Andaz Papagayo with Kids: The Costa Rica Resort We Loved Enough to Book 2 Years in a Row

The stunning lobby overlooking Culebra Bay at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

Location

What sets the Andaz apart starts with its setting. The resort sits inside Culebra Bay, where the water is unusually calm and protected, and it’s built into the hillside rather than perched on top of it, so you’re surrounded by jungle and wildlife from the moment you arrive. It shares a gated, beautifully maintained peninsula with the Four Seasons and the new Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, so the setting feels both exclusive and secure. The property is open-air and spread out, but never overwhelming—a quick WhatsApp message brings a golf cart to your building within minutes. Two years in, the service is the thing that keeps pulling us back: attentive without ever being intrusive.

Casa de Playa beach

Beaches

My favorite aspect, especially for families with young children, is the beach. The calm bay makes swimming, snorkeling, and paddleboarding genuinely easy for little ones in a way you won’t find at the bigger-surf beaches nearby—my 4-year-old snorkeled for the first time here. The main beach, Nacascolo, is shaded and gentle, with a protected reef right off the sand that you can easily swim out to for some great snorkeling. From this beach, you hop on a short, fun boat ride over to the private Casa de Playa beach club; kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkel gear are complimentary. You can rent jet skis from here, too. The wildlife is a constant delight: howler monkeys and iguanas around the property, and turtles and dolphins out in the bay. For little kids, the protected water, the ease of swimming and water activities, really is the whole reason I recommend this resort over its neighbors.

Boat ride over to Casa de Playa

Papagayo Park

The newest addition, Papagayo Park, opened in December 2025 and may have been the highlight of this year’s trip. Included for resort guests and a short shuttle away, it has water slides, a splash pad, a pump track with bikes and scooters to borrow, an art studio, a lap pool, and tennis, pickleball, and padel courts—a genuine game-changer for families with a range of ages.

We had the most fun at Papagayo Park!

Dining

The resort dining is excellent as well. Breakfast at Gaio, by the family pool, is a generous buffet with lots of traditional Costa Rican dishes, and Ostra (sushi and Asian fare) was our favorite on-property dinner, with Chao Pescao a close second for its bay views and Latin American small plates. Two off-property dinners on the peninsula that were absolutely worth it: Prieta Beach Club, right on the sand with the best sunset of our trip and amazing food, and Niri Beach Club at Ritz-Carlton Nekajui, where you ride a funicular down the hillside to reach the restaurant. Both were an easy shuttle ride to and from the Andaz.

We loved spotting the monkeys everywhere.

Excursions

During our first stay, we did one excursion: we visited the Llanos de Cortez Waterfall, followed by lunch at a traditional Costa Rican "soda," or café. It was a standout day. Our hosts made us feel like family, and we loved our day with them. We got to swim at the base of the nearly 50-foot waterfall, climb on huge rocks, and wade through small streams. We had a traditional Costa Rican lunch that everyone loved, and finally, a city tour by car to see some of the historical homes and landmarks before heading back to the Andaz.

Llanos de Cortez waterfall

Accommodation

Because the property is hilly, I’d request a room in one of the buildings near the family pool and Gaio. Our rooms had beautiful walk-out showers, and we enjoyed complimentary beverages that were restocked daily. For larger or multigenerational groups, the villas and residences with private plunge pools are worth every penny—we brought the grandparents this year, and the resort flexed beautifully, giving everyone room to move at their own pace without ever switching hotels. Green season, roughly May through November, is my quiet power play: lush, more affordable, barely rainy in my experience, and it brings migrating humpback whales and nesting sea turtles. And as a points-and-miles specialist, I can help clients decide whether to use points or book a cash rate with perks built in. The villas, which can’t be booked on points, are often best as a cash stay.

Suite with private plunge pool

So who is this for?

First and foremost, families with young kids who want calm-water beaches, easy days, and just enough adventure—it was hands-down the easiest beach vacation I’ve taken with my own children. It’s equally strong for multigenerational groups who want one beautiful home base. Couples and honeymooners will love it too; there is a quiet adults-only pool. Although for a pure honeymoon, I’d also show them Ritz-Carlton Nekajui next door. The only traveler I’d steer toward a two-stop itinerary is the one whose main goal is deep rainforest immersion; the immediate area is a bit of a drive from the bigger excursions, so I’d pair a few nights here with an inland stay in La Fortuna. For everyone else after warm, polished, genuinely kid-friendly luxury, the Andaz is hard to beat.

• Fly into Liberia (LIR)—it’s the closest airport and about a 35–45 minute drive, far easier with kids than flying into San José. Transfers are simple to arrange.

• The resort is secluded, so plan to spend most of your time on property (which you’ll want to do anyway).

• Kids four and under eat free from the kids’ menu, and ages five to eleven get half off the breakfast buffet at Gaio.

• Excursions from this area often involve real drive time, sometimes on rough roads—worth factoring in when planning day trips.

• Green season (May–November) is quieter and more affordable, with humpback whales from roughly July to November and nesting sea turtles later in the season.

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