El Mangroove, Autograph Collection
El Mangroove is a hotel designed around its setting rather than on top of it. The Marriott Autograph Collection property sits on 17 acres of beachfront forest surrounded by mangroves on Playa Panama, one of the calmer bays on the Gulf of Papagayo. Howler monkeys move through the trees, the birding is excellent without leaving the grounds, and the hotel's own two tour boats take guests out for whale and dolphin watching, deep-sea fishing, surf trips and beach hopping. Here the environment is the attraction, not just the backdrop.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Boutique scale at 121 suites, small enough that staff learn your name and preferences, on 17 acres of beachfront forest ringed by mangroves
- +The hotel runs two private tour boats of its own for deep-sea fishing, surf trips, beach hopping and whale and dolphin watching, plus snorkeling, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards
- +Howler monkeys move through the trees above the grounds and birding without leaving the property is excellent
- +Complimentary bicycles let you explore further along Playa Panama
- +Four restaurants since the 2023 expansion: Makoko (creative Latin American), Matiss (open-air, poolside service), Malu (Mediterranean) and El Shack Bar, plus 24-hour room service
- +Split pool layout works for everyone: the Sip & Play zone added in 2023 has several pools, a children's pool and the El Shack pool bar, while the RELAX zone infinity pool is adults-only
- +Bearth Spa sits in the mangrove forest with outdoor treatment rooms, couples and in-suite massages, facials, a steam room and its own outdoor pool
- +Marriott Autograph Collection standards, with Bonvoy points redemptions that can soften the nightly rate
Cons
- −Playa Panama is a darker volcanic sand beach, beautiful and calm but not the powdery white sand many people picture
- −Not all-inclusive: the only included meal is a grab-and-go breakfast (6:30 to 11am), so dinners and drinks at four restaurants add up quickly
- −Remote spot on the Gulf of Papagayo with nothing walkable outside the property, so you need a car or a hotel excursion to go anywhere
- −Boat trips, fishing and spa treatments are all paid extras, and even the beach and pool cabanas cost $100 plus tax for five hours or $150 for a full day
- −No kids club; families get a children's pool and the Sip & Play zone but no supervised programming
- −Quiet evenings with no nightclub or show schedule; a DJ and the bars are about it after dinner
- −Snorkeling off the beach is limited, and the better sites need a boat trip that adds cost and scheduling
A six-month expansion finished in 2023 added 36 suites, bringing the hotel to 121, plus the Sip & Play zone with several pools, a children's pool, the El Shack pool bar and cabanas, and a new Mediterranean restaurant, Malu. Three- and four-bedroom villas with private pools, kitchens and BBQ terraces followed in October 2024. Dining now runs across Makoko (creative Latin American, breakfast and dinner), open-air Matiss with poolside service, Malu and El Shack, with 24-hour room service. Adults get the RELAX zone infinity pool to themselves, and Bearth Spa offers outdoor treatment rooms in the mangrove forest. It is room-rate only, with a grab-and-go breakfast the sole included meal.
El Mangroove suits couples, honeymooners and active travelers who want a boutique stay with real wildlife access and good restaurants, and it now works for families too thanks to the children's pool and the villas, though there is no kids club. It competes with Andaz Costa Rica and Four Seasons Papagayo rather than with all-inclusives, so budget for meals and excursions on top of the room. Day trips reach Rincon de la Vieja volcano and the white sand of Playa Conchal, and Bonvoy members can use points to take the edge off the rate.
Common Questions
Is El Mangroove all-inclusive?
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Restaurants (3)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Mediterranean & Spanish | Malu |
| International & fusion | Makoko, Matiss |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.
What's nearby
Playa Hermosa9 min drive · 3.0 mi
Playa Panamá4 min drive · 0.8 mi
Liberia40 min drive · 18 mi
More things to do (25)
- Playas del Coco · beach20 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Playa Calzón de Pobre · beach20 min drive · 5.6 mi
- Gulf of Papagayo catamaran and snorkel trip · excursion20 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Bat Islands bull shark dive (May to November) · excursion20 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Witch's Rock and Ollie's Point surf boat trip · excursion20 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Playa Ocotal · beach25 min drive · 11 mi
- Museo de Guanacaste · museum40 min drive · 18 mi
- Museo del Sabanero · museum40 min drive · 18 mi
- Diamante Eco Adventure Park · adventure park45 min drive · 16 mi
- Playa Potrero · beach50 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa Penca · beach50 min drive · 19 mi
- Playa Culebra · beach55 min drive · 17 mi
- Marina Papagayo · marina55 min drive · 18 mi
- Ponderosa Adventure Park · adventure park55 min drive · 24 mi
- Playa Pan de Azúcar · beach55 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Danta · beach60 min drive · 21 mi
- Playa Flamingo · beach60 min drive · 22 mi
- Sunset catamaran sail from Playa Flamingo · excursion60 min drive · 22 mi
- Marina Flamingo · marina60 min drive · 22 mi
- Catalina Islands dive trip · excursion60 min drive · 22 mi
- Sportfishing charter from Marina Flamingo · excursion60 min drive · 22 mi
- Apami Wildlife Rescue Center · wildlife60 min drive · 29 mi
- Monkey Park Wildlife Center · wildlife60 min drive · 29 mi
- Playa Brasilito · beach60 min drive · 24 mi
- Playa Nacascolo · beach60 min drive · 20 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Costa Rica gets sargassum, typically worst March through August on the Caribbean coast only; the Pacific coast is clear every month.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.5 · 1,389 reviews
“Can you spot the Mangrove tree? We were too busy enjoying ourselves to notice. Offering a nice range of pools and an interesting / delicious LATAM-themed breakfast buffet (throwback to the plantains and corn pancakes), this resort did not disappoint....”
“We loved our stay at the El Mangroove. The room was nice and spacious, the food is pretty good and the location near Liberia airport is incredibly convenient. Best of all was the friendly service. When we checked in, Natalia noticed that it was my fi...”
“Great place to go right after landing at LIR: it’s so close and it’s so great to be at a beach so quickly. We paid for the all inclusive option for our 2 night stay and are glad we did. Didn’t have to think about anything before we headed elsewhere....”
