repost from NWR- anyone been to Costa Rica?

DH and I are thinking of going to CR the first weel of August and I was wondering if anyone had been there before. I found two greta all-inclusive deals- one to Barcelo Playa Langosta Resort And Casino in Tamarindo for $897 and one to Barcelo Playa Tambor Resort And Casino for $701.
I know that it may be smarter to do the cheaper one, but from doing research I get the impression that Tamarindo is a better town with more nightlife.
Can anyone advise me?

I went to Costa Rica for the day on a cruise a couple of years back. I was not impressed, it seemed very run down. The rain forests are great!

A lot of people go to Costa Rica and love it, so don't just listen to me, that was just my initial reaction.

(The water is beautiful!!!)

I stayed at Barcelo Playa Longosta last May. It wasn't a luxury resort but it was great b/c it was all inclusive, clean and on the beach. The casino is tiny and we walked in and out in about 2 minutes (we weren't that interested), but the pool is nice for relaxing and it's a beautiful place. We did two day trips, one to the rainforest to do a canopy tour and horseback riding and another to go fishing. Those were both amazing. Other than that we stayed at the resort and ate and drank. We went to Tamarindo one night for dinner and it seemed like a nice town but we really didn't explore that much. HOpe this helps.

ETA: I think August might be rainy season so I'm not sure how much beach time you would have each day.

Thank you so much!
Their rainy season is really from May to October, so I can't let that deter me. And from what I hear, if it does rain it's usually a passing storm and you don't even need to leave the pool.
How was the food at the resort? I've read some mixed reviews on Tripadvisor but sometimes I feel like some people will just never be happy. DH and I are fairly laidback on vacation, so as long as I can find something to eat, and the drinks are free-flowing, we're pretty much happy.
I think we're going to do the two tours you mentioned, and hopefully take some surfing lessons. Is there any nightlife at the resort, or do we need to go into Tamarindo? Also, what airport did you fly into and ow did you get to the resort?
Sorry to bother you with all these questions, but any help/advice is totally appreciated.