Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo from SJO and Liberia Airports
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo sits inside the gated Peninsula Papagayo development in Carrillo, Guanacaste, about 37.5 km from Liberia airport and roughly 40 minutes by car, according to the resort. We collect you at LIR or SJO and drive you to the resort in a vehicle for your group alone: from $110 per vehicle from Liberia, from $340 from San José.
Location
Where Four Seasons Resort Papagayo is
- Location
- Inside Peninsula Papagayo, Carrillo, Guanacaste
- Distance
- 37.5 km (23.3 miles) from Liberia airport, about 40 minutes by car according to the resort
- Setting
- Peninsula Papagayo, a gated development of about 1,400 acres (570 hectares) with an Arnold Palmer golf course
- Recognition
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star for 2026 (resort press release); two Keys in the Michelin Guide
- Renovation
- enhancement project completed in November 2023, including the Virador Beach Club and the Wellness Shala
- Families
- kids club on site; the Michelin Guide counts guests aged 13 and over as adults
The resort occupies a narrow strip of land between two beaches: Playa Virador on the Pacific side and Playa Blanca on the bay side. The resort says it is the only property in Costa Rica with Forbes Travel Guide's Five-Star rating, held for the eleventh year running in 2026, and the Michelin Guide gives it two Keys. A multimillion-dollar enhancement programme was completed in November 2023: it added the Virador Beach Club, a Wellness Shala set in the hills, a refurbished Ocean Course and a redesigned children's programme.
The peninsula is a private development of about 1,400 acres. Visitors arrive over a rise, pass a gate and then descend to the hotel; the Points Guy puts the final stretch inside the development at about 15 minutes. The hotel also offers private villas with their own pools, so the name under which you booked matters as much as the hotel's name.
For your transfer, the practical points are these. The Four Seasons is in our Papagayo fare zone, so there is no surcharge, and the same fare applies to the other resorts on the peninsula. The ride from Liberia is short by Costa Rican standards; the ride from San José is a full day's drive. And because families are well catered for, with a kids club on site, we can add child seats if you tell us the children's ages when you book.
From the airports
Getting to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo from SJO and Liberia
From SJO airport (San José)
Your driver waits outside the terminal at SJO with a sign bearing your name. The route runs northwest on Route 1, the Inter-American Highway, through Cañas and Liberia, then turns off toward the Gulf of Papagayo. Our fare table gives approx. 4 h 15 min of driving, so this is a long day: if you have the choice, a morning arrival makes the ride easier. Some guests prefer to take a short domestic flight from San José to Liberia and ride from there; in that case, book the Liberia transfer instead and save several hours on the road.
From Liberia airport (LIR)
From Daniel Oduber Quirós airport the resort quotes 37.5 km and about 40 minutes; our fare table gives approx. 30 min, and the fare is the same $110 for up to five passengers. The route leaves Liberia through farmland and sugar cane toward Playa Panama and Playa Hermosa before reaching the peninsula. You are in open country for much of the way and inside the gated development for the last part. Your driver is at arrivals with your name on a sign, and the vehicle carries your group and nobody else.
Fares
Prices to and from Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
Per vehicle, not per person. US dollars, taxes included, same fare in both directions.
| Route | Staria (1–5) | Hiace (6–9) | Maxus (10–12) | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJO Airport ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $340 | $385 | $470 | approx. 4 h 15 min |
| Liberia Airport (LIR) ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $110 | $165 | $250 | approx. 30 min |
Onward trips from Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
| Route | Staria (1–5) | Hiace (6–9) | Maxus (10–12) | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Fortuna ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $285 | $330 | $415 | approx. 3 h 15 min |
| Monteverde ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $275 | $320 | $405 | approx. 2 h 45 min |
| Manuel Antonio ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $420 | $465 | $550 | approx. 5 h 45 min |
| Rincón de la Vieja ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $260 | $305 | $390 | approx. 1 h 30 min |
| Nosara ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $280 | $325 | $410 | approx. 2 h 45 min |
| Jacó ↔ Four Seasons Resort Papagayo | $335 | $380 | $465 | approx. 4 h |
- Four Seasons Resort Papagayo is in the Papagayo fare zone. Fares are set by zone, not by hotel, and there is no surcharge.
- VIP: +$80 per vehicle. Extra hours of stops: $35 each, up to 4.
Before you go
Practical notes for Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
- Give us the name on your reservation and, if you booked a private villa or a residential rental, say so. The voucher and the driver then match what the front desk expects.
- Travelling with golf clubs? Tell us how many bags you have in total. The resort has an 18-hole course by Arnold Palmer, and a group of four with clubs may need a larger vehicle than their passenger count suggests: the 6 to 9 passenger fare is $165 from Liberia.
- A flight home from LIR is easier than from SJO: the airport is about 40 minutes away, so a departure pickup is usually a short morning matter. We count back from your check-in time and confirm the pickup when you book.
- Continuing your trip? We collect you at the resort door at the same zone fare: $285 to La Fortuna, $275 to Monteverde or $260 to Rincón de la Vieja, for up to five passengers.
Questions
Questions about transfers to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
How much is a private shuttle from SJO or Liberia airport to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo?
From SJO: $340 (Staria, 1–5 passengers), $385 (Hiace, 6–9) or $470 (Maxus, 10–12). From Liberia: $110, $165 or $250. Per vehicle, taxes included; the return costs the same.
How long is the drive from Liberia airport to Four Seasons Papagayo?
The resort gives 37.5 km and about 40 minutes by car. Our fare table gives approx. 30 min. Add time if you stop on the way; the last part of the ride goes through the gated Peninsula Papagayo development, which the Points Guy puts at roughly 15 minutes.
Will you drive us to the hotel entrance?
Yes. The transfer ends at the resort, not at a public meeting point. Because the hotel sits inside a gated development, keep your reservation name at hand; it is the same name we put on your voucher.
Our flight lands late. Is that a problem?
No. We follow your flight, so a delay does not leave you without a driver. The ride from Liberia is short, but the approach to the peninsula is rural, so we recommend telling us your real arrival time and any change.
We are travelling with golf clubs and several large bags. What vehicle do we need?
It depends on the count. Send us the number of passengers, suitcases and golf bags when you book, and we will assign a vehicle that fits. If the group is more than five, or heavily loaded, the 6 to 9 fare is $165 from Liberia and $385 from San José.
Can we reach Four Seasons Papagayo from SJO in one day?
Yes, but plan for it. Our fare table gives approx. 4 h 15 min of driving from SJO, and traffic and fuel stops add time. Many guests instead fly to Liberia, where the drive is approx. 30 min; then the fare is $110 for up to five passengers.
Can we add stops on the way, or arrange child seats?
With Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) you get one to two hours of stops on the way; extra hours are $35 each, up to 4. Child seats are available on request; tell us the ages of the children when you book.
How do I book a transfer to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo?
To book online, type “Four Seasons Resort Papagayo” in the calculator (it appears under Papagayo), then choose your date and vehicle. You pay by card through Tilopay, and you can cancel free of charge up to 48 hours before pickup.
Around Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
Other hotels nearby
Private shuttles to hotels in Arenal, Guanacaste and the Pacific coast
Book your private shuttle to Four Seasons Resort Papagayo
Pay online and get your voucher by email, or book with us on WhatsApp.