JW Marriott opens its first all-inclusive, a 415-room Costa Rica resort
Rates start at $656 a night for two guests through the end of the year, or from 110,000 Bonvoy points.
JW Marriott has opened the JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa in Guanacaste, the brand's first-ever all-inclusive property. The resort is now accepting guests on Costa Rica's northwest coast, and reservations are live through the site. It marks a deliberate turn for a flag better known for traditional city hotels.
Rather than break ground on something new, developer Mullen Real Estate Capital chose to fully reimagine the former Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica property. The conversion reskins an existing all-inclusive rather than funding fresh construction, a move that shortens the timeline and reuses the site's bones.
The property holds 415 rooms. Within it is a hotel-within-a-hotel known as Griffin Club, which delivers extra privacy, butler service, a dedicated pool, separate beach access and a lounge open around the clock. The design folds in traditional Costa Rican architecture alongside elements drawn from the Bribri and Cabécar Indigenous peoples.
Marriott's statement calls the complex the largest resort poolscape in Costa Rica, spanning 44,000 square feet. Pool cabanas surround it, and a large on-property garden, a modern fitness centre and a kids club round out the footprint. A Family by JW programme stages dedicated family experiences throughout the stay.
The Spa by JW covers more than 9,000 square feet and runs from full-body treatments and massages to options made for children. It joins the brand's first-ever Mindfulness House, a dedicated space for reflection and well-being beside untouched forest, shaded by a native Guanacaste tree.
Food spans 15 bars, restaurants and culinary experiences. A classic international buffet leads a line-up that includes Japanese, seafood, Italian and Costa Rican venues, among others. Guests can also cook at an on-site culinary school offering interactive sessions that teach local dishes and broader kitchen skills.
Root beer, rates and the activity calendar
The resort nods to J.W. Marriott Sr.'s original business with the brand's first stand-alone root beer stand. A full calendar runs alongside it, from a weekly local shopping market to guided kayaking, while children use the hands-on Family by JW Club for enrichment and wellness activities.
Rates through the end of the year start at $656 a night for two guests, according to the hotel website, and Marriott Bonvoy members can book from 110,000 points per night. The all-inclusive format means the guest count must be exact when booking.
We have covered JW Marriott's quieter side through the Spa by JW Edmonton, which we profiled for its clean contemporary lines and a signature Resilience and Wellness Ritual built to reset body and mood. This opening shifts the lens to the beach, and to a much larger scale.
We also reported on The Ocean Cliffs in Dana Point, which is set to reopen as a JW Marriott Resort after a multimillion-dollar renovation. Costa Elena shows the brand growing in resort territory through conversion as well as renovation.
The all-inclusive rivals
The all-inclusive luxury lane has been crowding. Kimpton opened its first all-inclusive, a 355-room Riviera Maya property, and Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya are set to turn all-inclusive in 2027. JW Marriott now joins them with a full-board model of its own.
Costa Rica is a market we know well. Our guide to the country's best hotels spans eco warriors, luxury lovers and sun seekers, and our Costa Rica spa round-up prizes nature and full-body treatments. This Guanacaste opening adds a points-friendly option for Bonvoy loyalists.
What the company did not say is as telling. No total investment figure has been disclosed, and there is no word on how many of the 415 rooms are finished versus coming online later. The spa, pool and Griffin Club details are specific; the balance sheet behind them is not.
The first-year question is whether an all-inclusive can hold JW Marriott's service standard at scale. A 415-key full-board operation runs on volume, and the brand has never fielded one before. The Family by JW programme and the cooking school give families reasons to stay on property.
Bookings are open now, with rates published through the end of the year. Nothing in the announcement sets a date for further phases, and the resort gives no timeline for when the full 15-venue food programme reaches steady state.
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