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“Great resort”

Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

Stayed at the Barcelo Tambor Beach on March 31, April 1 and 2. My husband & I have stayed in about 10 different all-inclusives in the Carrbbean & in Costa Rica & although we've never had a bad experience, this resort was the best so far. The rooms were clean and comfortable and the air conditioner worked perfectly. The flowers around the buildings are beautiful. The pools & beach area look just like the web site photos. There were great waves to use boogie boards on and the water was the warmest beach water I've ever stepped into - almost like bath water. There is a nature trail on the premises. We saw monkeys in the trees, crabs, birds, horses, alligators(behind a fence) and cows. The iguanas roaming the property are not to be feared. One sauntered down to the beach, between our beach chairs, sat up like a puppy and ate bread from my hand. Seeing the first one is a bit of a shock, but they just wander around & don't hurt anybody. If you can possibly get to the resort on a small Sansa plane, do it.

Our daughter got married in the Arenal Volcano area (Kioro, LaFortuna) and it took us 7 hours to get to the Barcelo by rental car. (part of it paved but about 30 miles on a dirt/rock road) The Tambor "airport" is a green bench with a little roof over it and 2 port-a-johns. It is right next to the Barcelo & it only cost $2 each for the hotel taxi to take you & your luggage there. (We took the Sansa plane from Tambor to Liberia.) My daughter had a birthday while we were there and the Rancho restaurant turned out ALL THE LIGHTS in the restaurant, (we thought there was a power outage), brought her a piece of cake with a candle on it and sang to her.

As for some of the other comments made here at Trip Advisor:

BEACH: Yes, there is a line of rocks between the grass & palms and the sandy beach, but I think the tide has brought this in. After you cross the rocks (in sandals) the beach is smooth, smooth sand and you can walk in your bare feet in it for miles. If you are used to only white, white sand, be aware that some beaches in Costa Rica are made up of "tan" sand and some even have "black" sand, due to the volcanic activity. This beach was NICE, though. There are palms & other trees for shade between the hotel and the beach. (one person commented that it takes "7 minutes" to get to the beach, but except for the row of shade trees, the hotel does sit on the beach, so don't let that comment confuse you.)

BEDS: Someone wrote that the place needs new beds but ours were comfortable & we slept like logs.

SERVICE: I don't know what kind of "poor" service that person got, but we had no problems. My other daughter checked into her room & there was a plumbing problem with a loose ceiling tile over their shower. They went to the desk and hotel personnel moved them to another room very quickly. LANGUAGE: The employees do speak Spanish with some English. A crash course before your trip would help.

FOOD: One person said the food had "quantity & variety without much quality" but all 6 of us thought the food was great. You could choose fish or beef or chicken & about a zillion other delicious items.

LUGGAGE: I'm not sure why some people didn't get their luggage from the Cesna until later in the evening, but we just grabbed ours as we got off the Sansa plane. This could be because we booked our flight on line, and it was not in conjunction with our hotel reservations due to the wedding. Maybe if you get a "package" the luggage comes to the hotel at a later time. All six of us would return to the Barcelo in a minute. The weather was in the 80's every day & we had a terrific stay.



“No Complaints!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

A wee bit late at writing this review but as the saying goes better late then never.

Absolutely no complaints with the Barcelo hotel located in Tambor, Costa Rica.

Our holiday (booked through Nolitours) was flawless from start to finish.
My suggestion to anyone considering their next vacation here, TAKE THE SMALL PLANE INTO TAMBOR VS. THE FERRY.
If its not included in your package its well worth the extra expense.
The turbulance mind you can be a bit unsetteling for those with a weak stomach like myself but you soon get over it when you arrive in paradise.

Hotel grounds are very well maintained, good size pool ( links of pools with a variety of depths which cater to all ages), and a good selection of food to choose from.

Rooms are clean and what you'd expect for a 3-4 star hotel. Air conditioning works well, almost too well.
Our room was located next to the nature park at which I suggest to those who like it a little more quiet. I heard through others that it can be a bit loud in the evenings with the disco on site.
We also had a hammock which was nice to lounge in with a good book.

Wild life is plenty including multi-coloured squirrels, iguannas, raccoons, monkeys, crocodiles (2 we counted), and some of the most beautiful variety of birds on this planet.

The buffet is your typical buffet that included a good selection. You can't go wrong with the breakfast so if buffets aren't your style at least give the morning a try.
We don't eat seafood so I cannot comment on the ala carte restaurant. We did try the steak house which was so so. My boyfriends steak was awesome, mine a wee bit tough but I've had alot worse!
The central bar/snack place (the name has slipped my mind) is great for those afternoon munchies and again a good selection.
Try the chicken, fresh & juicy!

Don't be disappointed when you see the beach. There are alot of rocks but once you get down to the DARK sand its like walking on silk. Go for a stroll early in the morning, its so peaceful and relaxing.
What's also cool is to stand and watch as the plane comes in for a landing, you literally feel as if you need to duck...it's quite funny to watch.

There are a few things to do in and around the area but don't expect the hustle and bustle of somewhere like Cancun.
Tambor is a wonderful place to get away from it all for a week or two and just relax.
Horseback riding, 4 wheelers, zip lines, and snorkling tours are just a few to mention.

Overall a fantastic place, pleasant staff, awesome weather, and for sure a hotel we'll be returning to.
Yes it helps that I have a son who's lucky to have the opportunity to presently live in Tambor so all the more reason for me to go back.


“Barcelo Playa Tambor - Great holiday”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

My girlfriend and I along with her daughter and one of her friends stayed at the Barcelo Beach Resort - Playa Tambor for a week March 25 - April 01/2008. The resort is beautiful and the grounds are very clean, with beautiful gardens throughout.
The accomodations we found to be very comfortable, clean and well kept. The pool is very large and again well maintained with ample poolside lounge chairs for everyone as well as on the beach. There was no need to rise early and rush out to put your towels on chairs in order to reserve them for later. We found that no matter what time of the day you could always find chairs.

The rooms were kept clean and were very comfortable with each one having it's own balcony complete with a table and chairs and the corner units are also equipped with a hammock. I would suggest that if listening to the disco all night is not your idea of fun, try to void the rooms in the 400 series as they are closest to the nightlife.

If on the other hand you want the quietest rooms, close to the Nature Park I would suggest you try to book a room in the 600 block. All the rooms are within a short walk to the resorts centre where you will find the various bars, pool, and restaurants.

The beach is not your typical white powdery sand. There is a stretch of rock and pebbles but as you get closer to the water it becomes very sandy. In the water the base is almost entirely soft sand and very comfortable to walk on and the water is very warm.

WARNING! the undertow can be very strong and the waves quite powerful. DO NOT! wear sunglasses or jewelery into the water as you will most certainly loose them in the undertow (speaking from experience).

The pacific side of Costa Rica is not true rainforest, but more of a winter rainforest with trees that loose their foliage in the winter, but it is still very picturesque.

If you are planning to do some tours while your are there I would suggest that you avoid booking them with the resort as the same trip can be booked with local tour providers at a much cheaper rate.

Almost daily you will find a rep. from Kevin's Tours on the beach who can book almost anything you're looking for. I would also suggest Tavo Tours [--] and speak with Octvio. I booked a half day boat tour with him for dolphin watching, Tortuga Island and beach as well as snorkeling and his prices were excellent. He also does various other trips and we throughly enjoyed our time with him and Elvis.

I would also suggest that you book the flight from San Jose to the resort as it is a short 25 minute hop and not the 5 hours travel it takes by bus and ferry.

Oh just one other point. This area of Costa Rica is a prime holiday area for locals as well as other central and south americans, so buying a Spanish phrase book will come in very handy as not all the staff speak English. Besides it adds to the flavour of the trip!

To sum it up we had a great time and we have no problem recommending this resort to anyone interested in visiting there.
Enjoy!! Pura Vida!!

 “Amazing!!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I stayed like in 5 hotels in costa rica
and i could say that barcelo tambor beach was the best hotel; i had a really good experience over there and people is very nice. my friends and i are planning on going soon (:


“Worth the Drive !”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

Recently stayed at the Barcelo Tambor from March 10th - 17th, 2008 with my wife and 2 kids 18 and 16. Booked through Sunwing. Flew to Liberia - brochure indicated 5 1/2 hr land transfer, picked up by 2 very pleasant Costa Ricans who indicated that the trip would be 4 1/2 hrs - half on pavement and the last half on dirt roads. It turned out to be 3 1/2 hours but made a very long day after a 2 hr delay in Toronto (snow) and a 5 hr flight. However, we arrived safe and sound to a very nice resort.

Rooms: Very clean but a little tired - can be noisy if you're close to entertainment which goes to midnight.

Pools: In the middle of March break it felt like there was about 50 people at the resort. Very few lineups, no problem getting chairs at pool or on the beach. Very clean, warm pools.

Beach: not a Punta Cana beach but very picturesque and can walk for a couple of hours unbothered by anyone. Warmest ocean water I've ever been in.

Food: Standard fair at a tropical resort. Specialty restaurants were good - Seafood (tables almost on the beach), Steak - go for the Filet if you're not a big meat eater. The steaks seemed a little tough.

Golf: Golfed next door at the Los Delfines - very nice 9 holes course which we had completely to ourselves. 1st tee-box - monkeys in trees and scarlet macaws flying across the fairway.

Activities: rented ATVs for 4 hrs and went to 2 falls - Montezuma and Mal Pais. Lots of fun but could be a little dangerous if you're not experienced.

Horseback riding: took the 1 hr beach tour which was fun.

Wildlife: saw snakes, iguanas, monkeys, macaws, all kinds of different birds, geckos, a type of racoon



“Comfortable and Affordable”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

This was the first time we stayed at the Playa Tambor, and it was a very nice experience. We decided to take a small plane (12 passenger capacity) on Sansa Airlines from San Jose, which was only a 25 min flight, instead of the 5 hour bus ride. We did not regret it! The flight left on time, and the airport is less than a mile from the Hotel. WORD OF CAUTION: Do not book a transfer from the airport to the hotel, as they will charge you $30 when there are always mini vans waiting at the airport which will charge you only $2 per person. Technically, you can walk to the hotel from the airport, though I would not recommend that. AT THE HOTEL: The staff was very friendly and helpful, but also made sure that you did not get more than you paid for. For example, there are 2 restaurants to which you can only have dinner in if you stay for 3 consecutive nights, and only once during your stay. No exceptions. The pool was nice, and the beach, though a bit rocky, was clean, with many hammocks and loungers available. There is also a nature park on the premises. The atmosphere was very family-like, and there were many locals. The food was excellent, and there were many options. The rooms are clean, but a bit old, and in need of renovation. Not 5 star, but more like 3 star. Each room had a balcony, though not much of a view. However, you are only a 7 minute walk from the beach, and the weather is generally favorable. All-in-all, it was a great experience.


