Andaz Maui Ilikai Villas Review

Andaz Maui Ilikai Villas Review - Updated March of 2024

We just returned from a second stay at the Andaz Maui Ilikai Villas and this time we stayed in the beautiful Penthouse Villa with glass bottom plunge pool.

The villas are just as great as we remember, if not better and make the perfect accommodation for groups of friends, multi-generational families and more. And with a 5th night free when you book with Live Luxe Travel Co., there is no better time for a stay at Andaz Maui!

Our Verdict

Andaz Maui Ilikai Villas Review

Aloha! Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is located in, you guessed it, Wailea, with direct access to Mokapu Beach. Andaz Maui is located just down the street from the famous Grand Wailea on Wailea Alanui Drive. Andaz Maui isn’t your typical Hawaiian resort. This resort offers 300 guest rooms including 29 villas and 35 suites, but it still has a very boutique and upscale feel.

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort offers plush accommodations, sweeping views of the ocean, a fantastic spa, boutique shops and award-winning dining options including Morimoto Maui (Iron Chef Morimoto).

Welcome to your home away from home at the beautiful Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort. In the beginning of May, 2021 Andaz Maui at Wailea finished 19 new Ilikai Villas. “Ilikai,” like the Hawaiian word for Horizon, aptly names this new luxury villa offering.

These new villas are all three bedroom with several different bedroom configurations including:

2 Kings 1 Bunk Bed Garden View

2 Kings 1 Trundle Bed Partial Ocean View

2 Kings 1 Bunk Bed Partial Ocean View

2 Kings 1 Trundle Bed Ocean View

2 Kings 1 Bunk Bed Ocean View

2 Kings 2 Queen Beds Ocean View Penthouse

The new villas are located near the front drive of the resort and just a short walk to the adults-only pool or down to the beach. While some might argue that the new Ilikai Villas aren’t true villas since they aren’t free-standing and are all located in the same building, they are incredible and offer plenty of privacy.

Our stay in the new Ilikai Villas was our second stay at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort . Read our entire review from our stay in February of 2021 when we stayed in one of the Ocean Suites.

This review is based on our personal stay in May of 2021. And don’t forget, if you are planning to stay in one of the new Ilikai Villas at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, book through Live Luxe Travel Co. to take advantage of exclusive Hyatt Privé benefits like the 6th night free, $100 USD resort credit (once per stay), $150 USD daily resort credit (based on number of bedrooms), complimentary valet parking, daily breakfast for two guests per bedroom, a stand-up paddle board lesson for up to 8 registered villa guests and a welcome amenity.

Our Villa

Our villa was the 2 Kings 1 Trundle Bed Partial Ocean View category located on the ground-level with a plunge pool. While this villa is categorized as a partial ocean view, it really should be considered an ocean view as it offers a pretty unobstructed view of the ocean.

This trip was a friend's trip and having the 3 bedroom villa made for the perfect accommodation to offer privacy and a common space where we could all gather. The main king bedroom is right off the outdoor patio which overlooks the plunge pool and ocean.

The second king bedroom was near the entrance to our villa and since we were on the ground floor, it offered a private outdoor courtyard with not much of a view.

The main bedroom and second bedroom are very similar as they both have a walk-in closet, a tv in the bedroom, a beautiful bathroom with dual vanities, walk-in shower and deep soaking tub.

And the third bedroom was toward the middle of the villa. This third bedroom is supposed to have a trundle bed, but due to COVID-19 and furniture being backordered, the bedroom is currently set up with a queen bed.

The third bedroom does have a closet although it’s not as spacious as the other two bedrooms and the third bedroom doesn’t offer an ensuite since the bathroom for this bedroom is located across the hall.

The new Ilikai Villas are just over 1,900 square feet of indoor living space plus the outdoor patio or balcony depending on the category. All of the new Ilikai Villas feature a gourmet chefs kitchen equipped with Bosch built-in refrigerator/freezer, 5 burner gas cooktop, wall oven and microwave combo, built-in coffee machine and built-in dishwasher.

Even though you’re likely staying at Andaz Maui for vacation, it’s nice having the villas to be able to keep snacks, beverages and to be able to cook some.

