The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Antigua vs Guanacaste

Antigua and Guanacaste, side by side: live travel advisories, our resort catalog's real guest data, and each destination's honest weather picture — everything you need to break the tie.

Antigua guide · Guanacaste guide · How we score

By the numbers

AntiguaGuanacaste
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 1: Exercise Normal PrecautionsLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog15
Average guest rating★ 3.6★ 4.4
Nightly rates$300–$800/night$800+
Adults-only resorts0 of 11 of 5
Hurricane exposureIn the hurricane beltLow hurricane risk
Rainy seasonSeptember–NovemberMay–November ('green season'), seriously wet September–October
Sweet spotDecember–AprilDecember–April, bone-dry

Advisory levels sync from travel.state.gov; catalog figures reflect the resorts we've researched, not every hotel in the country.

Weather, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Antigua — high °F828283848687878888878583
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Antigua — rain (in)2.61.71.72.43.62.53.03.94.95.55.53.5
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5

Approximate climate normals for Island-wide and Papagayo / Guanacaste — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

Best of Antigua

  1. 1.Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa — Deep Bay, Antigua · ★ 3.6

Chains here: Royalton

Full Antigua guide

Best of Guanacaste

  1. 1.The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa — · ★ 4.5
  2. 2.Planet Hollywood Costa Rica by Royalton, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort — · ★ 4.4
  3. 3.Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica — · ★ 4.4

Chains here: Westin · Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts · Secrets Resorts & Spas

Full Guanacaste guide

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