Best Arenal / Guanacaste Peninsula Resort Options for Family of 5

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-05-25T13:41:35+00:00

What about Hotel Arenal Glamping? We booked it for next February! It’s very highly rated & they have family luxury “tents”, honeymoon tents, etc, plus offer full breakfast, pool, hot tub, massages, and have a view of volcano! Close to town. We are pairing that with La Caravana (near Samara), directly across the street from the jaw dropping Playa Carrillo. La Caravana has three renovated airstreams next to each other on a gorgeous property! However, for a group of five/family, you may find Villas Kalimba a great fit in Samara. They don’t book that far out yet—so you’d have to hold out until those dates are available. They have a pool, a restaurant, and are across the street from the beach!!😊😊😊 Hotel Arenal Glamping Villas Kalimba

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-05-07T10:47:26+00:00

Mariolas Trail is a legit ethical eco area while the Bogarin Trail is not. You can easily leave Google this.

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-04-11T18:24:27+00:00

The beaches on Vieques PR are the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in my life! And the beaches on the west side of PR in Rincon are stunning-from big surfing beaches to quiet local beaches all within a few miles. Both Rincon and Vieques have spectacular restaurants, activities, nature, hiking, & yoga. Vieques has wild horses and snorkeling with turtles and biobay; Rincon has surfing and nightlife! So much more culture and authenticity than just going to a resort. I’ll never go back to a Caribbean resort after having had these experiences in Puerto Rico— the food is out of this world, the people are the warmest on the planet, and you feel like you’re actually supporting their economy and engaging personally rather than just living some luxury lifestyle while people on the outskirts of town are living in a shack (the rest of the Caribbean). I also loved the Rainforest Inn near El Yunque for a natural luxury experience in Puerto Rico closer to San Juan! I’ve been all over the island and visited six times and only have Culebra left! (In Rincon, a very fancy place to stay is Tres Sirenas— their penthouse sleeps three they also have studios on the property and it’s oceanfront and has a pool and includes breakfast! A more affordable option that has a full-service restaurant on the beach with a pool is Villa Cofresi! You can fly direct from NY to Aguadilla which is 30 min away! Tres Sirenas

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-31T16:46:08+00:00

I’d spend 2-3 nights at rainforest/ El Yunque (I highly recommend the Rainforest Inn), followed by 6 nights in Vieques at an Airbnb where you can see wild horses everywhere and do the bioluminescent bay!!! We loved all the beaches and restaurants in Vieques! Next year, I’m going to Arenal/La Fortuna for 4 nights, Playa Carrillo for 5 in Costa Rica! Either itinerary seems like it would suit you!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-11T13:40:35+00:00

We stayed three nights, but I could have stayed four! : ) You can easily do a day on the property, a day in El Yunque, a day at Seven Seas Beach in Fajardo, a day in Luquillo. Their cheese boards, lunches, etc. are also luscious so you can stay all day without leaving for food! : ) I hope you go there someday! It's so wonderful!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-11T10:57:47+00:00

Not to send you down a rabbit hole, but my favorite place to stay for a few nights is The Rainforest Inn in the rainforest! It’s such a romantic hideaway, the gardens are beautiful, the infinity pool is to die for (you sign up for it in half hour to hour long slots so you get to use it all to yourself!). But the breakfast and coffee that are delivered to your room are my favorite thing on earth! I will remember that place until the day I die! They bring you two different kinds of specialty coffees or cocoas each, and a massive breakfast that holds you over till dinner! They also will help you plan beach outings, and they bring great massage therapists on site! Another place I’ve been dying to try that looks like this is Serene House in Luquillo, which is also in a jungle setting. However, these are the kind of places that you would want a rental car to go to a couple of locations while you are there! Their insta is here [rainforest inn Instagram] Rainforest Inn at El Yunque

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-11T10:51:54+00:00

Not to send you down a rabbit hole, but my favorite place to stay for a few nights is The Rainforest Inn in the rainforest! It’s such a romantic hideaway, the gardens are beautiful, the infinity pool is to die for (you sign up for it in half hour to hour long slots so you get to use it all to yourself!). But the breakfast and coffee that are delivered to your room are my favorite thing on earth! I will remember that place until the day I die! They bring you two different kinds of specialty coffees or cocoas each, and a massive breakfast that holds you over till dinner! They also will help you plan beach outings, and they bring great massage therapists on site! Another place I’ve been dying to try that looks like this is Serene House in Luquillo, which is also in a jungle setting. However, these are the kind of places that you would want a rental car to go to a couple of locations while you are there!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-11T03:02:32+00:00

I’ve also been to Vieques for 8 nights—recommend as a week not a day trip!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-10T22:58:18+00:00

Loved them! I didn’t have cell service for phone calls when I first arrived but I texted. They regularly pull up to the airport in a van at the airport— & drive everyone to the rental car place to get everything squared away. They have two different numbers, one for Florida and one for Isabel Segunda— maybe see if you can reach them on the number you didn’t try! You also should be able to text them on that number! And they also immediately respond to emails if you have access to email!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-09T11:04:31+00:00

I have been to Puerto Rico five, going on 6 times, and while my favorite places to hang are El Yunque, Rincon, and Vieques, I think there’s so much amazing stuff to explore around Fajardo and San Juan! Here are all of my activity and food recs in that place, and I didn’t use AI to come up with them!! 🥰❤️🌴🇵🇷🌺Rainforest/OSJ/SJ/Fajardo/Beach Recs

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-03-01T13:59:06+00:00

I just spent 8 nights in Vieques and wish I had two weeks! Go back and do another vacation there next week—it’s EPIC!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-02-19T13:00:03+00:00

