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

To start off the new year, my extended family and I went down to Costa Rica and enjoyed some time at a couple of Marriott properties. The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa was the first property that we stayed at.

The Westin brand takes pride in placing the well-being of its guests at the forefront, focusing on six key pillars: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well.

The Westin Reserva Conchal has specifically curated a unique, all-inclusive experience that addresses these pillars and caters to both adults travelling on their own and also those travelling with families.

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

The rates at the Westin Reserva Conchal vary greatly depending on the season and how far in advance you book.

In 2024, pricing for a base-level Deluxe Junior Suite ranges between $493–1,297 (USD) per night for two adults and two children under age five. Keep in mind that these are all-inclusive rates, meaning that it covers your food and beverages, as well as most activities on the resort.

The maximum occupancy in the Deluxe, Premium, and Family Junior Suites is two adults and two children, with the exception of some Family Junior Suites with bunk beds that will accommodate a third child.

There’s no additional charge for children aged five and under, but adding children aged 6–12 to the reservation will incur a higher room rate, and it’ll be higher still when adding children who are 13 and older.

If redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for your stay, you can expect to pay between 77,500–122,500 points per night.

However, unlike the cash price, which varies depending on the number and the ages of the guests in the room, the number of points required doesn’t change. Given this, if booking with Bonvoy points, you’ll get the best value when travelling as a family of four with older children.

On this trip, we were booking for two families, plus one set of grandparents, for a total of 12 guests (six adults and six kids).

Both my sister and I have families of five, which would bump us into the more expensive Family Junior Suite with a bunk bed. Notably, the Family Junior Suites also aren’t available to book through points redemptions.

For our purposes, my sister and I opted to each book a Deluxe Junior Suite and then also book one of our children into the grandparents’ Deluxe Junior Suite to keep things economical.

As an all-inclusive resort, many amenities, including food services throughout the day, are included in your hotel rate. Inclusions also include use of the Wi-Fi, non-motorized sports equipment, tennis and pickleball courts, the in-suite minibar, and the Westin Kids Club.

If you’re booking a cash rate at the Westin, be sure to get in touch with a travel advisor with access to Marriott Luminous, Marriott’s preferred partner program. Doing so will afford you exclusive perks, such as breakfast for two, a $100 (USD) experience credit that you can use at the spa, and more – all at the same cost as the best-available public rate.

Luminous guests also have access to the Westin Club adult-only and Westin Family-only areas of the resort. Additionally, as a special amenity gift, you’ll receive a jar of local honey.

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

The Westin Reserva Conchal is located in Guanacaste, a province in northwestern Costa Rica that’s on the country’s Pacific coast. It sits directly on Playa Conchal, which many consider to be one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches.

The resort is approximately one and a half hours from Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, and around six hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), depending on traffic.

Major attractions like zip-lining and ATV tours are available 30 minutes away, while the rainforest, hot springs, and coffee and chocolate plantations are a few hours away.

The closest tourist town is Tamarindo, which is known for its surfing, nightlife, and dining, and it’s a little over 30 minutes away.

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

Pulling into the Reserva Conchal resort area, you’ll drive past a few other resorts and eventually end up at a roundabout where you’ll find the Westin’s large, open-air reception building that overlooks the rest of the resort property.

There are plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options for families to use during the check-in process.

To one side of the lobby, there’s also a small bar, and in the lower lobby, there are a couple of shops, a tour desk, and a transfer service, should you need it.

Most guests will check in at the reception area; however, if you book a Westin Club room or Family Junior Suite, staff will whisk you away to a separate lounge within the resort to complete the check-in process.

When we arrived, staff members were quick to help offload and tag our luggage from our transfer van, and while my husband and I checked in, another staff member came around with glasses of juice to welcome our family.

The staff at check-in thanked my husband for being a Titanium Elite member, and offered him a welcome amenity of 1,000 Bonvoy points. His room had also been upgraded to one overlooking the golf course prior to our arrival.

Comparatively, my mom, who’s a Platinum Elite member, didn’t receive an upgrade. However, this may be because the resort was almost at full occupancy.

At check-in, guests who book regular suites with no elite status are given red and green wristbands, while guests with Platinum Elite status or above are given silver wristbands, and those who book Westin Club rooms and Family Junior Suites are given reflective wristbands.

Parking at the resort is complimentary for guests, which is handy if you‘re arriving at the resort with your own vehicle.

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

The sprawling 2,400-acre resort opened in 1996, but was extensively renovated in 2019.