The outdoor lanai and plunge pool in our villa was the perfect place to escape the rest of the resort if we didn’t feel like leaving the villa. The plunge pool can comfortably accommodate 6 people with extra space. And to our surprise, the pool was heated to the perfect temperature.

The lanai also has a small bistro-style dining table for 4, a small loveseat, 2 lounge chairs, a beverage fridge and drop-in Viking Gas Grill which makes for the perfect place to entertain.

The new Ilikai Villas are equipped with smart switches throughout that control the lights and the roller shades. Some minor details such as motorized roller shades in all of the bedrooms, some additional furniture and a few miscellaneous items are still being completed during guests' stays.

Andaz Maui at Wailea features Mālie toiletries in the koke’e scent which combines organic aloe, coconut and ginger.

Maybe a villa is too big for your stay at Andaz Maui? Read our review of an Ocean View Suite from February of 2021.

Amenities

When you think of a beach vacation, it probably means something different to you than it does to someone else. If you want to swim, Andaz Maui has three tiered pools, a shallow pool walk-in pool (where kids and families usually spend time), and an adults-only pool.

If you’re looking for a place to get your zen on then look no further than ‘awili spa and salon. Awili spa offers separate men’s and women’s facilities with a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

If you like to live a life in balance and workout during vacation, the fitness center at Andaz Maui has plenty of cardio equipment including 3 treadmills, 3 ellipticals, 3 Peloton bikes, plenty of free weights and strength training machines. The safety and cleanliness protocols taking place all over the resort and especially at the gym were very thorough. During one of our workouts an attendant came in to spray gym equipment with electrostatic disinfectant. Masks are required during the duration of your workout, which if you aren’t comfortable with that there are a lot of places to get a great workout outside.

Andaz also has a surf shack on the beach where you can rent watersports equipment such as snorkel gear, kayaks, paddleboards and more. And if you’re looking for a guided adventure, they can help with that too.

Dining

Perhaps one of the best parts of staying at Andaz Maui is the proximity to some of Maui’s best restaurants including Ka’ana Kitchen, Bumbye Beach Bar and Morimoto’s.

Ka’ana Kitchen is Andaz Maui’s main restaurant that is open for breakfast and dinner. This is where the Hyatt Prive and Globalist breakfast is served. And if you’re lucky enough to have breakfast included, it’s about a $50 value per person, per day. Breakfast at Ka’ana is buffet style and due to COVID-19, it’s an assisted buffet to minimize the number of surfaces that guests touch.

The breakfast buffet features a hot food station with pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, an assortment of breakfast meats and a few dishes that change each day. The buffet also has a fruit and charcuterie station and a selection of fresh bakery items including toast, bagels, muffins and more.

One day for lunch we dined at Lahua Lounge. This is the same menu that is served poolside or at Bumbye Beach Bar. Our lunch started off with the poke. Then for our main course we tried the Crispy Chicken Mochiko Bowl and it was so good. If you’re looking for an insider trick add avocado to it. The cocktails including the Wailea Spritz are also excellent.

For dinner we ate at Ka’ana Kitchen and we will be the first to tell you to order the Fried Chicken with Jalapeno cornbread! It’s seriously so good!

During our stay we didn’t dine at Morimoto Maui, but this famed restaurant was started by Iron Chef Massiruh Morimoto who you may have seen on Food Network.

And lastly Andaz Maui has Mokapu Market where guests can grab a snack, a bottle of wine, specialty coffee drinks and gelato for a cool treat. And the market has local island made foods, treats and souvenirs. Mokapu Market is typically open 24/7 during normal times but due to COVID are running some temporary hours.

Service

Talk about being treated like a VIP. The Ilikai Villas at Andaz Maui come with a dedicated VIP concierge team. This team handles any requests you might have before you arrive at the property. Brittain, Ben, Michelle, Kathleen & Makanalani can assist you with things like dining reservations on the island.

During our stay, we went to use the Bosch in-wall coffee maker system and noticed one of the parts was missing to steam the milk. We called the VIP team, and within minutes they were at the door of our villa with the missing part.

How are they handling COVID?

Masks were required throughout the entire Andaz Maui Resort unless you were eating or drinking, were in the pool or were sitting by the pool.

Andaz Maui is adhering to all state and local government regulations. All employees were wearing masks, there were hand sanitizer dispensers all over the resort and the staff was there to give gentle reminders to wear a facial covering.

