TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Malpais Adventures has been Mal Pais Santa Teresa leading adventure travel company since 1993.

We live for introducing like-minded adventurers to the natural beauty hidden away in the outer reaches of this region - a good many sights rarely seen by the human eye. We guarantee an adventure that reflects our long standing commitment to real life-changing experiences and world-class service.

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tel: 011(506) 8849-8569 (Costa Rica)
Fax – Costa Rica: 011(506) 2642-0891
Fax – New York: (646) 417-5171
Fax – Los Angeles: (213) 402-3893

Skype: traveltocr

  

  

 

The warm, crystal-clear waters of Tortuga Island and the Costa Rica Pacific are home to a vast array of sea life making Tortuga Island is one of Costa Rica's top diving destinations. At our PADI & CMAS Dive Center, professional diving instructors combine their expertise with the utmost personal attention in scuba lessons for every level of PADI & CMAS Certification. Whether you are a beginner or a certified diver, this is a fun, safe and exciting day you'll never forget.

 

 

 

The booming surf paradise of Mal Pais / Santa Teresa is the place to see or be seen this summer. Check out everything you need to build your vacation of a lifetime here!

Mal Pais and Santa Teresa lie on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, which juts far into the Pacific Ocean on Costa Rica's Northern Pacific coast. A few nautical miles out away from the shore, the ocean bottom drops to over one thousand meters deep.

Fish that dwell in the open ocean are often close to the shore, providing a spectacular environment for diving, fishing, snorkeling, and scenic boating, with visibility during the dry season of depths up to 100 feet.

Depending on the time of year, visiting Mal Pais / Santa Teresa area may bring you encounters with a wide array of sharks, tuna, manta rays, dolphins, jacks, barracuda, turtles, and even migrating whales traveling past the Malpais bay.

The convergence of major marine currents coupled with the tropical climate and plankton blooms during the heavy rains supports a nutrient rich environment that is a lifeline in the migration routes of many species. Large schools of brilliant and majestic fish, soft coral systems, and mollusks abound in the rich maritime environment close to shore.

Mal Pais is a tranquil and modest seaside village with moderate and casual hotels spread out along three kilometers of road. While in recent years Santa Teresa has seen a boom in development, Malpais has retained a quiet and tranquil atmosphere with large areas undeveloped and unspoiled.

Mal Pais along the coast is rocky in most places, with fascinating volcanic formations gracing unique natural scenery. Old growth jungle stretches right into the shore, where one may find a wide range of shore quality, from short sandy stretches, to rocky outcroppings, or beaches composed entirely of tiny crumbling seashells. Mal Pais is an ideal place to experience solitude within striking, unspoiled shore life.

The village of Mal Pais is nearly devoid of shops and tourist services, although hotels and dining options cover a wide range from local rustic to high budget restaurants with tremendous views into the hills of Guanacaste.

At the southern tip of Mal Pais is a small fishing port, which serves as a base for boat tours around the tip of the peninsula. Fishermen will be guaranteed a good catch on nearly any day, and sightseers will not be disappointed if they visit the waters of the maritime sanctuary of Cabo Blanco.  

 

At the southern end Mal Pais borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, while to the north it merges with Santa Teresa, where there's lot of shops, tourist facilities and a vibrant, hip and thriving surfer scene. Although Malpais is famed as one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica, the most popular surf spots are actually on the beaches of its neighbor to the north, Santa Teresa, known on the international scene as the "New Eldorado."