“Loved our stay at Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We stayed at the Barcelo Tambor from Feb.13 to 27, 2008. We took the commuter flight and it went well. The flight is about 25 minutes from San José. The airport at Tambor has a single landing strip and is just a few minutes away from the hotel. You could actually walk to the hotel.

The hotel was OK - clean but would probably need new beds as they were not very comfortable. The staff was very nice and always eager to help and make you happy. A little tip and they would remember you for your entire stay. The food was good. Lots of variety - just remember that there are a lot of tourists with different tastes and culture. We tried new foods and always found something good to eat. You must really try the natchos and salsa and also the chicken at the snack bar - really good!!!

The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The Eco-Park is nice,. Expect to see caymens, raccoons, birds, old trees, butterflies and howler monkeys. The beach is beautiful and 6km long. You can walk to the village of Tambor via the beach. There we found souvernirs and a small grocery store. Souvernirs at the hotel are same price but visit the small town - it's worth the trip.

We did a few outings. We rented ATVs from the sharks on the beach. It was well worth it. It's a good way to really see the country side and the flora and fauna. We also went to Tortuga Island and Curu Park (from our Nollitour rep). We were very happy to have done both on same trip because spending half a day at Tortuga Island would have been a waste of money. It's a nice place but it's just a beach.... Curu Park was excellent. We had a great tour guide who knew his stuff. We also tried the zip line from Montezuma. It's a must.

The Entertainment at the hotel was ok. We stayed for two weeks and the second week was a repitition of the the previous week. Hotel should have a two week turnaround show. Jose and Braydon from the entertainment crew were amazing. We had lots of fun with those guys. They really enjoy their jobs and it really shows.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Barcelo Tambor Hotel and would go back in a heart beat. Lynn, our travel rep from Nollitour was great. Always available.



“Great trip...save a few hiccups”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

First things first: Learning a bit of Spanish or French can go a long way at the Barcelo Tambor. The order of languages that staff speak is probably Spanish, French, English. No kidding.

What this did during our visit was make it extremely difficult to check in (especially if you have any special requests). The bars weren't any better. At the same time the bars never were that busy and it was quite easy to get a drink (and the drinks were never skimpy when it came to alcohol content).

Anyhow, I'm jumping ahead of myself. To get to the Barcelo you have the option of either taking ground transportation (which consists of taking a car/bus to the ferry, ferry to Puntarenas, then car/bus again to the resort) or by air. Strongly suggest going by air. After a long plane ride, and an even longer luggage wait (ha ha), you just want to get to the hotel. Taking the Cesna is only 1/2 hour whereas by ground its about 3.5 to 4 hours! Only thing is that you should bring in your beach wear in your carry on luggage as if you take the Cesna your luggage won't arrive until later in the evening.

The grounds were very, very nice. Well kept with lots of animals everywhere (iguanas galore, howler monkeys, bird sanctuary, frogs) and the beach coastline extended for miles (breathtaking)!

The rooms were nice. Always clean and stocked with whatever you needed. I found that tipping the maids went a long way. The room was always cool and everything looked great. One suggestion: Request (when booking not when arriving at the hotel) to be placed in a room far from the pool area (so 100-300s or 500+). The entertainment (more to come on this) went on until after midnight and was loud (which was not good for some of our group who were assigned rooms near the pool).

The food was good (not great). Best meal of the day was hands down breakfast (omelettes made your way and the line-up was never long, crispy bacon, fresh fruit), lunch we usually skipped (ate nachos and burgers....the nachos were great) and dinner was ok. They try to mix it up each night and one night was a special night with lots of treats (chocolate covered strawberries!). I would suggest avoiding the a la cartes (the steakhouse was not very good as the food was quite rubbery). The seafood a la carte apparently didn't serve shellfish (only fresh fish) so we avoided it altogether.

The entertainment was PAINFUL. This is probably my biggest complaint. The band sang the same thing all day....then they repeat the same songs all night. Our group do not speak Spanish but by the end of the trip we certainly knew the lyrics to Spanish-Barbie's songs (you'll know what I mean). Another funny tidbit: They named their shows a different name each night but it was exactly the same every single night! Even their "Name that Tune" game had the same songs and trivia questions each night! They really need to add some variety. The nightclub wasn't that great either (we only could stand about 20 minutes before we left). I resorted to the Casino for entertainment on the nights that we stayed around at the hotel.

We went on numerous excursions on our 1 week trip and were begging for more (should have stayed for 2 weeks as there wasn't enough time to go on all of them). Costa Rica really is a beautiful country and you'll be amazed at the views (Monteverde and Arenal Volcano).

Overall, I'd definitely return to Costa Rica again someday. While the Barcelo was good (not perfect) it was good enough. Then again my trip was not to see the hotel but Costa Rica itself.

“Enchanting... I wanna go back!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I just stayed at Barcelo Tambor for 4 total days... and I loved it! It We went as a group of 4 to celebrate my 30th birthday. We spent a lot of time drinking at the pool bar, playing volleyball, getting dance lessons, watching the shows, and dancing at the discotech.

In regards to the shows, they were very well rehearsed, provided variety, they were exciting! Ranging from Michael Jackson immitation to salsa/merengue/cumbia to a display of International dances, some were sensual and others were action packed. We enjoyed them every night. You can tell that the staff works very hard to be near perfect in their presentation.

I read several reviews commenting about the food, and I don't think it was terrible as most people make it sound. The Tucan provides steak, Mahi Mahi, chicken, pasta... the food is always hot and tender (unlike most buffets). Don't get me wrong, there should be no expectations of 5 star quality but I never felt the need to leave to eat, except in the middle of the night....

Since we got hungry in the middle of the night, we ventured off to a bar called La Cafeteria... it is probably about 3 minutes from the hotel and it's a local hangout. Nice people, good burritos.

The pool is tremendous... looks just like the pictures... the beach is average -- lots of little rocks and tan sand.

The discotech is a decent size, and the DJ is accomodating to requests. It didn't get too crowded while we were there.

We did a paid snorkeling excursion, which could use lots of improvement. They did not provide instructions and my group of people had never snorkeled before. We assumed we would be close to the shore (my cousin doesn't know how to swim) but instead were put into water deep as 5 meters. We saw about 4 types of fish. Because it's a first I'm glad I did it, but it's nothing to post on the Discovery Channel.

After the snorkeling, the group wass dropped off on Tortuga Island while they prepared BBQ lunch.... the water is spectacularly blue-green, surrounded by mountains. I kayaked. Amaaaazing scenery!!! Sooo worth it just for the blue-green water.

Hotel staff is friendly, happy, and fun. I think that's what actually made the trip for me.
The biggest bother was the long flight to San Jose, then having to take a small flight to Tambor, causing you to lose half a day. The plus point is that the airport is probably 2 and a half minutes away from the hotel!

Book for at least 5 days, especially if you want to take excursions in addition to spending time at the resort.

Expect raccoons, iguanas, and cats.

1st floor are smoking rooms, 2nd floor are not.

I would highly recommend this resort... it's relaxing, diverse, well organized, and fun! I wanna go back!


“an isolated get away”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I travel freqeuntlky and write revews for this site on my return.

Let me be succinct this is an all inclusuve resort similar to those every where else in the world. If you come here it should be for 2-3 days otherwise there is no reson to travel all the way to Costa Rica. We spent 3 days here for some R&R and were for the most part satisfied because we knew what to expect.

The beach is very private and very clean as is the water. This is where we spent most of the time. Yes you have to walk over some reocks to get there but i have been to many beahces in Europe where this is true. There ris a nice surf w/o under toe. we had a lot of fun in the water and this is a good place for familes.

The pools were warm and large and never crowded.They also were very clean

The drinks were very good and not watered down and plentiful.

The grounds are beautiful and well kept up.

The rooms were clean but small- good for 2 people. The a/c had 2 temps - very cold or off.The beds so so.

The food is what you expect in these places - quantity and variety w/o much quality. The a la carte restaurants are sligthly better if you can get a reservation - good luck only one every 3 days and these are difficutl to get.

The only thing that is bad about this place is the service outside the dining rooms. Form the top down particularly at the frotn desk it is very poor even for a place like this. This was theonlything that surprised me.

Bottom line a nice beach resort at a good price for what you get but DO NOT spend a whoel week here or you will be disappointed.


“Fantastique”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We traveled to Barcelo Tambor from Feb 12-19th 2008. Being an "economical" younger couple we decided to take the bus & ferry transfer to get to the hotel. Be warned - it takes a very long time and as our flight was at 6am it became a very long day after the 3 hours to the ferry, hour long ferry ride and another 45 minutes to the resort. What made it much worse were the people who decided to get drunk during the trip. They made the bus ride much less tolerable.

As soon as we arrived at the resort we decided to book the flight back to San Jose instead of taking the ferry. It cost $65 one way and was much quicker - if you chose to take the ferry back you had to leave at 4am the day of your flight. Again the ferry ride was alright, it was the people who were irritating, but you do miss 2 days of vacation just travelling if you chose this option.

The Staff: We don't speak Spanish and have never been anywhere where it was frequently spoken. I agree that many of them did not speak fluent English, however as a guest in their country neither of us (my boyfriend or I) cared. They were always very attentive and nice. If someone can't understand English, do not simply start speaking louder to them - either find someone else who speaks spanish or try other ways of explaining it. By the end of the trip we had picked up many phrases and had no trouble communicating with anyone.
The staff also worked rediculously long hours (12 hour shifts 7 days a week) and I would highly recommend tipping (we didn't see many other people tipping which was sort of embarassing). Our maid and all of the bartenders were great. They really appreciate a friendly Hola when you walk by.

The Hotel:
Immaculately kept - the grounds were spectacular. We had a room in the 400s and it was fine. Despite it being fairly warm we turned off our air conditioner during the day and found that our room was much more comfortable as it was kept cool by all of the other units who had not turned theirs off. The rooms can be a bit stuffy and the air conditioner (when on) was very cold. We found it less stuffy and way more comfortable to just turn it on for an hour in the evening and leave our screen door open to circulate fresh air.

The Beach:
It really isn't as bad as everyone says. It is very nice and sandy there is just a band of rocks that you have to walk through to get to the sandy section (which is huge). I think most people wore shoes or sandals around the resort anyway so it didnt seem like much of a problem. The water is very very nice and we didn't see any stingable animals. Also, the waves can get very large so if you aren't a strong swimmer be aware of where they are breaking. You can walk along the beach for hours and go to either end of the bay. The sand isn't the white fine sand like on the atlantic side so it is very easy to walk or run on.