Accommodations are spread throughout the resort property, while most of the main restaurants, activities, and pools are located together near Playa Conchal.

Due to the size of the resort, up to 10 shuttles will run daily transporting guests from one part of the resort to another.

You can arrange a ride by calling reception, or you can just wave one down when you see them. The shuttles are quite spacious, and accommodated our entire party of 12 with our luggage.

The resort has 406 guest rooms divided into four room categories:

• Deluxe Junior Suites
• Premium Junior Suites
• Family Junior Suites
• Westin Club Rooms and Suites

The layout of the first three categories is the same, with either one king bed and a sofa bed, or two double beds and a sofa bed.

Rooms are categorized based on their proximity to the resort’s public areas, with Family Junior Suites being the closest and Deluxe Junior Suites being the furthest.

Suites are arranged across 40 two-storey bungalows, each housing eight suites, with options for connecting rooms.

Although the resort is next to Playa Conchal, the beach and ocean aren’t visible from most of the bungalows, so if you’re hoping for an ocean view from your room, you may want to consider booking at the nearby W Costa Rica Reserva Conchal instead.

Westin Club and Westin Family

The Westin Club and Westin Family are two programs designed to provide an elevated guest experience to those who book their respective rooms. They provide guests with the following amenities:

• An exclusive lounge space with premium beverage and food offerings throughout the day, plus exclusive check-in and check-out services
• A dedicated concierge service
• Dedicated pool space
• Premium liquor offerings at dedicated bars and as a part of the in-suite minibar

Westin Club rooms and suites are adult-only accommodations located in two towers at the centre of the resort complex, right next to the adults-only lounge, pool, and restaurant. Guests in these rooms will also benefit from a butler service.

In the Family Junior Suites, kids will be provided with their own special toothbrushes, towels, bathrobes, and slippers.

Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elites and guests booked on Luminous rates will also have access to these services and resort areas.

When visiting, you may still see old signs for the Royal Beach Club around the resort. This service and facility was recently re-branded as the Westin Club.

The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa – Deluxe Junior Suite

We booked a Deluxe Junior Suite with a king bed and sofa bed. The suite had its own small terrace with a side table and two chairs outside the entrance.

You enter the suite through the glass patio doors, which can be a bit awkward if the drapes are drawn as you may find yourself a getting tangled.

The suites were simple but contemporary, with off-white walls, large stone floor tiles, and wooden furniture and accents throughout, giving a warm, coastal vibe.

They were a spacious split-level design, with a raised bedroom area that is separated from the rest of the suite by a partial wall.

The common seating area has a sofa that converts into a bed; however, we did note that this area seems to be lacking lighting options.

On one side of the suite, there was a large closet area, a wooden table with a couple of chairs, and an overhead light.

On the other side, there was the beverage station and the bathroom.

The minibar was stocked with pop, beer, juice, water, and milk in tetra-pak containers, and these offerings were replenished once daily.

There were also several packages of chips and cookies, plus coffee and tea amenities.

The bedroom space featured a king-sized bed with a tan-coloured upholstered headboard with wooden panelling. On either side of the bed were floating live-edge wooden nightstands.

Light switches for the room were built into the headboard, along with USB-A, USB-C, and regular electric outlets.

Over the bed was a ceiling fan, which was nice to maintain air circulation in the suite.

Our kids also appreciated the smart TV in the room so they could stream Netflix; however, they did wish that they could watch it from the comfort of the sofa as well.

The ensuite bathroom offered a double vanity sink, a shower, and a toilet in a separate stall. Additionally, a small closet in the bathroom housed a safe.

Bathroom amenities included a dental kit, vanity kit, shaving kit, sewing kit, shoe mitt, and shower cap, and the bathroom toiletries were from a local brand called Botanica.

Our suite had a connecting door to my sister’s Deluxe Junior Suite next door, which had two double beds. This layout essentially allows for a family of up to eight to stay together if desired.

The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa – Westin Club Rooms and Suites

While staying at the resort, I also had the opportunity to tour a Westin Club room.

The room decor was similar to the Junior Suites, with either one king bed or two double beds, and the suites offers the option of either a garden view or a pool view.

Though the Westin Club rooms aren’t as spacious as the Junior Suites, they do offer a bathtub in addition to the shower, and the Westin Club Suites, not to be outdone, offer a soaking tub on the balcony.

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

The resort features nine dining venues, showcasing both buffet and à-la-carte options that encompass a variety of international cuisines.

