RIU Completes Full Refurbishment of Costa Rica’s Riu Guanacaste

by Bruce Parkinson October 07, 2025

RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced that the Hotel Riu Guanacaste is set to reopen following a full refurbishment

Opened in 2009, Riu Guanacaste was the company’s first property in Costa Rica. The refurbishment work has renovated all the rooms, communal areas, restaurants, bars and outdoor areas. Riu says the new interior design is inspired by the hotel’s natural surroundings and uses materials and colours that reflect Costa Rica’s biodiversity and culture.

After 300 rooms were added last year, the hotel now has a total of 1,041 rooms that have been completely redesigned and are more spacious and brighter to ensure maximum comfort and relaxation for guests. As well, a total of eight swim-up rooms with private pools have been added to the Riu Guanacaste.

*A refurbished room at Riu Guanacaste in Costa Rica.*

The communal areas have also undergone a complete refurbishment. The lobby’s new open and functional design makes the most of the space and natural light to give it an airier feel. Outdoors, new shaded areas and landscaped gardens have been added and the pool area has been completely restructured, now boasting a total of six pools, three of which have a swim-up bar.

All the restaurants have been refurbished and the hotel now has a wider range of dining options with new concepts. Guests can enjoy international cuisine in the Asian, Mexican and Italian restaurants, or try out the classic steakhouse and two buffet restaurants with live cooking stations. There are also two Pepe’s Food snack stations serving grilled food and two Tiki Taco Mexican taco stations.

*The property now features six pools, three with swim-up bars.*

All the hotel’s bars have been refurbished and there is a new ice cream parlour named Candy, where guests can enjoy ice cream, desserts or other sweet treats.

The youngest members of the family can enjoy a new, completely renovated RIU Land children’s area. In addition, all guests at the Riu Guanacaste will continue to enjoy the Splash Water World water park and RIU Party events, weekly themed parties open to guests at both of RIU’s hotels in the destination.

The refurbishment of the Riu Guanacaste consolidates RIU’s presence in Costa Rica, where it has also operated the hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica since 2012.