I recently stayed at Occidental Tamarindo and overall found the experience underwhelming.
There were a few positives. The resort is close to the beach, making it easy to enjoy the ocean. The pool area was nice, and it was never difficult to find a chair. The resort is smaller, so it didn’t feel overly crowded. We also arrived a few hours early, and staff allowed us to store our bags and use the pool and restaurant while we waited, which was appreciated.
Unfortunately, the negatives outweighed the positives. The food was bland and repetitive, with limited options at the buffet. The policy of only being able to book à la carte restaurants once every three days felt very restrictive.
The room had several issues. The shower flooded the bathroom floor due to overspray, and the drain did not work properly. Staff cleaned the water but never fixed the drain. On top of that, even with the AC on full power, the room stayed very hot and uncomfortable to sleep in.
Service around the pool was lacking. There’s no swim-up bar, and getting drinks meant waiting in line. No staff came around to take orders. The gym also needed maintenance, as several machines were not working properly.
Overall, I was not impressed. I would rate it 2 stars and would not return.