Important links:

http://malpas-hotels.com

http://zumatoursgroup.com

http://thecostaricashuttle.com

http://shuttlemalpais.com

http://www.shuttlesantateresa.com

http://budgetcarental-costarica.com

http://www.montezuma-hotels.com

http://www.transportation-costarica.com

New hotels and shops are springing up every day in Santa Teresa, and this former small fishing village with a 5-kilometer dirt road down the middle of town, has claimed the hearts of many who were just passing through on a surfing vacation, and decided to stay forever. Broad sandy beaches have surf for the advanced as well as the beginner. International tastes have brought a wide range of flavors to the restaurant scene of Santa Teresa, and during the high season especially there is abundant nightlife, dancing, and a range of live music to choose from. Day activities at that time of year span an interesting range of international influences, and visitors may find themselves passing on the traditional tropical fun to enjoy a class in acrobatics or choose from a wide range of yoga at different hotels. As the sun sets, everyone heads to the sprawling beach to watch the sunset and make plans for the evening.

 

Malpais is situated on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica on the southern tip of the Nicoya peninsula. Also known as the Hawaii of Latin America, there are several beaches to swim, dive or snorkel though it's main attraction is it's unique conditions for surfing and it's pristine subtropical nature.

 

 

Malpais is situated on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica on the southern tip of the Nicoya peninsula.

Also known as the Hawaii of Latin America, there are several beaches to swim, dive or snorkel though it's main attraction is it's unique conditions for surfing and it's pristine subtropical nature.

Horseback riding, sport fishing, canopy tours, scuba, and nature tours make up some of the other popular activities nearby. Malpais is a community unlike any other in Costa Rica with a strong surf culture and a the laid-back atmosphere that maintains the type of earthy tourism that made Costa Rica famous.

 

 

The Cabo Blanco National Park is located 3 Km south, a paradise for tourists, students of biology and ecology. It's name derives from the Chorotega Indians who inhabited the area, they discovered a very smooth stone with wich they could draw, "mah pah" was the name they called it, hence the name according to one version.

MalPais boasts a great selection of places to stay and eat from camping on the beach to luxurious resorts and a wide range of activities. Without a doubt it's a very attractive place to relax and enjoy the golden rays of the Pacific sunset.

 

Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa extends for approximately 6 km. It has grown quite quickly in the last few years with people coming from all corners of the world, some settled and transformed this little fishing village into one of Costa Rica's trendiest destinations. With waves for the beginner to the fearless pro, waves are available for all, year round.

In the past there was a huge cattle farm, which in time got subdivided between locals, and then eventually was sold to foreigners seeking a place in Paradise. Today in Santa Teresa you will find many restaurants, places to stay to accommodate all budgets, horseriding, volleyball, beach soccer, canopy or even ultralight flying are but a few or it's diverse activities, whether you want to surf or just relax this is one of the Pacific's greatest spots.

Mal Pais Hotels

Malpais and Santa Teresa have many hotels and accomodations that range from beach hammocks, to cabinas, to four star luxury hotels. In this beautiful and tranquil beach community of Costa Rica there is something for everybody. 

 

Surf in Playa Carmen – Mal Pais

10 major reasons that have turned to Costa Rica into a destiny for surfers and their families:

1.    Warm waters and deserted beaches with paradisiac landscapes
2.    Year-round consistent waves
3.    Excellent instructors in all the region and incredible surf camps
4.    More than 700 of coastline combined on both the Caribbean and Pacific which generates surf for all levels
5.    Thousands of break points
6.    International surfing competitions
7.    Many openings from rivers to the sea especially in the Pacific coast make the surf more interesting
8.    There are no gigantic waves as you might find all year in Hawaii but kilometres of consistent breaks
9.    Costa Rica is so small that it is very easy to move from one beach to another and to have access
10.   There is a culture of acceptance of surfeadores, many shops rent boards, bars and restaurants and hotels want to help make your surfing vacation an unforgettable one - and one of these places is Hotel Playa Carmen.

 

Surfing in Playa Carmen - Mal Pais

The best climate is December to April.

This area is the ideal destination for surfers looking to be in a remote, calm place, with good waves and a comfortable atmosphere and many places with excellent atmosphere.

As the beach is covered with reef rocks it makes for an interesting wave formation near the beach. When the breaks are bigger check out the Manzanillo Reef to the south of Playa Carmen. The best waves can be found to the southeast of Playa Carmen.

