The appeal of an all-inclusive holiday has long been its simplicity. Yet, for travellers accustomed to the finer details of luxury hospitality, convenience alone is rarely the entire story. Architecture, gastronomy, privacy and a genuine connection to the destination all play a part in defining the experience. In Costa Rica, JW Marriott is bringing these elements together in its first all-inclusive resort, marking a new chapter for the brand.
Opened in October 2026, JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa occupies a secluded stretch of Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast at Playa de El Jobo, in Guanacaste. The 415-room property introduces the brand’s interpretation of all-inclusive hospitality, with an emphasis on wellness, cultural discovery and a more considered approach to time spent away.
Rather than treating the resort as a destination in itself, the concept draws on the surrounding landscape and Costa Rican heritage. The result is a property where the experience extends beyond accommodation and dining to encompass architecture, local traditions and opportunities for personal restoration.
A Resort Within a Resort
Among the opening’s defining features is the next generation of JW Marriott’s Griffin Club, a private resort-within-a-resort designed around personalisation and privacy.
Guests receive pre-arrival consultations to tailor aspects of their stay, from dining preferences to wellness activities. A private arrival lounge, dedicated assistance, an exclusive pool and a reserved beach area further distinguish the experience. The Griffin Club also includes a 24-hour lounge and priority access to restaurant reservations and pool cabanas.
Accommodation throughout the resort reflects a residential sensibility, with spacious rooms, suites and terraces. Selected ground-floor suites offer direct access to semi-private swimming areas, while the Presidential Suites provide separate living spaces. Dedicated Mindful Rooms and Suites extend the brand’s focus on rest and well-being into the design of the guest experience.
Costa Rica on the Menu
With 15 restaurants and bars, the culinary programme offers one of the resort’s most extensive expressions of place.
Costa Rican ingredients and traditions sit alongside international influences, with individual venues exploring different aspects of the region’s culinary identity. Leal takes inspiration from Guanacaste and offers a seven-course tasting journey informed by Costa Rica’s provinces. Puerto Limón draws on the country’s Afro-Caribbean heritage, while Casado centres its menu on wood-fired cooking and coastal flavours.
Elsewhere, Luciano explores Italian pasta-making, Santos celebrates Mexican culinary traditions, and Namuyaki brings chef-led teppanyaki to the resort. At Boga, Japanese techniques meet ingredients inspired by the coast.
The programme also includes LaGloria, a root beer stand that references J. Willard Marriott’s first business venture, opened in Washington, D.C., in 1927. It is a small but telling connection between the group’s early history and its contemporary hospitality offering.
An expansive JW Garden supplies seasonal herbs, edible flowers, fruits and vegetables for menus, private dining and cocktails, bringing ingredients grown on the property into the wider culinary experience.
Wellness Beyond the Spa
Well-being occupies a central position in the resort’s design, with a 16,000-square-foot complex housing the brand’s first Mindfulness House, a Spa by JW and a modern fitness centre.
The spa’s treatments incorporate elements associated with Costa Rican traditions, including volcanic clay and native cacao. Guests can also take part in hydrotherapy experiences, sound baths and rituals inspired by the four elements of earth, water, fire and air.
Set beside forest and shaded by a native Guanacaste tree, the Mindfulness House offers a quieter setting for reflection, with open-air gathering spaces and activities including sound healing, Reiki and cacao ceremonies.
The resort draws additional inspiration from the nearby Nicoya Peninsula, recognised as one of the world’s Blue Zones. Here, wellness is presented not simply as a collection of treatments, but as an opportunity to make space for rest, movement and a slower pace of living.
A Connection to Place
Architecture and design further establish the property’s relationship with Guanacaste. Developed by Phiba by DCM in collaboration with local architects, artists and artisans, the resort incorporates open-air spaces, natural materials and artwork inspired by Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
The design also references Sibü, a figure associated with creation and harmony in Bribri and Cabécar Indigenous traditions. This inspiration appears in the resort’s handcrafted walnut Lobby Oculus and in elements of the wider design narrative.
Beyond the property, guests can explore the coastline through guided kayaking, nature walks, diving, sunset hikes and private yacht charters. A weekly night market brings local artisans, food, music and storytelling into the resort’s programme, while families have access to activities designed around nature, creativity and cultural discovery.
The property also features 17 swimming pools, including an oceanfront infinity pool, and more than 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.
Starting rates are listed at US$900 per person, per night, based on double occupancy.
Redefining the All-Inclusive Experience
For JW Marriott, the opening represents an expansion into a category traditionally associated with convenience and a largely self-contained holiday experience. Its Costa Rica property takes a different approach, placing culinary variety, individual attention, wellness and cultural engagement at the centre of the offering.
Whether this model becomes a defining direction for the brand’s future all-inclusive properties remains to be seen. For now, JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa offers a clear indication of how an established luxury hotel brand is approaching a familiar format with a more experience-led perspective.
In Guanacaste, the proposition is not simply to have everything included. It is to give each element of the stay a greater sense of purpose, with the destination itself remaining an essential part of the experience.