Overall Impression

Andaz Maui hit a home run when it comes to the addition of the 19 new Ilikai Villas. These new villas offer the perfect accommodations for a family trip, friends getaway, corporate retreat. The new Ilikai Villas are in buildings that are 5 villas across by 4 villas high. The villas can be connecting up to 5 across making for 15 bedroom accommodations. 

Extra Perks

And to make your stay in the new Ilikai Villas at Andaz Maui even more special, you’ll receive some extra perks for booking through a Hyatt Privé travel advisor like Live Luxe Travel Co. Andaz Maui is currently running a promotion for the 6th night free, which is a great value for those visiting Maui for almost a week. In addition to the free night the Ilikai Villas come with a daily resort credit based on the number of bedrooms. Since the Ilikai Villas are all three bedrooms they come with a daily $150 USD resort credit in addition to the $100 USD Hyatt Privé credit (once per stay). You’ll also receive daily breakfast for 2 guests per bedroom, complimentary valet parking for 1 vehicle, a private stand up paddle board lesson for up to 8 registered villa guests and a welcome amenity. 

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Our Verdict

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Aloha! Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is located in, you guessed it, Wailea, with direct access to Mokapu Beach. Andaz Maui is located just down the street from the famous Grand Wailea on Wailea Alanui Drive. Andaz Maui isn’t your typical Hawaiian resort. This resort offers 300 guest rooms including 29 villas and 35 suites, but it still has a very boutique and upscale feel.

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort offers plush accommodations, sweeping views of the ocean, a fantastic spa, boutique shops and award-winning dining options including Morimoto Maui (Iron Chef Morimoto).

If you’re looking for a home away from home that has something to offer for everyone, then look no further than Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort. The Andaz brand brings the local arts, culture and food to their properties and Andaz Maui is no exception. Whether you’re looking for a place to rest after a day of adventure on the island of Maui or if you’re looking for a place to relax, you won’t be disappointed with Andaz Maui.

This review is based on our personal stay in February of 2021. And don’t forget, if you are planning to stay at Andaz Maui, book through Live Luxe Travel Co. to take advantage of exclusive Hyatt Privé benefits like a confirmed room upgrade (if available, confirmed within 24 hours of booking), $100 resort credit, daily breakfast and a welcome amenity. And for a limited time get the fifth night free combined with Hyatt Privé benefits, valid for stays from until December 20, 2023. See all Hyatt Privé offers here.

Our Room

Now to talk about those plush accommodations. We stayed in an Ocean View Suite in the Makai tower which offered an incredible view of the three cascading infinity pools and the ocean.

The Ocean View Suites are true one bedroom suites with a door that separates the bedroom from the living area. The living area features a half-bathroom, a desk, a dining table, wet bar and a small living area. The bedroom features a small sitting area, and a king size bed.

It’s worth noting that all the rooms and suites at Andaz Maui have lights and blinds that are operated by smart switches located throughout the room including next to the bed.

Andaz Hotels & Resorts are known for their approachable luxury lifestyle elements and that is no different at Andaz Maui. The accommodations feature a soothing neutral palette and modern wood furnishings.

Our Ocean View Suite featured a half-bath which is good if you are entertaining friends or have family staying on the sofa-bed. The ensuite featured a separate water closet equipped with a Toto Washlet toilet seat (in an effort to be more environmentally friendly). The bathroom also had a large walk-in shower that is pretty open unless you want to slide the curtain closed around the shower. The shower had a large rain head and a handheld wand. And lastly our bathroom had a large free standing soaking tub.

Andaz Maui at Wailea features Mālie toiletries in the koke’e scent which combines organic aloe, coconut and ginger.

If you’re looking for more space to spread out, read our review of the new Ilikai Villas from our stay in May of 2021.

Amenities

When you think of a beach vacation, it probably means something different to you than it does to someone else. If you want to swim, Andaz Maui has three tiered pools, a shallow pool walk-in pool (where kids and families usually spend time), and an adults-only pool.

If you’re looking for a place to get your zen on then look no further than ‘awili spa and salon. Awili spa offers separate men’s and women’s facilities with a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. The steam room was closed during our stay in February due to COVID-19 restrictions. During our stay we enjoyed massages one afternoon which were quite relaxing.

