Marriott has announced the opening of JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort and Spa, All-Inclusive, the first all-inclusive resort under the JW Marriott brand. It sits above Playa El Jobo on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, in the Guanacaste region. This article sets out what the company has published, where details are thin, and what to check before you consider a stay.
What has been announced
According to Marriott’s published release, the resort has 415 rooms, including guest rooms, suites and Presidential Suites with separate living areas. It is part of Marriott Bonvoy and is bookable through the resort’s page on Marriott.com. The release is dated in early October, and reports differ slightly on whether the date was October 6 or 7, so treat the day as approximate. The release does not give a separate opening date in the text we reviewed, so check the booking engine for availability on your dates.
Published details include:
- Dining: 15 restaurants and bars. Named venues include Leal, where guests can roast their own coffee and take a seven-course tasting menu, and LaGloria, a nine-seat root beer stand inspired by J. Willard Marriott’s first business, which opened in Washington, D.C. in 1927. A working garden, JW Garden, supplies menu items, chef’s table dinners and cocktails.
- Pools: 17 pools, described by Marriott as Costa Rica’s largest poolscape, including an oceanfront infinity pool.
- Wellness: A 16,000 square foot wellness area with a spa, a fitness centre and what the company calls its first Mindfulness House. Programming mentioned includes sound healing, Reiki and cacao ceremonies.
- Griffin Club: A resort within the resort, described as the brand’s first next-generation Griffin Club, with a private arrival lounge, a dedicated pool and beach area, a lounge open 24 hours, priority access to dining reservations and pool cabanas, and select accommodations with swim-out access.
- Families: A Family by JW club with nature walks, creative activities, children’s yoga, story time and family movie nights.
- Off-site activities: Sunset hikes, guided kayaking, private yacht charters, deep sea fishing, nature treks and diving.
Marriott also lists more than 9,000 square feet of event space, including an oceanfront ballroom.
The price signal
Published coverage says advertised rates start at about $900 per person per night based on double occupancy. That figure is the starting point reported at launch, not a guaranteed price for any date, and rates will vary by season and room type. It places the resort at the top end of the Costa Rica all-inclusive market, which is worth keeping in mind if you are comparing it with other Guanacaste options. Our guide to building the real total cost of an all-inclusive stay explains how to compare resorts on a like for like basis.
What has not been published
Marriott’s release describes culinary, wellness and activity offerings, but the text we reviewed does not say which of them are covered by the all-inclusive rate. That matters. Specialty dining, spa treatments, excursions, the Griffin Club and premium drinks are the categories where included and extra-cost items most often differ between resorts. Before you book, ask for a written list of what the rate includes and what is charged separately. Our guide to reading a resort fact sheet explains where such details tend to appear.
Other open questions include:
- Whether reservations are needed for the 15 venues, and how far ahead they open.
- How the Griffin Club is priced and whether it is a separate room category.
- The transfer time from Liberia airport, since distances in Guanacaste vary. Our guide to how far from the airport your resort should be shows how to weigh this.
- Beach conditions at Playa El Jobo and what swimming is like in the dry and wet seasons.
- Whether the opening is phased, with some facilities still to come.
Where it fits in Guanacaste
Guanacaste is Costa Rica’s dry Pacific northwest, and the part of the country where large all-inclusives are concentrated. Our Guanacaste destination page and the broader Costa Rica overview describe the region, and our guide to all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica explains how the resorts differ. If you are comparing existing options, see our list of all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica, or the comparison of Riu Guanacaste and Riu Palace Costa Rica.
What it means for travellers
A major global brand entering the all-inclusive segment in Costa Rica adds a high-end option to a region that has been dominated by a handful of operators. It is too early to say how the resort performs, because a new property has no review history and service often settles after the first months. If you are interested, consider waiting for a few weeks of guest reports, and read them with the habits in our guide to reading resort reviews without being misled.
It is also worth checking the Costa Rica season for your dates, since the dry season is the main draw for Guanacaste and rates are usually higher then. Our guide to choosing the right month for a beach resort trip covers the trade-offs.
Our take
The published facts are impressive on paper: a large pool count, a wide dining line-up and a dedicated wellness building. The unanswered questions about inclusions and pricing structure are the ones that decide value. We will update this page if Marriott publishes a full inclusions list. Until then, rely on the resort’s own booking page for rates and policies, and confirm everything in writing.