Mitra is an international buffet restaurant and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is closed in between these meal times and doesn’t require reservations.

Faisanella is an adults-only à la carte restaurant offering breakfast and lunch for those with access to Westin Club and Westin Family amenities. For dinner, it opens up to all guests on the resort and serves international fare.

The property also features a number of other dining venues, including the following:

• Manglar features refreshing seafood options from 6–10pm
• Bamboo features Asian cuisine from 6–10pm
• Spirula Trattoria features Italian food fare from 6–10pm, and also provides poolside pasta and pizzas during the daytime hours
• La Sabana is the resort’s steakhouse, open from 6–10pm
• El Ranchito serves quick BBQ bites by the poolside from 11am–4pm
• Caracola Poolside Restaurant serves casual Costa Rican and American cuisine from 12–4pm
• Cauri Lobby Bar & Bistro is temporarily closed

Faisanella, Manglar, Bamboo, Spirula, and La Sabana all require reservations for dinner. Keep in mind that the last dinner reservation time is 8:45pm.

Reservations are open on Fridays for the upcoming week and can be booked through the resort’s app. If you are travelling in a large group like I was, it’s best to email the concierge to help you make reservations beforehand.

Prior to arrival, I had read some reviews that suggested the food wasn’t spectacular, so I went in with low expectations; however, in the end, I was pleasantly surprised.

Part of the benefit of travelling with a large family is that you get to see and sample many items on the menu.

The breakfast buffet at Mitra had plenty of variety. In addition to the standard offerings, they also had several different smoothies and mimosas, as well as some Costa Rican fare and exotic fruit.

If you prefer to save some food for later or if you’d rather eat in your own suite, staff are happy to give you a to-go box to pack up a few items.

At lunch, we had pizza and casual food poolside, with Caracola’s offerings reminding me of Kelsey’s, if you’re familiar with the Canadian casual-dining chain restaurant.

Dinner at the à-la-carte restaurants was enjoyable for the most part, but don’t expect Michelin-star quality or more expensive offerings like lobster (although lobster was available for a surcharge).

Overall, every restaurant we tried had some notable dishes.

I would highly recommend the short rib and cap steak dishes at Faisanella, and if you have the chance, I would also highly recommend having a kid-free à la carte breakfast or lunch there too.

The kids’ meals at Faisnella were fantastic as well. The portions were huge, and they offered a variety of options, including some that were healthy and unique, rather than just the usual burger, pomodoro pasta, and chicken fingers.

Additionally, restaurant staff were courteous and accommodating when it came to modifying menu items to suit dietary preferences.

If you’re not interested in dining out, room service is also available 24/7.

In terms of bars, the resort has five that are open at various times throughout the day. If you’re eligible for the Westin Club or Westin Family benefits discussed earlier, you can enjoy premium bar offerings at Nautilus Bar and Kayak Bar.

Most of the specialty restaurants have a signature cocktail that is unique to their venue, so be sure to ask what it is and give it a try. For example, I had a passion fruit cocktail at Manglar that I really enjoyed.

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

The resort’s app is your destination guide during your stay. It has all the information you need about the resort, including its various facilities and services. Dining reservations and tennis court reservations can be made directly via the app as well.

Beach

The resort has direct access to Playa Conchal. The beach is a mix of coarse sand and small broken seashells, so water shoes for the kids can be helpful.

It’s a beautiful beach with clear water, but the waves can be strong, so don’t leave young ones unattended or without floats.

I recommend that you bring beach towels from the pools, and if you need a lounge chair, you can ask one of the beach attendants wearing a blue t-shirt, and they’ll help you set them up.

Non-motorized sports equipment can be borrowed from the booth by the beach, and this includes bikes, snorkelling gear, kayaks, and paddleboards.

On the beach, there are various vendors that aren’t affiliated with the resort who offer beachside massages, horseback riding, and souvenirs for sale.

Pools

The resort has two pools. The main lagoon pool is located by the restaurants, and is open for all guests to use.

Westin Family guests have a special seating area around the pool reserved exclusively for them. This area has its own pool attendant to help with setting up chairs and with food and beverage service.

One nice perk in this area is that the lounge chairs under the cabana are free, unlike in the adults-only pool area.

You’ll also want to be aware of coatis that can be seen roaming the area during certain times of the day. They aren’t shy and will dig through unattended beach bags and ransack unattended food.

The second pool is adult-only and reserved for those who have access to Westin Club amenities. It provides for a more secluded and tranquil experience and has its own pool bar.

