Occidental Tamarindo: An All Inclusive Family Getaway from Playas del Coco

If you’re wondering where to stay in Tamarindo with your family, Occidental Tamarindo (formerly Barcelo Langosta), is it. One of the few Costa Rica All Inclusive hotels, it provides everything you need for a relaxing tropical family getaway, at an affordable price.

Playas del Coco is home to many expat families and while Coco itself could be considered living in paradise, and is full of many family activities and things to do, sometimes you just need a true family getaway somewhere. Somewhere you’re free to lounge by the pool all day, eat as much as you’d like (without cooking) and have some carefree family fun.

Occidental Tamarindo (formerly Barcelo Langosta) is that place. Just over an hour from Playas del Coco, Occidental Tamarindo is a Costa Rica all inclusive resort where you can have stress-free family fun at an affordable price.

Occidental Tamarindo: The Rooms & Property Amenities

Occidental Tamarindo is not actually located in Playa Tamarindo. Though you can walk or taxi to downtown Tamarindo in minutes, the Occidental Tamarindo property is beachfront on Playa Langosta on a long, quiet and private strip of sand.

This stretch of Playa Langosta is very rocky but there is an area for swimming, if you walk to the beach and to the left. At the time we visited, the waves were rough due to the lovely Costa Rica rainy season so we opted instead to just relax in the many lounge chairs provided by Occidental Tamarindo.

There are 198 rooms at this all inclusive Tamarindo property. The rooms are clean and beautiful. Ours was one of the newly updated rooms, just steps away from both the pool and the beach. It was a great location for us, as we spent most of the day poolside or on the beach. However, families may want to book a room further away from the pool as we were able to hear the many daytime activities from the room – great for us, not so great for a toddler needing a quiet place to nap.

The bed and pillows were super comfy – so comfy I didn’t want to get out of bed most mornings – and though we rarely ran the AC, our room stayed cool even when it was hot outside.

On-property amenities at Occidental Tamarindo include a beautiful pool, nightclub, amphitheater, tennis court, gym, spa, and several places to eat and drink.

Wifi is not included and even if you pay for it, it does not reach to the rooms.

Occidental Tamarindo: Entertainment and Activities

It is impossible to be bored at this Costa Rica all inclusive. From early morning until late at night, there is always something to do.

While we were there, onsite activities included daily Zumba and aquaerobics classes, nightly shows and activities in the amphitheater (an early showing for kids, a later one for adults) and more.

Besides the organized activities, there is also darts, a tennis court, gym and spa.

For the kids, Occidental Tamarindo offers activities from 10am to 1pm and a nightly show in the amphitheater from 8:15pm to 9:15pm.

If you’d like to leave the resort, Occidental Tamarindo can organize a variety of tours for you. We went on the sunset catamaran tour, which was the perfect way to spend our last afternoon. It included an open bar and light late lunch and kids were onboard.

Occidental Tamarindo: The Food

There are two restaurants and two bars on site – the buffet which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the a la carte restaurant to which you get one visit per 3 nights at the hotel. There is a bar with snacks by the pool and a bar in the lobby.

The buffet offered lots of variety, including a large salad bar and 10 or so rotating hot dishes, including traditional foods like rice, beans and yucca along with pasta, veggies and 3-4 types of meat dishes, along with fresh fruit, bread and desserts.

While the variety was nice, the food itself was subpar. It is definitely kid-friendly, with dishes like buttered noodles, and while none of it was bad, it was not particularly satisfying either. The best part was the salad bar, packed with several different prepared salads and fresh veggies daily, along with the fresh bread.

The other dinner option is located above the amphitheater. Dinner here is included 1 night for every 3 nights on the property and reservations must be made. If you’d like to eat here more than once, you may do so at an additional cost.

This was, expected, the best meal at the Occidental Tamarindo. I enjoyed a delicious chicken caesar salad followed by filet mignon and a glass of red wine.

The final food option is the pool snack bar, open from 11am to 7pm. If you’re looking for something to sip or snack on by the pool, this is the place to get it. They serve up a variety of cocktails (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), beer and soda. They also have a self-serve snack bar with treats like french fries, onion rings, hot dogs, and nachos, perfect for afternoon munchies. It’s also a kids idea of lunch heaven.

When this bar closes, the lobby bar opens to serve cocktails all night long. The lobby lounge is a great place to relax and hang out.

Occidental Tamarindo Costa Rica: Final Thoughts

For a family living in Playas del Coco or visiting and looking for a night or two away, the Occidental Tamarindo is the Costa Rica all inclusive for you. There are plenty of activities to keep kids of all ages entertained and plenty of relaxing fun for adults too. The best part? This is the one Costa Rica all inclusive that won’t break your bank either.

Book Your Stay at Occidental Tamarindo

For the best rates on a stay at Occidental Tamarindo, book here. Rooms currently start around $200.