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Reviews of Sugar Beach

3 out of 5
Sugar Beach
Playa Pan De Azucar, Las Catalinas, Guanacaste

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 218 out of 358 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 114 out of 358 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 17 out of 358 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 358 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 358 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Annie, Minneapolis, MN

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the privacy and seclusion of the property. The front desk and restaurant staff were very friendly and helpful. The restaurant menu was fine for about 2 nights, but if one stayed longer, it was limited. Some of the lounge chairs were looking a bit worn. We would have liked the pool to be accessible for evening swimming. The pool area was completely dark by 7 pm. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Sugar Beach Hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2020

6/10 Okay

Gerald

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great beach
Not sure where the 4+ ratings came from.our room and experience was a 3+
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
It is a nice place, with beautiful view to the ocean. Good for some weelkend rest.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

DAVID

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing beach
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Louisalow, Seattle

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing breakfast included. The other menu had so many options and various sized dishes. The meals are a great value especially considering how friendly the staff are and how welcoming the environment is. We ate our meals with iguanas, beautiful birds, geckos, and we even saw a monkey. There are tropical fish and other sea life in the tide pools on both sides of the beach and you can even walk across the rocks to other beaches.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The overall vibe of this place is one of beauty and tranquility. The staff know your name, what you like/dislike, and seem to genuinely care about you. This was my fourth time here in as many years, and I plan on returning every year as long as I’m physically and financially able.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Ocean View is great. Swimming pool is good but doesn't have lights at night
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is really special. Intimate. Wonderful beach and restaurant. Would be a great location for a honeymoon.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Rob, Copenhagen. Denmark

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great, helpful staff. Really made our family weekend. All main staff speak English. Restaurant was of a good quality, affordable and selection. The hotel and beach were nice and not packed
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2020

4/10 Poor

G, USA

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The breakfast and breakfast staff were great. Everything else needs a major update. We stayed in 5 different hotels and loved all of them but this one. The beds were super hard, no umbrellas on beach so everyone is crammed under what tree they can find, and everything is just old. Large gap in door so flies, spiders, geckos, ants all made their way into our room. And the one thing I expected was serenity but the walls must be paper thin - as it was so noisy! So glad we only stayed one night in this hotel or I wouldn’t have liked CR as much as I did.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Golden

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
FABULOUS
I checked in at the guy behind the counter help me to my room with my bags and I asked if it was sea or pool facing and he said no it was garden facing.The second I walked into my cottage I was soooo happy :-) it smelled soooo clean and was roomy and bright with two queen beds & a wall of windows that overlooked a large patio AND I could not only see the sea but hear it.The sheets & bedding smelled like home like my DIVINE fabric softener and the pillows were perfect puffs of clouds.I could hear the waves thundering from the beach all the way at the top of the "hill" I had room 14 and it was heavenEven had a small fridge to hold beer and milk (you know.. the essentials :-))The breakfast was nice - small but nice My BF was arriving the following day & thought why not stay again.My room was not available :-( So I booked another one & it was $100 more. So when they checked us back in it was up a flight of stairs & had 2 balconies you could see a little ocean & the pool. The bedroom was very spacious w//1 king bed & a large bathroom but the living room had no tv & had no windows, like no glass,Only shutters, It was odd and VERY hot but the bedroom had a door to keep in AC,you had to spend all your time in the bedroom so be careful when booking & you want to utilize the whole space. such a pity because it was big and nicely furnished. the 2 balconies were very nice.The beach is basically private and the water is very warm &stunning sunsets swimming was a thing at sunsets
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Mona

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We had a wonderful time and there are just a few suggestions I would make to management: It would be great to have umbrellas or some other shade on the beach. We were generally always able to find a lounge chair under a tree but an umbrella on the sand would have been nice. There also isn't really an outdoor area outside of the dining pavilion to view the amazing sunset every night, just a few wooden chairs. And lastly, charging for the use of a boogie board seems really petty. It isn't even advertised that they have them behind the front desk. On a whim I asked if they had any, and was surprised that they did, then irritated that there was a charge.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Fred

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The way you are
Please don’t get swallowed up by that mess to the north! We love you just the way you are.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Rebecca

