Costa Rica just got included in the AAA Diamond designations that formerly only applied to countries to the north. It provides a good list of large resorts and hotels that make the cut, though as of now, the top choices are four diamond Costa Rica resorts and hotels, with none scoring five (yet).
The AAA diamond awards are in some ways the most prestigious that a hotel can earn. They’re based on merit and an amenities/facilities checklist, not any tourism board whim or paid membership fee, so it’s a fairly objective and limited list.
The ultimate designation is a 5-diamond award, which Mexico leads by a mile with 31 entries, compared to 3 in Canada and 10 for all of the Caribbean islands combined. See the full list here in our updated post on Mexico’s 5-diamond hotels and resorts.
This has always been a North American system though, with the designations not stretching south of Mexico. That makes some sense because AAA is a U.S. auto club, but now they’re expanding a bit and rating hotels in Costa Rica.
Five Diamond vs. Four Diamond Hotels
According to the judges, “Five Diamond properties offer ultimate luxury and leading-edge cuisine.” To give you an idea of what that means, some of the Mexico entries include properties from Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and Rosewood. It’s an elite list.
“Four Diamond properties offer upscale amenities and distinctive fine dining.” That means they’re not at the pinnacle in terms of checking off enough boxes on AAA’s secret checklist, but they’re still properties that are well-maintained, with plenty to do, and with a well-trained staff delivering good service.
In this new listing from AAA, 11 hotels in Costa Rica received Four Diamonds.
Mangroove, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Costa Rica
The Four Diamond Costa Rica Hotels
As is the case in North America as well, chain hotels tend to dominate these AAA lists because facilities and amenities are easier to put on a checklist than personalized service and “going above and beyond” are. The longer your list of facilities, the better your chances of earning a diamond.
Only one independent hotel got onto this list, the debut of AAA 4-diamond Costa Rica resorts. Where we have a full review, we’ve linked to that. In cases where the property was not a true luxury resort that meets our standards, you’ll find a website link where you can get more info and check rates.
Arenal Springs Resort & Spa, La Fortuna (not the same as The Springs)
Dreams Las Mareas, La Cruz
Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste Region
The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal
W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal, Playa Conchal
The Spa at W Costa Rica
El Mangroove, Autograph Collection, Playa Panama
Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica, Playa Panama
JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa, Tamarindo
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen, Heredia
Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, Quepos
InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall, San José
If you’re wondering why some of these made the AAA Diamond Awards list and luxury properties with more personality such as Nayara Springs or Grano de Oro that we’ve covered did not, remember that this is a checklist-oriented system. Picture an inspector walking around with a clipboard and looking for a minibar, a room service menu, a phone by the toilet, room doors that meet certain specifications, a full gym, and a spa.
Thus you get an all-inclusive resort for the masses like Dreams or a convention hotel by Marriott, but you won’t likely see a small boutique hotel or upscale jungle lodge on the list.
Marriott Los Sueños chain hotel
We’ve been to some of these 4-diamond chain ones like the Marriott at Los Sueños and the InterContinental in a mall in San Jose, but in both cases we felt like we could have been in Cleveland or Kansas City in the rooms. The aim of these properties is to be predictable business/meeting/incentive hotels, not offer a pampering experience for wealthy leisure travelers.
If you want something worth photographing and sharing on social media instead, make great memories at this one not far from the capital’s airport that was a three-diamond Costa Rica hotel: Xandari Resort and Spa.
Two other things to keep in mind with this list. First, it’s good news if you’re into golf. Five of these 4-diamond resorts are on or very near Costa Rica’s golf courses. Second, many of them are in the northern Guanacaste region, so you can fly into Costa Rica’s second airport and get to your hotel relatively quickly.
For a more rounded view of the best luxury hotels in Costa Rica, follow that link to read our detailed reviews. We update them regularly and add new ones that make the cut.
See more about AAA and the diamond Costa Rica hotels and restaurants at their newsroom site.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxury Latin America and has been covering the region as a travel journalist since the mid-2000s. He has visited each country we cover multiple times and is based in a UNESCO World Heritage city in central Mexico, where he owns a home. See contact information here.
