Planet Hollywood Costa Rica

Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Review 2026: Hollywood Glitz Meets Papagayo Bay

There is exactly one all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica that greets you with a glass case of original movie props in the lobby, serves Guy Fieri burgers by the pool, and stages Hollywood-themed variety shows every single night. Planet Hollywood Costa Rica — officially the Planet Hollywood Costa Rica by Royalton, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort (they really went for it with the name) — is that resort. And love it or roll your eyes at the theme, it fills a niche that nothing else on the Papagayo Peninsula even attempts.

Opened in 2018 on Culebra Bay in Guanacaste, this 292-suite property sits on one of the most protected stretches of water on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The bay is dead calm — no waves, no riptides, just flat turquoise water that makes it ideal for families with small kids and anyone who wants to kayak or paddleboard without fighting the ocean. The trade-off? The dark volcanic sand is not what you picture when you dream of a tropical beach vacation. But the resort knows this. The infinity pool, not the beach, is the star of the show.

For Marriott Bonvoy members, this is one of the very few all-inclusive resorts where you can earn and redeem points — and with no resort fee on award bookings, the points math can work out surprisingly well. Whether the overall experience justifies a luxury price tag is a more complicated question.

Quick Verdict

Who it’s for: Families with kids who crave entertainment and activities, friend groups looking for a buzzy atmosphere, and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists who want their points to work at an all-inclusive in Central America.

Worth it? Yes — if your expectations are calibrated. This is a fun-first resort with solid (not exceptional) food, a mediocre beach, and a spectacular pool. Book STAR Class during peak season or you will struggle with restaurant reservations.

Score: 7.8 / 10

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Only entertainment-focused all-inclusive in Costa Rica	Dark volcanic sand beach — not postcard-worthy
Marriott Bonvoy points: earn and redeem, no resort fee on awards	Cuisine skews American — minimal Costa Rican food
Stunning infinity pool with Culebra Bay views	Only ~5 of 7 restaurants open on any given night
East Sushi & Teppanyaki is genuinely excellent	Steep hillside terrain requires golf carts to get around
Calm bay water perfect for small children	STAR Class butler quality is inconsistent
STAR Class upgrade is comprehensive	Room service menu is limited for a 5-star resort
30 minutes from Liberia airport	Service slows down noticeably when resort is at capacity

The Resort at a Glance

Detail	Info
Location	Culebra Bay, Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste
Airport	30 min from LIR (Liberia Guanacaste International)
Rooms	292 suites across 6 categories
Restaurants	7 (~5 open on any given evening)
Bars	11, including swim-up bar and STAR Class lounge
Pools	3 pools + kids splash zone + hot tub
Beach	Dark volcanic sand, calm bay water, no waves
Spa	PH Spa — full service, extra cost (STAR Class gets hydrotherapy)
Kids Club	Star Kids Club, ages 4-12
Loyalty	Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection
Opened	2018

Rooms and Suites

Planet Hollywood offers six room categories, but the real divide is between standard rooms and STAR Class rooms. The physical rooms are identical in size — the difference is entirely about service, access, and perks. Every suite in the resort is at least 610 square feet, which is generous by all-inclusive standards, with a private balcony or terrace, rain shower, satellite TV, minibar, coffee maker, and safe.

Junior Suites (Standard)

The Junior Suite Garden View is the entry-level room and a perfectly comfortable base. At 610 square feet with either a king bed or two queens plus a sofa bed, it accommodates up to four guests — making it workable for a family of four without feeling cramped. The balcony faces the resort’s tropical landscaping rather than the ocean, which is the main reason the rate starts around $350 per night.

Upgrade to the Junior Suite Ocean View and you get the same room but with a balcony overlooking Culebra Bay. That view — especially at sunset — is worth the roughly $70 per night premium. You will spend a lot of time on that balcony.

STAR Class Suites

This is where things get interesting. STAR Class is not a wristband add-on — you book a STAR Class room category, and everything changes. The STAR Class Junior Suite is the same 610-square-foot room, but it comes with a personal butler (called a Private Agent), access to the private STAR Class pool and beach section, entry to the Green Room Lounge for premium drinks and hors d’oeuvres, priority restaurant reservations, an exclusive a la carte breakfast at Blue Star Tex-Mex Cantina, an enhanced premium minibar restocked daily, one hour of hydrotherapy at the PH Spa, and nightly turndown service.

The STAR Class Director’s Suite bumps you to 965 square feet with an in-suite Jacuzzi, walk-in closet, separate lounge, dining table, and a weekly in-suite liquor bottle selection. The two-bedroom version at 1,576 square feet sleeps up to 10 — outstanding for multi-family trips.