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Return to Sugar Beach
This was our 2nd stay At Sugar Beach. The first time was 12 yrs ago and it was a heavenly, relaxing experience with the sound of the waves, the serenity of the surroundings, gorgeous sunsets...Even the Jay birds snatching up breakfast plate remains or the iguanas looking for some watermelon at lunchtime were memorable events for the kids. We had 3 generations with us this year so quite a different vacation than the first but still very enjoyable. Ate most of our meals at the hotel and were pleased with the offerings and quality. GREAT idea to have a kids' station off to the side where they could color, do a puzzle or use building blocks. I particularly loved the daily morning yoga in view of the beach with the sounds of the waves and will treasure that experience. Pool was nice but a bit chilly. We booked 4 rooms and so 2 were closer to the restaurant and 2 were further out. The 2 further out had very poor to spotty internet connection. Why would this be important when you are on a relaxing vacation? When you have a 3 yr old who loves to watch "her shows" as part of bed/nap time routine, it can get be critical to quieting a meltdown. Also was unable to facetime with daddy back home which would have helped tremendously in calming her. My daughter's room had a door with a "door sweep" at the bottom which effectively helps to keep out bugs of all kinds. We did not have this in the kids' room nor ours. So moth, ants, mosquitoes all could come and stay with us as well.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The setting is very pretty. It is simple and clean and all are very friendly.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Jan 13, 2020
Dear Guest Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We look forward to continue creating beautiful memories together. Best regards, Sugar Beach Team

10/10 Excellent

Sonia, Cupertino, CA

Traveled with family and small children, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property was very pretty. Good private beach. Restaurant on site was good too. Rooms were nice..all private cottages with a small patio in front. Bathrooms could do with done updates though.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

6/10 Okay

Brian

Traveled with family
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jerru, Puyallup WA

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Close to beach; restaurant, great facilities, great friendly & helpful staff, great views; qiet,pleasant atmosphere
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Angela, Ancaster

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a terrific smaller hotel on a gorgeous beach, just a few minutes from restaurants and shops. Delightful grounds, a small infinity pool and a restaurant and bar and free yoga sessions over looking the ocean await you. The staff are polite, attentive and helpful. The vibe is laid-back and relaxed. This is a great place to unwind. Plenty of loungers and other forms of seating on the lawn in front of the restaurant overlooking the beach, enable you to relax without competing for loungers as happens at so many of the larger resorts. Rooms are large, and have spacious balconies or patios with their own loungers, chairs and coffee table. This really is a delightful place and very good value. We hope to be back.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our Second Visit to this Hideaway
We love this hidden gem of a boutique hotel. It is our 2nd time visiting this hotel and we love it just as much as before. It’s so non-touristy. It’s quiet and peaceful with a lovely swimming beach. The rooms are simple and comfortable. The pillows could be softer, for my American head, but it’s not much of a complaint. Iguanas and monkeys make there appearance regularly. The food is very good.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Will come back!
LOVE how close it is from the beach. I could hear the waves from our room. I am an extremely picky person in hotels, but this one I surely will return to. Bathroom is ok. Only because I like "very" clean bathrooms, I have to say shower tiles need thorough scrubbing.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Superb location. Little slice of heaven. Staff are friendly and good people. Try walking around the bend to prieto beach. Love the breakfast and the juice of the day. You can rent boogie boards from the front desk.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Eimear

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Remote tranquility
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Gabriela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It was amazing, the hotel is very clean and beautiful, the beach is nice and the attention incredible
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing times.
Wonderful location! Quiet and out of the bustle of other beaches. This secluded hotel is a simple oasis from the other, more touristy, beaches. Welcoming and accommodating staff, and beautiful sunsets!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Sep 8, 2019
Dear Jeffrey Thank you for coming back for a second visit and taking the time to share your experience in our Hotel. We can't wait to welcome you back. Sincerely, Mariano Barrantes Operations Manager

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location and views, great staff and property!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Sep 8, 2019
Dear Guest Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. Best regards, Mariano Barrantes Operations Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 15, 2019
Thank you so much for your review, we are thrilled that you enjoyed your experience with us. We look forward to welcome you back soon.

10/10 Excellent

Raul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Got more than we expected for our holidays
Amazing staff, amazing location, amazing food. We loved this place and will definitely come back as it offers the best features and services one could ask for in a vacation trip. Big thank you to the friendly staff in the reception and restaurant. They made us feel very welcome.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Dear Raul Many thanks for not only staying with us but for taking the time to share your experiences with future travelers looking to come stay with us in the future. We are dedicated to creating an environment in which our team feels comfortable to be themselves and thus provide a truly authentic experience. I am thrilled that you had a chance to experience true Tico hospitality. We very much look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was outstanding, everyone was very sweet and helpful. The pool was very nice and the grounds were extremely well-kept. My only issue was the beach. It was incredibly beautiful to look at, but the shore was very rocky, and sometimes it was difficult getting into the water. The upside is, if you want a private beach, this is as close to private as you can get, as it is difficult for the public to access. We had a rental car so we drove to Playa Conchal and Dantita Beach, both of which I found more desirable with water color and clarity. But Sugar Beach hotel is perfect for couples/honeymooners, as it is very beautiful and quiet, and we saw a lot of kids there was well. Low tide has nice little pools for toddlers
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Many thanks for not only making our hotel your vacation destination but for taking the time to share your experience with future travelers. I am delighted that you enjoyed your visit and very much look forward to staying in touch and welcoming you back again in the near future. Yes, Sugar Beach is a bit rocky but we are very lucky where we are located, having beatiful beaches around as penca , prieta , flamingo and others. Pura vida!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Thank you so much for your review, we are thrilled that you enjoyed your experience with us. We look forward to welcome you back soon.

