Rating8.0
Rating7.9
Rating8.1Average
Based on 7.5k reviews
Stunning Natural Location
Guests consistently praise the resort's beautiful beachfront setting on Tambor Beach, surrounded by lush rainforests and abundant local wildlife like monkeys and macaws.
Beautiful & Warm Pools
The large, well-maintained swimming pools, including those connected by a waterfall, are a major draw and provide a lively social hub for all ages.
Quality A la Carte Dining
Despite reservation challenges, the Japanese (Miyako) and Steakhouse (El Rancho) restaurants often receive high marks for their food quality, offering a welcome alternative to the buffet.
Family-Friendly Activities
Many families appreciate the resort's varied entertainment, including engaging evening shows and dedicated children's activities.
Inconsistent Buffet Food Quality
A frequent complaint is the main buffet's food, often described as repetitive, lacking variety, and generally underwhelming, which can be a significant issue for an all-inclusive stay.
Service & Staffing Challenges
Guests often report slow service, long queues at bars and check-in, and instances of unenthusiastic staff or language barriers impacting their experience.
Outdated Rooms & Maintenance Issues
Rooms show signs of age with outdated decor, musty smells, and functional problems like dripping AC or non-working safes, impacting guest comfort.
Difficult Restaurant Reservations
The process for booking specialty restaurants is a major pain point, requiring early morning queuing and often leading to disappointment due to limited availability.
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Blue Flag certification
Cristal Award
Barceló Tambor holds a specific title in Costa Rica's tourism history: it was the country's first all-inclusive resort, opened in 1992 on the Nicoya Peninsula's Bahía Ballena. That early positioning locked in a location that remains genuinely distinctive — Tambor Beach is a dark volcanic sand beach in a cove backed by dense tropical forest, and the surrounding area is home to howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, and iguanas that move through the grounds without much concern for guests. This is not a sanitized resort-compound experience; wildlife sightings at breakfast are common.
The resort is the only major property on this specific stretch of the Nicoya Peninsula, which creates both an advantage and a limitation. Advantage: the cove has calm, shallow water that's safe for families and swimming, and the beach sees far less foot traffic than Jaco or Manuel Antonio. Limitation: if the resort's dining disappoints, there are no restaurants you can walk to. The nearest town, Cóbano, requires transport. Tambor is remote by design.
The buffet (El Tucán) receives consistently mediocre reviews — the most commonly cited complaint at this property. The three à la carte restaurants (Miyako Japanese, El Rancho Steak House, La Trattoria Italian) get considerably better feedback, but reservations are competitive and availability is limited. Plan your dinner schedule on day one. Wi-Fi is weak in rooms and often costs extra — manage expectations accordingly before arrival.
Practically: 402 rooms including 56 Premium Level rooms and 4 suites. Cóbano Airport (TMU) is 9 km away — 10–13 minutes by transfer. Longer international connections come through San José (SJO, 8-hour bus/ferry combination) or Liberia (LIR, 3-hour drive). The resort has a private landing strip adjacent to the property for guests arriving by private aircraft. Daily complimentary golf at the 18-hole Los Delfines Golf & Country Club next door is included in the all-inclusive rate — a meaningful add for golfers.
