We had a wonderful time!

We stayed at this resort during the week of April 21st to 28th and we were very satisfied with our stay. The staff at the resort were quite helpful when our air conditioning wasn't working properly and we never had to wait long at the bar for a drink. They also don't water down their drinks and they have quite a great selection of liquor. The food at the buffet was so good that not once did we book an a la carte. Every night we managed to find something good to eat. The fresh fruit available in  [... lire plus]the morning is amazing and so are there fresh made donuts. Given that this is the south, we did stick to eating a lot of fish at night and vegetable dishes that are prominent to that region of the world, which is why we probably didn't have any complaints about the food. I think if you are hoping to eat like you do at home and eat largely western world junk food, you might be a little disappointed. They aren't very good at making junk food, which to me isn't really a problem (however their ice cream is top notch). There was a smoking section available by the quiet pool and up by the lobby bar, as a smoker I recognize this is inconvenient, however at the same time I was somewhat happy not to smell smoke by the pool and find butts all over the resort. Remember that this is the dry forest and consequently the driest province in Costa Rica, so much of the vegetation was brown as we were just on the cusp of rainy season. They seem to spray the grounds well for bugs and consequently there isn't really any bugs bothering you. This resort was also really great at managing lines, despite the amount of people staying at the resort. The upgraded gold wrist band really isn't worth the price, given how well they seem to manage their guests's needs. All in all I would go back here and probably will! This is a nice resort, the other reviews on here are just people nit picking. Yes we saw racoons, but they weren't bothering people unless you were walking around with food from the buffet. They aren't vicious, I think people just need to realize that this is Costa Rica, in the middle of the wild, animals are bound to be a little less tame than what you are used to at home.

Excellent Resort

This hotel is excellent. The staff make it a five star! They are always willing to help and always have a smile. The rooms are spacious and very clean. The ocean water on the bay in warm and the beach is nice. The disco is fun at night. Ask them to play rock a and roll otherwise you will just get techno music! There is not a lot to do at night so bring dice or cards. The Mango Martini is the best. They do not water down drinks. Just be aware there are lots and lots of steps and steep his because [... lire plus] it is built on a cliff.

Great times!!

The food and service were fantastic. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. The rooms were clean, large and had beautiful views. Pool Was great, lots of activities available. Would definitely visit again.

Fit and Full

Food was fiine. They did try to mix things up but the flavour was sometimes off (Oriental night). Loved the spread of fruits. The room was comfortable but need upgrading and professional finishing. Not sure I like the set-up of the resort but it did leave up with strong legs from all that walking. Many thanks to the great shuttle drivers. Grounds are kept clean and service was great. Very helpful and friendly workers. would have enjoyed better wifi connection though.

Amazing vacation*

Beautiful hotel and amazing staff. The food was enjoyable. I loved all the monkeys and other wildlife located right on the resort. It's a little secluded but we rented a car and traveled lots. The weather was gorgeous the whole trip and I got amazing cheap massages right on our beach. I enjoyed the boat ride that was included to a private beach. I had an overall amazing weekend would definitely suggest this hotel to friends and family. Thanks for your hospitality.

Fantastic

The resort was very clean and the staff was unbelievable. It does need a bit of updating, but I would definitely stay there again. The food was fantastic. Lots to see and do. I look forward to returning.

Fabulous Holiday

My husband and I had an amazing vacation in Costa Rica. The resort was fine by our accounts. The grounds were clean and green even at the peak of the dry season. The food was fantastic. The staff were all very friendly. The monkeys at the resort were priceless. The water was beautiful and warm. Our excursions were easy to book. From booking the vacation to getting our flights to coming home again, we never experienced any problems.

Not the best!

Although the hotel was nice enough, the staff were not there to serve. The beach was alright but the guys selling the time shares were annoying and approached me everytime I went to the beach. The food was delicious, the drinks sucked! The other huge issue with this resort is the fact that they let the locals in for the weekend on a pass. They filled up the pool, kids swimming in diapers everywhere and everyone at that point catered to the locals and spoke only in Spanish. As far as Costa Rica g [... lire plus]oes, I think the country in beautiful and we had a great time when we were on excursions but if I went back I would definitely choose a different hotel.

