Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica Review
Lights, Camera, Paradise!
From the moment you arrive and step onto the red carpet, you feel the star quality at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica. We recently visited this all-inclusive beachfront resort with Air Canada Vacations and welcomed the newest member to the Planet Hollywood family with open arms.
Click above to watch a resort tour!
But don’t let this resort fool you, it may be new but it holds all of our long-time favorite aspects of all-inclusives in one tropical spot. With the addition of an exotic jungle location, this resort has quickly made its way into our hearts. We’re sharing all the details of why we think you should visit in this Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica review.
What You Need to Know About Planet Hollywood Costa Rica
Arrival
Get ready to become a vacation celebrity! You literally get to walk down the red carpet when you arrive at the front doors of Planet Hollywood Costa Rica. Make sure to be camera ready because there’s a celebrity photo op at the end of the carpet (with YOU as the celebrity). We recommend keeping one hand free to hold their signature welcome drink, the PH Purple Haze Drink.
The lobby and main building are lined with nostalgic memorabilia that features iconic items from movies like Jurassic Park, American Hustle, and the Karate Kid. Where else can you see the famous Barbasol can and amber fossil from Jurrasic Park? Nowhere!
At the end of check-in, you’ll get a bracelet that acts as your room key. This is just one of the many invaluable perks that Planet Hollywood Costa Rica includes. To us, never forgetting your room key is a priceless perk and makes vacation relaxation that much easier.
Star Class
If you want to upgrade to the ultimate star quality experience, consider booking Star Class. The upgrades are two-fold, as both your amenities and experiences are enhanced with a star class upgrade.
A morning view of the Star Class pool.
Star Class Amenities
First, let’s talk amenities; you’ll get your own personal rider with drinks and snacks of your choice and an upgraded room service menu.
You’ll be staying in one of two Star Class buildings that have ideal ocean views and close proximity to your exclusive Star Class infinity pool and bar.
View from the 12-302 Suite Balcony in Building 26.
TIP: Experience even more luxury with a cabana rental that includes a furnished lounging area, television, sound system, safe, and dedicated personal attendant.
Star Class Experiences
The enhanced experiences were our favorite part of Star Class. You get a personal agent to handle all your arrangements and reservations. To be clear, you don’t need reservations anywhere but the Teppanyaki table at East Sushi & Teppanyaki Bar. BUT you have the ability to make reservations at any restaurant to ensure you get the best seat in the house, exactly when you want it.
Sushi appetizer at the East Teppanyaki Table.
And this service doesn’t end at restaurant reservations. You can also get that perfect spot by the pool without having to get up before sunrise or rent that cabana that you’ve had your eye on since arriving.
Feeling hungry in between meals? Stop by the Green Room Lounge and Bar where you’ll get tasty treats and any drink you desire. As a star class member, you also have access to the exclusive star class infinity pool and bar PLUS access to the Hydrotherapy pool at the PH Spa for one hour per day. We even received a coupon for a complimentary mud mask each!
Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Restaurants
It’s all about the food at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica! You’re likely to forget that you’re at an all-inclusive resort. If you go to any other Planet Hollywood in the world, New York, Las Vegas, London or Paris, you’ll dine on the exact same tasty dishes as you do here.
From the plating to the distribution of basil on the margarita pizzas, they take pride in providing quality food that meets their high expectations across ALL Planet Hollywood locations.
Breakfast
We found the buffet of our dreams at the So Cal Gourmet Food Emporium. Not only do they have a vast selection of breakfast items but they also have 2-3 stations of the most popular items. That means no waiting around for staff to bring extra bacon out! The seating area is open with natural light spilling in and there’s an exclusive area (separated with velvet rope) for Star Class members.
Do you feel like avoiding all human contact and having breakfast in bed? No Problem! The room service menu is accessible through your in-room television and you can have food delivered in your secret box. That means you can take a nap, a shower, or continue your conversation with no interruptions!
Lunch
Picture it… you’re lounging by the pool, enjoying the afternoon sun and living your best life. You start feeling hungry, what do you do? Turn your head to see all of your glorious lunch options! All three restaurants that serve lunch at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica can be found directly beside the main pool.
Our favorite place to chow down was at Guy’s Burger Joint. They serve up fries and fresh smash burgers right in front of your eyes. The patties have a delicious crispy surface with a balanced seasoning that was mouthwatering. The chicken tenders were crispy, juicy and served with an enviable buffalo sauce and ranch combo.
The Blue Star Tex-Mex Cantina and Gusto Italian Tratorria both offer an International Buffet for lunch. We loved the selection of entrees and desserts that Blue Star offered. Most noteworthy, the outdoor seating area had beautiful views of both the beach and pool.
There’s also a poolside Chef’s station that offers tasty barbeque inspired menu. It’s usually available when the hotel is at high capacity and has no set schedule so take full advantage when you see it! We give it bonus points for having no dress code, swimsuits are welcome!
Dinner
Decisions, decisions! Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Restaurants covers a world of flavors including 6 different restaurants to choose from. They also have a weekly Pura Vida celebration that offers a buffet style traditional Costa Rican dinner and show. Our top choices to have dinner included the Steakhouse, Italian and Mexican Restaurants.