During our experience at the spa, it’s safe to say that the spa staff was taking COVID very seriously and offered us hand sanitizer before our massages and the therapists wore a facial covering during the duration of the massage.

If you like to live a life in balance and workout during vacation, the fitness center at Andaz Maui has plenty of cardio equipment including 3 treadmills, 3 ellipticals, 3 Peloton bikes, plenty of free weights and strength training machines. The safety and cleanliness protocols taking place all over the resort and especially at the gym were very thorough. During one of our workouts an attendant came in to spray gym equipment with electrostatic disinfectant. Masks are required during the duration of your workout, which if you aren’t comfortable with that there are a lot of places to get a great workout outside.

Andaz also has a surf shack on the beach where you can rent watersports equipment such as snorkel gear, kayaks, paddleboards and more. And if you’re looking for a guided adventure, they can help with that too.

Dining

Perhaps one of the best parts of staying at Andaz Maui is the proximity to some of Maui’s best restaurants including Ka’ana Kitchen, Bumbye Beach Bar and Morimoto’s.

Ka’ana Kitchen is Andaz Maui’s main restaurant that is open for breakfast and dinner. This is where the Hyatt Prive and Globalist breakfast is served. And if you’re lucky enough to have breakfast included, it’s about a $50 value per person, per day. Breakfast at Ka’ana is buffet style and due to COVID-19, it’s an assisted buffet to minimize the number of surfaces that guests touch.

The breakfast buffet features a hot food station with pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, an assortment of breakfast meats and a few dishes that change each day. The buffet also has a fruit and charcuterie station and a selection of fresh bakery items including toast, bagels, muffins and more.

One day for lunch we had Bumbye Beach Bar. This is the same menu that is served poolside or at the bar. Our lunch started off with the poke. Then for our main course we tried the lobster grilled cheese & waffle fries and the burger, both which were excellent. The cocktails including the Wailea Spritz are also excellent.

For dinner we ate at Ka’ana Kitchen and we will be the first to tell you to order the Fried Chicken with Jalapeno cornbread! It’s seriously so good!

During our stay we didn’t dine at Morimoto Maui just because we were only in Maui for 3 nights, but this famed restaurant was started by Iron Chef Massiruh Morimoto who you may have seen on Food Network.

And lastly Andaz Maui has Mokapu Market where guests can grab a snack, a bottle of wine, specialty coffee drinks and gelato for a cool treat. And the market has local island made foods, treats and souvenirs. Mokapu Market is typically open 24/7 during normal times but due to COVID are running some temporary hours.

Service

The service at Andaz Maui truly makes you feel like you are family. The bell staff, front desk agents, house keepers, servers and everyone else we encountered made sure to say aloha to us.

The staff is very attentive and truly makes an effort to get to know you during your stay.

How are they handling COVID?

Traveling in February of 2021 and during COVID was definitely different, but one of the main reasons that we wanted to visit Hawaii was because of the protocols and procedures that Hawai’i put into place. In order for us to visit Maui we had to have a negative COVID-19 test, we had to download the AlohaSafe Alert App (for contact tracing), and we had to create a trip on the Safe Travels Hawaii website. Knowing that travelers have spent the time and money to go through these extra steps and have been recently tested definitely gives you a little bit of peace of mind.

Masks were required throughout the entire Andaz Maui Resort unless you were eating or drinking, were in the pool or were sitting by the pool.

Andaz Maui is adhering to all state and local government regulations. All employees were wearing masks, there were hand sanitizer dispensers all over the resort and the staff was there to give gentle reminders to wear a facial covering.

Overall Impression

Some resorts feel like you could pick them up, move them to another destination and you wouldn't even know where you were at. Andaz Maui at Wailea has a very authentic feel to it and truly makes you feel like you are in Hawaii the way the resort is perched to overlook the ocean.

This luxury resort is the perfect spot for a family getaway, couples getaway, honeymoon, or a friends trip.

Everything from the accommodations to the food to the staff, our entire experience at Andaz Maui was nothing short of Mahalo!

Extra Perks

And don’t forget, when you book Andaz Maui with Live Luxe Travel Co., through our Hyatt Privé partnership, you’ll receive a $100 resort credit, daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade and a welcome amenity.