The crown jewel is the STAR Class Producer’s Suite: 3,109 square feet with a pool table, full kitchen, panoramic ocean views from every angle, a Jacuzzi on the balcony, and what guests consistently describe as the best views on the entire property. At $900+ per night it is a splurge, but for a group of 8-10 splitting the cost, the per-person math starts to make real sense.

Our Pick

The STAR Class Junior Suite Ocean View at around $550 per night is the sweet spot. You get the view, the butler, the private pool, the priority reservations, and the Green Room Lounge — without paying for suite square footage you might not need. During peak season (December through April), the priority dining reservations alone justify the STAR Class upgrade.

Food and Dining

Planet Hollywood has seven restaurants and 11 bars. That sounds impressive on paper, and the variety is genuinely solid — but there are important caveats that will shape your experience.

So Cal Gourmet Food Emporium (Buffet)

The main buffet restaurant serves breakfast and dinner with a sprawling spread: wood-burning oven flatbreads, Mexican tacos and churros, ramen, American grill classics, and Asian-fusion options. It is fine. Not revelatory, not terrible — the kind of buffet where you will find something you like but nothing that makes you rearrange your evening plans. STAR Class guests get an exclusive breakfast section here with better options.

Honestly? For breakfast, STAR Class guests should head to Blue Star Tex-Mex Cantina instead for the exclusive a la carte service. Standard guests — the buffet is your best option, and it does the job.

East Sushi & Teppanyaki Bar

This is the restaurant that earns Planet Hollywood its dining credibility. The teppanyaki chef performance is entertaining (perfect for families), and the a la carte sushi is consistently praised as the best food on property. Book this one first — it fills up fast, and during peak season, non-STAR-Class guests report real difficulty securing a table. If you only eat at one specialty restaurant during your stay, make it East.

Gusto Italian Trattoria

The second-best dining option on property. Fresh pasta, pizza, and risotto served at candlelit tables surrounded by vintage movie posters. It works equally well for a family dinner or a couples’ date night. The pasta is made in-house, and while it is not going to challenge a restaurant in Rome, it is a clear step above what most all-inclusives deliver for Italian.

Sunset Strip Steakhouse & Grill

An intimate evening-only steakhouse with the signature “Director’s Cut” as the featured dish. STAR Class guests get priority reservations here. The steaks are good — not dry-aged-Wagyu good, but cooked competently and served in an atmosphere that feels more polished than the rest of the resort. If you are a steak person, you will eat here at least once.

Blue Star Tex-Mex Cantina

Casual fajitas, nachos, and Tex-Mex classics in a cowboy-themed setting. More importantly for STAR Class guests, this doubles as the exclusive a la carte breakfast venue — and it is a genuine perk. Starting your day with eggs cooked to order instead of the buffet scramble is a small luxury that adds up over a week.

Guy’s Burger Joint and Crave

Guy Fieri’s branded burger spot serves from 11am to 6pm and is exactly what you expect: big, messy, flavorful burgers that kids love and adults enjoy poolside. Crave offers healthier international options with solid vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices.

Food Quality Verdict

Be clear-eyed about what you are getting. The food at Planet Hollywood is solid American-leaning fare with a couple of genuine highlights (East and Gusto). It is not fine dining. It is not Costa Rican cuisine — you will find almost zero traditional local food on the menus, which is a legitimate criticism for a resort in Costa Rica. The restaurant rotation means only about five of the seven restaurants operate on any given evening, and scoring reservations at the popular a la carte spots during peak season without STAR Class is genuinely frustrating.

One more thing: the bars serve Pepsi products, not Coca-Cola. This sounds trivial until you are on day four and really want a Diet Coke.

Beach and Pools

The Beach

Let’s be direct: if a gorgeous white-sand beach is your top priority, Planet Hollywood is not your resort. The dark volcanic sand on Culebra Bay heats up in the sun (bring sandals), and it is not the kind of beach you photograph for Instagram. Multiple guests describe it as “a nice backdrop” rather than a destination.

That said, the water itself is the beach’s saving grace. Culebra Bay is protected and calm — virtually no waves, no undertow, and visibility that is good enough for snorkeling. For families with toddlers or anyone nervous about ocean swimming, this is genuinely ideal. Non-motorized water sports are included: kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, hydro-biking, and snorkeling gear. Jet skiing and sport fishing cost extra.

The Pools

The pools are where Planet Hollywood shines. The main infinity pool is the undisputed centerpiece of the resort — a sprawling, ocean-facing pool with an infinity edge that blends into the Culebra Bay horizon. There is a swim-up bar, waiter service to your lounger, and views that make you forget the beach is underwhelming. Most guests spend 80% of their daytime here.