10/10 Excellent

Yanina, Connecticut

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love the location and the size of the hotel! It was absolutely what I was looking for which was to enjoy nature with the roaring sounds of the waves! Staff is outstanding! The food is delicious and there are places close by if you would like to adventure but we only needed to go to a sports bar to watch the final of the Copa America! Other than that we retrieved to the hotel as soon as possible! The only thing I would have loved to have known is to bring water shoes to get in the water because there are lots of rocks at certain parts. Other than that I had a wonderful time!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Dear Yanina Warm greetings from Sugar Beach Thank you so much for your review, we are thrilled that you enjoyed your experience with us. We look forward to welcome you back soon. Best regards, Mariano Barrantes Operations Manager

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sugar Beach - awesone!
Outstanding service and comfortable room. Would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Dear David •Many thanks for not only making our hotel your vacation destination but for taking the time to share your experience with future travelers. I am delighted that you enjoyed your visit and very much look forward to staying in touch and welcoming you back again in the near future. Pura vida, Mariano Barrantes Operations Manager

4/10 Poor

Lindsey

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Mariano Barrantes on Aug 6, 2019
Dear Lindsey Greetings from all of us at Sugar BEACH, please do accept our sincere apology, really sorry you didn't have a good experience staying with us. Best regards, Mariano Barrantes Operations Manager

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Traveled with family and small children, Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The toilet in room 18 was loose. If someone had to go to the toilet in the night, the toilet would make a lot of noise like glass hitting glass. With woke up my baby 2 times in the night. So.ething small. But very unacceptable for the price of this place. It was nice to have the private room setup.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on Jun 29, 2019
We are sorry for what happened and we apologize, they are situations that come out of our hands we are always prone to things that happen in the Room We would have liked it, that we have been notified when it happened and so order to have solved at the same time and thus avoid the discomfort, and not wait until the time of check out. We apologize again we did not know what was happening.

8/10 Good

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Incredible staff.
The staff are incredible, every single person makes you feel special. The rooms are spotless and spacious and have a coffee maker. The surroundings are tranquil, with loads of iguanas (some of the biggest we saw on our trip) and butterflies. Service in the restaurant is outstanding but the lunch/dinner menu could do with being expanded. On just the 2nd time dining there I struggled to pick a main course. The breakfast choices were great and of excellent quality. DVDs are available at reception if you want a chilled film night. The only disappointment was the beach and surrounding area. I had read on Lonely Planet that it was one of the most beautiful beaches in the north of Costa Rica. In my opinion it wasn't even a great beach never mind one of the best.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on Jun 14, 2019
Hi Mr. Michael Hope you are well Thank you very much for your comments and for giving us the opportunity to offer you our hospitality Unfortunately at this time the beach suffered from a strong and high swell due to the beginning of the rainy season which caused the waves to take almost all the sand and left the beach rocky, are situations beyond our control. although we have a beautiful beach and we hope that you can return at another time maybe in summer so you can enjoy the beach as you deserve clean, with lots of sand and above all serene and relaxing regards

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar beach on Jun 21, 2019
¡Gracias por alojarse con nosotros! Su opinión es muy importante para nosotros.

8/10 Good

MelissaJ, St. Louis, MO.

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was beautiful with great ocean views. Everything is well kept and attended to.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on Jun 6, 2019
Hi Thanks for staying with us! Your opinion is very important to us.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Amazing views, wildlife, natural environment... and friendly, courteous staff
Stayed 7 nights in May 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on May 19, 2019
Thanks for staying with us! Your opinion is very important to us.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on May 10, 2019
Thank you for choosing our Hotel for your stay in Costa Rica We appreciate the qualification and we are glad that you have had a nice stay with us. We hope to see you soon

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Response from Hotel Sugar Beach on May 10, 2019
Thank you for choosing our Hotel for your stay in Costa Rica We appreciate the qualification and we are glad that you have had a nice stay with us