Santa Teresa hotel recommendation
 

Looking for recommendation for 2 nights in Santa Teresa this November. The Tropico Latino is sold out. We are two families with kids from 5 to 17 yrs of age. Looking for moderate accommodation on or near beach and would like to take beginner surf lessons. Won't have a car so need hotel that is walking distance to restaurants & shops. Anyone familiar with the Terrazas del Sol? Any other recommendations? We will probably need 3 rooms to accommodate all 9 of us, and would prefer to spend under $60 per room.

Also, what will the road conditions from Tambor to Santa Teresa be like in November, and how long would it take (by taxi).

Thanks for your help!

That's going to be tough if you don't have a car because that area is very spread out. You may want to try Malpais instead which is just down the road from Santa Teresa. We stayed at Florblanca but that is definitely over your budget. Try Frank's Place - it is centrally located and near the beach. It sounds like it would be a good place for you and your family. Also, look into the Malpais Surf Camp. We have not seen but from what I heard, it would work for you as well.

Why are you staying two nights only? Given the hassle of getting there, you should really think about staying 3 or 4 nights.

I second the Mal Pais surf camp. Yes, they have camping and shared rooms, but my husband and I stayed in a 2 bedroom cabina that was nice. The sitting area was quite small with only a bench and a small fridge, but the bedrooms were a good size and the bathroom was BIG. I think we had to pay $75, but they have all sorts of rooms so maybe something would work for you. The restaurant/bar are is fun with pool table, and other gams...the kids would love it. They also have a nice large pool and good food.
You may also want to look at 'The Place'. We didn't stay there but had an excellent meal in their restaurant and the rooms looked nice. They did not have a pool when we were there but they mayhave put one in by now.

Thanks for the advice! I have sent an email to the Malpais Surf Camp asking about their villas. Any other recommendations?

We stayed at Tropico Latino, and I am sorry it is sold out. We thought "The Place" looked good as well, though. Just not on the beach. Personally, I liked the Sta. Teresa part of the beach better than MalPais--just because that little strip of town was handy.
As for the roads, you really do need your own car, as Iza stated. The road all the way from Paquera to Sta. Teresa is just a little more potholed than the roads you are likely to find in the rest of the country. That said, none of them came close to swallowing our car. It will be paved to Tambor and beyond to Cobano. From Cobano, you'll have a dirt road on over to Sta. Teresa--I remember it being washboardy. Hard to say in November. Hopefully, the rains will have begun slacking up a bit by then. The area should be beautiful. We loved it in March (and it was SO hot, dry, brown, and dusty). I can only imagine it when everything is lush and green! Especially the falls at Montezuma. And yes, you really do need to stay at least 3 nights if you can manage it. We stayed 4 nights and thought it was just right. It's very laid back, there isn't much to do if you aren't a surfer. We went to Montezuma and the falls one day, and the next day we returned to Montezuma to hike Cabo Blanco. The other 2 days we relaxed, spent time on the beach, and read. Not surfing, a week there would have been WAY too long for us..as it was---perfect!

You know what? I'm just gonna say this. Take it for what it's worth. Sta. Teresa/MalPais is one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. If you think you can manage a splurge, try Milarepa. It is priced somewhere between Flor Blanca (way out of our range!) and Tropico Latino. Sometimes the end justifies the means. Travel in Costa Rica is no exception! Good luck ;)

Tropico Latino, Mal Pais Surf Camp, Florbanca, etc. , etc.......same hype as the guide books.

What about some of the others?

Luz de vida, Frank's Place, and Ranchos Ituana, and Luz de Luna for example.....?

Good point, Strata. There are more options than those already mentioned, certainly including those you have pointed out. To a great extent, one's choice depends on how near the beach one wishes to be. I consider it a priority, and, within reason, am willing to pay a little more for location; but others may not! But you are correct--the purpose of this forum is to offer lots of options for posters to think about. Shame on those who think that everyone's tastes should agree with their own! :)

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions. Ideally, we would like to be close to the beach and the town, as we will have no car. It looks like the Malpais surf camp is away from the beach. STRATA, would you mind telling me a little bit more about these other hotels you mentioned ?? First hand knowledge is so important. The rooms may look nice on their website but I don't want to arrive and find a dump!

Vivian: I am searching for the same information for forthcoming trip there...

I was hoping that someone would be able to give some insight reqarding places other than the same ol' guidebook-recommended places to stay in Santa Teresa.

The guide books that I have mention these ALL of the places to stay in an area--and lists them as belonging to either budget, moderate, or expensive. It tells whether they are on the beach, whether they have a restaurant, and lists the amenities offered. When we stayed in MalPais last year, we considered almost every place that Strata has mentioned as being "not in the guide books". It wasn't that they weren't in the books---- we didn't choose them because they were not as close to the beach as we wanted, and Tropico Latino was. It was, in fact, in an excellent location for enjoying the town. We drove by some of the others and they were not so convenient.

It seemed to me that those who were serious surfers seemed to not mind staying off the beach and across the street, etc. Those of us who were there to just enjoy a beautiful beach, and not surf, seem to prefer a hotel right on the beach.

Vivian, if you keep posting--here and even on some other forums, perhaps you will find someone who has stayed at Frank's Place, and some of the other places Strata has mentioned. We drove by Luz de Luna (I think that was the name). It was not close to the little shopping area at all and was not convenient to the beach. But I have no idea what the inside of the cabins were like.

Keep in mind that, while the area is more frequently called MalPais, what little action there is (as far as shops, stores, etc) is on the strip that is in Santa Teresa, not MalPais.
You see, when you arrive at the bottom of the hill (and at the beach) coming in from Cobano, you come to a T in between these two places. Left takes you to MalPais, and right takes you to Sta. Teresa (which actually begins right there on the corner). I do believe that it is mainly for this reason that so many people stay in the hotels of Sta. Teresa rather than MalPais.

Vivian: this link will show Sta. Teresa hotels and resorts.

http://www.nicoyapeninsula.com/teresa/teresa.html

Granted, some of the "other" places shown on the map, like Luz de vida and Ranchos Itauna, are not as close to the water as Shillmac has pointed out, but I would think that additional 50 meters of walking does not condemn the place.

I have since investigated and found a good, elaborate Luz de Vida web page, liked what I saw, talked with the manager, and will be staying there as a result in early November. $85/night for a 2-story cabina (w/fan) or $85/night for a suite (w/AC).

Hi Vivian,
I have been reading your post and replies. We have stayed at Tropico Latino a few times and really don't know a lot about the other places. We are traveling with our 16 year old son. I noticed you had a 17 yr. old. My son is a beginning surfer. I thought maybe we could meet. We will be there from Nov. 20-28. Did you already find a place to stay? Please reply to my personal e-mail as I don't get to this site often. My e-mail is [email protected]. I hope to see you there!