Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, Mexico

We would like to love this property. It is blessed with stunning cliff views, a terrific hard product, compelling insta-friendly architecture oozing with sharp lines that speak to dystopian human tastemakers dropping modern design onto the edge of a 3,000 acre nature preserve. Manzanillo is also a great small airport to travel into as long as you book non-stop. Many components of the property do work, or almost hit the mark. In addition to the rooms (panoramic Cliffside is best in the house), there is ample daily activity programming, much of which is included, three onsite restaurants that allow for some variance once you adjust to their opening schedules (SAL, a gorgeous venue on the beach, is closed Monday & Tuesday; Nachos, a yummy taco joint, closes daily at 7pm; no one tells you this in advance), and our group enjoyed specific activities that worked better than others including a private grill-focused cooking class, pro tennis lessons and a kids scavenger hunt all around the expansive grounds; all winners. The components are there to make this resort sing. But it’s simply not there yet. At the end of the day, the overall service levels and experience are bubbling meaningfully below the surface of both a Four Seasons and of a resort we would return to. The staff that we were exposed to on our trip were all junior level, many in training, including a lovely young man who on arrival welcomed me by asking me my name (!) and proceeded to make us listen to a 20 minute broken English summary of the property. This was before our welcome drink. In 85 degree humidity. Suffice it to say, quite the unforced error. The spa, pretty and spacious, somehow manages to be forgettable. The property felt spare, not lavish. Cost saving, not fawning. Luxury travelers today are simply spoiled. We want to be embraced and lavished upon. This resort does the opposite. While everyone was kind and sweet once asked, nothing was anticipatory. No one here was playing offense when it came to service. It was all reactive. Essentially the opposite of what the Four Seasons experience is supposed to be. It’s the early days yet. The property perhaps needs time, an infusion of capital and the sourcing of talented senior level staff to pull itself together and emerge into a more operationally successful resort. We wish it the best of luck.

The Four Seasons Tamarindo has so much going for it. It is in a very remote, quiet and beautiful setting on the ocean. The suites are spectacular, luxurious and spacious. The staff is outstanding and genuinely friendly and competent. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Overall, the service level was superb with a few glitches. This is a very vertical resort with multiple levels. Fortunately, there are elevators if you are not comfortable with the endless number of steps. The pools are large, and all have a great view of the ocean. The food is excellent, and the wait staff are very attentive and warm. The breakfast pastries at Coyul are the best I have even tasted. The food and setting at Sal are top notch. We did not try Nacho as it was a very small space with almost no indoor seating. Our ocean panoramic view suite had a spectacular view of the ocean. The suites are all designed to give you a great deal of privacy. Housekeeping was great. A washer and dryer are conveniently located in each set of suites which was a great feature. The water pressure in the shower could have been stronger and the water was not quite hot or cold enough. Unfortunately, we did experience multiple times when the A/C (which is critical in the intense heat and humidity) stopped working. The staff did bring us portable fans and the issues were addressed. When the A/C is working properly, it is very strong and effective. The management is aware of the infrastructure problems, and hopefully, they will be addressed. Fortunately, we were very fairly compensated for the AC issues, and we appreciated this gesture. When issues arise at a Four Seasons, our experience is they are always handled very professionally and fairly, which is why we are loyal customers. Our private pool was enormous. Unfortunately, it is not temperature controlled, and it did become quite warm. We found this to be the case in the resort pools as well. They were not necessarily refreshing, which could be an issue for some. If you like warm pools, this is the place for you! The water is a bit rough, but we walked the beach several times. The water is beautiful, and the setting is gorgeous. We did not go to the second, calmer beach. Our week at this resort was mostly satisfying. There are a infrastructure issues, but once they are resolved, this will be a superb resort as all the essentials are in place already. We will return.

Can't wait to go back We've stayed at at over 20 Four Seasons around the world and this resort exceeded expectations even with such a high bar set by other FS locations especially nearby at Punta Mita. The food was by far the highlight, representing that Mexico City authenticity. The entire resort was architecturially exquisite and had plenty to do for my family of 4. It would have been nice to have some of the activities and beach bar on the main beach but that is a nit picky suggestion.

Stellar in every way. One of the best ‘stays’ of my 66 years of living! Standout characteristics are the unique off-the-beaten-path location in the hotel-owned 3000 acre nature reserve, stunning architecture, the high level of service and of course the stunning unparalleled views (especially from the cliffside suites). Simply superb.

This was a fantastic travel experience from start to finish. The resort is pristine, the flora and fauna are breathtaking and the staff are exceptional. A special mention to America, Ana, Jennifer, Melissa & Chef Aaron (Sal restaurant) Raul, Daniela & David (Coyul restaurant) Olga (poolside service) You all exceeded expectations and provided warm, genuine service. Bravo!! Josh, Miguel, Juan and Robert provided great tours of the reserve/property too. We loved the place and wouldn't hesitate to return. Muchas-Gracias!!

Amazing staff!! Epic time!!