First look: Cliffside pools, ocean vistas and top-notch cuisine define the brand-new Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Editor's Note
- Local materials, ingredients, customs and culture ground the resort in the Guanacaste region.
- The Waldorf Astoria's comfortable accommodations, great food and friendly service stand out.
- The resort represents a great new way to maximize Hilton Honors points and free night certificates.
Costa Rica's Peninsula Papagayo has received considerable attention in recent years thanks to luxury hotel offerings that include the Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort and, as of February, Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
But less than an hour's drive around Culebra Bay, there's a new resort in the region ready to vie for luxury travelers' attention. And the best part? You can use Hilton Honors points to book it.
Perched atop a 300-foot cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique — featured on TPG's list of the most exciting hotel openings of 2025 — brings the brand's signature elegance to Costa Rica's lush Guanacaste region.
Here's a look inside the resort.
Related: The best all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica for beach visits or hiking trips
First impressions
Pulling up to the Waldorf Astoria, there are spectacular views everywhere you turn. But the best one is the panorama that greets guests as they ascend the steps to the hotel lobby. A modern space with wood paneling and floor-to-ceiling windows gives way to an expansive, ocean-facing terrace that unmistakably signals vacation.
My husband and I were greeted with cold towels and peppermint lemonade, which I brought to the terrace to admire the stunning scenery. My 7-month-old daughter, meanwhile, received a stuffed sloth named Petronila, who was such a hit that she joined us everywhere we went throughout the trip.
The rooms
The Waldorf Astoria boasts 148 guest rooms and 40 suites, with upward of 20 room types to choose from. Rooms are tastefully decorated in serene, neutral tones, allowing the ocean views to take center stage. Natural materials such as rattan, wood and stone seamlessly connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.
I stayed in an ocean-facing one-bedroom king suite with a plunge pool, which provided ample space, both indoor and outdoor, to spread out. In the main area, an expansive table was an ideal spot for enjoying the in-room dining menu, and my newly mobile daughter used the plush living room area for crawling practice.
In the second room, a king-size bed faced floor-to-ceiling windows and connected to a spa-like bathroom with a double vanity, a rainfall shower and a separate water closet. The bedroom also featured another seating area, a desk and chair, and a station for complimentary coffee, tea and water.
The wraparound outdoor space provided several places to relax, from a plunge pool to an oversized chaise lounge to an outdoor bathtub. From our balcony, we had striking views each morning of the sun rising over the ocean and the hotel's cascading, multilevel pools.
Dining at Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
An emphasis on local, high-quality ingredients shines through across the property's many dining concepts. Fish is purchased from local fishermen, and wagyu cattle from a nearby farm are hand-selected by the hotel's chef. The attention to detail doesn't stop there: Every dish is flavored with salt locally produced in the ancient tradition of the Indigenous Chorotega people.
Tico Tica
This relaxed yet refined restaurant is open throughout the day but really comes to life at dinnertime, with a wide-ranging menu that spans pasta to seafood. My favorite dish was the humita ($18), a sweet corn potage with melted cheese and smoked pepper sauce.
La Finca
The resort's signature restaurant blends modern and traditional cuisines for an upscale dining experience. I loved the roasted artichoke with manchego and green plantain ($29) and the Rincon de la Vieja cocktail ($22), named for the nearby volcano.
Peacock Alley
This signature bar appears in each Waldorf Astoria worldwide. Every small plate we tried here was delicious, but the showstopper was the Chorotega cocktail ($20) made from rum, corn liquor, coffee, vanilla and chocolate truffle.
Vida
Vida's menu of pizzas, salads and sandwiches is best enjoyed from a pool chair overlooking the ocean. Don't skip the guacamole with green mango and cashews ($17).
Buena Nota Cafe
This cafe is a great morning option if you don't want a full breakfast. It serves specialty coffee and house-made pastries, including pink guava rolls ($13) and golden mango eclairs ($14).
Copo y Cono
Grab a house-made ice cream, milkshake or paleta at this tiny shop just steps from the pool. I enjoyed a cup of the Pura Vida chocolate topped with fresh mango ($9).