Tours:
Our fav. tour was Tortuga Island. Instead of booking through the hotel (which can be expensive, and boring, will explain below) we took a walk to Tambor (which is not far at all - easily walkable by beach, don't waste the $5 on a cab - we walked there daily) and met a fellow named Octavio who took us out the next day. The morning we left, he spotted dolfins in the bay and we chased them around for about an hour (the Barcelo group didn't get to do this). We then went to Tortuga and snorkled for about an hour. My boyfriend is extremely near sighted and though he wouldn't be able to participate due to the mask, but Octavio has several perscription masks that he was able to use (it took a few tries to see which one was best). We had a great time and headed to the island as other tour boats began to arive at the snorkel area. When we got there Octavio had prepared a meal of fresh fish, veggies, garlic bread and cold drinks. It was great! There is a "wild" boar on the island (more like tame) who decided to spend most of his time lying with us as I think she wasn't a fan of the crowds. We got to stay at the island for another 4 hours (Octavio let us stay as long as we wanted) and had a great time swimming in the perfectly clear waters.
The other tours that showed up looked really big (especially the one from the resort) and only got to stay for about 2 hours in all (including snorkeling). I would highly recommend Octavio - just walk down to Tambor and ask for him (he speaks perfect english) - someone will point you in his direction.

We also rented a cab for a day (from one of the guys on the beach) to take us around to Curu park and Montezuma. Curu was really nice, but we didn't much like Montezuma. It had a really american feel to it, we were reminded by everyone not to leave any of our stuff around and to watch our cameras. It was really unfriendly and we liked Tambor a lot more. If you do decide to walk to the waterfall be very careful and wear water shoes or good grippy sandals.

There are people who sell tours and pottery on the beach. We found that they were much cheaper and in terms of pottery/souviners had much nicer things than any of the giftshops on the resort or in Tambor. If you don't want to buy things from them thats fine - just say no thank you and they will leave you alone.


The Atmosphere:
The resort was tolerable. We didn't spend much time on it (more just a place to eat and sleep) as there were so many other things to do. If you want to just go spend time drinking from 9am and laying around on a beach there are much closer, cheaper places where you can do that. There were a lot of European tourists as well as locals that showed up on the weekend. All and all it was an older clamer crowd, but there were still a few people who were set on drinking every day and annoying everyone else, which basically drove us off of the resort. There really is no nightlife and the shows are cheesy but funny and a nice way to end a day.

The Food:
We are poor students so we had 0 complaints about the plentiful foods. They got a bit bland near the end of the week but everything did taste good (better than food i had at cuban resorts). Try the nachos at the snackbar they are great!

I highly recommend waking up early and going to the nature trail (like 5 am early) you will see monkeys and mccaw parrots as well as many other little creatures. There are a lot of iguanas living around the resort and hordes of racoons come out at night. They were all really cute and we really appreciated the fact that the hotel workers didn't chase them away or seem to mind them at all.

If we go back to tambor we probably wouldn't bother with the resort. We would probably just rent a place in Tambor the little town and stay there (we felt extremely safe there). However if it is your first time going to central america it is a great place to get a flavour for the culture as well as having all of the comforts of home. I'll reiterate one more time that if you want a 5 star resort where you just sit around and drink, i would recomend going elsewhere, there are many other cheaper places.


“great spot -don't go for the food”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We stayed at the Barcelo Tambor from Feb.5 - 12/08.
We opted for the commuter flight and it went well. There are 3 different flights from San Jose... a five seater, a 12 seater, and a 17 seater. We were delayed by luggage retrieval and ended up being in the second group of 60 or so people to get to Tambor.
That worked out well because we had our hotel briefing while we waited. It was a hot, stuffy old terminal waiting area and a cold beverage would have been appreciated.
The flight is as stated about 25 minutes and a unique way to arrive at the resort. It is a single strip airport and you could see people walking on the beach as you arrive. There is a $1 surcharge as you disembark and you really could walk to the resort but you do take a bus. Take your essentials as you don't get your luggage until about 4:30p.m. It comes on the ferry.
Rooms aren't guaranteed until after 3 p.m. Luggage arrived about 4:30 p.m. If you take the ferry that is when you approx.arrive to the resort. Luggage is left in the lobby for you to retrieve..
Check in was fine. You get your bracelet right away - and are able to use the facilities even if your room is not ready.
Rooms
We were in the 400 section. A good central spot. Rooms aren't fancy but are clean and adequate
Housekeeping
Fine. Put your clean room sign out early.
Restaurants/Bars
Food not so great at the buffet or a'la carte although they tried hard. We didn't try the seafood a'la carte.
Regular buffet fare. Ask for food cooked well. There was a nice salad bar in the buffet restaurant. A lot of the food had sauces and did seem a bit regurgitated from previous meals.
The snack bar was great though. It offered hamburgers, hot dogs, great nachos and salsa, and really good rotisierre chicken.
The bars were fine. With a tip they remember you.
Grounds
The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The Eco-Park is a nice place to walk and you will see alligators, raccoons, birds, old trees, butterflies, macaws, and horses. We saw no monkey's apparently the time of the year.
Beach
The beach is beautiful and 6km long. It is a bit rocky until you hit the beach area and the "pre beach" is very hot. You can walk to the village of Tambor via the beach. There are souvenier shops and a grocery store there.
Entertainment
The kid's show and pre-show are good. Interactive games etc.
The main show is more dancing and although good, repetitive.
Daily Activities
Pretty routine. beach/water volleyball, water aerobics, etc.
Other activities available included, mini-golf, beautiful tennis courts, basketball courts, darts, 3 ping pong tables and an air hockey table and a pool table.
Fitness Facilities
Only 3 spin bikes and a shakey dip/chin, mish/mash free weights and a couple of benches. It's outside and very small.

Casino
Small, but fun offering slots and card games.
Internet
4 computers - how many will be working - questionable - 2 were usually down
Shops
jewellery, sundries and clothing, souveniers
Tours
We booked the zip-line tour through the resort/Nolitours rep/ $60USD/person. Very cool. Approx. 25 min.drive to site. 9 Platforms and approx. 20 mins. at the waterfall area and then approx. 1 hr to sightsee in Montezuma.
You will have to submit your luggage at approx. 3 p.m. the day before you leave if you are flying to San Jose. There will be a flight schedule posted for your departure to San Jose at around 4p.m If you are going by ferry - you have to depart at 4:30 a.m the next day.
We totally enjoyed our vacation at the Barcelo Tambor. Lots of Canadians.
If you are travelling with Nolitours the rep. - Lynn - is amazing. Very helpful and personable.


“Lovely holiday in Tambor!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel
My friend and I stayed at the Barcelo Playa Tambor hotel earlier this month. We flew out from Toronto on Tue. Feb 05th and returned the following Tues. the 12th back to Pearson airport. Apparently, we left at the right time because that specific week was terribly cold and one of the worst snowfalls in Ontario. The flight was approx. 5 hours in length.

We decided to be adventurous and take the small propeller plane from San Jose to Tambor. The flight was approx. 25 minutes in length. Try to grab a seat by the window, the view is spectacular! However, if you have a weak stomach, cannot handle a lot of turbulence and are claustrophobic I would not suggest this option. Go with the 4.5 hour ferry ride instead. It is true though, our luggage did not arrive until later in the evening, so all we had was our carry-on items. So be sure to pack an extra swim suit and clothing and sandals.

I was amazed by how incredibly close the landing strip in Tambor is from Barcelo Playa Tambor Hotel itself. It is so close that we walked from where the little commuter plane landed to our resort. It took us about 10 minutes total. Be prepared to have $1 USD per person to pay as soon as you land. Also, if you decide to walk to the resort from the mini landing strip, be sure to have some water with you and a hat.

Check-in was okay. Keep in mind if you are a visitor to this Country and Spanish is not your mother tongue- do not get angry or impatient with the staff. They are trying their best to accommodate and make your stay as pleasant as possible. I would recommend carrying a small Spanish dictionary with you if you plan on conversing a great length with the hotel staff.

When we arrived and received our room key, we were told that our rooms were not ready yet. So we grabbed a bite from the snack bar and hung around the pool for a bit. We did have some issues with our room key not working at times, but it was fixed immediately.

The ROOMS: Our room was ground floor and our patio faced the snack bar and pool. We had two double beds. The bathroom was fairly nice. The toilet is in a small close room in the bathroom. If you do not like loud entertainment at night or screaming children during the daytime by the pool, I recommend requesting a room that is not in the 400's (The pink coloured rooms). My only complaint was the air conditioner in the room. The other reviews are right about no adjustable settings. Even though the weather is nice and hot- it is very humid therefore I recommend leaving your AC on while you are not in the room and then turning it off right before bed. There is a slight musty smell in the room- nothing to worry too much about. The fridge was always stocked with bottles of water and coke. If you have a ground floor room, there is a tiny rack just outside on the patio so you can hang any wet clothes.

The RESTAURANTS: The main buffet restaurant called Tucan was fairly nice. The breakfast usually consisted of a few fresh fruits (Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon and passion fruit) and cold cuts and cheese, warm-hot servings of eggs, black beans with rice, bacon, waffles, sausages. There is a smoking and non-smoking area in the open-air restaurant. Lunch was pretty repetitive for the most part. Nothing to get excited about. Dinners were okay too. the desserts were probably my favourite. I always had a bottle of tabasco sauce with me! The a la carte restaurants were okay. The seafood one is outside so if you book your reservation later in the evening, it is very difficult to see what you are eating!. The local beer is called "Imperial" and is quite nice and the staff make very nice mixed drink with generous amounts of alcohol in them! Overall, the food at this resort was pretty good for a 3.5 star.

The BEACH/PLAYA: Yes, the beach is fairly rocky when you first arrive, but if you walk a little further in before you get into the water it is just lovely. The water is so nice and warm. Neither one of us saw any jellyfish lying around or in the water. The tide comes in early in the morning at 8am and later in the evening at 5pm. If you are not a good swimmer, be careful not to go in too far as the waves can get quite strenuous. Unfortunately I lost my Ray Bans in a wave, so I would recommend wearing non expensive sunglasses! There is horse back riding so watch out for horse droppings along the beach! Also, there are a few vendors who try and sell you their hand-made pots. If you do not wish to be bothered, do not make eye contact because they will come up to you every single time you go to the beach and try to sell you their pots. However, if you are interested in partaking in any of the tours/excursions. I would highly recommend going with "Kevin Tours". We made the mistake of buying/booking our excursions with "Vacaciones Barcelo" which was much more expensive. "Kevin Tours" is located on the beach.

