The Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique is a brand new Hilton brand located on the Cacique peninsula, between the towns of Coco and Playa Hermosa. This type of resort would normally be out of our price range, but we were able to book  a room with saved up Hilton points, likely because the resort had just opened a few months before (much of it was even still under construction) and we were in Costa Rica during the low tourism season. And, thanks to our status with the brand we were upgraded from the standard studio “Bahia” view to an incredible one-bedroom suite.

Playa Penca

The resort property ends just at the edge of the beach. We never found beach crowded, although I’m sure the timing of the low season combined with the newness of the resort was a factor. The resort offered snorkeling group tours from the beach, but we could also check out snorkels to use on our own. The choppy water made it difficult to swim too close to the rocky shores where most of the sea life would be found, but I still saw tropical fish just swimming a few yards from the beach in the more open water.

The water temperature was cool and comfortable, but the sand was exceptionally hot, so we needed shoes to get to and from the resort chair area to the open beach and the water. Early in the day we secured a large lounger and were able to order food and drinks and spend the day easily moving between the ocean and the pools.

The resort added a sleepaway bed in the living room for our daughter. For guests traveling with a large group it would be useful for one family to book this level of room as a gathering place for everyone.  

La Finca was the most upscale of the restaurants on property and was one of our best meals of our entire trip. One downfall to staying at a large brand hotel is that the experience often feels less authentic to the regional culture, but Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacique seems to have built its menus and dining experiences around Tico cuisine. Buena Nota Café offered a Costa Rican coffee class for an extra charge, but even without booking that the barista would explain the process of roasting the beans onsite. 

Each night, guests gathered on the patio outside the check-in lobby to enjoy drinks and snacks at sunset. This area, with devoted bar service, and the Finca restaurant on the floor below were located at the highest part of the resort, providing views of the Pacific Ocean on each side.

There was a schedule of both free and paid onsite activities with resort staff, including yoga, beach volleyball, cooking classes and kayaking. Guests could also book more high-end offsite tours through the hotel, including surfing and boating. 

A large section of the resort is reserved as adults-only, including a pool with hot-tubs, gym and spa. I booked the day-spa option, which included use of the dry sauna and steam room and time in the relaxation room. Unlike other places where a “day pass” includes come and go use of the spa amenities for the full day, I learned that this was considered more of a set 60-ish minute experience.

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Read more about our week in Costa Rica-

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