"Great option This hotel was a great choice overall. While it’s not an ultra-luxury five-star resort, it offers excellent value for the price, especially in this expensive part of Costa Rica, where luxury accommodations can approach Hawaii-level pricing. Its proximity to the airport made transportation very convenient. The room was comfortable, and although the balcony design felt a bit unusual. It still did the job. We had dinner at the hotel one evening; it was somewhat pricey, but the paella was quite good. The pool and grounds were beautifully maintained, and the service was attentive. The beach has dark sand and was pleasantly uncrowded, with only a few vendors and otherwise mostly hotel guests. Sunsets on the beach were the highlight of our stay. The main downside is that there isn’t much within close distance of the hotel. A rental car is needed if you want to explore nearby areas like Playa Coco or Playa Hermosa for additional dining options."

"We had a wonderful vacation staying at El Mangroove, Autograph Collection. The hotel is beautiful, very clean, and located in an amazing area of Playa Panamá. The staff was friendly, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was perfect for a relaxing family trip. We also used Issys Tours Costa Rica for our transportation, sport fishing, and Mega Combo Tour, and the service was outstanding from beginning to end. Everything was organized perfectly, always on time, and very professional. Our guide Norberto was excellent — friendly, knowledgeable, and made our tours even more enjoyable. Highly recommend both the hotel and Issys Tours for anyone visiting Guanacaste, Costa Rica"

"After seeing so many options, we decided to book this hotel because of its reviews, and it was definitely the best choice. From the moment we arrived, everything was incredible: the rooms were clean, comfortable, and had a beautiful beach view, plus the excellent service and attention from all the staff, who were always very attentive. For transportation, we contacted Issys Tours Costa Rica, and Esteban definitely solved everything for us in just 10 minutes; he was very fast and kind. We booked both the arrival and return transfers, and we also took a tour to the rainforest to see sloths and a waterfall. Our guide was Nolberto, and he definitely made us feel very comfortable, with excellent English and all the information he shared with us during the tour, always being very attentive. I highly recommend this company; it was an incredible experience. Honestly, I would return to this hotel. Everything was excellent. These have definitely been some of the best vacations because of how well we were treated and how delicious the food was. You only have to walk a short distance to swim or relax on the beach, and the pools and their service were excellent as well. Thank you all, pura vida!"

"We stayed at El Mangroove the first week of May and had a wonderful time. First, it is easy to get to being less than thirty minutes from LIR, twenty minutes from rental car agencies (recommend Vamos). The resort has an upscale, laid back vibe with an attractive contemporary design that blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings. The brown sand beach is just steps away and was just right for our early morning power walks (also enjoyed the beach at nearby Playa Hermosa). We chose a Canopy Grand Suite for our room (#120). It is a second floor suite with a private balcony. The bedroom is huge with an equally spacious living area. The corner location allows windows on the two corner walls offering nice views of both the beach and resort. We ate several lunches and dinners at Matiss, the beachside cafe. The food was good and reasonably priced (also try Roberto's in nearby Playa Hermosa for the best sunsets). As mentioned, the staff was outstanding top to bottom, and they just couldn't do enough for you. Several deserve special mention including Nicole, Stephanny, Christina, Johnson, Carlos, Marisico (sp.) and Roberto. I do have one complaint which too often applies to many other hotels. Although I thought that the cost of the room was commensurate with its quality, I took one star off for value for assessing a daily 30 USD 'activity fee'. This fee has unfortunately become an industry standard and is nothing but a marketing ploy. In spite of this, we did very much enjoy our stay at El Mangroove, and highly recommend it. Travel Tips: There is a grocery store (Super Luperon) and nice souvenir shop (Sol Souvenirs) right beside it in nearby Playa Hermosa. Also, don't even think about driving in Costa Rica without a navigation device. (Waze works well). The roads are poorly marked, if at all. And look at travel times, not just distance. It takes much longer to get to places than you think."