EXCURSIONS/ TOURS: My friend and I decided to go on the Curu park & Tortuga Island excursion as well as the Montezuma Canopy zip line. A bus picked us up from the hotel and drove for a good 45 minutes and the roads can get quite rough at times. I highly recommend the Canopy tour through the forest. If you are up for some walking and swinging on a zip line- go for it! I also recommend bringing a small backpack- not a purse or hand bag but a backpack because you will need to pack water, extra dry clothes and a towel for the Waterfall. I definitely faced my fear of heights!

HOTEL STAFF: The hotel staff are very nice and try their best to understand you. Front desk, the maids and the waiters/waitresses work so incredibly hard. They always appreciate a quick "hola" (hello) and smile. Most of the workers were in their early 20's and work such long hours in the day and night! The entertainment was almost always in Spanish and very very loud. However, if you are traveling with children they will enjoy the activities on stage.

HOTEL: The resort itself is lovely. Well kept and clean. There is a gift shop, small casino (always empty), internet cafe and souvenir shop. Do not be alarmed if you see a family of raccoons strolling around the resort looking for food as well as squirrels. There are signs saying not to feed the raccoons :) I also saw a few iguanas crawling around the pool and grounds. The nature park right beside the hotel is nice, filled with dry palm trees, a few parrots and birds and a crocodile. If you wake up early enough, you can see a few howler monkeys up in the trees! Tambor is a very secluded area, this is an ideal holiday for those wanting to just relax on the beach or in the pool. If you want to take a taxi into the small town, it is $5 USD one way.

CURRENCY: For the majority, colones were accepted. However, there is an airport tax of $26 USD when leaving Costa Rica. I found the exchange rate was much better at the resort compared to buying in Toronto. There is a service charge at Pearson airport when converting money and the exchange rate is useless, so just wait and buy from the resort. Also I noticed that the prices are set in either USD or COLONES. Keep in mind, Costa Rica is one of the more expensive countries in Central America.

I would have to say this resort is targeted for the more mature group as well as families with young children. We are in our early-mid twenties and did not see a single person close to our age, which was fine with us :) We met a few nice couples during our stay. Enjoy Barcelo Playa Tambor! I hope my review was insightful and helpful :)


“Fun and relaxing”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

My friend and I stayed at this resort from Jan 29 till Feb 5, 2008 and had a wonderful time. We chose the ferry ride to and from the resort and were pleased with our choice. We had our luggage when we arrived at 4:45pm and others who flew didn't receive their luggage till about 8pm that night. Also, some didn't arrive until the same time as us as the planes are small and they had to make many trips back and forth. You could get stuck at the airport in San Jose for a number of hours before it's your turn.
The ferry ride was great and you could mingle with the locals while onboard. Those who took the plane back to San Jose had to have their luggage in the lobby by 4pm the day before we left. So they would only have what was in their carryons for their last evening. Yes, we did have to leave the resort at 4am but the ferry ride as good and we got to see the sunrise, really quite nice. The bus driver stopped at a restaurant/gift shop area on the way to the airport so we could pick up last minute items at quite decent prices.
The resort was great, much quieter than I had been expecting, which we loved. Never a problem finding a lounge chair on the beach or shade for those of us who tend to burn.
The rocks weren't a problem on the beach as we would wear our sandals to the sand and leave them while we were in the water. They were always there when we returned. And the water so so warm, just unbelievable. It was fantastic for boogie boarding, had some great times doing that.
The food was okay, nothing spectacular, enough to keep us fed which is all we really needed. The waffles at breakfast were quite a treat. We had dinner one night a the steakhouse, again, it was okay, meat on both our meals was a bit fatty but other than that it was good. My baked potato was cold though. We would suggest booking your al a carte meals on the Friday and Saturday nights as those days are extremely busy because so many Costa Ricans check into the resort for the weekend. You had to line up for the buffet on those nights and every other night you could just walk right in.
I had emailed the resort before we arrived requesting a room by the nature reserve, which we did get. We had a ground floor room on the corner near the entrance to the reserve. A great location as there were howler monkeys in the trees almost every afternoon by the entrance. I could even sit in our hammock and watch them moving through the trees. The room was clean, although a bit tired, but the beds were quite comfortable. Never had a problem with water pressure.
The nature reserve was a great place, we saw so many monkeys and birds. We did hear that one lady was peed on so don't stand right under the monkeys. They'll also throw branches if they're upset.
We did the canopy tour, which we loved and highly recommend, and the trip to Tortuga. Tortuga was really fun but I did get stung by a jellyfish.
You can walk to Tambor along the beach but you'll need to go when the tide is low as you have to wade through a river. When we tried the water was waist deep and we weren't wearing our swimsuits so we went back to the hotel and hired a taxi to drive us to Tambor. The ride only cost $5 so we were quite happy. We were able to walk back to the resort as the tide was further out and the water was only up to our knees at that point.
The bars on the resort were really good and the drinks were excellent. A favourite was the Pura Vida.
We weren't looking for a lot of nightlife so were fine, the shows are typical of resorts I've been to. A little cheesy and with some embarrassing audience participation. Not sure if the band is always there but we got quite tired of them as they sang the same songs every night. Luckily they didn't play two of the nights.
You will hear a lot of Spanish as quite a few of the guests are Spanish speaking, they do try and speak English during the shows though.
All in all we had a good week and would have no problem returning to this resort. Next time I would rent a vehicle so we could explore a bit more on our own.


“Oh my god, beautiful!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We went to the Barcelo Hotel after a long flight from Paris and at our arrival, what a surprise.
Excellent surprise !
We have been wonderfully welcomed. The food was excellent and various (with some typical dish). The pool , the close environment (natural park) and the beach were so pleasant.
The hotel proposed many nice jaunts and the personel is absolutely charming.
The room had a very nice view (on the Pacific) and the region is beautiful.


“we can go to the tropics.....”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

My boyfriend and I booked our trip to Barcelo Tambor through redtag.ca..it was our first vacation together as a young couple and we had the most amazing time. Although the hotel is very secluded there is a ton to do!

Tours: We took the rainforest canopy tour which was amazing with 11 platforms and ziplines..the tour guides were amazing and we felt very safe at all times. The tour then took us into the town of montasuma to go shopping! (we ended up taking a cab to montasuma later on again in that week because there is good surfing there and places to rent surf boards for $20 for the whole day). We also took a ATV tour which i also highly recommend we took the 2 hr one which took us through a town a forest, on a beach, through a farm and lead us to a natural waterfall where we went swimming.

Food: The food is pretty good..it isnt anything amazing but thats always expected..there is a snack which is open till 12am a buffet which is open till 11pm and 2 a la carte restuarants..a seafood one and a steak one!! you only get to eat 2 a la carte dinners per week but they are both very good.

Room: We didnt have any problems at all with our room..it was in a great location right near the beach and pool..all the rooms have two double beds..and they were comfy..always movies on the tv..and the air conditioning worked perfectly as well..all rooms have balconies!

Beach: The beach always had huge waves which was awesome for body surfing..their are body boards and other water sport equiptment you can borrow on the beach through the hotel at no charge. The beginning of the beach walking in from the hotel was rocky..but once you get past the rocks its all sand! The water was very warm you could stay in there for hrs. Another plus was there was no one trying to sell you things on the beach.

Entertainment: Being the young couple that we are we didnt find the entertainment to exciting..it was all dancing and a bit repetitve..and they only speak spanish. We would usually watch it for a bit every night from the lobby bar. There was a disco that served drinks later usually untill about 2am..the disco is located right on the beach..and is also the same area that is used for the steak restuarant during dinner.

Pools: The pool was amazing..huge pool always keep clean..and always enough chairs! The swim up bar was awesome and all the bar tenders were super nice!! everything is located near the pool...its the centre of the resort

The resort also had a little trail on it..where there are animals..it was a nice walk..but we could only find the crocodile..the trail was a little confusing

Also we had to take a min plane ride from san jose to tambor..if you dont like flying i would suggest the fairy..b/c the planes were very small..18 person 8person and 6 person..i was on the 6 person both times. The plane ride was about 25min..some people thought it was a hassile but we thought it was such a awesome experience and had fun with it.

The only negitives i really have is that the drinks werent all night..you wont find a 24hr bar here..although they are served till later at the disco..same with the food..the snack bar is only open till 12am so if your looking for late night snacks youll have to keep them in room.


“Good, but not Great!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We, my wife and I, loved being next to the ocean and the warm sunny days, but the noise and crowds were constant. Let me say that we had just come from a smaller private resort in the mountains. And we loved it! So, Barcelo, by comparison, was not as relaxing.
The buffet was filled with bland examples of local cuisine, with the fresh fruit being the only real highlight. And with a three night stay you were allowed only one meal at the nicer al a carte restaurants. Again, even at the al a carte, the food was good, but not great.
Although our room was very beautiful, the beds were like hammocks and the air conditioning seemed to only have one setting. No matter what temperature we set it at our room was freezing. And if you shut it off, you would sweat.
The beach is mostly rocks. You have to travel over 30 yards of rock and debris just to get to anything resembling sand.
We also were disappointed by the evening activities. The pool closes at 7pm, then there was little to do until the stage show at 10pm. Then, you find out after the first night, that the show the next night is just a rehashed version of the the previous nights show given a new title and theme.
Daytime activities were not much better. We would check the activitiy board each morning for times, only to find that when we arrived at the scheduled activitiy it had been an hour earlier or later or not happening at all. We did pay extra to take a tour of the Curu National Park. It was the highlight of our stay. Lots of monkeys and other wildlife. And our guide was very friendly.
If your only objective is to sit in sun, drink free drinks, and eat as much bland food as you want, this is the place for you. If you crave more activity, be prepared to pay extra for daily tours, or try some of the privately owned, often family run, resorts.


“Good Time”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We stayed at Barcelo Playa Tambor Jan 8-17/08

If you're looking for a white sandy beach, and clear waters this is not the place for you. Barcelo Tambor is located in the middle of the Bay which brings a lot of rocks, and shore washups. The water was very warm, which was one of the perks of the trip. However on the plus side, the pool was really big, for both big kids and little kids.

The hotel seemed to have a problem with their electricity, within a 2 day period the power went out approximately 10 times, so bring you're own alarm clock if you're looking at doing early morning excursions.

Trip to hotel - if you take the ferry take note it's a five hour trip from San Jose. Take the commuter flight, it's about a 20 min flight, and very worth it. It costs $1 US per person to get in Tambor and leave tambor. If you take the commuter flight, your luggage will go on the ferry - both there and back (just pack enough in you're carry on). We were very sceptable to leave our luggage unattended for the trip back, but I have to admit there were absolutely no problems.

Food - The buffet was good. The a la carte restaurants - steak house - was the best - The service, the food was impeccable. The seafood a la carte was not something to rave about. Out of the four of us, none of us had a good meal, which was quite a disappointment.

