The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

7956 reviews

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  Think before you choose Westin Conchal

  My husband and I chose The Westin for our 30th wedding anniversary because we trusted the Westin brand and expected the level of quality, comfort, and service associated with an upscale international hotel. Unfortunately, despite an excellent initial arrival experience, our stay ultimately became one of the most disappointing hotel experiences we have had. 1. Arrival and Initial Impression From the moment we arrived at the airport through our transfer to the resort and private check-in at the Family Club, the experience was excellent. The staff were welcoming and professional, and our first impression was very positive. Unfortunately, that changed almost immediately after we entered our assigned room. 2. Room Condition and Unpleasant Odours The room had a strong moldy and musty smell. In addition, there were three drainage areas directly in front of and beside our room, which produced a noticeable sewage odour whenever we opened the door. We requested a room change immediately but were informed that no alternative room was available that day and that we would need to wait until the following day. We therefore asked the staff to treat the mold smell in the room. Although the odour improved temporarily, it returned strongly the following evening. This was not simply a matter of personal preference or comfort. I subsequently developed allergy symptoms and difficulty breathing while staying in the room. Fortunately, I had brought allergy medication from home, which provided some relief. After we raised the issue again with the Family Club, the staff eventually arranged for us to move to another room, which we appreciated. However, even the replacement room lacked the fresh and well-maintained atmosphere that I have generally associated with Westin properties in other countries. 3. Food Quality and Dining Experience The quality of the food was also well below what we expected from a resort of this category. On our first evening, we had dinner at the seafood restaurant. Later that night, I developed severe stomach pain, followed by diarrhea the next day. I cannot state with certainty that the meal was the cause, but the timing was certainly concerning. At the Italian restaurant, the pasta was significantly undercooked, and the pizza dough did not appear to have been properly fermented. More surprisingly, we ordered a sausage pasta dish, yet the dish was served without any sausage. These were not minor matters of individual taste. They reflected basic shortcomings in food preparation and quality control. 4. Swimming Pool Condition The swimming pool was another area of concern. The water did not appear particularly clean, and the dark-colored pool floor made the condition of the water even more difficult to assess visually. After swimming on our first day, my husband's eyes became red and irritated. As a result, we decided not to use the pool for the remainder of our stay. For a resort where the swimming pool is one of the principal recreational facilities, this was particularly disappointing. 5. Beach Experience and Safety Concerns We subsequently attempted to enjoy the beach instead. However, the waves were quite strong, making swimming difficult and uncomfortable. We also noticed that, because the beach is public, there did not appear to be a clearly marked or secured swimming area for hotel guests. Without a visible swimming boundary, we did not feel entirely comfortable or safe swimming in the ocean. I recognize that ocean conditions are outside the hotel's control. However, clearer guidance or designated swimming areas would have made guests feel considerably more secure. 6. Coffee Purchase Cancellation and Lack of Written Confirmation The final issue involved a relatively simple retail transaction that became unnecessarily frustrating. I purchased coffee beans from the resort market and decided the following day to cancel the transaction because I intended to purchase a larger quantity instead. I fully understood that the actual refund might require several days to appear on my credit card account. I was not asking for an immediate refund. What I repeatedly requested was simply written confirmation, such as a cancellation receipt or voided transaction record, confirming that the original card transaction had been cancelled. Despite several requests, I was not provided with such confirmation and instead received explanations that were difficult to understand. In my view, providing written confirmation of a cancelled credit card transaction is a basic and reasonable customer service expectation. The inability to provide this documentation caused unnecessary concern and frustration. 7. Overall Assessment I have stayed at Westin properties in several countries and have generally had very positive experiences. That history is precisely why we selected The Westin in Costa Rica over other available resorts. This trip was particularly meaningful because it was intended to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We expected to leave with wonderful memories of an important milestone in our marriage. Instead, our stay was repeatedly affected by problems involving room conditions, unpleasant odours, health discomfort, food quality, swimming facilities, beach safety concerns, and the handling of a basic retail cancellation. No hotel stay is perfect, and individual problems can occur at any property. What was disappointing in this case was the number and variety of issues encountered during a single stay. For a property operating under the Westin name and positioned as a luxury resort, the overall experience fell significantly below the standard we reasonably expected. Sadly, rather than becoming the memorable anniversary vacation we had hoped for, this trip left us with considerable disappointment, frustration, and discomfort. Without question, this was the most disappointing Westin experience I have had.