New Properties Added To Hyatt Privé

We love the Hyatt Privé program. In fact, we think it’s one of the best luxury hotel programs available. Why? For one, the personalized service can’t be beat. And the extra value you receive through Privé like a confirmed room upgrade at the time of booking and welcome amenity are special touches that most programs don’t offer. And Hyatt has some great, aspirational, luxury properties like the Park Hyatt New York, Andaz Maui and Park Hyatt St. Kitts.

As a reminder, with the Hyatt Prive program, you get either a $50 or $100 hotel or resort credit, confirmed room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, welcome amenity and more at Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Andaz, Unbound Collection and Hyatt Regency Hotels & Resorts.

New Additions To Hyatt Privé

And as of this week, over twenty additional properties are now participating in Hyatt Privé.

Here’s list of the new additions:

Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi

Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor

Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere (opening April 2019)

Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl

Grand Hyatt Bogota

Grand Hyatt Denver

Grand Hyatt Incheon

Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit

Hyatt Regency Cartagena

Hyatt Regency Chantilly

Hyatt Regency Coral Gables

Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, the Kilimanjaro

Hyatt Regency Makkah

Hyatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky Park

Hyatt Regency Orange County

Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk

Hyatt Regency San Francisco

Hyatt Regency Savannah

Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island, Okinawa

Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Hyatt Regency Westlake

Park Hyatt Chennai

Park Hyatt Ningbo

The Unbound Collection - Jinmao Hotel Lijiang

Ready To Book?

Andaz San Diego Review

Andaz San Diego is located in the heart of downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Located about a mile from North San Diego Bay and the USS Midway Museum, this particular location makes most areas of downtown San Diego very walkable.

Andaz San Diego

Let's talk about vibrant meets modern and chic. The Andaz San Diego just unveiled a $4 Million Dollar rennovation in the spring of 2017.  Perhaps one of our favorite things about the Andaz properties is you are surrounded by local arts, culture and food. During the renovation, a different piece of local art was sourced for each and every guest room, giving each space it's own unique look and feel. All 159 guest rooms and suites underwent upgrades. And trust us the renovation turned out great! The Andaz San Diego looks very sleek from the outside and that continues as soon as you enter the hotel.

OUR ROOM

The Andaz San Diego gives you the feel of a smaller boutique hotel But you'll also get the amenities and location of your typical larger chain hotels. The rooms are very art-centric with several paintings, photographs, sculptures and a variety of textures give the rooms a fun chic vibe. The rooms feature a pretty neutral color palette of grey and white with pops of color in the furniture, accent pillows and trim work.

We stayed in the Star Suite. And it's incredible with two bedrooms (1 had full-size bunkbeds), 2 full bathrooms plus a living and bar area. The room featured sleek modern surfaces with industrial light fixtures and colorful textiles tying it all together.

And if you happen to bring your four legged friend, the Andaz San Diego is pet friendly. They don't even charge a pet fee like most hotels typically do. And they will roll out the red-carpet for your pet with a bed and food & water bowls. We are already planning another trip back next month and Madi is definitely coming with us!

Be prepared to step into the modern age in this spa like bathroom. You'll be surrounded in lots of glass, metal and shiny surfaces. Both bathrooms featured large walk-in showers and had a modern-sleek feeling to them.

The master bathroom also featured a steam shower, which was quite nice! The shower enclosure in the master bathroom also featured a large free-standing tub, oh and don't forget the fun gold duck.

DINING

The on-site restaurant at Andaz San Diego is not your typical local inspired restaurant. Instead the Andaz San Diego opted for a restaurant that matches the vibe of the hotel. And STK knocks it out of the park!

STK puts a modern twist on your classic American steakhouse food. The ambiance is very dark, fun and romantic with club like music and candles on each table. Steak lovers rejoice, the steak was some of the best we've ever had. Seriously. We can't wait to go back, just to dine at STK!

AMENITIES

There are plenty of amenities at the Andaz San Diego such as the Gallery (art gallery), fitness center and the incredible rooftop bar & pool. If you want to watch the sunset head up to the rooftop for a cocktail or a dip in the pool.

Due to the short duration of our one-night stay at the Andaz San Diego, we weren't able to take advantage of the fitness center. But we did check it out, and it would definitely suffice to get a good workout in. There are plenty of free weights and cardio equipment to get your sweat on.

