For those tourists wishing to vacation at the large resort hotels in the sunny area of Guanacaste and Papagayo in the Pacific Northwest Region, you will probably be landing at the international airport near Liberia and will not see San Jose at all. From the Liberia area, some resorts and hotels are as close as a half hour drive from the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport. It is recommended that you use this airport for the hotels in the Guanacaste / Papagayo area, as it will save time, but airline rates are higher into that airport.
You will find most true "all inclusive" resorts and hotels in the sunnier Guanacaste, Papagayo and Central Pacific areas of Costa Rica. These accommodations, some having a luxurious 5 star rating, will serve all food and alcoholic beverages, have various activities - all included in the room rate, and are not available for just for lodging alone (without the other amenities). These resort hotels charge on a per person, per nite basis.
Some hotels quote their room rates with the government tax added in, and some do not. Currently, the government tax is 16.39% added onto your room rate. So, make sure, if you are comparing hotel rates, that you take this into consideration.