The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Guanacaste vs Montego Bay

Guanacaste and Montego Bay, 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.

Guanacaste guide · Montego Bay guide · How we score

By the numbers

GuanacasteMontego Bay
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 2: Exercise Increased CautionLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog52
Average guest rating★ 4.4★ 4.5
Nightly rates$800+—
Adults-only resorts1 of 50 of 2
Hurricane exposureLow hurricane riskIn the hurricane belt
Rainy seasonMay–November ('green season'), seriously wet September–OctoberMay–June and September–November, mostly short afternoon bursts
Sweet spotDecember–April, bone-dryDecember–April
AirportLiberia (LIR) — Papagayo resorts 30–45 minSangster (MBJ) — most resorts 10–30 min
Best forNature + beach in one trip; reliable winter sunShort transfers, golf, first Jamaica trips
SignatureWildlife everywhere; volcano and cloud-forest day tripsRose Hall Great House; Doctor's Cave Beach

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
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Montego Bay — high °F828283848688888888878583
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5
Montego Bay — rain (in)0.90.60.61.14.03.52.43.55.17.13.01.5

Approximate climate normals for Papagayo / Guanacaste and Montego Bay / Rose Hall — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

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

Best of Montego Bay

  1. 1.S Hotel Montego Bay — · ★ 4.6
  2. 2.Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall — · ★ 4.4

Chains here: S Hotel Jamaica · Hyatt Ziva

Full Montego Bay guide

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