• Costa Rica.Costa Rica Countryside image by oddzen89 from Fotolia.com
  
  Costa Rica is the smallest Central American country, but one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world. From its live volcano cloud forests to its lowland tropical rain forests, its surf coasts and exotic black sand beaches, it is unspoiled and uncrowded. The Puntarenas area stretches along much of western Costa Rica and, with neighboring Guanacaste, has a few all-inclusive resorts, some especially family friendly.
  
  

Doubletree Resort Puntarenas

• The Doubletree Resort, a Hilton all-inclusive hotel near the city of Puntarenas, features live entertainment, bars and restaurants, the Kids Club, four pools (one adults only and two with children's sections), a beach, tennis courts, a video arcade and more. The resort's bars and restaurants serving everything from tropical fruit smoothies to fresh-caught seafood. The hotel has its own pier with a Sunset Bar. Children four to 12 years old pay US$45.00 per day. Those 13 and over pay full adult rate, from US$249.00 per person per day (all as of March 2010).
  
  Doubletree Resort by Hilton Costa Rica-Puntarenas
  El Roble, Puntarenas
  Costa Rica 5400
  +506-2-663-0808
  http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/JAPCRDT-Doubletree-Resort-by-Hilton-Costa-Rica-Puntarenas/index.do
  
  

Barcelo Tambor Resort

• The Barcelo Tambor Resort is in western Costa Rica on the tip of a peninsula, directly across Tambor Bay from North Puntarenas. It sits right on the water, backed by forested hills near an ecological preserve. The all-inclusive beach resort has activities for kids and extra-fee tours you can book to nearby Turtle Island. There's a dance club, fitness center, ecological park, Jacuzzi, three tennis courts, swimming pool, casino, two restaurants, a snack bar, lobby bar and pool bar, aerobics, croquet, scuba, snorkeling, horseback riding, aquatic center, deep sea fishing, optional guided tours to area attractions (additional fee), nightly entertainment and live music. From US$192.00 per night (as of March 2010).
  
  Barcelo Tambor Resort
  Playa Tambor, Tambor
  771-1150, Costa Rica
  +506-2-683-0303
  tambor.beach@barcelo.com
  
  

Occidental Allegro Papagayo

• The Occidental Allegro Papagayo Resort on the Pacific, just north of North Puntarenas, has a black sand beach and is nestled into a beachside bluff. The all-inclusive resort is family friendly and has shallow pools and lots of programs and activities for the kids. The rate includes scuba lessons in the pool, all meals in the four restaurants, snacks, drinks in the four bars, a weekly cocktail party, nightly live entertainment, beach-side sports, kayaking, snorkeling and sailing. There are extra tours and activities available for additional fees, like a boat trip to a private island beach club. But you can find plenty to keep you busy in the resort. In addition to a low rate, there are frequent specials. Check with the hotel. From US$186.00 per night (as of March 2010).
  
  Allegro Papagayo
  Playa Manzanillo,
  P.O.Box 48-5000
  Papagayo Gulf
  Guanacaste, Costa Rica
  +506-2-690-9900
  http://www.occidentalhotels.com/allegro/Papagayo.asp