 

OPEN SURF INTERNATIONAL

Costa Rica will be the Venue for the World Open Surf Tournament. The tournament will be on March 8 and 9 and Playa Carme is hopeful their surfers will do well in the Copa Day & Night. Carmen Beach will hope to the surfeadores in the Glass Day & Night.

Surfers from 40 different nations will descend on beautiful Jaco Beach.

Costa Rica will compete with countries like Brazil and South Africa, two huge powers in the world of surf.

The waters of Playa Hermosa were chosen by the ISA due to their constancy in waves and their proximity (4 km) to the center of Jacó, a city that has the required infrastructure developed to provide accommodation for a large amount of people.

Not only did the natural riches of Costa Rica weigh in it's favor in the decision to choose this as the destination for this match, but also the excellent role Costa Rican surfers have played abroad.

In the last edition of this World Tournament held in Huntington Beach, CA in 2006 Costa Rica came in eighth place out of 40 nations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mal Pais around the web:

Mal Pais is a tranquil little village with charming hotels loosely spread out along three kilometers of road.

At the southern end it borders the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve while to the north it merges with Santa Teresa where you find shops, tourist facilities and a vibrant surfer scene.
 
Mal Pais

Although Mal Pais is famed as one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica, the most popular surf spots are actually on the beaches of

While in recent years Santa Teresa has seen a boom in development, Mal Pais has largely retained its quiet atmosphere with large areas of unspoiled nature.

The coast of Mal Pais is in many places rocky, with some bizarre volcanic formations creating fascinating scenery.

On a beach walk flocks of pelicans will sometimes be your only company. Old growth forest spills down to the shore where rocky outcroppings alternate with sandy stretches and beaches made up entirely of tiny shells.Playa SuecosAt the southern end of Mal Pais is the small fishermen port which is also the basis for tours by boat around the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The maritime sanctuary of Cabo Blanco serves as a nursery for many aquatic species and from your boat you can watch dolphins, manta rays or whales. If you are into fishing, a good catch is almost guaranteed.There is no entrance to the Cabo Blanco Park from the Mal Pais side but there are various options to explore the direct neighbourhood of the National Park. You can swoop through the jungle on a canopy tour, amble on horseback through the hills of Cabo Blanco, or hike along the coast: Playa Las Suecas lies on the border to the National Park. You get there by passing by the fishermen port, then follow the dirt road until you see a small path to your right which takes you to the beach. The large rocky pool of Playa Las Suecas is the best spot for snorkeling in Mal Pais.

The village of Mal Pais is essentially devoid of shops and tourist services. Hotels and dining options however range from top notch to rustic though Mal Pais Costa Ricascenic beachfront with the surf bashing over jagged cliffs and views across the beach of Santa Teresa and far beyond to the hills of Guanacaste.

From Mal Pais to the Cabo Blanco National Park

From the village center of Mal Pais it's a scenic 9 km drive to Cabo Blanco on a little road over the hills and via the small village of Cabuya. The first 2 kms of way passes through a river valley with marvelous lush jungle covering steep slopes on both sides. Then the road goes steeply uphill into the rolling hills of the Cabo Blanco backlands. There are no houses all the way to Cabuya (7 km from Mal Pais) and you have to cross two rivers. In rainy season this is not always possible.
Before the road drops down to Cabuya you will have a panoramic view of the valley of Cabuya with the prominent Cemetery Island.

The Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve opens at 8 a.m. and the earlier you go the more you will see. A hike to the beach of Playa Cabo Blanco and return takes approx 4 hours. Open hours are 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Mondays and Tuesdays the Cabo Blanco Reserve is closed.

A small costal community some 150 km west of the capital city San Jose, Mal Pais lies at the southeastern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Puntarenas province. Around 4 km north of the Cabo Blanco National Park, this quaint beachfront village is fast becoming one of Costa Rica’s hottest tourist attractions. Extending some 6 kilometers east to west, Mal Pais is a great place to kickback, relax and surf some great waves.

