The world’s first all-inclusive JW Marriott resort, located in Guanacaste Province, opened to guests this week, Marriott International announced.

  

The new JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa is located at Costa Elena Beach and was developed with an estimated investment of $50 million.

Built on 3,000 acres of tropical dry forest, the luxury beachfront resort features a 44,000-square-foot pool complex, which Marriott says is the largest resort poolscape in Costa Rica.

The property is designed for travelers seeking luxury amenities within an all-inclusive model, where accommodations, dining and most activities are included in a single upfront price.

The resort offers more than 400 rooms, including 45 Griffin Club accommodations, an exclusive hotel-within-a-hotel concept featuring private check-in, butler service, and exclusive pool and beach access.

Guests also have access to 14 restaurants and bars offering Costa Rican, Italian, Asian and Japanese cuisine.

Additional amenities include a 16,000-square-foot spa and wellness center with a hydrotherapy pool and a mindfulness-focused wellness hub, as well as a children’s club and more than 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space with open-air venues overlooking the ocean and surrounding tropical landscape.

Among the resort’s unique attractions is the first standalone JW Marriott root beer stand, inspired by J.W. Marriott Sr.’s original root beer stand in Washington, D.C., which later grew into one of the world’s largest hospitality companies.
 

“What we’re building reflects where the all-inclusive model is going, not where it’s been,” Marriott said in a statement. “For a long time, all-inclusive was about convenience. Today, it’s about delivering a complete experience without compromising on quality, design or individuality.”

Marriott International is one of the world’s largest hotel companies by room count. In 2025, the company operated 36 brands and more than 9,300 properties with over 1.7 million rooms across 144 countries and territories.

The JW Marriott Costa Elena project is among the latest investments in Costa Rica’s growing hotel sector. Recently, Marriott International's MOXY Hotel announced Central America's first on-airport hotel, which will open next to the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela Province.

Tourism remains one of Costa Rica’s most important economic sectors. More than 1.6 million travelers arrived in the country by air during the first half of 2026, underscoring the industry’s continued role as a major contributor to the national economy.

In 2025, Costa Rica welcomed more than 2.6 million air travelers.

Costa Rica generated more than $3.3 billion in tourism income during the first half of 2026, an increase from the same period in 2025.

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