Beautiful grounds

grounds were well maintained. Food was was fine - loved the variety everyday. Fresh fruit and smoothie bar was amazing. Would recommend the ala carte restaurants - especially the Italian one. Entertainment was okay. The entertainment team were excellent dancers and versatile as they put on the show every night. The International Night barbeque and show was awesome. We stayed in Building 10 which was perfect. We asked to be moved on the first day as our first room was not acceptable. Staff were g [... lire plus]reat about moving us. Shuttles were regular which would take you up to the main reception area. The view is beautiful from there but a long steep walk from the pool area so the shuttle is great.

Excellent resort for the money

We had a great time at Allegro Papagayo Costa Rica. We had room 132 which had an awesome view. A bit of a walk to and from the pool and restaurant but you could take the shuttle if you want which runs about every 10 minutes or so. The food was we thought very good for an all inclusive and not at a 5 star resort. Went on a couple excursions through Charlies Adventures which is right at the towel exchange and was very enjoyable. Cammillo and Reuben and the rest of the crew were very friendly and f [... lire plus]un. Some people went with outfits from the people on the beach and complained it was expensive for what they got. Don't get sucked into the timeshare. That's all I have to say on that. All in all we would go back again for sure. Not a resort if you're looking for parties but if you're looking for a quiet holiday it's great.

Allegro papagayo

There rions Were clean and simple. I recommend bring face cloths from home. the pool and buffer area were also clean! The washroom near the pool had only two working toilets out of five. The staff were friendly and helpful. The resort is in an isolated area. If you are looking to go out it is not for you. The hotel is located in a bay, the water is very calm and shallow!

Allegro papagayo

had great time if you want to see monkeys this is the place to go monkey travel along the beach area 3 - 4 times a day. guides on beach are a lot cheaper than the excursions through the resort. see Antonio, Henry, or Diego all are insured and will go out of there way to make excursion the best. we went with Henry and he is very shopping is best done at coco beach little town 30 minutes away everything is about half price what you will pay at the resort. there is also a small casino in coco beach [... lire plus] for anyone wanting to do a bit of gambling. great little take out place if you like wraps right beside casino. trip is about 15 buck a person return if you book through guys on beach or about 75 - 90 for cab ride. well worth the money if your looking for gifts. resort is on a hill but they have shuttle every 10 minutes or so to take people around. Most of the resorts there are on hills so expect a good leg workout. beach is nice and well looked after lots of birds around to take photos of.

Comfortable, Fun and Friendly

Most reviews we read about this resort were pretty harsh and extremely critical but we had a really great time. First off the staff is incredible, the nicest, friendliest and most accommodating people. They made everyone feel so welcome and excited to be at the resort (I.e. dining experiences, lobby services, bar staff, day activities, etc.). Second, this resort is pretty isolated BUT it was really refreshing. I recommend taking at least 1 or 2 day excursions just to experience the culture of  [... lire plus]the country. Everywhere we went everyone was so wonderful and excited to share their culture with us (and not once did we ever feel anyone was out for our money). The country is beautiful with so many different kinds of terrain and climate to experience (i.e. mountains/volcanoes, deep valleys, rainforest, dry lands, etc.) so definitely take the opportunity to leave the walls of the resort to explore. Third, Costa Rica has become a more expensive country to visit in the past 20-30 years. Keep this in mind when shopping anywhere. The cost of living and what is legally minimum wage is not proportional so when bartering (shop owners don't mind making compromises) keep in mind they are making significantly less than what most Canadians/Americans make but have to pay only a little less in terms of living expenses. They do offer taxi service for 80$/4 people to a beach/shopping strip in coco beach about 30 mins away. I really didn't care for it all that much because it's been modelled specifically for tourist activity. The beach is really nice but the shopping is pretty expensive. Fourth, back to the resort, lots of reviews were disappointed with the beach and the colour of the sand. Personally I loved it. You can see the bay around you. The water is warm and extremely shallow but the tide shifts pretty often so this dictates how far you have to walk out to get to deeper water. Fifth, the hotel is built on a hill so depending on where youre staying there may be climbing included in your day. The rooms aren't super fancy but we were rarely in ours anyway, beds are comfortable and rooms are well air conditioned. Last, the food at the buffet had its merits. Lots of fresh veggies and different meat options. They always served rice and beans with every meal. Breakfast was my favourite with eggs, pancakes (they had a firmer texture but we're so good), french toast, breads, cheeses, meats, cereal, omelets and smoothies custom made.

Wonderful resort

The setting is tranquil and which begs to be enjoyed. Sunshine daily with the warmth of the sun penetrating winter worn vacationers. The smiles and friendliness of the many staff from the omelette chef Nohemy to the lobby staff,one of whom was Estavan, all made the resort memorable. White faced monkeys were fascinating. We were delighted and the hills to climb kept us more than fit.

Great value and MONKEYS

We spent a week at Allegro Papagayo at the end of January 2015 . The grounds are beautiful but very hilly, the walk to the rooms from the beach, pool, and restaurant is all up hill but very enjoyable. The rooms are a bit dated but clean and comfortable. The beach is huge with open and shaded areas, the sand is black. There are plenty of areas to walk and explore. The pool is great with a shaded swim up bar. All week the food was amazing, whether you want to eat regular food or try new things it  [... lire plus]did not disappoint. The staff was like anywhere, some were great and looked like they enjoyed being there while others were just going through the paces and doing as little as possible. The resort was pretty well organized except for the trip to the white sand beach which was a disorganized mess and would be the only negative experience of the entire trip, the staff on that trip were lazy and rude. Greatest thing about this resort is the wildlife, beautiful birds , iguanas, and most of all MONKEYS are everywhere. The cappuccin monkeys on the beach will entertain you all day , and will take bananas from your hand if you offer. If you look you will also see howler monkeys , they are not as friendly and keep their distance but are great to watch. It would be hard not to have a great vacation at this resort.

MUCH better than expected!!!

I am a realistic traveler, you get what you pay for. The only reason I give this place four stars is because it did not have all the luxuries of a high end resort...but that is not what we paid for, nor expected. The terrain has a steep incline, but there are shuttles to take you back and forth. Which also provides for a gorgeous areal view from the lobby. The resort is on a bay, so there is no open ocean, but the Four Seasons is next door. If it's good enough for the Four Seasons, it's good en [... lire plus]ough for us. We really enjoyed that this was a smaller resort. While some may not enjoy the limitations of one buffet and two a la carte restaurants, we relished the community feel of this establishment. Everything was close and nearby. Building 10 & 11 are closest to the pool and restaurants. While there is some noise, it is not anything to complain about. The beach is a black sand beach, but there is a free tour to a pristine beach that goes daily ( you will have to reserve a spot the day before). The trade off is the daily sightings with monkeys. If you bring a cup of water to the jungle gym, they will climb down and drink right out of your cup. That was an experience we would not have gotten at a large resort. The staff were wonderful. Our Nolitours rep was extremely friendly. Esteban at the disco made sure each and every night was fun and memorable. We went into Nicaragua for a day trip. Although we waited at the border, we were in a nice air conditioned bus. We could not have asked for a better excursion. The country is breathtaking! We did have to leave close to 5 am and there were not shuttles running at that time. We walked up the hill in near darkness ( bring a flashlight for this instance). But it was safe, so we were not discouraged. We booked our tour in the lobby. There is a desk on the left hand side when you walk in, before you get to the main desk. We found her prices to be the best! We also struck up a deal with one of our shuttle drivers to take us into town on his day off. Him and his brother picked us up and toured us around, showing us the countryside and completely flexible to our schedule. Finally, we were there over Christmas and New Years, the fest that was prepared and the fireworks display were above and beyond anything we expected. This is not a luxury resort, but it has the essentials, beauty and service to be a fantastic place to lay your head at night while you explore the country. P.S. The staff did not pester us to take part in group activities like so many other resorts, which we REALLY appreciated.

Very nice resort

clean and good customer service the rooms are adequate,the pool is very nice,the staff very helpful.Loved the monkeys,had two great side trips zip lining and river cruise.Cant say enough about the perfect weather,outstanding.

Worth the money

Good views, nice staff, lots to do! Rooms could use a little updating, but all in all, I would go back over and over. It never gets old watching all the monkeys on the beach, histarical! Lots of great excursions as well!

This was a great place I enjoyed it there

It is not a five star hotel but is plenty of enjoyable time can be spent here .. Food was good staff was very nice . Felt safe all the time here . I would come back . Could use some more convenient ways to Coco or other places. It costs large to get off the resort .. Make sure you have your snacks and stuff packed not much to buy there. But it was a great place for a great deal.

Loved it, would go back again

Happy staff made for happy guest. Christian, Marilyn, Christopher all made for great entertainment.the dancers etc took other jobs at the resort amazingly.Good food, drinks and service I would return there. The servers were attentive, friendly understood basic English that really helped.