Private transfer · door-to-door
Private Transfer to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique from SJO and Liberia
Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique opened in April 2025 on Playa Penca, about 25 minutes from Liberia airport by the hotel group's own estimate. We meet you at LIR or SJO and drive you to the resort in a vehicle for your group alone: from $110 per vehicle from Liberia, up to five passengers, and from $340 from San José.
Location
Where Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique is
- Location
- Km 3 of National Route 159, Playa Penca, Punta Cacique, Guanacaste
- Opened
- April 2025, the first Waldorf Astoria in Costa Rica, managed by Hilton
- Distance
- about 25 minutes from Liberia airport, according to the opening announcement
- Rooms
- 188 in total: 148 guest rooms and 40 suites, 22 of them with a private plunge pool
- Residences
- furnished four- and five-bedroom estate homes in a separate residential collection
- Check-in / check-out
- 3:00 pm and 12:00 noon
This is the first Waldorf Astoria in Costa Rica and it has been open only since April 2025, so older travel guides do not cover it. Hilton manages the resort, which sits on a cliff at Punta Cacique, on Playa Penca, facing the Pacific on the north coast of Guanacaste. The hotel's address is at kilometre 3 of National Route 159. The architecture is by the Mexico City firm Sordo Madaleno: terraced buildings stepped into the hillside, green roofs and drought-tolerant native planting. Travel + Leisure placed the resort eighth among the resorts of Central America in its 2026 World's Best awards.
The resort has 188 rooms and suites, of which 22 suites come with a private plunge pool. There is also a separate collection of furnished estate homes with four and five bedrooms. Several restaurants and bars are listed, from the signature La Finca to Peacock Alley, a pool grill, a bakery and an ice-cream shop, and a spa of about 17,000 square feet with eleven treatment rooms. A kids' club and a teens' club mean that families come as well as couples, and the group-size range matters when you plan the vehicle.
The hotel's page does not state an airport shuttle policy, so we recommend arranging the transfer yourself and sending the voucher details to the resort. The resort is inside our Playa Hermosa fare zone. Fares in this zone are set by zone rather than by hotel, which keeps them the same for the neighbouring resorts on this stretch of coast, and there is no extra charge for the final climb to the property.
From the airports
Getting to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique from SJO and Liberia
From SJO airport (San José)
From San José the drive is the long way to the north coast, and our fare table gives approx. 4 h 15 min. The road runs up Route 1, the Inter-American Highway, past Cañas, then on to Liberia and the Guanacaste coast; we choose the exact approach on the day according to traffic and works. Your driver waits outside customs with a sign bearing your name. The fare is $340 per vehicle for up to five passengers, $385 for up to nine and $470 for up to twelve. If you have the choice, Liberia saves roughly four hours of driving.
From Liberia airport (LIR)
Liberia is the natural airport for this resort. Hilton's launch release speaks of about 25 minutes, and our fare table gives approx. 30 min. Your driver meets you after immigration and baggage claim and drives you straight to the property. The fare is $110 for up to five passengers, $165 for up to nine and $250 for up to twelve, which makes a family of seven or eight with luggage easy to carry in one vehicle.
Fares
Prices to and from Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
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 ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $340 | $385 | $470 | approx. 4 h 15 min |
| Liberia Airport (LIR) ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $110 | $165 | $250 | approx. 30 min |
Onward trips from Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
| Route | Staria (1–5) | Hiace (6–9) | Maxus (10–12) | Driving time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Fortuna ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $280 | $325 | $410 | approx. 3 h 15 min |
| Monteverde ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $270 | $315 | $400 | approx. 2 h 45 min |
| Manuel Antonio ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $420 | $465 | $550 | approx. 5 h 45 min |
| Jacó ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $335 | $380 | $465 | approx. 4 h |
| Santa Teresa ↔ Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | $395 | $440 | $525 | approx. 4 h 45 min |
- Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique is in the Playa Hermosa (Guanacaste) 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 Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
- Tell us whether you booked a room, a suite with a plunge pool or one of the estate homes. The driver then matches what the front desk and the gate expect, and you arrive at the right entrance.
- Check-in is at 3:00 pm and check-out at noon, according to the hotel. A morning flight into Liberia usually leaves time for lunch at the resort before the room is ready.
- Planning a day trip from the resort, to Rincón de la Vieja or to a nearby beach? We can take you and bring you back the same day. Extra hours of stops cost $35 each with Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle), up to 4.
- Continuing your trip? From the resort door the fares in our table are $280 to La Fortuna, $270 to Monteverde, $335 to Jacó, $395 to Santa Teresa or $420 to Manuel Antonio, up to five passengers.
Questions
Questions about transfers to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
How much is a private shuttle from SJO or Liberia airport to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique?
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 Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique?
The opening announcement says about 25 minutes, and our fare table gives approx. 30 min. Allow a little extra in the afternoon when the road to the coast is busiest.
Is this the same hotel as the Waldorf Astoria in other countries?
It carries the same brand under Hilton's management, but it is a new resort in its own right: it opened in April 2025 and is the brand's first in Costa Rica. The transfer ends at the Punta Cacique property on Playa Penca.
Will the driver take us to the resort door?
Yes. The transfer ends at the resort, not at the road. Put the hotel name and your reservation name on the booking so the driver is announced at the entrance.
Can we travel with a large family and many bags?
Yes. The resort has a kids' club and a teens' club and many families stay for a week, so we plan for the luggage. Tell us the number of passengers and bags: the 6 to 9 passenger fare is $165 from Liberia.
Can we stop on the way to La Fortuna or Monteverde?
Yes. With Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) you get one to two hours of stops on the way. The fare from the resort is $280 to La Fortuna and $270 to Monteverde; extra hours are $35 each.
How do I book a transfer to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique?
To book online, type “Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique” in the calculator (it appears under Playa Hermosa (Guanacaste)), 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 Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Other hotels nearby
Private shuttles to hotels in Arenal, Guanacaste and the Pacific coast
Book your private shuttle to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Pay online and get your voucher by email, or book with us on WhatsApp.