Macaws Ocean Club

Description of property is in accurate and misleading. I would not recommend this property if you’re looking for a a full service hotel. This property is a condo building with no staff, and no amenities on-site except for the pool. There is a separate charge for housekeeping, and if you choose to skip on the housekeeping service you are then responsible for buying your own toilet paper, and throwing out your garbage. The property itself was modern, spacious and convenient for a family of 6. However, very inconvenient when you need something and no one is available to assist or ask. The property is located less than 10 minutes from downtown Jaco. You can take a cab or walk to any restaurant or shop located in the downtown strip. Beware of the crocodile sign located in the back of the building which leads to the beach. We were always nervous to take the walk not knowing if there were crocs on the property, so we decided to not take the short-cut to the beach. Again, you have no one on-site to ask for any assistance. All communication with the property management is done via WhatsApp. Nothing personable about the experience and they weren’t always prompt in their responses. Overall, the property was OKAY.

If your vacation plans are to be out doing tours and hanging on the beach, then this is a quiet place to come back to, relax and cook. Condo 16 was modern and clean. The 3 complete bathrooms are nice with the master being quite larger. All the instalations are great with a giant ac that rocks. But the overall vibe is stiffling. The pool is a bit small and dead-center of the property, so too much a focal point of all the condos. I say that because it is so quiet you feel like you cant make a noise. I think there might be many owners living there, so they probably want it that way. As a result, there is this almost militaristic surveillance of who is coming in, which I would say is good for many families coming from outside Costa Rica that are cool with the added protection. Parking was a pain (I like to come and go), because our spot was inside a gated area and I had to sometimes go looking for the morning guy to open. The night guy is on top of it though. Last thing, there is a path directly to the beach with a coded gate. I can see why they dont promote it much. You cross a small river area (aligator sign, which may just be a precaution) and turn down a path between and concrete wall and an empty property. In the dark it might be too much for some people. I was cool with it, but my family (all Costa Ricans) were not feeling it. Overall, I wouldn't return but for many first time visitors looking for peace and quiet, this might be an option.

We drove to Jaco from San Jose and on arrival were told we had to drive to the booking agent elsewhere in Jaco to get the key. The agent was difficult to find but after half an hour we procured the key. We let oursleves into the apartment (Number 8 on the ground floor) and it smelt awful, very damp and musty. Somebody had obviously realised this and stuck a dehumidifier on in the bedroom however it was not operating because the water bucket was full. The apartment has an awful outlook, straight into walls. We went to put our drinks in the fridge but the fridge would not turn on. The concierge called out a repair man but after an hour he declared the fridge dead. The concierge liaised with the agent and they found us another apartment (Number 11 on the first floor). This was infinitely better, nicer furniture, nicer outlook, no smells, spacious, in fact it was very good. So clearly the risk here is what apartment do you get when you book? There are four clusters of apartments around a small courtyard dominated by a rather green and unattractive looking pool. Noise is amplified in the courtyard so if there are children in the pool you will be sharing their experience whether you like it or not!

Very comfortable stay, especially if you have kids. I loved the idea of having you own washer and dryer. I would say they had the most comfortable beds out of all the hotels we stayed at. Very spacious rooms, updated bathrooms and well equipped kitchen. I highly recommend it for Jaco stay.