The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Barbados vs Guanacaste

Barbados 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.

Barbados guide · Guanacaste guide · How we score

By the numbers

BarbadosGuanacaste
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 1: Exercise Normal PrecautionsLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog85
Average guest rating★ 4.2★ 4.4
Nightly rates$500–$800+/night$800+
Adults-only resorts3 of 81 of 5
Hurricane exposureLow hurricane riskLow hurricane risk
Rainy seasonJune–November, typically short heavy showersMay–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
Barbados — high °F838384868787878888878684
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Barbados — rain (in)2.61.61.31.42.34.45.85.86.77.06.13.8
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5

Approximate climate normals for West & south coasts and Papagayo / Guanacaste — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

Best of Barbados

  1. 1.Sugar Bay Barbados — · ★ 4.5
  2. 2.Mango Bay Hotel — · ★ 4.4
  3. 3.Waves Resort & Spa, Barbados, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort — · ★ 4.4

Chains here: Sandals · Sugar Bay · Mango Bay

Full Barbados 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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