacific
The closest all-inclusive beach area to San José: El Roble, just outside the port city of Puntarenas, is about 50 minutes west of the capital’s airport. It suits families with a short trip, or anyone combining a beach stay with San José, Monteverde or La Fortuna without the drive to Guanacaste. Further south, Jacó and Manuel Antonio have plenty of hotels, but very few all-inclusives; even some big beach resorts there say they are “not a traditional all-inclusive” and sell meal packages instead. For the rainforest-meets-beach side of the coast, see our Manuel Antonio guide.
Tambor and the southern Nicoya Peninsula
A quiet bay on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, about five hours by road from San José airport; the closest airport is the small Cóbano airport (ACO). It suits families and couples who want a calm, out-of-the-way resort stay.
All-inclusive resorts by type
These resorts all sell an all-inclusive plan, according to their own websites or Visit Costa Rica, the national tourism board. Details are as the resorts describe them in October 2026; facilities and plans change, so check before you book. TravelerCenter is not paid by any resort for these listings; we chose them by area and type.
Adults-only
Occidental Papagayo (Gulf of Papagayo). Adults only: the minimum age is 18. An all-inclusive hotel on a hillside facing the sea, about 25 minutes by car from Liberia’s airport, with more than 163 rooms spread across 23 buildings, many with bay views. It has three restaurants, two pools (a main pool by the snack bar and a quieter relaxation pool with a wet bar), the U-Spa, and a Premium Level with lounge access and priority à la carte bookings. Practical note: the hotel is on a slope, and the beach has no ramp access, which matters for anyone with limited mobility.
Adults-only choices are limited in Costa Rica. Several of the large family resorts below have quieter adult areas or upgraded tiers with their own pool and lounge, which can work for couples who do not need a strictly adults-only hotel.
Family-friendly
Hotel Riu Guanacaste (Playa Matapalo). A 24-hour all-inclusive right on Matapalo Beach, which the resort says is about 1,300 meters long. Families get the RIU Land kids’ club, three large pools plus a children’s pool with slides, the Splash Water World water park, and family rooms with two bedrooms. There are seven bars, themed buffets and à la carte restaurants, and the Renova Spa. Suits families with kids who want lots to do on site.
Barceló Tambor (Playa Tambor). An all-inclusive with 402 rooms facing the Pacific. The plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and unlimited local drinks. It has three à la carte restaurants plus a buffet, two large outdoor pools linked by a waterfall, a children’s pool, a kids’ club for ages 4 to 12 and a teens’ house for 13 to 17. Distinctive features: a bird sanctuary of about 2.5 acres on the grounds, three tennis courts and a climbing wall, and a golf course nearby at extra cost. Suits families who want a quiet bay away from the busier Guanacaste resorts.
Fiesta Resort (El Roble, Puntarenas). About 50 minutes west of San José airport, with 408 rooms, according to Visit Costa Rica’s listing. Its all-inclusive plan covers most meals and drinks, recreational activities, gratuities and the use of land and non-motorized water equipment. There is a buffet, à la carte restaurants with Latin American or seafood dishes, swim-up bars, several pools and a children’s pool. Suits families on a short trip who want to skip the long drive or connecting flight to Guanacaste.
Upscale all-inclusive
Planet Hollywood Costa Rica, an Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort (Playa Manzanillo, on the Gulf of Papagayo). About 35 to 40 minutes from Liberia’s airport, with 292 suites, seven restaurants, several bars and a café, and an infinity pool among its pools. It welcomes all ages, with the Star Kids Club and a kids’ splash zone, and sells a Star Class tier with butler service and private pool and beach areas. Other touches: a rooftop fire pit with ocean views and included non-motorized water sports such as kayaks, paddleboards and Hobie Cat sailing. Suits families and couples who want a lively, themed resort.
Hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica (Playa Matapalo). Riu’s Palace-brand hotel on Matapalo Beach, a 24-hour all-inclusive with five restaurants, seven bars (including a swim-up bar) and six large pools, plus the RIU Land kids’ club and access to Splash Water World. Note: the resort’s site says the hotel is under renovation and reopens in April 2027, so it is one to watch for the 2027 dry season rather than to book now.