Rooms - Nice size, clean, A little musty smell, but overall very decent...It's a humid country so you cant really get away from the musty smell. I did find the pillows to have a smell, I just used towels overtop, or bring your own. For this I'd rate it as a 3-3.5* hotel rather than a 4*.

Excursions - Although we really enjoyed our tour director from the hotel, we found it well worth it going with tour operators from the beach. They were cheaper and they were decent. "Kevin Tours" was an excellent tour operator, they speak EXCELLENT English, and they truly are your personal guides. We went to Mal Pais/Santa Teresa (surf town) with Kevin Tours, and we had a blast. The beach in Mal Pais/Santa Teresa was amazing, truly worth while! We did the Canopy tour as well (Zip line), this is definitely a must for all..Probably the highlight of the tirp. Another tour we did was snorkelling, again we recommend going with someone off the beach, you pretty much get to snorkel for a couple of hours, and get served an excellent lunch, where if you went with the hotel you'd probably only get 20 mins or so for snorkelling, and lunch at a higher price. If you do go snorkelling watch out for the jelly fish!

Entertainment - honestly this is nothing to Rave about. They rarely spoke English so it was hard to grasp everything going on, although they did have some funny skits - when you understood them. One thing we really didnt enjoy was that the female dancers made at least 5 costume changes a night, but the costumes consisted of different coloured thongs. They do also have a casino - but if you're not a fan of smoke, this maybe somewhere you wont want to be, there is no real ventilation in there.

Hotel Grounds - lovely. The wildlife park was amazing, lots of wildlife to see - Scarlet Macaws, Parrots, Crocodiles, Raccoons, Iguana's, Monkeys (you have to get up early 6-7AMish to see the Monkeys), very neat coloured crabs.

Overall - we were really impressed with the service, the people, the hospitality and recommend this to everyone. One other good little comment, their alcohol content is very generous, and they do serve it in decent sized cups.


“Great Time!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

This all inclusive resort fit our needs perfectly. We travelled to San Jose from Toronto. The flight took about 5 hrs. When we landed we were put on buses to another "terminal" really just a building on the side of a landing strip. Lynn our Nolitour guide was there and gave us all of the information about the resort and excursions available. She was very honest about what was good and what wasn't which was nice. We then got on the 7 seater plane to Tambor. I am 22 and I found the flight exciting but if you are not a good flyer take the ferry because there is alot of turbulence and a bumpy landing! It took about 20 min to get to Tambor this way. When you arive you land in a very tiny airport / strip of pavement on the beach. At this time you wait for the bus. If you don't have a lot to carry I would recommend just walking to the resort. Just go left at the road and walk for like 30 seconds and you will be there. The hotel is well kept and the staff are very helpful. Most speak very little english.

As you will read in other reviews the rooms were musty but all you have to do is open your patio door for an hour and it is fine. Our only real complaint was trouble with our key cards and room locations. We went as a group of 45 for a wedding and they had us all split up all over the resort. Most of us had to go back to the front desk 4 or 5 times as our key cards wouldn't work but other than that everything was good.

The buffet is good. Not a lot of selection mostly fish and fruit. The omelete bar is incredible at breakfast and the food overall is ok.

The drinks are just like everywhere else Rum and fruit juices. The only extra they had was freshly blended watermelon, banana and pineapple which was great with rum!! The vodka is also quite good, I wouldn't recommend the whiskey.

THE WEDDING- the whole reason for our trip. If you are looking to get married down south this is your resort. The allowed us to choose the location of the wedding exactly, did a trial with us. The got married on the beach and it was absolutely incredible!!! Definately pay extra for the wedding meal that has beef / fish options it was the best thing we ate all week!! They totally cater to you on the wedding day including using the DJ equipment in the middle of the day to have a reception. They got married at 11am and I would recommend that time of day as the weather is best.

Our weather ranged from 26-36 degrees...mostly the later which was really hot but enjoyable.

Excursions- We did the ATVing which was fun but the 4hr tour is to long. The waterfall that you visit is nice and make sure to look in the trees for monkeys climbing around. You get to see lots of countryside and ride through rivers and on beaches.

Canopy Tour- Don't miss this. It was amazing and for all ages. I was thinking it would be more of an adrenaline rush but all the same everyone (28 of us ranging from 20 - 60 years old) had a great time. At one point you are about 150ft above the ground! Loved it. If we could do it again we would have went surfing. A group went to Tortuga and said the meal served was great and the pig on the beach is a lot of fun! They saw many schools of fish.



“Great time in Costa Rica and at the Barcelo”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

Just came back from a one-week stay at the Barcelo Playa Tambor. I went with my boyfriend and we booked it last minute. Although we had read the mixed reviews, the price was right and we were both dying to go to Costa Rica.

Let me just say we were more than pleased with the hotel. Trust me, just like everyone, I read the iffy reviews and was skeptical, but this place was great.

The location: directly on Tambor Beach, and the beach is REALLY not bad. I actually liked it. The surroundings of mountains and tropical forest are beautiful, but given its location on the Pacific, it is definitely not a white sand beach such as what you would find in Cuba. The beach is a very long stretch, perfect for walking, and the water was pretty warm. Also, the location makes it easy to get around and visit neighbouring villages if you are interested (Montezuma, Tambor, etc) either by bus, taxi or with a tour.

The hotel & amenities: the hotel grounds were beautiful, the pool really being the highlight. Its huge and you could spend your whole day lounging around it. There's also plenty of wildlife just around the resort: howler monkeys, iguanas, lizards, macaus, a butterfly farm, etc.

The rooms: The rooms are basic and pretty clean (as with most all inclusives). Not the best mattress I've slept on for sure. I know some of the reviews speak of a smell, it's not mildew first of all, and it's just a faint smell probably due to the humidity mixed with the air conditioner. Never really bothered us. Unless you came to sit in your room all day, the rooms are fine.

The food: I was really impressed with the food, there was a large selection and we always found something we really liked. the a-la-carte outdoor seafood restaurant was also very good. The steakhouse was average.

The drinks: Great drinks, lots of choices and always good, never watered down like in some other resorts.

The service: maybe the only downside to this resort. Don't get me wrong, it's not really bad or anything, but not particularly friendly. On the other hand, most of the staff speak very little or no English, so that may have accounted for the not-so-friendly service. This clients at this resort are probably at least 2/3 South/Central American and then 1/3 Canadian, European, and American, so their main clientele is not anglophone. Honesly, the service was fine to us as we always got what we needed, but if you are looking for service that goes above and beyond, you will not find that here.

we did two excursions while we were there, both of which we really enjoyed: Tortuga Island (a beautiful island with lot's of vegetation and white sand beaches (the only ones in the Pacific), Curu parc, where we saw every kind of monkey, iguanas, lizards, deer, ... (I suggest to do these as two separate excursions although a combination tour is available) and the Montezuma waterfall & Canopy tour, also great.

All in all, we loved Costa Rica and were very happy with the hotel. We already are dying to go back and visit parts we did not get a chance to see.


“Great Place”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

It was a great time at Tambor 23.12.2007 - 01.01.2008.
Staff is great!
Show program is great.
Food is good!
I am planning my next visit to this place.

Igor Andersen/ Latvia


“the cosiest bed ever”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

The first thing to be said about the accomodation were that the beds were great. Each one had a fluffy qualofil mattress pad that was like a feather bed and two very big cushy pillows. I fell asleep immediately every night which for me is like a miracle. On the minor downside, the bathroom floors could have been a bit cleaner and there could have been a few more more towels but these would have to be the only complaints. Unlike many vacations, at Tambor, there were plenty of beach towels and swapping them for fresh ones, was never a hassle and never once did we need to wait for a new shipment from the laundry. The resort was very nice, with well maintaned garden and facilities. It was really nice to have a little Parque Natural to walk in in the mornings. The howler monkeys even came by mid-week for a pleasant surprise.

Having only been to Cuban resorts and an American cruise, the food was a very nice surprise. There was good variety, always several fish and several meat optons and often something sea-foody. Also, cooked and raw veggies and lots of crisp salad and sweet, ripe fuits all cut and prepared. The icecream bar was a dangerous option. Don't forget to order a nice capucino and melt in some icecream for a lovely dessert. Skip the tea. This is the one thing I have yet to see any hotel, resort or cruiseline master. The water is never is never boiling and if you tell them you take milk, they will put it in first and then add warm (not boiling, not even hot) water thereby producing a cup of dirty tepid water. There were always some really creative and delightful food sculptures around the restaurant and on the buffet that were really worth taking a second look at. They did some amazing and really creative things with fruits and vegetables. Nice touch!
Perhaps I might add that I did not like the salad dressings and maybe they could add French or Ranch dressings...

As this was the week of Christmas, there were alot of Christmas decorations which alwasys struck me as odd. The winter village with working electric train in the middle of the pastry table was a notable example.

I must say that the drink situation was very good. The drinks were lovely and they had lots of creative "tambor" drinks posted on the menu at the bars along with a description. Don't miss the Tambor Tropicale and the Tambout Beach Special. These are not the teeny tiny drinks in the flimsy crushable cups of Cuba. Theyre are large, shake sized cups and are not at lethal strength but actually drinkable and garnished with a piece of fresh fruit. also a nice surprise, tipping here is not a big deal and something I barely noticed. It is actually almost possible to take this vacation without ever gettng any local currency.

There were alot of good tours that were offered but with two problems. First, they always need minimum numbers so even if you want to go, you might not be able to. The private tour operators selling on the beach have the same problem and this was very frustrating. We had to miss out on the Monteverde outing. Secondly they excursions were rather short, usually a half day per location meaning you will always be in a big rush. Personally I could have spent half the day at the waterfall near Montezuma. There you can jump off the rocky cliffs and swing from a rope. I would have loved to climb down to the next lower level, but as usual, there just wasn't enough time. Sad.

If you are a rider, you will enjoy the hacks. The Rancho Barcelo was right at the end of the resort outside the Nature Park and butterfly/bird sancuary. The horses were well trained, responsive, much better fed than in Cuba. If you want to canter and gallop, there are good opportunities in the fields and on the six kilometer beach. The highlight of my trip was the private four hour hack with a stop for a swim at a secluded waterfall and the race with my guide. Don't forget to wear your bathing suit under your clothes.

Tip: if you like your quiet and watching birds/animals, get a room at the outside of the 600 block where you will face the nature park and the river. If you leave banana pieces on the balcony railings, you will find they have been taken by the birds whch will stake out your room from the big trees. These rooms will also be nice and quiet. If your room faces in to the resort you will hear the music and bands that play all day long - you decide.

