Tl;dr – Peninsula Papagayo continues to position itself as the ‘luxury riviera’ of Costa Rica
We’ll soon see another point-forward luxury property join the roster of hotels in Costa Rica’s Peninsula Papagayo. The St. Regis Papagayo, scheduled for a 2027 debut, will be the latest addition to the region, which already includes the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Nekajui, Four Seasons, Andaz Papagayo, and the Waldorf Astoria Punta Cacicque. I have to admit that the announcement of this news caught me a bit off guard, as I had long known the St. Regis Brand was going to be used on villa-style residential units in Papagayo (in fact, ground has already broken), but the releases surrounding that only made mild mention to a resort, without any concrete details. While the retail site for residences has long been active, today’s news marks the first we’ve heard of the resort part of the development. I’ve enjoyed my stays at a number of St. Regis properties so for me, this news is exciting. Let’s jump into it.
St. Regis Papagayo – Costa Rica
In addition to the 143 residential units, the St. Regis Papagayo will feature 120 hotel rooms. Guests won’t go hungry here, as there will be six dining outlets on-site, including the signature St. Regis Bar & Speakeasy. Visitors will also be able to enjoy an exclusive beach club, the St. Regis Library, multiple swimming pools, and a spa. With 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and banquet space, I imagine there might be a wedding or two held here as well.
For what it’s worth, the Residences site lists some rather curious amenities, including a “nine whole wellness course” and a “Volcano club.”
Time will tell if guests, possibly elites, can access these, whatever they might be.
As far as aesthetic, outside of the renderings shared above, it’s fair to expect that the vibe of the resort will look similar to that of the residences. Here are some depictions of villas and the grounds from the St. Regis Papagayo Residences site:
Last year, I visited the nearby Andaz Papagayo (full review forthcoming) and, for the most part, had pleasant things to say about my experience. Though the resort was undergoing significant renovations during my stay (and still is in some parts of the property), the service was strong, and I received great elite recognition as a Globalist, getting upgraded to this fantastic suite.
Though the early reviews of the Ritz and Waldorf suggest those properties need more time to find their footing, I’d still notch the Andaz in below them at the bottom of the Papagayo area luxury hotels. This is more of a comment on the brands at hand than a knock on the Andaz.
The continued development of luxury properties in this area makes it quite enticing for a classic ‘compare and contrast’ survey. If you’re looking to spend a week and change north of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast, on what I’m calling the ‘Nueva Riviera Rica,’ you can indulge with a few nights at the Walfdorf-Astoria (making sure to maximize value the value of your points), bounce to the St. Regis, swim over to the Andaz, then the Ritz, concluding with the Four Seasons. Sounds like quite the trip!
