JW Marriott has entered the all-inclusive market with the opening of JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast.
Announced on 6 October 2026, the 415-room property overlooks Playa El Jobo in Guanacaste. It features 15 restaurants and bars, 17 pools and a 16,000-square-foot wellness centre, alongside a private Griffin Club offering additional facilities and personalised services.
Starting rates are $900 per person, per night, based on double occupancy.
“The opening of JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa represents more than our entry into the all-inclusive category, it introduces a new expression of the JW Marriott brand,” said Bruce Rohr, Vice President and Global Brand Leader, JW Marriott.
Rooms, Swim-Out Suites and a Private Griffin Club
Accommodation has a residential, villa-inspired design, with spacious terraces and separate living areas in the Presidential Suites. Selected ground-floor suites provide direct access to semi-private swim-out pools.
The resort also introduces a new version of JW Marriott’s Griffin Club, conceived as a private section within the wider property.
Griffin Club guests receive a pre-arrival consultation to arrange dining, wellness activities and room preferences. Facilities include a private arrival lounge, a 24-hour lounge for dining and socialising, a dedicated pool with concierge service and a reserved beach area.
Additional services include personal assistance, priority dining reservations and pool cabanas, plus help with unpacking and laundry.
Architecture firm Phiba by DCM led the resort’s design, working with local architects, artists and artisans alongside international partners. Open-air spaces and an art collection curated by Indiewalls draw on Guanacaste’s landscapes and cultural traditions.
Fifteen Dining and Bar Venues
The resort’s food offering spans Costa Rican, Italian, Mexican and Japanese influences, with ingredients also supplied by its on-site JW Garden.
At Leal, guests can roast coffee and try a seven-course tasting menu inspired by Costa Rica’s provinces. Casado focuses on wood-fired coastal cooking, while Puerto Limón explores the country’s Afro-Caribbean food heritage.
Other venues include Italian restaurant Luciano, Mexican restaurant Santos and botanical cocktail bar Borbón. Namuyaki serves chef-led teppanyaki, while Boga pairs Japanese techniques with local ingredients in raw, coastal-inspired dishes.
LaGloria, a root beer stand, references J. Willard Marriott’s first business venture in Washington, D.C., in 1927. Its menu includes artisanal root beer, craft sodas and comfort food.
Wellness, Family Activities and Outdoor Recreation
The wellness centre brings together Spa by JW, a fitness centre and the brand’s first Mindfulness House, set beside forest and a native Guanacaste tree.
The programme includes guided meditation, sound baths, cacao ceremonies and hydrotherapy, with spa treatments incorporating ingredients such as volcanic clay and cacao.
For families, the Family by JW Club offers nature walks, creative activities, children’s yoga and storytelling. A weekly night market brings local artisans, food, live music and dance to the resort.
Outdoor options include kayaking, hiking, diving, fishing and yacht excursions. The property’s 17 pools include an oceanfront infinity pool, forming what Marriott describes as Costa Rica’s largest pool complex.
Event Facilities and Regional Expansion
The resort has more than 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including an oceanfront ballroom and open-air venues for weddings, meetings and retreats.
“The opening of JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa, the brand’s first all-inclusive resort worldwide, strengthens our presence in the region and reflects the evolving preferences of today’s luxury travelers, who are seeking more immersive and meaningful experiences,” said Federico Greppi, President of Marriott International, Caribbean and Latin America.
