In this video, I’m taking you along to the Riu Guanacaste in Costa Rica for a full all-inclusive resort tour and my honest review. I cover how we booked through the Riu website (not Expedia) so our Nexus transportation was included, plus a huge tip: double-check your pickup times because ours was entered as 00:15 (midnight) instead of lunchtime. I also explain the difference between Riu Guanacaste vs Riu Palace next door—Palace costs more and can access both properties, but if you book Guanacaste, you can’t go eat or hang out at the Palace. I walk through the property highlights like the lobby, beaches (vendors are immediate, but a simple “no thank you” works), pools, towel system, the small water park, and the fenced-in kids splash area (as a parent, I loved that). I also show our renovated ocean-view room and share the real scoop on coffee—my favorite iced coffee was from the back pool bar near the taco stand. And yes, I get super honest about food: I was disappointed overall, got food poisoning from the Asian buffet, and didn’t love the steakhouse either. My best game plan? Main buffet for breakfast/dinner and the Tiki Taco stand for lunch. I also share tips on excursions, Monkey Bar, beach massages vs resort spa pricing, shopping, and entertainment (including my opinion on some shows being too risqué).