Finally a comment about the beach. It has been said, it is quite rocky, not the white sand of Veraderro as this is a volcanic island, the water is dark so no snorkelling off the resort. Definitely bring your water shoes and flip flops. If you want white sand, you can take the trip to Tortuga Island. You can snorkel right off the island or take a boat trip but if you are on a budget, rest assurred there are some nice fish to be seen without diving off a boat. There is also a nice souvenir shop on the island, and lounge chairs available to rent. The island is very picturesque and lovely.

As for Curu, a little ho-hum. Maybe Monteverde might be more interesting, but I didn't get there (not enough people). The guide luckily made this trip as he explained lots of interesting details about the plants and environment but really it was not the most thrilling. I would definitely go back to Costa Rica but honestly not to the Nicoya Peninula which does not have the 'true rainforest'. Live and learn.

I will post pictures asap.


“Could have been better...”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I had high expectations for this all-inclusive resort and was severely let down. When we arrived, the front desk staff person could not find our reservation. After waiting for what seemed like a long time, he was finally able to locate it. He then gave us our room numbers and wrote the numbers on our key. We walked all over the resort and could not find a room with that number. At this point we were hungry and tired. We asked several staff employees in the hopes of not having to return to the front desk. Nobody could help us. I am a native Spanish speaker, so the language wasn't a barrier - the lack of knowledge and customer service was! Needless to say we headed back to the front desk associate and explained that we searched every building and couldn't find our room. At this point, he actually laughed! It turns out he had written the wrong room number and thought the incident was funny. We did not think it was funny. He pointed out that the correct room number was on our all-inclusive bracelet. Well, of course we assumed the number he gave us was correct and didn't even think to look at our bracelet. He didn't even apologize.

We arrived at our room, and though the resort grounds are nice, the room smelled musty, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. We didn't have a hammock, which I was disappointed by. I have been to many all-inclusive resorts and have always been spoiled by the staff and loved my stay. The Barcelo at Playa Tambor was the opposite. The staff was not helpful and it seemed we were disturbing them if we asked a question. I am used to the beautiful white sand beaches and crystal blue waters of the Caribbean. As you can imagine, I was not thrilled with the beach at Playa Tambor. That's probably more my fault for not realizing that no beaches can compare with those in the Caribbean.

The one highlight of the stay was the horse back riding. The staff at the stable was friendly and made me feel like finally somebody got it. My mom and I rode two beautiful horses on the beach, led by a terrific guide.


“Great family vacation”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We recently visited the Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel, Costa Rica as part of my children's school vacation trip. We really enjoyed the hotel and all its activities, with an exceptional night entertainment. The staff is very friendly, despite the long hours that they work. I would say that the beach is not the main attraction, but the swimming pool, mini golf and surroundings, including a nature walk, are very nice. It is a little crowded over the weekends with lots of locals, but it is still very nice. Recommended for families. We drove and took the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera, but if you travel from San Jose, I recommend to take a 30 minutes flight, at least for the return.


“Wonderful Time in Paradise”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We stayed at the Barcelo Playa Tambor during the last week of August 2007. It was the low time for the resort. We were there for five days before the locals showed up for the Labor Day weekend. Prior to that, the resort was relatively quiet and deserted.
Our room was lovely and faced the beach. Most rooms have a small patio with two chairs that you can sit out and look at the scenery. Housekeeping was attentive and responsive to all our requests. Our party included three rooms with 6 adults and one toddler.
The food was plentiful and there always seemed to be something available. The buffets were wonderful with lots of fresh fruit and interesting food combinations. We usually ate early for dinner but late for breakfast. We always were able to take our time. We did not feel rushed. The snack bar had food available after breakfast and throughout the evening. Again, the staff was friendly. Raccoons come out at night by the pool. Be prepared to share your food if you have it. Squirrels and birds join you at breakfast. They are not necessarily at your table but they do hang around the balcony of the restaurant
The beach is lovely and volcanic. You will not find white sand here. We all found the beach relaxing and the water invigorating! Take water/beach shoes with you. The beach is rocky in places. You will be much more comfortable if you wear them when you are walking on the beach or swimming.
Our party did several of the excursions. A couple was booked out of the hotel (snorkeling trip & horseback riding). Do not bother with the snorkeling. The water is too murky to see anything. The trip to the private island is not worth the time. Spend the time at the pool or choose something else. Horseback riding was fun and there are interesting sights along the trails. The other excursions were booked through a private company that solicits near the outside equipment stand on the beach. Through them, we booked the zip line, all terrain vehicles, fishing and the jet skis. We enjoyed all of it.
When we went fishing, the specialty restaurant cooked up our fish for us, delicious! We had no problem booking the specialty restaurants but we made the reservations the day we arrived.
If we could have done things differently, we would have visited Arenal also. Two members of our group split their time between the two. They loved Arenal.
The Labor Day weekend brought double capacity at the resort. The atmosphere definitely changed. We enjoyed our time there and would recommend the resort. We would go back.


“Fantastic Trip”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

Because this trip was such a great deal ($980 for a weeks stay at this all inclusive - including airfare), I did not set high expectations. To my surprise, it turned out to be one of the best vacations of my life! I would go back in a heartbeat. The staff was wonderful, the resort was gorgeous, and the food was delicious! I would suggest this resort to anyone and everyone - singles, family, couples, honestly everyone.


“Not as bad as the bad reviews indicate.”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

After reading all of the bad reviews about this all-inclusive resort it made me a bit hesitant about patronizing the place. However, it's location and amenities as compared to other all-inclusives in Costa Rica made it the only choice for me based on my situation. I arrived expecting the worst based on reviews on this site. The long and short of it is that is wasn't nearly as bad as the bad reviews here nor as good as the good reviews. It falls somewhere in the middle.

First impressions of the place were very good. It is obvious that the grounds are meticulously maintained. They looked great and I always saw people working outside. The various buildings were also attractive and clean. I checked in and the porter took our luggage to our room. I stuck my key in and opened the door and to my surprise the room was already occupied. The porter called the front desk and the problem was quickly remedied. However, that is a problem that, if I were the occupier of the room, would be unforgiveable.

My first impression of the room--it smelled like a basement and it is too hot and humid to leave the sliding glass door open to air it out. Besides, it is probably a problem that would require much more than that. The beds were hard as mentioned by other reviews but I can sleep anywhere and it didn't bother me much. The room was okay. Nothing special as far as decor and/or amenities but it wasn't terrible either. My biggest complaint aside from the odor was that they were very stingy with the towels which is annoying. We had 2 adults and one child and only had 2 bath towels.

Now for the food--The buffet main eating area was decent. Could've used air conditioning but I suppose the open air ambiance is kind of nice and though it was hot and humid it wasn't unbearable. The wait staff was all pretty attentive with some better than others just like any place you go. The food selection was good and frankly wasn't that bad. I hate buffets but was impressed by this one as far as buffets go. They had a pretty good selection of foods and also had cooks that would cook certain things to order such as omelettes, meats, and other things.

Apparently you are allowed to eat at the steakhouse free of charge once every 3 days. No one tells you this so you better read the little card they give you at check-in. Also be sure you make a reservation the morning before you want to have dinner or they won't let you in. We stayed a total of 5 nights but never ate there because of logistical issues so I can't comment.

The drinks at the bar are pretty watered down. I'd suggest drinking the native beer, Imperial if you want any kick at all. That or one of their local wines would be good.

The beach has been described by some as "gravel" or "dirty." The beach is VERY clean. I think I saw one piece of trash there the whole time we were there. The other reviews call the beach dirty I think only because it is volcanic sand. The volcanic sand looks grayish but such is the nature of the area there. As for gravel, there are quite a lot of rocks at the high tide mark but the rest of the beach is sandy. The waves are decent and fun. You won't be surfing but boogie boarding is definitely possible and boards are available free of charge.

The nature trail is interesting but don't expect to see any howler monkies. There are a lot of lizards, large and small, all around the resort and we saw parrots, raccoons, and crabs as well.

The airport is right next to the resort but don't worry about noise. It is a single strip and the airport is basically a bench, some pay phones, and a tin roof. There is not much traffic and planes don't land after, or anywhere even near, dark.

One thing I don't like is the $20 fee per day for wireless internet. You can get free wireless at motel 6 so why can't Barcelo do the same??

The pool is clean and warm. Too warm for my taste and I like warm water. Also, be aware that the clay tile around the pool gets scorching hot in the sun. One thing that I do not like is the fact that the pool closes at 7pm. So does the beach. The poolside bar does get crowded but I'd expect that. Again, the drinks are thin there.

Overall I would call it 3 star and I feel like I am well-travelled and qualified to make such a call. I don't have outrageous expectations and I feel I reviewed the resort impartially.


“Been twice and enjoyed both times”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I was wowed with Barcelo Tambor Resort from the moment I arrived on my first trip there. I loved the beauty of the resort the staff was very friendly and the entertainment was great!! For a young working professional it doesn't get any better than this!! The price was reasonable it was all inclusive so I didn't worry about drinks. Rooms were very clean and presentable. The food was so-so nothing to brag about but the overall resort was great!! You could play beach volleyball, go kayaking, play basketball or soccer. I had a blast. They have a disco at night on the resort as well as about a mile up the road is a club for the locals called Club Del finas.

The first time I went was with family and the resort allowed my cousin to get on stage during one of the shows and propose to his current wife. It was amazing a great night to remember!!

The second time I went was with a group of friends and the staff treated us like kings and we had a blast!!!

I would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to enjoy a relax and fun vacation in costa rica!!


“Beautiful Resort”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We went to this resort in March 2007 and after taking the crazy 25 min plane ride (totally worth the extra $100) we were in the resort 10 mins later. We pulled in the and were amazed at just how beautiful and increadibly fragrant it was. The grounds are filled with beautiful plants and trees with spectacular flowers. The room was like any other clean, air conditioned, with an amazing view. The food was decent although I would advise to stick to the buffet as the steakhouse was not very good. The pool was large and looked very nice. My only complaint was that the swim up bar was always packed :) The beach was magnificent although the pounding surf did bring up alot of rocks so take some flip flops or the like with you. The staff was very friendly and helpfull and was able to suggest many different day trips to keep your vacation exciting. Would I go back? Yes.


