Croc's Resort & Casino

Opened in February 2015, Croc's Resort & Casino is set in a 17-story building bordered by the ocean and rolling green mountains. Arched corridors, exposed brick accents, and the occasional chandelier add glamour to its hallways and common areas. The facilities are beautiful if somewhat generic, with local touches limited to a Spanish restaurant names and artificial plants modeled after indigenous vegetation. For guests who want to go off-site, Croc’s is also a short walk to downtown Jaco, which offers more dining and nightlife.
The resort draws a wide-ranging mix of couples, friends, and families. The property encompasses condos in addition to guest rooms, which means the crowd includes vacationers as well as a few long-term owners. While the resort doesn’t have a ton of kid-friendly features, the restaurants  have kids’ menus, and there’s a fun slide in the pool area. And the hotel’s resident crocodiles, Paco and Lola, can be viewed in their on-site habitat.
The pool area fills up quickly during the high season, and the ambiance can get quite buzzing. As you might expect for a casino resort, the party continues late into the night with the casino and nightclub keeping the energy high and the drinks flowing. It’s a bold, glitzy resort that will be a bit too much for some travelers, but it'll provide the perfect amount of round-the-clock entertainment for others.

Croc’s is located at the northern end of Jaco Beach, which is well known for its excellent surfing. It’s on the outskirts of Jaco, with the main concentration of restaurants, bars, and shops about a 10-minute walk away along the beach or Avenida Pastor Diaz. Jaco is famous for its vibrant nightlife scene, and also offers conveniences like ATMs, supermarkets, and pharmacies.
Other nearby attractions include Carara National Park, which is about a 25-minute drive away, as well as Playa Herradura Beach, which is about a 15-minute drive away. Manuel Antonio National Park is about 90 minutes away by car, while Juan Santamaria Airport and San Jose are about a two-hour drive.

The 152 rooms at Croc’s are minimalist and modern, decorated in a color palette of gray and steel blue. All rooms have dark-wood furniture, stone-tile floors, and large, upholstered headboards. Velvety armchairs and rectangular floor lamps add to the chic look. Alarm clocks with iPod docks, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs are standard. Closets hold slippers, bathrobes, and personal safes. Mini-fridges are also included. Rooms have nice views of the grounds and distant mountains, or the pool and beach. Some rooms have balconies or terraces. The intense humidity produces a slightly musty smell in some rooms, which guests have complained about. Rooms located near the hotel’s nightclub can pick up noise.
Attractive bathrooms have long, white-lacquered countertops and vessel sinks that have the look of petrified wood. Magnifying mirrors, as well as bath products by Bath & Body Works are provided. All have rainfall showerheads, with some rooms featuring walk-in showers and others shower/tub combos.

The resort’s sprawling, free-form lagoon-shaped pool includes three hot tubs, arched bridges, and a curving slide. When viewed from above, it’s possible to see the massive crocodile mosaic decorating the pool's floor. There are submerged seating areas in the water, along with loungers and beach umbrellas on the surrounding concrete deck.
A few loungers are set on the lawn that bridges the gap between the hotel and the beach, but no seating is available on the beach itself. The beach is a broad, quiet stretch of sand dotted with vegetation.
Croc’s fitness center features a wide array of machines and free weights. The contemporary Carara Spa offers facials, massages, and other therapeutic treatments, including a massage that incorporates crushed shells to improve circulation. The spa also features salon services, such as manicures, make-up application, and hair care.
The resort has a casino with over 150 slot machines and table games, including craps, blackjack, and three-card and pai gow poker. The resort’s VIP Card program, called Croc’s Player’s Club, allows guests to earn points when they play slot machines and video poker games, which can be redeemed at the resort’s restaurants, shops, and spa.
Croc’s main restaurant is Parsley & Pepper, which serves a la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant’s cheerful interior features lime-green and orange accents, with floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall offering views of the pool. A choice of several different breakfast dishes is included in the room rate.
The fine-dining dinner restaurant, Adacus, is chic and simple, offering seating in an air-conditioned interior or on a large balcony overlooking the pool and coast. The restaurant specializes in Mediterranean fare with an emphasis on seafood.
El Zarpe Pool Bar and Grill is quite eye-catching, with its enormous circular roof supported by pillars. Seating spills out toward the pool area, giving guests the option of sitting in the shady, open-air interior or at a patio table under the sun. The restaurant serves light fare, such as nachos, salads, and quesadillas, as well as drinks. More light snacks are offered at El Cafetal, which is every bit the image of a cozy cafe, complete with exposed brick walls and chalkboard menus. Room service is also available 24-hours. Food at all the resort’s restaurants gets mixed reviews from guests. Drinks are also offered at Liquidity Casino Bar as well as the resort’s night club, Holy Moly Disco Club.
The complex includes a polished convention center that can accommodate up to 250 people. A handful of shops sell beachwear, jewelry, and souvenirs. Croc’s offers wedding planning services, with several different packages available. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout and there’s free parking in a gated lot.