The Terrace
With the best sunset views on the property, The Terrace is just the place to grab a cocktail or glass of Champagne before dinner.
In-room dining
Room service is available 24/7, which came in handy before our early-morning flight home. We prescheduled breakfast burritos with beans, rice and plantains ($18) to arrive in to-go boxes so we could take them to the airport.
Amenities and service
- Service: Staff members at the hotel were some of the nicest and warmest I've ever encountered, and they went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed. For example, they even helped us procure baby formula from a local store when we unexpectedly ran low.
- Personal concierge: All guests receive a staff contact whom they can message through WhatsApp to book activities, arrange transportation, make reservations and more.
- Activities: The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique has an action-packed activities calendar, with complimentary options ranging from yoga to snorkeling to beach games.
- Pets: Pets of up to 75 pounds are welcome on the property for a $250 nonrefundable fee.
- Pools: The hotel is a pool lover's dream, with eight ocean-facing pools to choose from and another more secluded option by the spa.
- Beach: Loungers and daybeds abound on the resort's beautiful strip of beach, which is also used for games and activities.
- Fitness center: The facility is well equipped with free weights and Technogym machines.
- Spa: The Waldorf Astoria Spa integrates ingredients and techniques used by the Chorotega people into its massages, rituals and other treatments.
- Kids and teens clubs: These no-fee clubs offer activities like beach walks, bowling and treasure hunts for visitors ages 4 to 12 and table tennis tournaments, movie nights and video games for those ages 13 to 17.
Activities
There's so much to see in the Guanacaste region, especially for nature lovers. Among the highlights of our time in Costa Rica was a boat trip through the wetlands of the Tempisque River, arranged by the hotel. We saw monkeys, crocodiles, numerous bird species and bats in abundance.
But there are also lots of ways to connect with nature and local culture without venturing far from the hotel. A barista class guided by the hotel staff gave us a fascinating introduction to various roasting and brewing techniques and the role coffee plays in daily life, and a morning guided kayak adventure to a nearby beach was a great way to explore the bay and its marine life.
Location and logistics
The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica sits about 18 miles west of Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia, Costa Rica, which you can easily reach from U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Charlotte, Atlanta, New York and Houston.
The drive from the airport takes about 40 minutes, but don't count on ride-hailing apps. While Uber is present in the region, there aren't many drivers. Instead, you can take a taxi (fares can vary, but usually fall between $60 and $100) or rent a car, as parking at the resort is free. The hotel also works with a luxury car company to provide upscale private airport transfers, with an SUV ride costing $195 each way.
What it costs to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica and how to book
The Waldorf Astoria brand falls under the Hilton umbrella, meaning you can earn and redeem Hilton Honors points for a stay. Standard room rewards currently start at 120,000 points per night and are readily available between now and late December, when prices jump for the holidays. Cash prices between now and then range from $1,053 to $1,630 per night.
When booking the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica, you'll want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hilton stays, or one that offers automatic Hilton Honors elite status for value-added benefits. These include:
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
- Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Silver elite status (with an upgrade to Gold through the end of the next calendar year when you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year).
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Diamond elite status.
The hotel also participates in American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. Those who have an eligible card, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, and book through the FHR portal will net perks like availability-based upgrades, daily breakfast for two and an up to $600 hotel credit ($300 semiannually).
Accessibility
The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica has two room types with mobility and hearing access — one with a king bed, and one with two queens. Both are equipped with roll-in showers and visual alarms and notification devices.
The property also features several other accessible amenities, including an accessible pool, exercise facility and meeting rooms. Service animals are welcome at the resort.
Bottom line
The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica's integration of local materials, ingredients, customs and culture grounds the resort in the Guanacaste region — and at the same time, thanks to strong throughlines to the global brand, Waldorf Astoria fans will feel at home here whether or not they've visited Costa Rica before.
With comfortable accommodations, great food, friendly service and plentiful award availability, the hotel presents a fantastic new option for Hilton loyalists looking to redeem their points or free night certificates for a high-value tropical getaway.
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