Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique Review

Papagayo, the peninsula of Costa Rica, has attracted attention from luxury hotel products in recent years, including the four-season resort Peninsort Papagayo, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, as of February, Nekajui, Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

But less than an hour’s drive around Culebra Bay, the area has a new resort ready to compete for the attention of luxury travelers. The best part? You can book using the Hilton Honor Point.

Nestled on a 300-foot cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique brings the brand’s signature elegance to the Lush Guanacaste region of Rica, Costa Rica, on TPG’s list of most exciting hotel openings of 2025.

This is the exterior of the resort.

Related: The best all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica for beach visits or hiking trips

First impression

Astoria, heading to Waldorf, there are magnificent views everywhere. But the best is the panoramic view, which greets guests as they step into the lobby. The modern space with wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling windows gives way to a spacious, ocean-facing terrace that undoubtedly sends a signal of a holiday.

My husband and I greeted it with cold towels and mint lemonade and I took it to the terrace to enjoy the amazing views. Meanwhile, my 7-month-old daughter received a plush sloth named Petronila, whose hits were so popular that she joined us everywhere throughout the trip.

Room

Waldorf Astoria has 148 rooms and 40 suites, with 20 rooms to choose from. The rooms are elegantly decorated in tranquil, neutral tones, making the sea view the center stage. Natural materials such as rattan, wood and stone seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces.

I live in a one-bedroom king suite facing the ocean with a small pool that provides plenty of space for both indoors and outdoors to spread. In the main area, a spacious table is the perfect place to enjoy the indoor dining menu, while my new mobile daughter uses the plush living area for crawling exercises.

In the second room, a king-size bed faces floor-to-ceiling windows and connects to a spa bathroom with double-level restroom, rain shower and separate water closet. The bedroom also has another seating area, table and chairs, and a station with free coffee, tea and water.

The wraparound outdoor space offers several places to relax, from the diving pool to the oversized lounge chairs to the outdoor bathtub. From our balcony we enjoy stunning views of the ocean and the hotel’s cascading multi-storey pool each morning.

Dining at Waldorf Costa Rica Restaurant

Emphasizing the high quality of local ingredients shines in many dining concepts throughout the property. The fish were purchased from local fishermen, and the hotel chefs hand-selected the bull from nearby farms. The attention to detail doesn’t stop there: each dish is sprinkled with locally produced salt in the ancient tradition of the Indigenous Recorder.

tico tica
This relaxed and sophisticated restaurant is open all day, but it does come to life during dinner time, with a wide range of menus that can bring pasta to seafood. My favorite dish is The Humita ($18), a sweet corn pot with melted cheese and smoked pepper.

La Finca
The resort’s iconic restaurant combines modern and traditional cuisine to provide a premium dining experience. I like the grilled artichokes ($22) from Manchego and Green Plantain ($29) and Rincon de la Vieja cocktail ($22) named after the nearby volcano.

Peacock Lane
This signature column appears in every Waldorf Astoria around the globe. Every small plate we tried here was delicious, but the player was a Chorotega cocktail made of rum, corn wine, coffee, vanilla and chocolate truffle ($20).

Vida
Vida’s pizza, salad and sandwich menu is best served from the pool chair overlooking the ocean. Don’t skip the avocado sauce with green mango and cashews ($17).

Buena Nota Cafe
If you don’t want to have breakfast, this cafe is a great morning choice. It offers specialty coffee and homemade pastries, including pink guava rolls ($13) and golden mango ecleirs ($14).

copo y cono
Grab your homemade ice cream, milkshake or paletta in this small shop, just a few steps from the pool. I love a cup of Pura Vida chocolate with fresh mangoes ($9).

Terrace
The terrace offers the best views of the property, just a place to enjoy a cocktail or glass of champagne before dinner.

Indoor dining
Room service is available 24/7 and comes in handy before our morning flight home. We pre-arrived the breakfast burritos with beans, rice and plantains ($18) so we could take them to the airport.