“Very Relaxing”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

The vacation was very relaxing.
PROS: The resort was very clean, well maintained and presentable. The staff were all very friendly even though there is a clear language barrier. There are activites at the resort that are included in your package and they are fun; mini golf, volley ball, tennis, boggie boards, wind surfing etc.
The a la carte dinners are very good, great food selection and cooked to perfection. The buffet is also good, lacking varitey as in many of the same foods each day however, there is varitey in what each day had to offer. The water is all bottled and filtered which is a great plus. Our Nolitour representative was amazing in every way. She ensured that our stay was pleasent and that any issues that we had were delt with immediately and appropriately. We did the canopy tour (zip line through the rain forest) and it is a MUST while in Costa Rica. What an expereience, well organized and very helpful instructors. Lots of beautiful natural life. Butterflies, igonas, crocks, monkeys, parotts etc. All out in the open and very visable. Very relaxing place as the ocean is amazing and the beach is clean and warm. The weather was out of this world nice, not a drop of rain!!! Beautiful scenary, so many nice things around.
CONS: The extra costs are extreme. Any excursion is extra, room service is extra, non domestic wine is extra, these costs can add up quickly. If you wanted to rent a seadoo or an ATV, the costs were so extreme and not realistic (100USD for 2 hours)So there is a lot to do but at a great cost. When we booked the vacation we were under the impression that golf and diving were accessable. Golf is only a nine hole, nothing exciting, and diving is very expessive and wasn't avaiable as we went at the end of the season. The buffet (the only place open for breakfast) closes at 10:00am and nothing is open for snacks or food until 12:30pm. Everything for food closes at 11pm as well. We felt constricted to eat at certain times only. I got my hair braided on the beach by a woman who works at the salon on the resort. I told her that I didn't want many braids and I didn't want it to cost me too much as she charges a US dollar per braid. 3 hours later, I had 165 braids in my hair and she want 150 USD for the job. Thanks to my Nolitour rep the cost was spoken to the Supervisor of the Salon and she brough it down to 80USD (still more then I wanted to spend). I later learned that this woman has done this to more then just me. The suvinor shop is very expensive on the resort, things were much cheaper in Tambor or even at the airport. The natural park is bug bite heaven, we made it through half of the park and left because we got covered in bug bites. The pond by the park stinks like a poop. It is horrible and you can really smell it when you are playing mini golf.
Overall, this was a great trip because the contury is beautiful and different and the hotel is very nice. I would definately recommend it to travelers who have a budget and intend on sticking to it. It was a great trip for the price that we paid, I would not recommend paying over $1100 Cnd. per person for the trip If you are looking for a low key, relaxing nothing to extreme vacation, this is the place to go. If you want adventure, there is lots of it, but bring your VISA!!!
All in all, a great trip and a great tan to go with it!!!


“Can't beat the deal..”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

This is our second time back to this resort. We were last there in 2005. There seem to have been some improvements made - although we liked it last time as well. The beds are okay - the rooms are clean. The food was highly improved. We like this resort because there is diversity in the guests. Costa Ricans actually go to this resort as well! In Costa Rica, you cannot beat Barcelo for the price and value. For an all-inclusive, they do it cheap - but they provide value consistently. We always go to a couple of different places when we go to CR, and we always include a couple of days in Tambor. It is great for couples and for families.


“awesome”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

If you are wondering about booking at the Barcelo Tambor let me tell you about my experience. We travelled with approx. 38 people with the age group ranging from 20-55 yrs old and everybody had a fantastic !!!!! time at the resort. The staff at the resort are kind ,helpful, and very pleasant. The rooms were large clean and bright ,the mattresses were great at bed time our room was filled with the sound of ocean waves and we slept comfortably. I can tell you my mouth is still watering thinking about all the food delights they offered (my husband and I try to stick to the healthier food choices, but we did cheat esp. at the buffet and I can say we happliy stuffed ourselves every night. The beach may not be the white beautiful sand showen in caribbean commercials but I can tell you we walked for miles in the morning feeling like we shared a private beach with maybe 10 other people. You can also grab a hammack along the way rest and take in the beautiful ocean. We went horseback riding ,canopy zip lining, snorkeling ,others went suba diving, and sailing,We took a bus to Montazzoma (that was a little different not much there and the shopping is very expensive) ,better shopping in tambor.I can only hope first time travellers to Costa Rica do not get discourged by the bad reviews because you really will miss a fantastic resort. The pool is awesome, the drinks are plenty and everything is included . This could be a bitter sweet end... to a untouched paradise when people do take the chance on the Barcelo. But oh well,too good not to write a review so enjoy
I know you will. Wish I was there.


“Great Resort”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

We spent five nights at the Tambor Beach Resort. We took the ferry from Puntarenas and met the bus that took us to the resort... The resort is located on a large expanse of beach where it is the only major resort. There are a few houses further down the beach but basically one never has contact with anyone except people who are staying at the resort.
Check in was a bit of a problem as we had asked for a non smoking room. When we checked in they gave us the key to a room and I had to ask if it was non smoking. I was told it was smoking and there were no non smoking rooms available. I persisted and only through this persistence did a list of non smoking rooms appear. We were then given a non smoking room.
We ended up with a very nice room. There is a free safety deposit box in each of the rooms. The pools are fabulous. There are plenty of chairs for everyone so no need to set aside a chair early in the morning. Towels are available and if you lose one it costs $20USD. The buffets are very well run with plenty of variety and great quantities.The service was prompt with plenty of smiles.
There is also a grill that provides food at lunch time which we preferred as we didn't have to cover up our bathing suits.
There are two other restaurants- one sea food and the other serves mainly meat dishes. You have to sign up for these and we were told you could make one reservation for every 3 days of stay. We went to the meat restaraunt and had one of the better fillets I have ever had. However the restaurant was less than half full. We also went to the sea food restaurant and again the food was marvelous.
We spent most of the days reading , walking, eating , and swimming in both the ocean and the pools. The ocean is very safe with only small waves . It was very warm- like a bath tub.The water has a lot of sand in it so visibilty is an issue as one cannot see one's feet when walking as the waves keep the sand moving.
The weather is idealic as I believe the weather was always between 29 and 31C with clear blue skies the entire time. The service staff were great and accommodating.
The two issues we did have was one, the music at the pools was loud and mainly techno. Many of the guests said they had to move away from the pools as after a few days the music got to them .There was not a varierty of music. Secondly, the entertainment at night left a bit to be desired. They had two parts to it. The first was one that involved the audience and the second was manily dancing and singing.The latter was okay but the audience part was one that often embarrassed the participants. They had difficulty in getting anyone to volunteer and spent a lot of time persuading people to go onto the stage.
We enjoyed our stay and do have to commend the hotel on setting up a nature trail where one can walk very easily and see the howler monkeys , caymen and tropical plants.


“Great Place!!!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I stayed at the Barcelo Playa Tambor the first week of February 2007. The Resort seemed pretty well organized and it provided a friendly atmosphere throughout the week. The food at the buffet restaurant wasn't that numerous but does do the job. I would rate the food as average resort food at most. The resort also contained a seafood and a steak a la carte restaurant as well as a snack bar style restaurant where you can find simpler foods such as hamburgers, fajitas, nachos etc. which did seem to provide some great snacks in between meals if needed.

The resort was mostly filled with families with children and somewhat older married couples. The resort also did have many local families that were staying at the resort as well.

The pool at the resort was great. Very clean, decent size, swim up bar etc. Many of the people spent most of their time at the pool as we did since the beach does have many rocks on the beach. Not your typical beach you'll findat other resorts. The tides do change at the beach so you can sometimes wander off further into the ocean when the tides are low. You do get a great view of mountains etc from the beach. If you're interested in beaches you can however drive or go on a tour to Mal Pais which is about 1 1/2 hrs from the resort and this beach will provide your white sand, surfing etc.

The resort also has a Natural park where you can walk into or go on one of the tours provided by a member of the entertainment staff. In this park you'll see some monkeys (that live in the park), iguanas, birds, crabs, crocodiles etc. Depending on the time of day when you go into the park you may see all or none! Keep in mind as well that the sun sets around 6pm and does get dark relatively fast after 6 so you do not want to get stuck in the park without lights!!! Anyways, they'll mention this during the orientation.

The people (workers) on the resort are extremely friendly. The fornt desk staff speak English very well. The Entertainment staff are extremely fun and provide much activities during the day to keep you busy. They provide futbol (soccer), aerobics, dance lessons, beach volleyball, water volleyball, basketball, etc. They don't speak that good English besides maybe 2-3 people in the crew but they do provide for a fun time and are always trying to get the vacationers involved in the games.

The nightly entertainment is quite entertaining however. They do have a kid's program at first around 8 or so followed by what they call an "ice-breaker". In this segmant they have audience members participate in games on stage in sometimes sexually funny games! They then have musical performances by the dance team which is pretty entertaining as well. Nothing you'll see in broadway or anything but like I said, it's entertainment! The Live band then closes out the entertainment for about an hour or so.

The Disco at the resort was actually pretty dead with maybe 10-15 people at most on the dancefloor. This was maybe due to the crowd that was at the resort during our stay which was more of a family and older couples crowd.

Finally there are many excursions that you can set-up from the resort in which you can go on zip line tours where you zip through rain/cloud forests via cables, go snorkelling, atv'ing, visit other beaches, etc. We did take advantage of a couple tours and they do provide a great way to see more of the country.

Overall, this was definitely one of my better vacations and i think tambor Costa Rica is a place I highly recommend to travellers considering Costa Rica.

Also, before I forget, If you decide to take the ferry transfer option from the Airport to Tambor, the trip is approximately 4 hours from the airport to the resort vs. about 30 min if you take the Air transfer. With the Ferry transfer, you first take a 2.5 hr bus ride from the airport to the ferry which is a 1.5 hr ride to Tambor. You then take a half hour bus ride from the ferry docks to the resort. I would recommend the air transfer to save time and be more comfortable.


“Awesome stay at the Barcelo Playa Tambor Hotel”
Barcelo Tambor Beach

The Barcelo Playa Tambor is a MUST by any means. I'm not sure where the other people who wrote negative reviews stayed at but it certainly wasn't at the Barcelo Playa Tambor Hotel.

I went down with a group of firends and we were 13 people who enjoyed our stay as there.

The trip there was pretty long considering there were no planes coming out of Ottawa so we drove 5 hours down to Toronto to take a 5 hour long flight into San Jose. Once we got to the San Jose airport it was relatively quick to check out to and get onto the bus that took us to our next flight to Tambor. Once we got to the next little airport we were in for a little surprise. We had to wait approximately 3 hours because we were the last group to arrive and the planes going out were four 5 seaters, one 12 seaters and one 18 and there were like 150 people in front of us. Luckily, the weather was nice and warm and we could start taning outside. Since we were the last group out of the airport, we all got to take the plane together in the 18 seater. It is a very short trip, about 25 minutes to the Tambor runway that is about a 1 minute drive to the hotel so don't worry! Once we got to the hotel we all checked-in no problem except for one group but the hotel was able to fix the problem without a problem. The front-desk clerks speak English and Spanish surprisingly very well compared to the rest of the natives we saw.