The STAR Class exclusive pool is smaller but notably quieter, with dedicated bar service, cabanas, and an adjacent private beach section. If you have booked STAR Class, this is one of the biggest reasons the upgrade pays off — especially during peak season when the main pool gets crowded.

A kids splash zone with shallow water features keeps younger children entertained, and there is a secondary pool for overflow. A hot tub rounds out the water options.

Activities and Entertainment

Daytime Activities

The included activity roster is strong for an all-inclusive: kayaking, paddleboarding, hydro-biking, snorkeling, beach volleyball, tennis, fitness classes (yoga, bootcamp, aqua Zumba, kickboxing), cooking demonstrations, and pool games throughout the day. The gym is well-equipped. Nothing here is extraordinary, but the breadth is above average.

Evening Entertainment

This is where Planet Hollywood earns its name. The nightly entertainment program is more ambitious than any other all-inclusive in Costa Rica. Hollywood-themed variety shows, live music, themed performances, and movie screenings under the stars are standard. The Overtime Sports Bar doubles as an evening entertainment venue and never misses a major game broadcast. The rooftop fire pit with ocean views is a legitimately magical spot for a nightcap.

Is it Vegas? No. But compared to the tired “resort show” you get at most all-inclusives, Planet Hollywood invests more effort and budget into entertainment than its competitors.

Star Kids Club

The kids club accepts ages 4 through 12 and is well-staffed with a weekly activity schedule that includes dance classes, acting workshops, karaoke, crafts, video games, and supervised pool time. Parents consistently rate it highly. Pro tip: check the weekly schedule in advance and plan around the activities your kids will enjoy most.

Spa and Wellness

The PH Spa is a full-service operation using natural and organic ingredients, including local Costa Rican botanicals. Massages, facials, hydrotherapy, organic oil treatments, and nail services are all available — at additional cost for standard guests.

STAR Class guests get one complimentary hour of hydrotherapy access plus discounts on treatments. If spa time matters to you, this is another argument for the STAR Class upgrade.

The spa is pleasant and professional but not a destination spa. Do not come here expecting the Westin Reserva Conchal’s spa experience.

What’s Included vs. Extra

Included	Extra Cost
All meals at all 7 restaurants	PH Spa treatments (STAR Class gets hydrotherapy)
All beverages including alcohol	Certified scuba diving
24/7 room service (limited menu)	Jet skiing
Daily minibar refresh	Sport fishing charters
Free high-speed Wi-Fi	Off-site excursions (zip-lining, rafting, horseback riding)
Non-motorized water sports (kayak, SUP, hydro-bike, snorkel)	STAR Class upgrade (~$65pp/night above standard rate)
Introductory scuba lessons (pool)	Airport transfer (~$65 each way)
Fitness classes and gym	Premium catamaran cruises
Tennis court access	Child supplement on points bookings (~$75/night)
Star Kids Club (ages 4-12)
Nightly entertainment and shows
Free calls to North America and Europe

Pricing and How to Book

Price Ranges by Season

Season	Period	Price Per Night (Double Occupancy)	Notes
Peak / Dry Season	December - April	$500 - $900	Best weather, highest demand, book 3-4 months ahead
Shoulder Season	May - June, November	$380 - $550	Some rain, fewer crowds, good value
Green / Rainy Season	July - October	$350 - $450	30-40% lower rates, afternoon showers, lush scenery

Rates above are for standard Junior Suites. STAR Class adds roughly $65-130 per person per night depending on room category and season.

Marriott Bonvoy Points

This is the headline for loyalty program members. Planet Hollywood is an Autograph Collection property, which means:

• Earn and redeem Bonvoy points at dynamic rates of 50,000-66,000 points per night
• No resort fee on award bookings — a significant saving compared to paying cash
• Elite benefits apply — Platinum and above get suite upgrades (subject to availability), lounge access, and late checkout
• Children cost extra on points bookings at approximately $75 per night per child

At 50,000 points per night during green season, the value per point can exceed 1 cent — which is strong for Marriott redemptions. During peak season at 66,000 points, the math still works if you value your points at 0.8 cents or above.