Convenience and service

• Serve: The hotel staff are the best, warmest people I have ever met and they went beyond to make sure we have everything we need. For example, when we run unexpectedly, they even help us source baby formula from local stores.
• Personal Concierge: All guests will receive contacts from employees who can send messages to book events through WhatsApp, arrange transportation, bookings, and more.
• Activity: Waldorf Astoria Costa rica Punta Cacique has an action-packed calendar of events, free options for games from yoga to snorkeling to beaches.
• pet: Pets on this property receive a non-refundable fee of up to $250.
• Pool: The hotel is a pool lover’s dream, with eight ocean-facing pools to choose from, as well as a more secluded spa option.
• beach: On the beautiful beach of the resort, lounge chairs and sofa beds abound, which are also used for games and activities.
• Fitness Center: The facility is equipped with free weights and technical machines.
• spa: Waldorf Astoria Spa integrates ingredients and techniques used by Chorotega people into their massages, rituals and other treatments.
• Kids and Teen Club: These free clubs offer visitors aged 4 to 12 and table tennis games, movie nights and video games such as beach walks, bowling and treasure hunts for ages 13 to 17.

Activity

There is a lot to see in the Guanacaste region, especially for nature lovers. Among the highlights of our time in Costa Rica is a boat trip through the Tempisque River wetland arranged by the hotel. We saw monkeys, crocodiles, many birds and bats.

But there are also many ways to connect with nature and local culture without having to stay away from the hotel. The barista course directed by hotel staff provides us with a fascinating introduction to a variety of roasting and brewing tips and the role coffee plays in daily life, and the morning guided kayaking adventure to the nearby beach is a great way to explore the bay and its sea life.

Location and logistics

Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica, about 18 miles west of Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Costa Rica, is located in Costa Rica, and you can easily get to American cities from American cities including Los Angeles, Charlotte, Atlanta, New York, New York and Houston.

It takes about 40 minutes to drive from the airport, but don’t expect a ride app. When Uber appears in the region, there are not many drivers. Instead, you can take a taxi (the ticket price may vary but usually fall between $60 and $100) or rent a car because parking at the resort is free. The hotel also works with a luxury car company to offer premium private airport transfers, with SUV rides priced at $195.

How much does it cost to stay in Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica and how to book

The Waldorf Astoria brand belongs to the Hilton Umbrella, which means you can earn and redeem Hilton’s memorial points. Standard room rewards currently start at 120,000 a night, with prices rising during the holidays from now until late December. Cash prices range from now to $1,053 to $1,630 per night.

When booking a Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica, you need to use one of a credit card that earns the most scored credit card from Hilton, or a credit card that provides automatic Hilton Honors Elite identity for value-added benefits. These include:

• Hilton Honors American ExpressSuperpass® Card: Qualified Purchase at Hilton Hotels, Automatic Gold Elite Status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond State before the end of the next calendar year, earn 12 points per year on eligible purchases, and upgrade to Diamond State by spending qualified purchases in one calendar year.
• Hilton Honor America Express Business Card: Qualified Purchase at Hilton Hotels, Automatic Gold Elite Status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond Status at the end of the next calendar year, spending $40,000 per year in one calendar year to upgrade to Diamond Status in eligible purchases.
• Hilton Honors American Express Card: Qualified Purchase and Automatic Silver Elite Identity at Hilton Hotels (upgraded to gold at the end of the next calendar year, earning 7 points when you spend $20,000 on a Qualified Purchase in one calendar year).
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points for every dollar you’re eligible for purchases for Hilton Hotels and Auto Diamond Elite.

Information on the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The hotel also attended American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. Those with eligible cards, such as PlatinumCard® from American Express or BusinessPlatinumCard® from American Express, and booking through the FHR portal, such as availability-based upgrades, daily breakfasts, breakfast for two, and current credits for up to $100 during the stay.

Accessibility

Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica has two room types, with mobility and auditory access – one with king bed and the other with two queens. Both are equipped with rolling showers and visual alarm and notification equipment.

The property also has several other accessible amenities including an accessible pool, workout facilities and meeting rooms. Welcome to the resort to the service animals.

Bottom line

Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica integrates local materials, ingredients, customs and culture as a resort in the Guanacaste region – and at the same time, thanks to the strong permeation of global brands among Waldorf Astoria fans, whether they have ever visited Costa Rica here or not.

With comfortable accommodation, delicious food, friendly service and abundant rewards, the hotel offers Hilton loyalists a great new option to redeem their points or a free night certificate for a high-value tropical vacation.

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