Our rooms were very large consisting of A/C, which was essential considering the 35 degrees celcius we had for the whole week we were there, fridge for water and coke, two huge double beds together so it made like a huge bed that was very comfortable and enough space in there for an after-party (which we did) ;). The first couple of days we did not leave a tip for the maids but seing that they always folded the clothes that was on the floor, always keeping the fridge filled with water and doing nice decorations in the bathroom, we left them a nice 10000 colonnes tip (about 20$ US) and they kept on making our room look like a palace.

The food buffet was great either if it was for breakfast (best: waffles), lunch (best: spaghetti) and supper (best: roast beef/pork). The waiters were exceptional and very attentative, especially Carlos. We're gonna miss you man!!! They know little English but they do there best to meet your needs. We also ate at the two à-la-carte restaurants on our two last days and the food was good for half of us. The El Rancho Steakhouse, which is also the Discoteche at night, was great for me and awefull for others depending what you eat. I had a T-Bone steak and it was as good as we have it up here in Canada. For others who chose the filet mignon for example told me that it was over cooked. At least the wine was an abondance for supper as the waiter kept on leaving full bottles on our table. The next restaurant was the Seafood restaurant. You chose what you wanted and you had a lot of food. I chose a plate of a bit of everything: Sea Bass, Lobster, Calamari, Shrimp and Sole. All was good but I didn't like the lobster. For entrées you could choose from salad or their speciality seafood medely that was awesome! Again, endless supply of wine.

The nightly entertainment was very amusing. I can't say that it was great but we did find it hillarious once we had a couple of free drinks in the stomach. Also, at the main bar next to the stage, ask the bartenders for their BEST DRINK EVER, it will knock you on your [--] after they light it on fire. The entertainers had lots of fun with us and for the people who were there during our stay they might remeber us as the "Yip, Yip, Yip" gang. I will miss the Tambor - Tambor Dance/Song. It was lots of fun. Other than the males wearing extremely tight spandex pants that outlined their genitalia, that women dancers were very good and good looking. They all met us at the Discoteche after their show which was also a blast. Too bad no one knew how to dance the salsa or meringue but we all tried. Some even offered to show us how. We showed them how to dance on our music too. We had a lot of fun and lets not forget the FREE DRINKS. If you tip the bartender a bit more too, he could even give you a bottle for your after party.

The outside activities were a blast and aren't as expensive as the other reviews list them as considering this is pretty much a once in a lifetime experience. We, all 13 of us, paid 60$ US to do the Montezuma Experience that included a Zip-Lining experience through the forest and an awesome Waterfall experience with a 1 hour visit in Montezuma. The Zip-Lining Experience was exciting considering I am scared of heights and also considering that I weight a hefty 315lbs. I was pretty scared that the cables were gonna snap but they informed me that all was safe and it was. Never did I once not feel in security. The waterfall was awesome and some of us even jumped of from the second platform that was about 60 feet high. The water was nice and cool and felt good after all because it felt like it was 40 out there. The trip to Montezuma was not bad but there isn't much to see. 1 hour is sufficient enough I found. Others went back in the next couple of days. I also went to visit the cloud forest Monteverde with my girlfriend and another of my friends. The cost was 120$ to do the Zip-Lining or 100$ to do the Suspended Bridges. The trip take about 5 hours or so to get there but it is well worth it and the ride is very comfortable. The guides were very nice, especially Diego. Once we got there, I got a little surprised because they told me I was "Too Big" to do the Zip-Lining even though I had called in advance and they told me that the weight limit was 500lbs and the waist size was of 55". I was a bit dissapointed aa did my girlfriend and my friend but I insisted that they do it anyways and that I would drag myself to do the Suspended Bridges and take pictures even though I'm scared of heights. I did my very best at taking pictures but it is extremely hard to put your two hands on the camera because the wind is so strong. The trip back was great and we stopped in to a great Seafood restaurant in Monteverde and had some good food at very low cost to what we pay for it here in Canada.

The surrounding area activities are great! The pool is warm and comfortable and if you want a drink without getting out of the pool, all you have to do is swim to the swim up bar and get a couple of drinks. There is also Tennis, Mini-Putt, Volleyball and Soccer available near by. The ocean is nice and the waves were awesome. Some were even able to do some bodyboarding which was quite pleasant. The beach is decent but nothing like the sandy beaches of cuba as the sand they have there is dark because it is Volcanic Rock sand. There are also rocks up on the shore so bring some sandals with you when you go to the beach. There is also the Parque Natural ie: Natural Park. If you are lucky you will see some wild birds, howling monkeys, crocs, Iguanas and Racoons. That's pretty much what we saw. Oh and watch out for the mosquitos because they bite.

Overall, our stay was awesome. We made lots of friends, had nice weather and we all came back with sun tans/burns. All 13 of us recommend the Barcelo Playa Tambor hotel to anyone looking for a GREAT time in the SUN and a very relaxing getaway.

"Yip, Yip, Yip"


“A most enjoyable time”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

I went to this resort with my twenty-something daughter in Feb. of 2006, with the air transfer form San Jose, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Some of the negative reviews here strike me as ludicrously naive and entirely inappropriate.
First of all, our room was clean, cool and pleasant, and the beds were comfortable. I can't imagine why anyone would complain about them.
The free-form pools were very enjoyable, always clean and deep enough for real swimming. The snack bar beside them had delicious offerings that I had trouble rationing for myself.
The buffet was better than the one other that I had experienced in Costa Rica and had a surprising range of good food. There were omelettes made to order, roasts sliced to order, and the spread on the buffet itself was more than enough to thoroughly satisfy any reasonable person. We never saw any flies, although one iguana did wander about once or twice - we liked him.
The specialty restaurants are not superlative fine dining, but they were a welcome change from the buffet, as good as it was.
The beach was extremely long and great for extensive walks at night before retiring. During the day, there were typically strong enough waves for modest bodysurfing, which I take to be an essential part of a Pacific vacation. OF COURSE the water is not clear! This is a sand beach with waves, for heaven's sake, and let's be thankful for that. And yet the waves are not anywhere near strong enough to frighten any half-way competent swimmer.
The kayaks, however, were not at all well designed or comfortable - one of my few reservations about this resort.
We didn't pay much attention to the evening entertainment, which had its pleasant moments but nothing more. We are serious theatre goers: drama, opera, ballet, and we don't expect a resort to do much more than keep a few young people mildly diverted. If you want serious entertainment, go to New York, Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco.
The key thing is to enjoy the local area. We loved the little beach towns south and west of Playa Tambor. The shortage of rental cars could be a problem, though. The shopping and the sights were good, and there was a fair in one of the towns. We did a zip-line excursion - our first - and loved it, although the guides, who were astonishingly adept on the lines, did not emphasize enough that your breaking hand must be kept well BEHIND your head, or you could swing around and begin to face the wrong way. That happened to one member of our group, and he bashed into the next platform with uncomfortable, somewhat bloody results. Our zipline tour also gave us an hour or two at a surfing beach, which we loved.
The major nature reserve in the area (forgot its name) was a bit of a disappointment, but we went in mid afternoon, which I'm sure was not the best choice.
My daughter loved the horseback riding, although it left her posterior a bit sore.
The hike to the local waterfall attraction was also enjoyable, although it was hard to find the beginning of the trail. Fortunately, locals advised us.
All in all, I count this vacation a resounding success, and I think those people who didn't enjoy it, except for those who were there at school's end in June, must be very poor travellers indeed.


“Fun place to go!!!”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

First off id like to say that its a fun place to stay at. Espacially if you are a person looking to have a relaxing and fun vacation.

Pros: Bar and bartenders are great...very fast service. The discotheque is also great when there is a lot of people. The look of the resort is wonderfull and its also very clean. Pools are great...a lot of activities to do on the resort and off the resort.

Cons: Plane ride from San Jose to Costa Rica was very long. Food wasnt that great.

Overall, a great place to stay.


“Nightmares while dreaming”
Barcelo Tambor Beach Hotel

Barcelo Playa Tambor is not a five star hotel. The grounds are beautiful and well-maintained and most of the staff is kind. The rooms are clean but I agree with earlier reviewers about the poor AC. The food is good; not great but not terrible. However the hotel's front desk, and most of its employees who work there, are horrendous. While we enjoyed most of the tours we went on (more on that later) and loved the location of the beach, every day there was some frustrating incident with the front desk that seriously dampered our trip. Simple tasks like putting a credit card guarantee down to make phone calls from the room took more than a half hour and were huge hassles. For the most part the front desk employees were rude, condescending, and seemingly committed to making things as difficult as possible. I will never stay at another Barcelo because of them.
Tours: Discovery Program for divers was amazing. We had a tour that lasted all day and our diving lesson took place on a totally uninhabited beach with the divemaster. The one-on-one attention was worth every penny we paid and more. The Montezuma canopy tour was also excellent- it was us and another couple from another resort. The guides showed us around the countryside and gave us extra time to shop around Montezuma. We felt very safe on the zipline and had so so so much fun. DO NOT DO THE ATV TOUR. We did the 4-hour tour and towards the end you are taken down an extremely steep hill and out onto a rocky beach. It was very techincal. A German couple we were with fell off their ATV going down the hill and quit- they walked the 8km back to the hotel. I wrecked my ATV on the beach and had to get THREE STITCHES. My entire body is still bruised and battered more than a week later and the doctor said the only reason I'm alive right now is because of my helmet. We were told the trail was easy and perfectly suitable for beginners- NOT TRUE. We were told if we listened to the guide and were in good physical shape we would be fine. Well, I am 24 years old in perfect shape. The guide was standing at the back of my ATV, directing me. I was practically at a stand still when I surged into the rock and the ATV cartwheeled one direction, I cartwheeled another. The guide told me later he never should have taken us along that coast but we were running late and other ATV tours had been there before so he needed a shorter way back. The hotel doctor told me I was the third person in a month to wreck. So be warned, save your vacation, and do not do this tour.
Travel: Take the plane. The bus/ferry/bus combination is great for an adventure and great if you want to get off the beaten path. But getting out of Puntarenas can be chaotic. We did the ferry on our way there and booked the plane back (this was also because I could barely walk). If you fly, don't pay a taxi to get to your hotel, walk the beach. It's short and beautiful, a taxi will waste your money.
Food: Raccoons are all over the grounds at night. They will jump up on your table if you're not paying attention. The fruit is delicious, the omelette bar and pasta bar are good, but some of the dishes they cooked (beef wellington, etc.) weren't the best fit for a Costa Rican resort,
Barcelo has a great pool and access to the beach. They'll pour you drinks all day long and some of the staff are nice. Yet despite the tours they offer, their great location, and some of the magical moments my boyfriend and I had during our vacation, there were another moments that were total nightmares. We will never stay at another Barcelo.