Costa Rica Strengthens Luxury Tourism as JW Marriott Unveils Its First-Ever All-Inclusive Resort Worldwide

Image Source : JW MARRIOTT

Costa Rica is making a move in the luxury tourism scene with the launch of the JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa. This new resort is the all-inclusive property ever opened by the JW Marriott brand anywhere in the world. Located in Guanacaste it offers 415 rooms. Is designed to elevate the country’s premium hospitality experience. Guests can enjoy 17 swimming pools, 15 different dining and bar spots and top-tier wellness facilities. The resort also offers activities that connect travelers with the beauty of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast its natural landscapes and its rich culture. This new addition shows how Costa Rica is building on its reputation as a destination, for luxury travel.

Overlooking the secluded waters of Playa El Jobo in Guanacaste, the property introduces a different interpretation of the traditional all-inclusive holiday. Accommodation, food and recreation remain important, but the resort goes further by building its experience around wellness, Costa Rican culture, nature and personalised stays.

A Landmark Opening on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast

The resort occupies a scenic position on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coastline, where beaches, tropical vegetation and the wider Guanacaste landscape become part of the experience.

Its design draws inspiration from local nature and traditions, including the story of Sibú, associated with creation and harmony in Bribri and Cabécar Indigenous traditions.

Open-air spaces and carefully positioned coastal views connect the buildings with the surrounding environment. Locally influenced artwork, handcrafted features and natural materials reinforce the property’s Costa Rican identity.

A striking handcrafted walnut feature in the lobby serves as one of the architectural focal points, while artwork throughout the property reflects the landscapes and character of the Pacific coast.

Spacious Accommodation With Swim-Out Options

The resort contains 415 rooms and suites, ranging from spacious guestrooms to larger Presidential Suites with separate living areas.

Some ground-floor suites provide direct access to semi-private swim-out pools, creating an easy transition between indoor accommodation and outdoor leisure spaces.

JW Marriott’s Mindful Rooms and Suites are another accommodation option. These spaces have been created around rest, relaxation and wellbeing, giving travellers a calmer environment during their stay.

The villa-inspired approach helps the property move away from the feel of a conventional large hotel despite its considerable room inventory.

Griffin Club Raises the Privacy Level

Travellers seeking greater exclusivity can choose the resort’s Griffin Club, which operates almost like a smaller private retreat inside the main property.

Guests can arrange preferences for dining, wellness, activities and accommodation before reaching Costa Rica. On arrival, they gain access to a private lounge and additional personalised assistance.

The Griffin Club includes its own pool, concierge services, a private beach area and a lounge available around the clock.

Certain accommodations also offer swim-out access. Its Presidential Suite provides extensive indoor and outdoor living areas overlooking the surrounding coastline.

Priority restaurant reservations and pool cabana access are among the additional benefits designed to make stays more convenient.

Fifteen Dining and Drinking Experiences

Food is one of the property’s biggest attractions, with 15 restaurants and bars offering a mixture of Costa Rican and international flavours.

Rather than relying on a single buffet-led all-inclusive model, the resort spreads its culinary offering across multiple concepts.

Leal draws on the food traditions of Guanacaste and includes interactive experiences such as coffee roasting. Guests can also explore a seven-course tasting experience influenced by different regions of Costa Rica.

Casado specialises in wood-fired coastal cooking, while Puerto Limón highlights the country’s Afro-Caribbean culinary heritage.

Italian influences appear at Luciano, while Santos explores Mexican cooking techniques, including wood-fire preparation and nixtamalisation.

Japanese-inspired options include Namuyaki, with teppanyaki experiences, and Boga, which combines local coastal ingredients with Japanese techniques.

The resort even includes a root beer stand serving craft sodas and comfort food, inspired by the small root beer business that marked the beginning of Marriott’s hospitality history.

Fresh Produce Moves From Garden to Plate

The JW Garden strengthens the property’s focus on ingredients and seasonality.

Herbs, vegetables, fruits and edible flowers are cultivated on site and can make their way into restaurant dishes, cocktails, chef-led dinners and private dining experiences.

For guests, this provides a more visible connection between the resort’s kitchens and the ingredients used across its culinary programme.

A 16,000-Square-Foot Focus on Wellbeing

Wellness is not treated as an optional extra at Costa Elena.

The resort dedicates approximately 16,000 square feet to wellbeing facilities, bringing together Spa by JW, a fitness centre and the brand’s first Mindfulness House.

Costa Rica’s natural heritage shapes the spa experience, where locally inspired treatments use elements such as mineral-rich volcanic clay and native cacao.

Guests can also explore hydrotherapy, sound baths, cacao ceremonies and other restorative programmes.

The nearby Nicoya Peninsula, internationally associated with longevity, provides additional inspiration for the resort’s approach to balance, movement and purposeful living.

Mindfulness Gets Its Own Dedicated Sanctuary

The Mindfulness House creates a separate environment for guests wanting to slow the pace of their holiday.

Located beside forest and beneath the shade of a native Guanacaste tree, it uses open-air spaces and natural surroundings to strengthen the connection with the outdoors.

Guests can slow down and recharge through calming experiences ranging from guided meditation and Reiki to therapeutic sound sessions, traditional cacao rituals and personal mindfulness exercises.

This makes wellness a continuous element of the stay rather than something confined to a single spa appointment.

Seventeen Pools and Adventures Beyond the Hotel

Water plays a major role across the resort, which features 17 swimming pools, including an oceanfront infinity pool.

Travellers wanting to explore farther can take part in activities such as guided kayaking, sunset hikes, nature treks, diving, deep-sea fishing and private yacht excursions.

A weekly night market also brings elements of Guanacaste culture into the property through local crafts, traditional food, music, dance and storytelling.

Families receive dedicated programming through the Family by JW Club. Activities for younger visitors include nature exploration, yoga, meditation, storytelling and creative art experiences.

New Options for Weddings, Retreats and Events

The property is also targeting groups and business travellers with more than 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.

An oceanfront ballroom and outdoor venues provide settings for meetings, corporate retreats, weddings and private celebrations.

Event programmes can incorporate wellness activities, cultural experiences and private dining, allowing organisers to combine formal gatherings with the surrounding destination.

Why the Opening Matters for Costa Rica

JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa enters Costa Rica’s luxury landscape as travellers increasingly seek immersive holidays that extendfar beyond an elegant room and conventional resort comforts.

Its combination of 415 rooms, 15 restaurants and bars, 17 pools,extensivewellness facilities, private Griffin Club experiences and outdoor adventures gives visitors multiple ways to experience Guanacaste from one base.

For JW Marriott, the opening marks its first move into all-inclusive hospitality. For Costa Rica, it adds another major luxury property to a tourism offering already closely associated with beaches, biodiversity, wellness and outdoor adventure.

Most importantly, the resort shows how the all-inclusive concept is changing. Convenience remains central, but food, local culture, privacy, wellness and destination experiences are increasingly becoming just as important.

At Costa Elena, that evolution is being shaped around one of Costa Rica’s greatest tourism strengths: the opportunity to combine high-end hospitality with direct access to nature.