If you are planning a trip to San Diego, be sure to check out our Weekend Wanderings: San Diego Guide

And remember, if you book with a travel agent like Virtual Travel Gurus, you’ll get extra benefits like complimentary breakfast, a $100 food & beverage credit, room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out!

Review: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

Nestled in a location where the Gulf of Papagayo meets the sapphire blue waters of Culebra Bay, the

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

Resort captures the native spirit of Costa Rica with its distinctive "Pura Vida" (pure life) philosophy. The dense tropical dry forest along with volcanic beaches makes the area ideal for both nature lovers and those seeking to relax.

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo is located 30 minutes from the Liberia Airport. When you arrive at the Andaz Peninsula Papgayo, one of the first things you’ll notice is the beautiful landscaping and distinct architecture. From the shell-shaped studios to the zero edged cascading pools, the hotel’s design is inspired by Costa Rica’s natural landscape. One of our favorite things about the resort is how it blends with the surrounding environment and truly makes you feel like you are in Costa Rica.

In typical Andaz fashion, the lobby is more of a lounge where you relax and are greeted with a drink while you are checked in.

The Peninsula Papagayo area has nice weather much of the year, but there are two distinct seasons. The dry season runs from December to April and is considered the best time of year to visit. The wet season runs from May to November with September and October being the wettest months.

The Room

The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo has 153 guestrooms and suites. Each of the 153 rooms balance stylish contemporary design with touches of character which blend into the natural surroundings, with woven textiles, local solid woods and carved artifacts highlighting the rich Costa Rican aesthetic.

All guest rooms and suites have a spacious balcony with breathtaking bay and forest views. Our particular room was a King Bed Bay View room.

The room had Costa Rican inspired decor and furniture. The bedroom area is furnished with a king bed, two night stands, a dresser and a chair overlooking the floor to ceiling windows. Separating the bathroom from the bedroom is a desk with an adjacent complimentary mini-bar and built-in closet.

The bathroom had a toilet room, large vanity and beautiful stone lined shower which opened up to the outside patio.

And like most Andaz properties, the bathroom was stocked with Lather toiletries (our personal favorite).

And outside the shower the patio offered incredible views of the bay.

Dining

The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo has three on-site restaurants. Rio Bhongo is open for breakfast (they put out an incredible breakfast buffet every morning), and for casual lunches and dinners. Ostra is more of an elegant restaurant with reservation required dinners. And Chao Pescao is a great spot for sunset cocktails and features sharing plates with a Latin-American influence.

We ate breakfast most mornings at Rio Bhongo. The breakfast buffet was just incredible and included fresh made to order eggs. Plus it had a large spread of locally inspired breakfast dishes like and plenty of fruit and pastry options. In addition when you have the buffet, you can order off the regular breakfast menu plus the buffet includes drinks off the barista menu.

We ordered the baked plantain two mornings and it was so savory and delicious. The plantain is baked with palmito cheese, and topped with cinnamon and is served with butter and maple syrup. Needless to say the buffet was filling enough that most days we just skipped lunch, or had a snack by the pool.

In addition to the three restaurants at the resort, the Andaz Papagayo has a fourth dining option at their off-site beach house. We had lunch one day at the beach house and the mango skirt steak tacos were incredible.

Amenities

The Andaz Papagayo has two swimming pool complexes. The first family pool area consists of three cascading pools including a zero-entry pool. The adult infinity pool is much more quiet plus is totally immersed in the forest, allowing you to completely relax.

The Onda Spa features 9 treatment rooms. Before your treatments, you'll enjoy an ancient tea overlooking the spectacular Culebra Bay.

Just around from the spa is the fitness center, small lounge and pool area and locker rooms and steam rooms. The fitness center had treadmills, elliptical machines, free weights and several weight machines. Overall we found the fitness center satisfactory enough to get a good workout in each day.

The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo offers plenty to do in addition to their pools, fitness center and spa. On the beach at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, you'll find complimentary stand-up-paddle boards, snorkeling equipment and kayaks. For a fee you can also rent jet skis and water bikes.

And while the beach at the resort itself isn't spectacular, the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo does have an off site Beach House with lounge chairs, restaurant and much larger beach.