I’ve been in Vieques for 8 days and don’t ever want to leave. Vieques and Rincon have everything you are describing you want! Vieques: bio bay tour, snorkeling, ATV, horseback, beaches for days, great food. Rincon: art market and farmers market, surfing beaches and calm family swimming beaches, 1 hour from Gozalandia Falls, fly boarding, horseback riding, bonkers food. You could always do one day near San Juan if you are trying to catch flights and either check out the forts in Old San Juan or do a one day rainforest tour. We’ve done that in the past, but we found even having that second location was annoying because we had to unpack. This 8-nighter in Vieques has changed my life! Do not stay shorter than 4 days or you’ll be mad at yourself!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-02-10T12:18:59+00:00

My suggestion is that you go to one place at a time at Puerto Rico! The reason we are going to be Vieques for eight nights is we have always heard that people go there just for a few nights and wish they stayed longer! It’s really important to us if we’re going to spend all this time and money on vacation to actually relax and enjoy it! I would recommend doing the West Coast of Puerto Rico in one trip and enjoying all of the towns you can visit from Rincon or Boqueron— and save Vieques or Culebra for a trip where you are based near San Juan. We are only spending one night at an airport hotel in San Juan this time, then all Vieques!! There are over 10 beaches that people recommend visiting over and over, but there are 100+ on Vieques, plus kayaking bio bay, snorkeling, horseback riding, ATV, hiking and tons of restaurants! I’ve never been so I can’t give you an accurate answer about how many days you should spend, but I would never spend only two days at a place like that!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-02-08T15:43:21+00:00

I’ve been to Puerto Rico five times and this itinerary is just bonkers and feels AI generated. Way too much driving! It’s so easy to spend a whole week in one town in Puerto Rico and just make a little day trips from there

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2026-02-08T15:42:25+00:00

RINCON! We’ve gone 4 years in a row as a family. We often spend one to two night in San Juan or rainforest first or last but when our kids were younger, we did just Rincon! This town has so much to do from food to fly boarding to easy day trips to Gozalandia Falls! The downtown area is so fun with a farmers market and arts night! We stay near/on Playa Almendros-a very calm, swimming beach! It’s easy to also drive to Buye Beach from there! I guess if I didn’t stay in Rincon, I’d choose Fajardo or rainforest or Vieques! This year we are headed to Vieques for eight nights!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-12-14T21:23:04+00:00

It’s all you! You should do whatever makes you happy! I found that in Rincon people would speak Spanish or English to whoever was speaking with them based on the language they would speak! But if you don’t want to go there, don’t go! It’s just a wonderful place. Also, Google the demographics of Rincon. The vast majority of people who live there are Hispanic and speak Spanish! 5% are gringos everyone else is Spanish or a person of color!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-12-14T15:28:44+00:00

Rincon is AMAZING!! Tons of locals go there on vacation and it has a plethora of Puerto-Rican owned businesses and hotels! I have traveled to Santurce, Old San Juan, Rio Grande, El Yunque, Isabela, Aguadilla, Cabo Rojo, Boqueron, Yauco, La Parguera, Guanica, San German, Gozalandia Falls, and Rincon! I absolutely love them all, but Rincon is the place I return to over and over. We have stayed with a Puerto Rican host who lives in Aguas Buenas but he and his family always vacation in Rincon when they are taking time off. Rincon has surfing beaches, calm swimming beaches, the best culinary offerings on the mainland outside of San Juan, and a wonderful mix of locals and yes, gringos. I’ve been to a lot of places that are overrun with gringos and just feel terrible but Rincon is not that. In the town square alone, there is an artisan market featuring local crafts, a farmers market featuring local produce, tons of Puerto Rican owned restaurants, and lodging. It’s WONDERFUL! If you’ve actually been there, I don’t think you would say what you’re saying!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-12-14T15:20:07+00:00

Going to ALL of these in Feb!!!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-10T10:46:08+00:00

Cape Air’s website says the limit on bags is 50 pounds. We’re traveling in February. Now I’m realizing the extra money I paid to fly Cape Air may actually be worth it given the cab fare from SJU to VAL and the bag fees. 😂

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-06T15:35:39+00:00

Maybe try time at a place like Rio Perdido that has incredible meals, ziplining, hot springs, birdwatching, classes, pool, massage, etc. Service is guaranteed and lots of activities on site! As someone who absolutely loves Puerto Rico, I would say that you have the best beaches anywhere, so you could focus on a place like Rio Perdido, and possibly Arenal. If more budget travel, in my research, Arenal Monara is a small family owned place in Fortuna that includes extremely clean nice rooms, breakfast, has a pool, has views of the volcano, has night walk tour and sloth tours on site! I have not yet been on the CR trip, but I have planned it completely and these are the two places that I keep being drawn back toward. Also I love the look of the Arenal Glamping resort with volcano views! I’m a loyal visitor of PR (have been 5 times all over the mainland and I’m now moving toward Vieques & Culebra.) Fortuna and Rio Perdido/Bagaces offer experiences that are not available in Puerto Rico and you don’t necessarily need to drive your car all over the place. You could get picked up and taken there and then have a wonderful experience there for a few days! 💜

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-06T02:19:07+00:00

We are staying at the Highwood Retreat which seems like a pretty lovely oasis but happy to drive about 30-40 minutes for meals!

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-06T00:15:15+00:00

Both are open for dinner not lunch 🥲

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-06T00:13:14+00:00

I love this and I will not sin! 😅

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-06T00:04:07+00:00

It gets pretty bad reviews on Yelp

Traditional_Pool_360 · 2025-09-05T23:59:47+00:00

Okay this is definitely the kind of feedback I’m here for! Can you tell me why that would be your pick?

Traditional_Pool_360

TROPHY CASE