  Sep 09, 2026
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  Highly Recommend – Exceptional Food Allergy Safety & Gorgeous Resort

  We had a fantastic stay at The Westin Reserva Conchal and highly recommend it, especially for families managing severe food allergies. We traveled with our child who has multiple food allergies (peanut, hazelnut, sesame, and shellfish). While we went in knowing that certain specialty restaurants would be off-limits due to cross-contamination risks, the resort staff exceeded our expectations at every turn. The dining managers across all venues were exceptionally proactive, attentive, and genuinely invested in keeping our daughter safe. At the buffet, the kitchen went above and beyond by preparing her meals separately in the back to prevent cross-contamination. Room service was equally accommodating and seamless. Our favorite dining experience was at the Italian restaurant, where the team handled our restrictions with absolute precision. Tip for allergy parents: We brought printed food allergy cards translated into Spanish, which made communicating our needs completely effortless for the staff. Beyond the outstanding service, the resort itself is wonderful. The pool area is relaxed and beautiful, and the adjacent beach offers fantastic swimming. We felt completely safe and well cared for throughout our trip and would highly recommend the Westin Reserva Conchal to any food allergy family!

  Sep 09, 2026
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  What happened to the pool!?

  I just want to start by saying the resort/food/staff or a solid 5 stars! I would’ve given even less because of the pool situation. We were here 4.5 years ago and loved it (this is our 4th time in CR and 2nd time and the Westin). We came with our parents who don’t travel much and couldn’t say enough good things especially how awesome the pool was. We got here and the pool is disgusting (will post photos). I’m surprised no one has made this comment yet in the reviews. We came here agsin for the pool ($9400 Canadian for our fam of 4). The pool is a completely different colour then when we were here before (manager stated that no Reno has been done to the pool in the time we were here last to make it look a different colour). It’s murky, dark, almost looks like sludge. The manager did say it’s ok to swim in but to us it was not inviting at all. Hotel said it was algae. I honestly wouldn’t come back because of this one thing. We are Canadian, we want sun, nice beach (which it is) and a wicked pool, Not so much this time. The staff, room, food, grounds, drinks everything is all amazing though. A/c in rooms was perfect as I read some bad reviews about that. We got some sun and lotsa clouds but was very hot, little bit of rain but not much. Our experience for our family (there was 9 of us altogether, age 2-70) was awesome other than the pool, a lot of complaints from us and people that we heard talking in the pool as well. To us, the pool maintenance should be top priority. Clean, blue, warm, clear (pool temp was perfect). I’m sure a lot of ppl would agree. No one wants, cloudy, green looking sludge pond looking pool!! I really hope more people wrote a review about this do they fix it asap!! I will post photo of the same spot in pool but opposite side of stairs from 4 years ago compared to what we experienced at our stay this time around for reference.again, love everything else 5/5 but pool 1/5.

  Sep 08, 2026
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  We should have come to Costa Rica earlier!!!

  Just got back from our vacation and I must say it was one of the best all inclusive vacations my family and I have ever had. The resort is beautiful and the rooms are remarkably excellent, even for a family of four. The food was top notch at all restaurants. The buffet was better than expected and the evening service with the buzzing pagers made sure all the food was freshly served. Lots of wildlife at the resort which is very cool - but please remember not to bother them or feed them!!! The amenities at the resort were excellent and the staff was friendly all around. The vendors on the beach are friendly as well. They will engage you regularly but they do not bother you which is nice. We met and booked a tour through Erik G (look for the blue shirt) and his knowledge of the tours available and his connections resulted in one of the most unique experiences we have ever had. He connected us with Verny of Costa Rica Family Tours and I have never been happier to have booked a tour in my life. This brings me all back to what a unparalleled environment the Westin has created here between comfort, leisure, nature, wildlife and local business engagement. I hardly ever go back to the same place twice but this resort is on my short list for next year.

  Sep 06, 2026
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  Great hotel

  The hotel was great. All the staff was very friendly fly and helpful especially Joseph Cascante and Fabian Marin who were the best and the friendliest. Only on employee was not very friendly and maybe something was bothering her because she always had a sad look on her face and that was Mayra Bustos at La Savana restaurant The food everywhere was very good.

  Sep 05, 2026