Costa Rica’s capital and largest city may be San Jose, but a large percentage of groups headed to this Central American hot spot spend their time in Guanacaste, the northwestern province that offers Pacific Coast beaches, a healthy menu of outdoor activities and some of the nation’s most impressive group-friendly hotels.
Guanacaste International Airport, located in the town of Liberia, is served by multiple U.S.-based airlines, with nonstop flights from gateways that include Miami and Dallas.
Liberia and Santa Cruz are the two main towns in Guanacaste, but group-friendly hotels are spread among several important tourism regions, including Papagayo, El Coco, Flamingo, Conchal and Tamarindo. All offer easy access to beaches as well as an interior graced with volcanos, waterfalls, hot springs and national parks that are filled with flora and fauna.
The Gulf of Papagayo, which runs between Ocotal Beach and the Papagayo Peninsula, is home to the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, which allows groups to take golf-cart tours of native tree plantings on the Trail of Giants, a sanctuary for howler and capuchin monkeys. The Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa, meanwhile, offers more than 8,000 square feet of function space, as well as stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The Westin Golf Resort & Spa Playa Conchal, which has 8,450 square feet of function space, is another waterfront charmer. The property features an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course. Other standout properties include the JW Marriott Guanacaste, which has more than 7,200 square feet of meeting space.
Popular activities in the area include horseback riding, hiking, nature photography, sport fishing and bird watching in protected areas like Palo Verde, Curu, Bolanos Island and Tenorio. Canopy tours allow groups to admire the region’s natural beauty and spot monkeys and birds, while cycling and diving are also available. Unique cultural options include visits to the Bolson community, where families welcome travelers with food prepared using only solar energy. While gliding along the Tempisque River, which cuts through Palo Verde National Park, groups might also spot crocodiles, birds and monkeys.