Best Time to Book

Book 3-4 months ahead for peak dry season (December through April) — the resort fills up and STAR Class rooms sell out first. Green season (May through November) offers last-minute deals at 30-40% below peak rates, and Guanacaste’s Pacific coast stays significantly drier than the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

Where to Book

• Marriott.com — Best for Bonvoy points redemption and elite benefits
• Planethollywoodhotels.com — Direct booking, sometimes exclusive packages
• Costco Travel — Strong package value with flights
• Expedia / Hotels.com — Package deals worth comparing

Compared to Nearby Resorts

Secrets Papagayo sits on the same peninsula and is the obvious alternative for couples. It is adults-only (Hyatt Inclusive Collection), with better dining quality, a more romantic atmosphere, and a similarly calm bay setting. If you are traveling without kids and want a serene, food-forward experience, Secrets is the better choice — but it does not participate in Marriott Bonvoy.

The Westin Reserva Conchal is the other Bonvoy-eligible comparison, about an hour from Liberia airport. It has a significantly better beach (white-sand Playa Conchal), a Robert Trent Jones II golf course, and a more polished luxury feel. The trade-off: longer airport transfer, higher base prices, and less entertainment programming. For Bonvoy loyalists who prioritize beach quality over activities, the Westin wins.

Occidental Papagayo is a more affordable adults-only option on the same peninsula. It is an older property with fewer amenities, but at roughly half the price of Planet Hollywood, it serves travelers who want Papagayo’s calm waters without the luxury price tag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is STAR Class worth the upgrade at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica?

During peak season (December through April), yes — emphatically. The priority restaurant reservations alone justify it when the resort is full and standard guests struggle to book a la carte dining. The private pool, Green Room Lounge, and exclusive breakfast at Blue Star add meaningful daily value. During green season when the resort is quieter, the upgrade is nice but not essential — you will likely get your preferred restaurant reservations as a standard guest.

How does Marriott Bonvoy work at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica?

You can earn and redeem Bonvoy points at dynamic rates of 50,000-66,000 points per night. Award bookings include no resort fee. Elite members (Platinum and above) are eligible for suite upgrades, late checkout, and other benefits. Children cost approximately $75 per night on points bookings. Airport transfers are not included on award stays and run about $65 each way.

Is the beach good at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica?

Honestly, no — not by Caribbean or white-sand standards. The dark volcanic sand heats up in the sun, and most guests consider the beach a secondary feature. However, the water in Culebra Bay is exceptionally calm with no waves, making it outstanding for small children and non-motorized water sports. Bring sandals for the sand.

Is Planet Hollywood Costa Rica good for families?

It is one of the best family-oriented all-inclusives in Costa Rica. The calm bay water is safe for young children, the Star Kids Club is well-run for ages 4-12, the entertainment programming keeps older kids engaged, and the two-bedroom Director’s Suite (sleeping up to 10) is purpose-built for multi-family trips. Guy’s Burger Joint is a guaranteed hit with kids.

How far is Planet Hollywood Costa Rica from the airport?

About 30 minutes from Liberia Guanacaste International Airport (LIR). This is one of the shortest transfers of any resort in the Guanacaste region. Airport transfers cost approximately $65 each way and are not included in the all-inclusive rate or points bookings.

What should I avoid at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica?

Skip September and October — this is the heaviest rainfall period even by green season standards. Avoid booking a standard room during peak season if you care about a la carte dining, because restaurant reservations are difficult to secure without STAR Class priority. And temper your beach expectations — come for the pool, the entertainment, and the Bonvoy points, not for a white-sand paradise.

Final Verdict

Score: 7.8 / 10

Planet Hollywood Costa Rica occupies a unique niche: it is the only entertainment-first, Marriott Bonvoy-eligible all-inclusive on the Papagayo Peninsula. For the right traveler — families who want activities and shows, groups who want a buzzy atmosphere, Bonvoy members who want their points to stretch — it delivers genuine value that no competitor in Costa Rica matches.

The East Sushi & Teppanyaki Bar is a legitimately excellent restaurant. The infinity pool overlooking Culebra Bay is stunning. The STAR Class upgrade, particularly during peak season, transforms a good stay into a significantly better one. And the 30-minute airport transfer from Liberia is blissfully short.

But you need to know what you are buying. This is not a serene couples’ escape — Secrets Papagayo does that better. This is not a white-sand-beach resort — the Westin Reserva Conchal wins there. For a full comparison of the country’s options, see our Costa Rica destination guide. The food skews American rather than showcasing Costa Rican cuisine, service consistency is the resort’s most persistent weakness, and the hillside terrain means you will spend more time waiting for golf carts than you would like.

Book Planet Hollywood Costa Rica if: You are a Bonvoy loyalist, you are traveling with kids who need entertainment, you prioritize pools over beaches, or you want something genuinely different from the typical serene-luxury all-inclusive template.

Look elsewhere if: A beautiful beach is your top priority, you want fine dining and local cuisine, or you are a couple seeking romance and tranquility.