What's New at the Andaz Costa Rica and Tips for Families

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I spent the last month very much looking forward to a return trip to one of my favorite hotels in the world: Andaz Papagayo in Costa Rica. I had visited in 2016 with my wife and vowed to return when my twins were a little older. Now that they are 5 years old and could partake in many of the resort activities, it was time for them to experience "pura vida" at Andaz Costa Rica.

How to Spend 2–3 Nights at Andaz Papagayo for 'Free'

The World Of Hyatt Credit Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 25,000 points if you spend $3,000 on the card in the first three months after opening the account. You can earn a second 25,000 points after you spend a total of $6,000 within the first six months. If you earn the maximum welcome bonus, that's 50,000 World of Hyatt points plus at least 6,000 points earned on the purchases. That's enough for two nights at the Andaz Costa Rica, which is now 20,000 points per night.

But remember that the card also offers 2x points per dollar spent on restaurants, airline tickets (when purchased directly from the airline), local transit/commuting costs and fitness club memberships. If you make it a point to use the card for purchases in those categories, you can bump your earned points from 6,000 to 12,000 ... giving you enough points to redeem for three nights at this awesome property, with 2,000 points left over for your next redemption.

You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, so there are many pathways to an award stay at this resort.

What Do Families Love About Andaz Costa Rica?

TPG Family's Mommy Points has already outlined some fun things to do with kids at the Andaz Costa Rica. During my recent stay, I picked up a few other tips to help plan a family trip.

Beach House Boat Ride

I had read Mommy Points' review of the resort's new Beach House before arriving, so I was excited to check it out for myself. When Mommy Points visited last summer, the only way to arrive at the Beach House was via a van shuttle service from the hotel, followed by a golf cart to take you the final few hundred yards. Now, transportation to the Andaz-run Beach House has gotten a lot more exciting with the addition of a complimentary boat ride that takes guests directly from the property to the Beach House on Nacascolo Beach. It's only a 10 minute trip by boat.

The shuttle boat service runs in each direction every 30 minutes beginning at 9am from Sombrero Claro Beach at the bottom of the hotel (weather permitting). If you depart early enough, you can beat the crowds and hopefully have the place to yourself for a little while.

The morning we arrived, our only beach companions were capuchin monkeys and a few Andaz staff members.

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(Young) Kids Eat Free

One of the best perks for families with young children visiting the Andaz Costa Rica resort is that children 5 and younger eat for free. With food costs on the higher side throughout the hotel, this perk offers a bit of relief for families. There is not a lot written about this policy and I was curious how it would pan out at the resort since my twins are at the "sweet spot" age of exactly 5 years old.

There is a children's menu at each restaurant with common kid favorites such as fish tenders, chicken tenders, pizza, burgers and pasta. One night we dined at Chao Pescao, an on-site tapas bar with live music.

The girls were in the mood for tacos instead of what was on their menu.

I asked our server if they could accommodate a special request of child's chicken tacos. Without hesitation, he said "Of course" -- and within 15 minutes the girls had their free chicken tacos, just as their picky taste buds desired.

This was a theme throughout our stay. If the girls wanted to tweak something on the kids' menu, I'd politely ask if it was possible and every single server not only accommodated our request but also did it with a smile. In addition to the free snow cone stand by the pool, kids can order a refreshing natural fruit juice from a pool server free of charge. These were a hit with my girls.

Golf Cart Service

Anyone who has stayed at the Andaz Costa Rica knows that if you walk enough on the grounds of the property, you'll start to feel you can skip leg day at the gym when you return home. That's because the hotel was built on a magnificent, and rather steep, hillside with seven buildings housing a sprawling 153 hotel rooms, restaurants and amenities. Thankfully, the hotel offers complimentary golf cart service and this feature is commonly used by all patrons, not just families, to get around the resort.

The golf cart service came in handy several times throughout our stay and was a lifesaver when dealing with tired or sleepy kids, so don't hesitate to ask for a ride. One night, for example, we walked to dinner at Chao Pescao (at the bottom right of the below map) from our room in building four. During dinner, one of my daughters fell asleep and we asked our server if he could help us get a golf cart to take us back to the room. Within minutes, a friendly hotel staffer was at Chao Pescao ready to whisk us home to our room.

On-Site Doctor

I hope you never have to use this tip but if you, your child or someone in your party gets sick or injured on property, call for the on-site doctor. That's right, the hotel has its own in-house doctor and, best of all, the consultation is free.

My wife was having agonizing ear pain and couldn't withstand the discomfort any longer. I called the front desk and within 20 minutes the doctor arrived at our room.

We discovered she had a middle ear infection and needed antibiotics. The doctor called the closest pharmacy, which was located 30 minutes away near the Liberia International Airport (LIR), and within the hour the antibiotics had been delivered. My wife felt almost immediate relief.

What an incredibly thoughtful perk to have on-site in a time of need, especially for families.

Bottom Line

The Andaz Costa Rica is one of those special hotels that displays top-notch service at every turn. Even with the recent increase to a Hyatt Category 5 property (boy will we miss being able to use those Category 4 free night certificates at this property!), it remains one of the best resort stays my family has ever experienced. We plan to return annually for that special "pura vida" hospitality.

Here's some more intel about Andaz Costa Rica Papagayo and Costa Rica:

• Staying at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort With Kids
• Inside the New Andaz Costa Rica Beach House
• Getting to the Andaz Papagayo in Costa Rica
• Eating at the Andaz Papagayo Costa Rica and Beyond
• Favorite Things to Do at the Andaz Papagayo Costa Rica
• Free Kid's Club at the Andaz Papagayo in Costa Rica
• Review of a Room and a Suite at the Andaz Papagayo in Costa Rica
• 6 Adventurous Activities in Costa Rica for Families

Featured image by Summer Hull / The Points Guy