At Sunset Strip Steakhouse & Grill we enjoyed the glamour of old Hollywood with gourmet delicacies. Start your journey with the colourful beef sliders and end it with any steak on the menu, you won’t be disappointed.
At Gusto Italian Tratorria we enjoyed all the classics with both the ambiance and the dishes. We suggest indulging in all the OGs – mozzarella sticks, Caesar salad and the margarita pizza as your main.
TIP: Ask for ground pepper for your dish at Gusto and you’ll get a BIG surprise.
The Blue Star Tex-Mex Cantina serves up the best from both sides of the border. They have a laid-back atmosphere with bright and modern saloon-inspired artwork. You’ll automatically get nachos, salsa, and guacamole so keep that in mind while ordering.
The tacos were incredible! They had vibrant flavors and balanced textures that truly blew us away. They easily stole the number one spot on our worldwide list of favorite tacos!
Entertainment
At Planet Hollywood Costa Rica they keep the entertainment fresh and spicy and update their schedule regularly with new shows. But there are a few staple events and weekly performances that you need to check out.
On Mondays, they celebrate local culture with passion at the Pura Vida festival. You can enjoy a buffet of Costa Rican dishes and delicious desserts while watching traditional dancers light up the stage. There are local artisans creating new pieces in front of your eyes and a bar and tequila cart with all the fixings for that perfect drink.
Tuesdays are celebrated with body paint, black lights, and dancing at the Illumination Silent Party. This was by far our favorite event as it had all the key elements for a good time. That means lots of body paint, drinks, dancing and meeting new friends.
You get your headphones before entering the outdoor area which allows you to switch between the two different DJ channels. You’ll find the DJs each set-up at opposite ends of the area with dancers and performances happening everywhere in between.
Please keep in mind that the schedule changes (due to availability, weather and occasional private events) so be sure to check the entertainment schedule on your in-room television for the most up-to-date information.
We rocked our socks off at Wednesdays Queen show. They performed all of our favorite Queen songs with incredible stage-presence and performances by their resident “Freddie”. The rest of the week offers an Oscars night, an 80’s vs. 90’s event, the Saturday beach party, and Sundays rock night.
Activities
At Planet Hollywood Costa Rica they want you to Vacation like a star, so there’s an impressive line-up of unique activities to partake in.
Wake up to morning yoga lesson and coffee-making workshop followed by a margarita workshop and cooking class. In the afternoon, master a traditional dance lesson and take a mud therapy workshop for a volcanic mask DIY. At Planet Hollywood Costa Rica you can learn valuable skills to take home and work into your own self-care routine.
You can head to the beach for the chance to see some capuchin monkeys (also known as a white-faced monkey) that frequent the treetops. They’re widely recognized as the most intelligent new-world monkey and are popular for appearances in movies and television shows. Literally, everyone is a celebrity here!
Go in the morning for the best chances to sneak a peek of these cuties. For both your own safety and the animals, it’s best to not feed any wild animals at the resort.
While you’re at the beach we recommend doing some complimentary water activities like kayaking, sailing on the hobie cat or taking the new upright paddler out for a spin. There are even daily zumba classes in both pool areas to keep up your stellar vacation shape. Take advantage of the PH Gym which is found directly beside the pool area if you’re a gym-lover.
Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Suites
There are three main categories of rooms, a Junior Suite, Directors Suite, and Producers Suite. There’s a further distinction with the location of your room (which determines your view) and Star Class suites (which have upgraded amenities and locations).
All Planet Hollywood Costa Rica suites have a custom-designed Phabulous Bed™ with luxurious high thread count sheets, an interactive television, 24-hour room service, and a private balcony or terrace. You’ll also have access to your very own curated music playlist accessible via your PHTV™. We switched it up during our stay and found the perfect tune for every occasion.
Watch a detailed tour of a Star Class Junior Suite by clicking on the video below.
Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Pools
Swim-up bars, whirlpools, and in-water loungers are plentiful in the pool area at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica. You have a great pool view no matter where you sit along the sidelines. There are two distinct areas of the main pool. Endlessly swimming is a real possibility here as each area has a swim-up bar of its own.
You’ll have full poolside service for drinks and all of your lunch options line the east side of the area. There’s music playing all day and DJs often play during afternoons on the upper deck. The separate children’s pool area has a canopy for shade and has a slide and interactive water toys to enjoy.
What’s Next?
Now that you have an idea of what to see, eat, and do at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica, when will you visit next? We recommend booking your next trip here with Air Canada Vacations, your one-stop vacation shop for incredible savings! Not only do you have your flights, accommodations, transportation to/from your destination, you also get one free checked bag each included too.
If you have any questions about our Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica review, please ask them in the comments below! For more all-inclusive resort reviews, visit our Reviews page.
Do you have to make reservations for dinner restaurants?
There are no reservations required at restaurants! The only exception to this rule is for the Teppanyaki table as it only sits 8 people so you need to make reservations in advance.
The pictures I’ve seen make it appear that the resort is on a hillside. Is there easy beach access or no?
Yes the resort is set on a hill-side and the beach is located at the bottom with easy access via the pool area. It allows for some incredible views of the bay and mountains that frame the resort in the distance!