Planning a destination wedding can feel like a daunting task — but it doesn’t have to be.
Choosing an all-inclusive venue like Hotel Riu Guanacaste makes wedding planning a breeze. You’re coming to paradise to enjoy a special moment in your life, after all, so why not enjoy it?
Let’s take a look at what Riu Guanacaste and Riu Palace Costa Rica have to offer destination wedding couples.
Rooms and Accommodations at Riu Guanacaste
What can you expect from the rooms and accommodations at this hotel? Well, take a look at how many stars is Riu Costa Rica? It’s 5-star status tells you a lot about the world you’ll be stepping into!
The rooms at Riu Guanacaste are contemporary and comfortable. Stay in a beautiful suite with its own private balcony or terrace and a spectacular view of the ocean. Some of the rooms even have an in-room Jacuzzi. Be sure to confirm your reservation for one of those rooms. It will be nice to spend some time with your sweetie unwinding with a nice hydromassage after a day of adventuring.
Riu Palace Costa Rica| All-Inclusive Offerings
The absolute best thing about planning to have your destination wedding at an all-inclusive resort is that you never have to worry about anything. You don’t even have to try to figure out where to eat, everything is there for you right on the resort grounds. If that sounds limiting to you, believe me when I say it’s not. Riu has so many options for entertainment, food, and relaxation that your biggest problem will be deciding which to take advantage of first.
Restaurants at Riu
You won’t ever have to go looking for a good place to eat during your stay, Riu makes it easy with their on-site restaurants. Buffets are available all day for breakfast and lunch at your leisure. In the evening you can enjoy the delectable array of local and international cuisine available at their main restaurant. Or reserve your spot at one of their 4 specialty restaurants.
Riu Sports
Whatever sport you love to participate in, you’ll find something to get your blood pumping at Riu. They’ve got a tennis court, a gym, beach volleyball, windsurfing, kayaking, pedal boats, and snorkel gear. You can even take an introductory diving lesson in the pool. For the sports enthusiast who wants something a little more chill, there’s even table tennis and billiards.
Riu Pools and the Beach
No tropical resort would be complete without a pool and Riu has an impressive one. It’s hard to describe in words, so I’ll let the pictures below do the talking.
They’ve also got a separate pool for kids. Not a water fan but want to spend a day by the pool or on the beach? Take advantage of their free sun loungers to relax and work on your tan.
Entertainment
If you’re the type that loves a bit of excitement in the evening, you won’t have to go far to find it. In addition to shows or live music available each evening, the resort also has its own discotheque and casino. Whatever your pleasure, you’ll find it at Riu.
Spa
While not all the spa treatments are included in your package, the steam bath and whirlpool bath are always available. Plus, you definitely have the option to treat yourself to any of their many beauty and wellness treatments or a massage. For the big day itself, take advantage of the onsite hairdresser!
Wedding Planning
Hotel Riu Guanacaste in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica is part of the Riu Hotels and Resorts chain. And let me tell you that these folks have wedding planning down to a science.
The weddings happen at Riu Palace Costa Rica. What’s the difference between Riu and Riu Palace? Well, the Palace is the poshest part of an already posh hotel. Don’t tell anyone, but the liquor is slightly better over here and there are some other fun perks. When you slide on over to this area, you go from living large to living like royalty. Even so, they offer destination wedding packages for every budget range.
Plus, they include lots of fun little details that you wouldn’t necessarily have even thought to ask for. For example, even their most basic package includes special, romantic decorating in the hotel room. Start moving up to their more luxurious packages and you get fun little extras. You can enjoy couple’s massages, breakfast in bed for the wedding couple, and delectable snack arrays of fruit with chocolate and sparkling wine.
Of course, all of their packages come with basic wedding planning necessities like the cake, decorations, flowers, music, etc. Their wedding planner will work with you to ensure that your special day is perfect. After all, you want a beautiful, memorable start to your exciting new lifelong adventure!
Ceremony Locations
Riu Palace Costa Rica offers stunning vistas all in itself. There is no shortage of beautiful spots for photo ops in this fantastic little slice of paradise. The venue offers 3 gorgeous locations for your wedding ceremony.
The Garden
A lush tropical garden filled with exotic plants and palm trees fills the area between the hotel and beach. It is spacious enough to offer its own unique vibe as a ceremony location. This is the perfect spot for couples that love gardens and want some lush greenery surrounding them during that special moment when they promise to spend the rest of their lives together.
The Beach
The hotel is conveniently located right on beautiful Matapalo Beach. This dark sand beach adjoins the deep blue-green waters of the Pacific Ocean and offers a simply spectacular vista for your ceremony backdrop. The hotel staff will decorate and set up chairs for your guests. Just check out this beautiful arbor the hotel staff set up for this couple. Imagine how beautiful that fabric looks swaying delicately in the breeze!
The Terrace
Remember that the hotel is located right on the beach? Just imagine the breathtaking view from a 4th-floor terrace! Aim to have your ceremony take place during sunset for a spectacular display put on by Mother Nature herself. This type of unique ceremony is exactly why adventurous couples choose to have destination weddings.
Reception Offerings
Each wedding package offered by Riu Palace Costa Rica comes with a semi-private dinner in one of their 4 specialty restaurants. Choose either their Asian dining experience “Furama”, the Italian “La Toscana”, the gourmet “Tucán” or their steakhouse.
For larger groups, you can opt for a private dinner sure to wow your guests. The variety of offerings is extensive enough to please even the pickiest of eaters and their world-class chefs will carefully prepare the perfect feast for your special day.
To Wrap Things Up at Riu Palace Costa Rica
Riu Hotels take great pride in the experience they provide for their guests. Their whole mission is to ensure that their guests get to kick back, relax and enjoy themselves. To that end their level of customer service is simply outstanding and planning a destination wedding with them is so simple. This is the perfect place for a couple who want to treat themselves to a royal wedding experience and not have to put much work into it.
Click Below to see some Drone Video of Riu Palace and Riu Guanacaste.
Wondering if you can afford an exotic wedding like this? Check out my top tips for saving money on a destination wedding!
Want to see other All Inclusive Resorts in Costa Rica? Check out my complete guide below!
Want to learn more about Wedding Photography Packages for Riu Palace and Riu Guanacaste? My packages start at just $1,500 for two hours, and that includes a wedding album and all the high resolution photographs. Click below for more info!