Hotel Punta Leona

We love Playa Blanca - this time we went during rainy season - we spent first day mid-morning to early afternoon. Great waves on one side, and relaxing/calmer waters on the other side. We went later in afternoon next day and it was already too cloudy (rain coming in) and water was rough. Third day we came early morning before checking out and it was still high tide / water too rough. So best to come mi-day (around 10/11)

The premises of the resort are pretty big and there's a lot of preserved nature, so that's really nice. The check-in was easy, the room was nice, we had the last little hut-room in the row of huts and our windows looked directly into the jungle/forest, so that was nice, too. The property has access to 2 beaches - Playa Mantas seems to be public, even though i'm not sure how anyone outside the resort would get there, but Playa Blanca is private and you have to show a resort bracelet (or pay, i assume) to get there. And i understand why - cause boy, is that a beautiful beach!!! We had a delicious meal in their restaurant, had drinks, had fun with all the monkeys that come and try to steal things and then watched the most beautiful sunset. All in all, we had a wonderful experience! We also liked that the resort is not far away from San Jose and we could go directly to the airport from here for our flight at noon instead of having to spend the night in the capital. It was about a 2-hr drive to the airport (that's about 1 hr 15 min the whole way and about an hour for the last 5 km bc of crazy traffic :D so keep that in mind)

We did not know what to expect, and the pictures did not show an accurate view. It is an extensive gated property with a lot of what seem to be privately owned or time-share houses and apartments. The resort has 2 (semi) private beaches that are gorgeous, but the facilities feel a bit dated. We stayed in a 6-person apartment. All the bare necessities were there, but nothing more. We loved going to Playa Blanco, and the hotel pass gave us free access and parking. But the towel service is only valid at the pool at the main resort. We loved the overall experience, but it felt more like a community of regular visitors than a hotel/resort.

Room 866 was clean, in good condition and a comfortable size, there was no moldy/damp smell, the air con worked fine it was not noisy or dripping water, the WIFI was excellent, the mini fridge worked and kept our items cold, it did not make any loud noises or disturbing buzzes, it even had a jug of welcome water, which we didn't use because we had our own bottled water. The bathroom was clean, the grout in the bathroom was clean, no mold or damp smells. We got enough toiletries and towels, no need to ask for more. The beds were firm and comfortable, we slept great. Breakfast at Carambola Restaurant was well coordinated, we got 8am seating times and even though we got there a few minutes earlier, we were accommodated. Social distancing and masking by all staff were practiced. There are lots of sinks installed throughout the different areas of the restaurant to allow for frequent hand washing. We had lunch and dinner at the different restaurants on the property and the food was good, we didn't have to wait for service, and the food was always well-presented. The pools were all clean. The kiddies pools were nice but they got crowded on the weekend. Yet the other pools were equally nice for the kids. The Playa Blanca beach has a huge parking lot and they installed temporary showers in the car park to help with the social distancing rules. The permanent bathrooms were also clean and well maintained. There are roped off squares to help beach-goers social distance and keep their social bubbles, but on the weekend it was still very crowded and we saw strangers asking if they could share others' cordoned off space. I have a low tolerance for cigarette smoke and the resort only permits it in designated areas. I never felt bothered by wafts of cigarette smoke at the pools, restaurants and even on the beach. It was so great!!!

Resort place near two pretty, small beaches. Have to drive or resort shuttle to beaches or long walk. Saw number of scarlet macaws with morning walk on first beach. Enjoyed the butterfly garden. Excellent breakfast buffet - and monkeys came to the area while we ate.