Plus the beach at the Andaz Beach House is amazing. And it's perfect for a long afternoon stroll.

And there's a good chance you'll see some of these guys at the Beach House.

The resort also publishes a weekly program of activities such as forest walks (look out for monkeys and iguanas), yoga, kayak tours and cooking classes.

We enjoyed participating in the barista class. And not only did we drink plenty of coffee but we also learned so much about the different coffee brewing methods.

Overall Impression

Where do we even begin? We absolutely loved the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo. The service was top notch. The resort was absolutely beautiful. And unlike other Costa Rican resorts, the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo truly makes you feel like you are in Costa Rica. The amount of wildlife including iguanas, coatis and monkeys was truly spectacular.

But the staff is what truly makes the stay at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo incredible. Every single staff member we encountered was not only friendly but they practically treated us like family. We can't say enough how much we loved Costa Rica and the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo and would highly recommend a visit!

Weekend Wanderings: Scottsdale, Arizona Guide

Scottsdale: A Luxe Oasis Surrounded by Dessert

We have been visiting Scottsdale, Arizona since we met. And it's one of our favorite places to spend a relaxing long weekend. Yes it's hot, but what better way to spend a weekend than laying by the pool with a cocktail in hand? Scottsdale is known as Arizona’s luxury watering hole. It's quickly become an oasis of Sonoran mountainside resorts offering, outdoor activities, lavish shopping and an incredible food scene. And Scottsdale has nearly 300 sunny days a year!

How to get there: Most airlines fly in to the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport but low cost airline Allegiant does utilize the Mesa-Gateway Airport on the Southeast side of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Scottsdale is spread out and about 10 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. While we normally take public transportation on our weekend trips, Scottsdale is the one exception and we recommend renting a car. Rental cars at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport are off site and you'll need to take a shuttle bus from the terminal to the rental car garage. We recommend giving SilverCar a try. What better way to visit luxe Scottsdale than driving around in an Audi A4?

Where to stay: Scottsdale is filled with amazing resorts. We've stayed at several resorts in the Scottsdale area and have enjoyed all of them. On our most recent stay, we stayed at the Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa. It was probably one of our favorite resorts we've been to thus far. When you check in to the Andaz Scottsdale you won't find a front desk. Guests check in via an iPad while relaxing on a couch in the lobby drinking a glass of complimentary wine or iced tea. You'll also find a complimentary minibar at the Andaz Scottsdale (soft drinks, water and snacks - alcohol is extra). The main pool (the Turquoise Pool) offers complimentary daily delighters (a spiked frozen treat or drink) each day at 11:45 AM. And if you don't want to drive into Old Town Scottsdale (about a 2 mile drive), the hotel has a chauffeured Tesla which will run you into town!

Another one of our favorite Scottsdale Resorts is the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia. Nestled at the base of breathtaking Camelback Mountain, in the exclusive enclave of Paradise Valley, Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia is an intimate oasis inspired by the exotic locale of Spain's Andalusia region.

Where to get coffee: Scottsdale is no Seattle or Portland in terms of coffee, but there are still several great coffee shops where you can get a delicious iced latte to help you cool off on those hot summer days. Our three favorite coffee shops include Press Coffee Roasters, Altitude Coffee Lab and the Cartel Coffee Lab.

Press Coffee Roasters was rated the best coffee roaster in the Phoenix area by the Phoenix New Times in 2015 and 2016. They normally offer two different types of espresso and you can pick which espresso you want your drink made with. Definitely a great coffee experience, so we highly recommend making the drive up Scottsdale Road for a stop at Press Coffee Roasters. And while you are up there, be sure to take a lap around Scottsdale Quarter, a beautiful outdoor mall featuring dozens of shops and restaurants.

And if you make it to the Cartel Coffee Lab, while they doesn’t serve actual food, they do have delicious pastries and we might have indulged in a homemade poptart, and trust us, they are worth a cheat day! So delicious.

Where to eat: Scottsdale is a foodies paradise. There are so many delicious restaurants and gastropubs.