Poolside cabanas can be rented for the day from $99 (USD) and up.

Activities

Near the main pool, there are foosball tables, pool tables, and ping pong tables available for use all day.

Complimentary activities run by the hotel’s recreation team are posted in the app, as well as on a large bulletin board by the pool area. Activities range from wine tasting, hiking, and aquafit classes to poolside bingo where you can win a bag of Costa Rican coffee!

The fitness centre is open 24/7 and offers a variety of fitness machines, stationary bikes, weight machines, free weights, and more.

On the way to the restaurants, you’ll likely pass by several retail venues, including a café, which is not part of the all-inclusive package. There is also a souvenir store, marketplace, and SIXT car rental outlet.

An on-site car rental company is very convenient, but be sure to book a car beforehand as they sometimes run out of availability. Also, keep in mind that Uber is sometimes a better alternative for short distances.

The hotel has a scenic, beautifully manicured 18-hole PGA-certified golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

If you stroll around the course or play a round, you may notice some of the resident wildlife in the area, including crocodiles, howler monkeys, and lizards.

Tennis and pickleball courts are available throughout the day and can be reserved for an hour at a time through the resort app. Access is complimentary except between 6pm and 10pm, when a reservation incurs a $10 (USD) fee. The resort will provide you with racquets and balls.

Kids Club

The Kids Club is located in the middle of the resort, right next to the Family Lounge. The space is thoughtfully designed and includes climbing areas and spaces for reading.

The club is open daily from 9am until 5pm, and offers kids aged 4–12 supervised activities throughout the day. Lunch service can also be arranged.

Outside the club, there’s a playground, and courts for basketball and badminton.

At the Kids Club, there is only one supervisor, and they can care for a maximum of 12 kids at one time, so space is limited.

While the younger kids in our group (ages four through seven) enjoyed the activities, the older ones (ages nine through 12) found them to not be stimulating enough. Unlike some other kids clubs I’ve seen, this one is a tech-free facility, so there are no video games or TVs.

It was nice to have access to this option, so we could drop the kids off for a couple of hours; this let us unwind and enjoy the adult-only facilities for a bit.

Babysitting services can also be arranged for $25 (USD) per hour, plus an additional $5 (USD) per hour per additional child, up to a maximum of three kids per babysitter.

Club Lounge

The Westin Club Lounge is a warm and elegantly decorated space for eligible guests to enjoy, offering a variety of seating arrangements to suit your mood. It was actually one of my favourite places on the resort, as it made for the perfect space to unwind, socialize, or get some work done.

The Club Lounge serves fruit, small bites, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings throughout the day. The evening hors d’oeuvres included a charcuterie board and gyoza, and one evening, we enjoyed some ceviche.

Westin Family Lounge

Reserved for those with access to Westin Family amenities, this kid-friendly space is colourful and has plenty of seating and tables, with puzzles and games for families to enjoy together.

The beverage and snack offerings here aren’t as extensive as in the adults-only lounge, but parents are always welcome to venture over to the nearby Westin Club space without their kids.

Heavenly Spa by Westin

Although I didn’t get a chance to enjoy a treatment here, I did tour the facilities, and they were beautiful. The facility was renovated last year and offers various treatments for an additional fee.

There are also gender-specific steam, sauna, and jacuzzi facilities, as well as a large, shared outdoor jacuzzi and cold plunge pool that guests are free to use when they’ve booked a paid treatment.

Off-site activities can be arranged by the resort’s in-house travel company, Swiss Travel. The cost of any tours that you book will just be added to your bill at check-out.

Fauna

As a final fun note, like all resorts in Costa Rica, the Westin allows local wildlife to roam free on the property. Our kids loved spotting exotic birds, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, lizards, and coati throughout our stay.

Conclusion

The Westin Reserva Conchal is a large all-inclusive resort that caters to travellers young and old. Accommodations are spacious and comfortable, with a variety of dining options available on-site.

I particularly enjoyed its location on one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches.

Having Marriott Bonvoy Elite status or booking a Luminous rate will truly help elevate your experience here, with more attentive service and dedicated facilities.

If you’re visiting other areas of Costa Rica during your trip, I wouldn’t bother with off-site day tours while staying at the Westin. Given that the tours are not that close by and most activities can be done elsewhere in the country, I recommend just enjoying the resort and its all-inclusive activities.

For us, coming from several action-packed days in La Fortuna, a few days of downtime was exactly what we needed.