Family-friendly resort in Costa Rica
I am a huge fan of Costa Rica — hence the reason I live here — so you can believe me when I say that it is an excellent family vacation destination. Traveling with kids to Costa Rica from the United States is fairly quick and easy, which makes it even more appealing, especially if this is your first time traveling with internationally with your kids.
Since I do live here full-time, I’m able to easily explore different areas of the country and stay at a variety of hotels and resorts. A few weeks ago, my daughter McKenna and I took a little mommy and me trip up to check out the new Dreams Resort Las Mareas. It is located in the northern Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, which is about a 90-minute drive from the Liberia airport and very close to the Nicaraguan border.
Dream Las Mareas Costa Rica
Dreams Las Mareas is an all-inclusive Costa Rican resort with over 400 rooms on the property. The resort comes with all the family-friendly amenities you would expect at an all-inclusive resort — plenty of dining options, on-site daily activities, excursions and a kids’ club. There are several different buildings throughout the property and there are several room options so be careful when you are making your reservation to make sure you’re getting the location on the resort you want. The more impressive rooms are in the smaller buildings and either have private Jacuzzis on the balconies or the semi-private dipping pools right off the patios.
Our building happened to be the building with the most privacy, nestled on the hillside and a little further away from the pools. It was also a bit more of a walk to our room (which I actually appreciated to get in a little exercise between meals!), but there are plenty of golf carts buzzing around and you can get a ride to your room quite easily, which might come in handy when traveling with older family members or your little ones. These rooms are also great for those couples spending their honeymoon at the resort. Beware: Your patio is right next to your neighbor’s patio, so if people are talking loud, you’ll definitely be able to hear them… and vice versa!
We had one of the rooms with a dipping pool and this was, by far, our favorite feature! From our room we even had a small view of the ocean and I can only assume that the rooms above us had even a better views. One thing to mention, if you are traveling with children that cannot swim, this is probably not the best room option for you because it’s going to be nearly impossible to keep them out of the pool 24/7. I absolutely loved this room and would have a hard time staying here again without the dipping pool right outside my door!
Pools, pools, pools
If pools are your thing then you will be very happy here. They have two distinct pool areas, each with two very large pools. The pools start at the top of the resort and work their way down to the beach. The top pool area is all about the kids — it has a water slide, basketball hoop, a large poolside chess game and an additional shallow pool for toddlers.
The other pool area is one large continuous pool that begins with an adult only pool that leads to the swim-up bar and a large infinity pool that looks out to the beach, which kids can visit. This pool also has a volleyball net and a bridge that kids like to swim under. There is also a small poolside cafe that offers a few snack options, cocktails and endless amounts of smoothies for the kids.
For those that are not traveling with kids, you’ll appreciate the adult only pool. Or, if you are traveling with kids, drop them off at the kids’ club and head here to take advantage of some peace and quiet.
Food and dining options
Since this is an all-inclusive the resort, they feature the typical buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner. The line can get long in the morning so if you just need a caffeine fix in a hurry, they do have the CoCo Cafe to grab your latte or to pick up a small pastry for the kids. There are four restaurants on the property — two of them are only open for dinner and the Italian restaurant, Portofino, does not allow children.
Our dinner at Oceana was very good and probably my favorite meal. We ate the buffet lunch at this restaurant as well and it was pretty basic with your standard hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, some grilled vegetables and salads. Oceana sits right next to the pool and has the bar with the swings that my daughter and I loved swinging in.
The beach at Playa el Jobo
The beach here is in a cove, so the water is very calm and the waves are small, which is great for young children. My daughter did catch a few small waves with her boogie board, but these waves may not be that exciting for older children. There are better beaches in Costa Rica and if you are looking to surf, you definitely cannot do that here. if you are expecting soft white sand you won’t find it here — the sand is a bit more compact, brown and rustic like many beaches in Costa Rica, compared to beaches that you might find in the Caribbean or Mexico.
You can check out stand-up paddle boards and boogie boards from the resort and you can also rent kayaks and jet skis for an additional fee if you want to head out further into the water. Fishing and snorkeling tours are available for you to book and you can get a massage right on the beach if you’d rather relax. The kids’ club also brings the kids down to the beach for their special camping nights that include a variety of activities and beach games.
The Dreams Spa
If I am going to be honest, the spa was the highlight for me. They have the usual spa treatment options, of course, but they also have a five-step hydro-therapy spa, which includes a sauna, steam room, cold-plunge pool, pool with water massage chairs and pressure waterfall, and hot tub. It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to do a spa cycle like this, so it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. They also had what I am calling “relaxation pods,” which I almost fell asleep in. This indoor-outdoor spa experience was really fantastic, giving you a true Costa Rican experience. They also have a full salon for hair services, as well as manicures and pedicures.
Additional activities
This resort is a bit secluded, but they do offer a few day trips such as zip lining at the Spider Monkey Canopy Tour and the Buena Vista Lodge day trip, which has even more activities. They will arrange to take you to the Arenal Volcano area, but this is a very long trip and, in my opinion, visiting the Arenal area is not a day trip. You will likely feel rushed and it will be a very long day, especially for children. It’s best to stay for at least one night in that area to really experience all it has to offer.
Every night they deliver a resort newsletter, The Sundial, which has a full list of activities for the following day. You can also participate in yoga classes, dance lessons, beach soccer and volleyball, among other activities at the resort. They have have nightly shows and entertainment and movie nights for the kids, which are a fun way to relax after a day in the sun.
Plan your visit to Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica
Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica is a great option for both families with young children and those looking for a relaxing family vacation. It is a resort-style vacation that comes with the typical family-friendly amenities right on the property, but with the option to explore outside of the resort for some more exciting Costa Rican excursions and adventures via the resort, if you choose.
Website: Dreams Resort Las Mareas Costa Rica
Disclosure: This was a press trip and all accommodations and meals were included. All my thoughts and opinions are my own. I am a family travel professional and share this with you to help families decide on places to stay for their vacations.