While we have our usual spots that we always visit each time we spend a weekend in Scottsdale, on this trip we added a new place to our favorite list. After a morning hike, we decided to stop by Farm & Craft for a healthy breakfast and it completely hit the spot. Farm & Craft is focused on healthy and sustainable food in a community-style atmosphere. Think modern farm with a contemporary twist. F&C boasts a seasonal “Wellness-Menu” featuring 4 paths to optimal health, including an ‘Anti-inflammatory diet’, ‘Increasing probiotic levels’, ‘Maintaining high level of anti-oxidants’ and ‘Reducing your overall stress’. Yes, the food was delicious (the breakfast burrito was to die for). And they scored a few extra points with us for having Kombucha on tap! Farm & Craft also had sandwiches, salads and wraps for lunch and dinner.

If you're looking for somewhere to grab a bite for lunch, we would definitely recommend Olive & Ivy. Olive & Ivy which has a location near the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall is a restaurant & bar serving Californian-Mediterranean fare in a stylish, bustling quarters with a patio. Olive & Ivy offers small plates, flatbreads, bruschetta and pastas, alongside an extensive wine list and craft-cocktail menu.

For dinner, we really enjoy a visit to the Old Town Tortilla Factory in Old Town Scottsdale. With an incredible 1400 square foot patio, the food at Old Town Tortilla Factory is Southwestern with a Mexican twist. The restaurant has that intimate feel making it perfect for a date night!

If you want something quick, Scottsdale has two Shake Shack locations(one of our indulgences on our weekend trips since we don't have any in Idaho). Shack Shack has been serving up their delicious burgers and shakes since 2004. The fast food chain started in New York City and now has over 130 locations including the two in Scottsdale. You'll often find a line around the corner at Shake Shack, but don't worry. You can actually hop on their website to check the camera and see how long the line is.

Scottsdale also has a Hopdoddy Burger Bar. An Austin-born hamburger-and-beer chain, Hopdoddy has been featured on the Food Network. While Hopdoddy is known for their handcrafted beef hamburgers (a chuck and brisket blend), if you're not feeling beefy, the menu also includes bison, lamb, chicken, turkey and tuna burgers, as well as a vegetarian black bean and corn patty. We had an order of their truffle fries (large enough to share) and they were also quite tasty. And for dessert, be sure to try one of their adult only boozy milkshakes!

Where to get dessert: Portland has several great options for dessert. One of our favorite places that we've been stopping at since we originally started vacationing in Scottsdale is Shakes & Cones. Shakes & Cones located in Old Town Scottsdale, serves up their soft serve ice cream, which is made from scratch using their own exclusive recipe. It's gluten free and only made with organic, non-gmo ingredients! They of course are known for their soft serve shakes and cones.

Another place that we've often featured over the course of our travel and reviews is Sprinkles Cupcakes. And of course Sprinkles Cupcakes has a location right across from the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall in Downtown Scottsdale. Sprinkles Cupcakes is a Beverly Hills, California-based cupcake bakery chain which first opened in 2005. It is considered one of the first cupcake bakeries. The Cupcake Bakery features numerous flavors of cupcakes (some of our favorites include the Black & White and Cinnamon). Be sure to see our entire write-up on the Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery & Cupcake ATM.

What to do: Yes, we won't sugar coat it. It's hot in Scottsdale during the summer. Most days see temperatures exceed that 100 degree mark. So we typically sleep in each morning, get up for brunch and then spend two to three hours sipping cocktails by or in the resort pools.

The heat of the afternoon makes for a perfect time do some shopping and Scottsdale has some terrific shopping. We recommend checking out the Fashion Square Mall in Downtown Scottsdale and the Scottsdale Quarter, an open air mall in Northern Scottsdale.

By the time we've shopped and grab a happy hour drink or early dinner, we typically return to laying by the pool for the evening.

Another great way to spend the early morning or late evenings (before or after the heat of the day) is taking a hike. Scottsdale has numerous hiking trails including the famous trail up Camelback Mountain.

The Bottom Line: Scottsdale is a great place for a weekend getaway anytime of the year. Summer is an extremely affordable time to visit as resorts deeply discount their room rates due to the hot temperatures. But the hot weather has never impeded our weekend getaways. We lay by the pool in the morning and early afternoon, have lunch, go shopping and then return to the pool in the evening. Scottsdale has great food, great shopping and an incredible nightlife. It's definitely worth a visit if you haven't been and if you have, well it's time to go back! Let us know if we can help!