Beach-town base
Occidental Tamarindo (Playa Langosta, Tamarindo). The hotel describes itself as the only all-inclusive in the area, about 2 km from the center of Tamarindo and about an hour by car from Liberia’s airport. It has 198 rooms, three restaurants, two pools with a children’s swimming area and hot tub, children’s activities for ages 2 to 11 during the day, and a Premium Level for an extra charge. Las Baulas Marine National Park is next door. Suits families and couples who want an all-inclusive but also want to surf, eat out in town or catch a Tamarindo sunset.
When to go
December to April, the dry season, is the classic all-inclusive season on the Pacific coast: Guanacaste gets almost no rain from December to March, and March is the driest month. It is also the most expensive time, with the highest prices from mid-December to early January and around Holy Week (in 2027, Holy Thursday and Good Friday fall on March 25 and 26). From May to November, the “green season”, afternoons bring rain, the dry hills turn green and resorts and tours cut prices; September and October are the wettest and quietest months on the Pacific side, and some beach businesses close for a few weeks. July often has a drier spell, but it is also a short peak for school holidays. For month-by-month detail, see the best time to visit Costa Rica, and check your dates with our Destination weather tool.
All-inclusive or not?
All-inclusive works well for a pure beach week in Guanacaste, especially with children, when you want one price for food, drinks and kids’ activities, or when you are staying at a resort on a quiet bay with few restaurants within walking distance. It also means no separate restaurant and bar bills, each with 13% tax and 10% service added.
Paying as you go works better if you will be out on tours most days, as most visitors to Costa Rica are: the wildlife, volcanoes and rainforest are the main draw, and you will often have lunch on the road. A typical “casado” plate at a local soda is good, filling and inexpensive, and in towns like Tamarindo you can eat at a different place every night. Many travelers combine the two: a few nights all-inclusive at the end of a trip, after La Fortuna, Monteverde or Manuel Antonio.
Plan your trip: see the top places to visit in Costa Rica, our Costa Rica itinerary for fitting a beach stay into a loop with La Fortuna and Monteverde, compare hotel prices for your dates, and let our AI trip planner build the days around your resort. The Money exchange tool helps with colón prices, and our Costa Rica travel guide covers entry rules and getting around.
Frequently asked questions
Are there adults-only all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica?
Yes, but only a few. Occidental Papagayo on the Gulf of Papagayo accepts guests 18 and over and is about 25 minutes from Liberia’s airport. Some family resorts also sell upgraded tiers with their own pool and lounge, which feel quieter.
Is all-inclusive worth it in Costa Rica?
It depends on how much time you spend at the resort. For a beach week in Guanacaste, especially with children, it is simple and predictable. If you plan to be out on tours most days, paying for meals as you go is usually better, and you get to try local sodas and restaurants.
Do all-inclusives in Costa Rica include tips and taxes?
Check the quote. Hotels often price “plus taxes”, and 13% value-added tax is then added. Some plans include gratuities (Fiesta Resort’s does, for example); others leave tipping to you, and extra tips for guides, drivers and staff are optional.
Which area is best for families?
The Gulf of Papagayo and Playa Matapalo, for the short transfer from Liberia, the dry-season sun and resorts with kids’ clubs and water parks. Families flying into San José on a short trip may prefer Puntarenas, about 50 minutes from the airport, and those wanting a quieter bay can try Tambor.
Which airport should I fly into for an all-inclusive?
Liberia’s Guanacaste Airport (LIR) for Papagayo, Matapalo and Tamarindo; San José’s Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) for Puntarenas and the Central Pacific. Tambor is about five hours by road from San José; the closest airport is the small Cóbano airport.
When is the cheapest time for a Costa Rica all-inclusive?
The green season, May to November, outside July. September and October are usually the cheapest and quietest, but also the wettest months on the Pacific coast, when some beach businesses close.