The plethora of accommodation options can be overwhelming when choosing a place to stay during your visit to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. There are over 1,000* Airbnb’s currently listed between Santa Teresa and its neighboring beach towns of Mal Pais and Playa Hermosa. Since I have lived in the area for years and stayed in different villa types and locations, I caution you from making generalizations about villa type or location because each villa is truly unique. Helping you decide where to stay and sourcing the best accommodation for your likes and needs is one of the ways I am here to support you.
Let’s review some of the items you will need to consider
Type
You will be choosing between four broad villa types: beachfront, walk to the beach, ocean view and jungle view. Not everything that sounds the same, looks the same. Beachfront can mean that the villa is exposed to the beach without any privacy and with heavy foot traffic in front. It can mean it is the closest house to the beachfront but you can’t actually see the beach from the villa. It can be situated in front of one of the best surf and swim spots or in front of rocks, where it is dangerous to swim at high tide. Do not fret, I will give you the ins and outs of what you’re getting into before you commit to anything.
Between the four general categories, I can say firsthand that there’s nothing sexier than waking up to a villa in the middle of nature with the smell of saltwater and sound of waves. Beachfront villas are particularly convenient if you wish to spend the majority of your time surfing, swimming in the ocean or watching the waves. Ocean view and jungle view villas are not to be undervalued, however. If you’re working within a specific budget, an ocean view or jungle view villa will likely yield a structurally “fancier” villa compared to something priced equally on the beachfront.
The other side of the main road in Santa Teresa is quite mountainous. Some of the hillside options that are still close to the main road may have wave-checking views (important for surfers like myself). Alternatively, the villas high in the mountains or in the jungle (7-15 minute drive to town), may yield beautiful views of nature and sunset, unparalleled privacy and more affordable luxury. Walk to the beach villas are enticing because of the option to bop to and from the beach (and perhaps the supermarket, restaurants and shops) without four wheels. I do recommend, however, that wherever you stay, it is a good idea to have a mode of transportation since there is no main center of town and four wheels gives you the opportunity to explore.
The biggest question you have to ask yourself when choosing between the four general villa types is:
How much time do I want to spend at the villa versus having access to bounce around town throughout the day?
Town
Santa Teresa is the main attraction on the Nicoya Peninsula. It’s the name that made the region famous. It’s the name you want to geotag on your Instagram stories. If you are not concerned about geotags or the likes, I recommend considering villas in the neighboring towns of Mal Pais and Playa Hermosa, which offer a slightly different vibe to the bustling Santa Teresa (bustling is a relative term when referring to a Costa Rican beachtown). Mal Pais has more of a hippy vibe with beautiful tide pools along the beach at low tide and a certain quiet peacefulness. Playa Hermosa is also much quieter than Santa Teresa and is known for its friendly surf break and pristine, untouched coastline. Both are great options to consider, particularly if you plan to spend a lot of time at the villa because you can likely get more for your money in these towns.
Both Mal Pais and Playa Hermosa are about a 5-10 minute drive from Santa Teresa, depending where you’re starting from and going to. It’s similar to the proximity between Bridghampton and East Hampton, for example, if you’re familiar with the New York area. No matter where you’re staying, Santa Teresa is the most developed area and far and beyond offers the widest assortment of grocery stores, restaurants, shops, pharmacies, medical care and more. If you’re looking for the convenience and feeling of staying in a developed beachtown, Santa Teresa is the spot for you. Again, no matter where you stay, I do recommend having a mode of transportation since there is no one center of town and there is so much to explore along the peninsula.
Have specific questions? Want to know more? Message me here and I’d be happy to chat with you about your accommodations.
*Number as of July 27, 2023.
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