Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Opens: Hilton Honors Resort I Can’t Wait To Visit!

The Waldorf Astoria brand is undergoing quite an impressive expansion at the moment, with all kinds of new openings, from city hotels, to resorts. Today we’re seeing the opening of what’s probably one of the most anticipated new Waldorf Astoria resorts, which will no doubt prove to be a popular getaway for Hilton Honors members from the United States.

Basics of the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Cacique

The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Cacique has opened as of April 22, 2025, after a significant delay. The property features 190 accommodations plus 41 residences. It’s located in Guanacaste, on a peninsula with unobstructed ocean views, just a short drive from Liberia International Airport (LIR).

The resort has all the amenities you’d expect, from a large, multi-level pool, to a spa and gym, to a variety of dining outlets. Dining outlets include La Finca (a signature restaurant serving local cuisine), Peacock Alley (the signature Waldorf Astoria bar), Tico Toca (the all-day international dining restaurant), Vida (the pool bar and restaurant), Buena Note Cafe (a cafe with grab & go options), and more.

Below you can find some (low quality) renderings of the new Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica.

I’m excited about the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica. Costa Rica is gorgeous, and this part of the country has beautiful nature, and lots to do if you’re looking for an active vacation.

This is in the same general area as the Peninsula Papagayo development, where you’ll find the Andaz and Four Seasons. It’s nice to see the opening of the Waldorf Astoria, as this should be the most luxurious points property in the region.

This is one of several exciting new Waldorf Astoria openings we’re seeing this year. For example, we’ve just seen the opening of the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, while the Waldorf Astoria New York will be opening in the coming months.

Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica rates & points requirements

What are rates at the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica like? If paying cash, rates vary seasonally, and seem to start around $1,500 per night, before taxes and fees (taxes and service charges total 25%). Rates only go up from there, and in peak season, you’ll pay well over $2,000 per night, before taxes and fees. I’m curious if the property can sustain these kinds of rates — after all, we’re not talking about a luxury safari lodge here with a handful of rooms, but rather a 190-room luxury factory (nice as it might be).

If you’re booking a cash rate here, I’d recommend doing so through the Hilton for Luxury program, so you can take advantage of extra perks through select travel advisors.

The good news is that you’re able to redeem Hilton Honors points at the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica. Rates start at 120,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and elite members get a fifth night free, lowering the average cost to 96,000 points per night. It goes without saying that redeeming points is a phenomenal value.

The “no blackout dates” policy on hotel redemptions used to mean something back in the day, when all standard rooms were actually made available for award redemptions. However, with hotels increasingly creating new sub-categories of standard rooms for the purposes of gaming redemptions, that greatly limits the usefulness (and this is something Hilton Honors is especially guilty of).

Bottom line

The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica has opened as of April 2025, and is a great new option for those looking for an easy luxury getaway from the United States. The resort looks gorgeous, and will probably be significantly nicer than the Andaz.

If you’re looking to redeem Hilton Honors points for a great getaway, award availability is actually quite decent, so this is a good time to lock something in.

What do you make of the new Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica?