Papagayo Park: Hours, Access, and What to Know Before You Go

Can Anyone Visit Papagayo Park?

No, and this is the single most important thing to understand before you plan around it.

Papagayo Park is not open to the general public. It sits inside Peninsula Papagayo, a private 1,400-acre community, and access is reserved for guests staying at the peninsula's resorts and villas, along with members of the Club at Peninsula Papagayo. If you are not staying on the peninsula, you cannot simply drive in and buy a ticket at the gate.

In practical terms, there are three ways through the gate:

‍You are a registered guest at a peninsula resort, such as the Four Seasons, the Andaz, or Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Andaz guests, for example, reach the park by a short shuttle.

You are a member of the Club at Peninsula Papagayo, which is an owners-only membership program.

You are a registered guest in a Peninsula Papagayo villa, which includes guests who book a villa through The Smart Villas. Staying in one of our villas makes you a registered peninsula guest, and that is what opens the park to you, along with the rest of the peninsula's amenities.

This is the same access framework that governs the beach clubs and the golf course. It is deliberate, it keeps the park uncrowded and well maintained, and it is a large part of what makes staying on the peninsula feel the way it does. For our guests, the short version is simple: you are in, and your concierge can have everything arranged before you arrive.

What Are the Hours?

Hours vary by venue within the park, and they can shift seasonally, so the figures below are the general shape rather than a guarantee. We confirm current hours for our guests before they visit.

The Racquet Center (Tennis, Pickle, Padel) is generally open daily, roughly 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Early mornings are the most comfortable time to play, before the heat builds.

The Art Studio generally runs Tuesday through Saturday, roughly 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with instructor-led classes at set times during the day.

The pools, splash pad, and the rest of the grounds keep daytime hours that run later in high season. If a specific class, clinic, or court time matters to your day, it is worth having the concierge confirm and book ahead, since lessons and courts fill up in the dry season.

Is There a Water Park?

Not a full water park, but there is more water than people expect, and for younger kids it is often the highlight.

The pool complex has two waterslides and a poolside climbing wall. The Kids Adventure area has its own splash pad, separate from the pools. And there is a three-lane lap pool set aside for swimming laps rather than play. So while it is not a dedicated water park with a dozen slides, the combination of slides, splash pad, and climbing wall keeps most children happily occupied for a full afternoon.

What Is Actually There?

A quick inventory, so you can plan the day around what your group will use.

For sport and movement: a Racquet Center with four tennis courts, six pickleball courts, and two padel courts; a pump track for bikes, scooters, and skateboards; a basketball court; a fitness platform; and bocce.

For the water: the pool complex with two waterslides and a climbing wall, the kids splash pad, and the lap pool.

For kids specifically: the Kids Adventure area, with a playground, a zipline, and a log scramble, alongside the splash pad.

For wellness and creativity: Espíra, an open-air shala for classes and sunsets, and an Art Studio running classes through the week.

For food and downtime: Patio Social, the park's restaurant and bar, and Cono Loco for ice cream and gelato. There is also a dog park.

When Is the Best Time to Go?

Time of day: mornings for the racquet courts and anything active, when it is cool. Midday and early afternoon for the pools, when a swim is what you want anyway. Late afternoon at Espíra for the sunset.

Time of year: the park is open year-round. The dry season, December through April, brings the most reliable sunshine and is also the busiest, so book courts and classes ahead. The green season brings afternoon showers but quieter mornings and easier availability.

What to Bring

Nothing complicated, but a few things make the day smoother. Swimwear and a change of clothes for the kids, reef-safe sunscreen and real sun protection, your own racquet if you are particular about it (rentals and loaners are available otherwise), and water. If you are staying with us, a golf cart is the easiest way to get to the park and back, and we can arrange one for your stay.

How We Handle It for Our Guests

The park is one of the easiest parts of a peninsula stay, because once you are a registered villa guest, the access is handled and the rest is just booking what you want. Our concierge confirms current hours, reserves court time and lessons, sorts the golf cart, and makes sure the day fits around whatever else you have planned, the beach, the boat, the golf.

Some places deserve more than a hotel. If you are planning a trip and want Papagayo Park and the rest of the peninsula open to you, reach out through thesmartvillas.com and we will set it up.

Papagayo Park: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Papagayo Park open to the public? No. Papagayo Park is inside the private Peninsula Papagayo community and is not open to the general public. Access is for registered guests of the peninsula's resorts and villas and for members of the Club at Peninsula Papagayo. Guests who book a villa through The Smart Villas qualify as registered peninsula guests and have access.

Can I visit Papagayo Park if I am not staying on the peninsula? Generally no. There is no public gate admission. The park is reserved for people staying within Peninsula Papagayo or holding Club membership. The most reliable way to visit as a traveler is to stay in a peninsula resort or villa.

Do villa guests have access to Papagayo Park? Yes. Guests staying in a qualifying Peninsula Papagayo villa, including villas booked through The Smart Villas, are registered peninsula guests and have access to the park along with other resort amenities. Your concierge can arrange court times, lessons, and transport.

What are Papagayo Park's hours? Hours vary by venue and season. The Racquet Center is generally open daily from about 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and the Art Studio generally runs Tuesday through Saturday, roughly 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Confirm current hours before your visit, since they can change seasonally.

Is there a water park at Papagayo Park? Not a full water park, but the pool complex has two waterslides and a poolside climbing wall, and the Kids Adventure area has a separate splash pad. There is also a three-lane lap pool for swimming.

Where is Papagayo Park? It is on Peninsula Papagayo, a private community on the north Pacific coast of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, about 30 minutes from Liberia International Airport (LIR).

‍