Punta Islita, Autograph Collection

Celebrating our 10-year anniversary in Costa Rica was an unforgettable blessing, and staying at Hotel Punta Islita made it truly magical. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm smiles, “Pura Vida,” and an incredible level of care. The entire staff treats every guest with love and attention, going above and beyond to ensure your stay is comfortable and memorable. You even get the chance to meet the hotel manager and chef, who, like everyone else, are friendly and focused on making sure you have the best time possible. The hotel offers transportation to and from the airport, making travel stress-free, and a shuttle to the beach and the charming town of Islita ensures you can explore with ease. The beach is clean, stunning, and perfect for relaxation or adventure. Whether you want to sit back and enjoy a delicious drink while listening to the waves or dive into a wide range of activities, there’s something for everyone. The hotel provides incredible cultural experiences and fun activities, including ATV rides, turtle-watching, and more. You’ll be completely immersed in the beauty of Costa Rica’s nature. For relaxation, the spa is fantastic, with skilled massage therapists who will leave you feeling refreshed and pampered. Every aspect of this place feels safe and welcoming, from the lush surroundings to the friendly staff. And the food? Absolutely incredible! Every meal is fresh, authentic, and mouthwatering—worth every bite (even if it means gaining a few pounds). Whether you want an adventure-filled trip or a peaceful retreat by the beach, Hotel Punta Islita has it all. I highly recommend booking a trip to Costa Rica and staying here. It’s an experience you’ll never forget, and I’m already counting down the days until I can go back!

Punta Islita is a beautiful hotel perched up on large hill overlooking the ocean. There’s a lot of activities offered by the hotel which makes up for being in a secluded area. Unfortunately we didn’t see the wildlife we expected which were monkeys, the place was still teeming with many birds. The hotel did end up reversing a suite upgrade last minute on us and didn’t really make up for it in anyway which is disappointing and hardly acknowledged the problem. Also the rooms need a refresh as they are outdated for this price class of a hotel.

Fantastic trip. Customer service was off the charts. And the best thing is that there were practically zero people there are the time so it made our trip all the better. I cannot express how amazing their customer service is, and I love the WhatsApp utilization for any contact resort. Truly amazing and we cannot wait to go back again. Notes: It is about 2.5 hours from the LIB airport but only around 70 miles so it is a slow roll so prepare accordingly About 6 miles of the drive at the very end is on a dirt road so it is bumpy be prepared We drove the whole thing at night from the airport so needless to say it is VERY DARK out there You are at least 30 min from any significant store and a solid 75 min from a big store in Samara which is awesome We did a big shop and cooked in our villa most nights, it was amazing.

The area is fantastic and pura vida but disappointing stay and it really could've and should've been better. The rooms need a major renovation and upgrade especially for this price point. I'm surprised Marriott considers this an "Autograph" property because it doesn't meet the standard especially since you expect everything to be in good working order. Let's start with the good: this property is in a stunning location with very nice vistas, pools, beach club and restaurants to enjoy all the nature has to offer. Because it's remote would advise getting transportation to/from airport if not renting a car. Love the focus on the environment with water bottle refilling station and natural materials throughout the resort with little use of plastic and other wasteful products. Alma Restaurant-serves breakfast and dinner. The food is good, fresh and reasonably priced with variety of beverages, appetizers, entrees and dessert. Aura Restaurant-perfect for lunch by the Pacific Ocean or snacks in addition to juices, healthy drinks and cocktails. Pools-very nice with easy access to showers, plenty of lounge chairs and a bar area. Shuttle-friendly drivers who will take you to the tiny "town" next door, down to the beach area or other sites anytime you want to go. They will also pick you up. The bad: The room. The bathroom was on par with a Motel 6 with chipped, faded tile, ancient faucet and showerhead with very little water pressure. The bed mattress was lumpy and the sofa also worn and uncomfortable. The door to our room broke and took an hour before maintenance guy could get access thru the bathroom window. The outside jacuzzi started gushing water onto the patio and maintenance guy saw it and never returned, it wound up having very little water so unusable. In room fridge didnt keep anything cold. Alma Restaurant-Highly inconsistent service , had some very friendly servers (Francisco, Diego, and Gerard) and some downright surly ones ("ready to order?! Room number?!" ) Be prepared to wait a long time for your food. drinks, and check with the exception of Aura Restaurant. Even though the most crowded was 10 tables max, breakfast always took 90 minutes. Dinner service also slow. The menu doesnt change so suggest going off property for some meals. Housekeeping-left dirty dishes and didn't leave clean glasses or water Front desk-friendly but not pro-active or solution oriented. There was a planned power outage that kept us out of our room from 8am-430pm with nowhere to be but outside without power. I understand that's not in the resort's control but they should've done something (even a room credit) since for 8.5 hours unable to use the room that was paid for. Also should've been warned at check in (not the night before) about the planned outage. Overall, with power outage, broken room door, malfunctioning jacuzzi and bathroom/room in need of major renovations, this was all something I've never experienced at a 4 or 5 star property and it's not s

This is an amazing place. The beauty and even more amazing the people. All the staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I loved the accommodations as focus is on nature. Felt so very lucky to have experienced this gem. I would mention in particular Victor and Joe who manage guest experiences and overall smooth running of the operation. I have never found staff more helpful and eager to insure a special vacation..

So much has been written about this destination. Mostly accurate; some slightly mis-stated. I'll focus on three elements. 1) ROOMS - About 54-rooms, plus nearby rental homes. Lots of reviews complain about rooms needing renovation. Of that I have little doubt. However, we happen to be assigned a smallish remodeled room with a mountain/jungle view. Didn't miss the ocean view because except for sleep we were rarely in our room. When we were, we enjoyed the vista from our ridiculously large veranda. Our room was nothing exceptional, but it was more than fine - A/C worked great, housekeeping was splendid, the King bed was very comfortable, and sheets, towels, etc. were perfectly fine. 2) CUISINE - Outstanding. Some complaints about being captive with limited selections and high prices just aren't accurate. The resort could clearly price the menu much higher and get away with it, but they don't. Pricing reflects locally sourced food, the local economy, and a dose of common sense. Breakfast and dinner menus in the dining room were without exception creative, healthy and delicious. In a week's stay, we never came close to ordering the same thing twice. Service is superlative. The staff really does care; hugs all the way around on departure morning. Lunch down on the beach and at the beach pool is light, tasty, and equally right-priced. And, speaking of cuisine, there are three restaurants in the nearby village of Islita (10-minute walk or 3-minute complimentary shuttle). We dined in the village two evenings - Kimbute and Don Ramiro. Neither are to be missed. If you eat in town, you may never stop talking about it. 3) BEACH - I mentioned the beach food offerings above, but the entire beach club scene is a page right out of the 1950s chic/hip/cool playbook. No loudmouths pounding pina coladas at the pool bar. Few vendors plying their goods. No early grab for pool chairs. The pool is quiet and refreshing, shade trees around the pool and along the beach preclude the need for umbrellas. The water is walk-in warm, and the surf is just mild enough for toddlers and seniors, yet just enough surf for beginner surfers. The beach is perfect for walks and horseback riding (only about 2/3 mile total length). Nothing could be finer than renting a Cabana for the day (all of $49 as of February 2025, with a small food and beverage service included). The very best "activity" of our couples week may have been the 90-minute full body massage and facial at an outdoor spa there directly on the beach, under a coconut tree with the surf softly breaking nearby. Punta Islita works for honeymooners, trekkers, seniors, young families...everyone. Just don't tell anyone.