A surfer’s paradise with consistent waves, good swells and a long beach break, Mal Pais is a rocky beach with sandy stretches and is covered with pretty sea shells. With lush vegetation growing alongside the coast, this uncrowded area is prefect for those who want a peaceful and quiet vacation away from the crowds. Regarded as one of Costa Rica’s best Pacific Coast beaches, Mal Pais is just a few miles south of Playa Santa Teresa, Costa Rica’s top surf spots.

With waves that are ideal for the beginner as well as the expert surfer, this beach also offers plenty of water sports such as fishing tours, sports fishing, scuba diving, kite surfing and snorkeling. For those who prefer some land based activities there is horseback riding, canopy tours, mountain biking, quad biking and some great hiking trails to explore.

If you are an avid bird watcher, Mal Pais is home to a huge number of coastal and migratory birds that are a treat to see. The nightlife here is also plenty of fun, with a number of bars and parties held on a frequent basis. However, there are plenty of quiet places along the beach’s secluded coves, reefs and tide pools to have a romantic evening.

Great weather all year round makes Mal Pais, among Costa Rica’s trendiest vacation destinations. Usually uncrowded most of the time, enjoy the area’s natural beauty with plenty of luxury and affordable accommodations, bars and restaurants dotting the coast. A major pastime here is just relaxing on the beach or sunbathing.

When getting to Mal Pais it is important to keep in mind that there are two ways to get here. One is to catch a ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera or Playa Naranjo and then drive out here. Or you could take a domestic flight from San Jose to Tambor then take a taxi out to Mal Pais.
 

 

Reviews: Hotel Casa Marbella Mal Pais Costa Rica

 

My boyfriend and I love to travel; between the two of us we have been to several beautiful places. I have been to Costa Rica a couple of times and really wanted to share the experience. This year we chose to stay at Casa Marbella in Mal Pais. We had heard great things from an acquaintance of ours. Every word was true. The hotel was beautiful, peaceful, clean, and safe. There was so much to do in this small town... charter fishing, canopy tours, renting 4 wheelers, walking on the beach, dining at beach front restaurants, or just relax at the pool with a cold beverage.
The hotel is just the right size and has a small staff so you really get to know them by the time you leave. The only down fall is Mal Pais is a long trip from both San Jose airport and Liberia airport. We drove and took a ferry on the way there and it was worth the travel. On our way back to San Jose after a lovely week there we took a one-hour flight back to San Jose was very convenient!
The weather was great even though we were cutting it close to rainy season, which typically begins in October. We plan on returning next year around the same time and have kept in touch with the couple that owns and runs Casa Marbella.

“Wonderful, relaxing vacation!”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
My husband and I recently brought our 2 year old with us to Mal Pais for a 9-day vacation. This was our second visit to Mal Pais, but our first with a toddler! Casa Marbella is a BEAUTIFUL hotel with breathtaking views of the ocean. It is located close to Ronny's supermarket and several wonderful restaurants. Follow the steps from the parking lot up to Buenos Aires for wonderful food.... we ate there twice!

We stayed in the luxury condo that is huge! On the first floor there is a huge patio with a table that easily seats 6 and a hammock. Inside there is more seating and a huge kitchen. There are two bedrooms downstairs and a bathroom and another bedroom upstairs. If you are traveling with another family or friends the condo is ideal.

The rooms are clean, the beds are comfortable and the hotel is quiet. The owners, Jim and Stephanie, live at the hotel and are super nice and helpful. Stephanie booked massages for my husband and I, gave us directions to the waterfall in Montezuma, rented a 4-wheeler for us and helped us plan our trip to Tortuga.

Casa Marbella is a beautiful hotel. We won't stay anywhere else when we come back to Mal Pais!

“Definitely a great place to stay!”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
A great spot! This was our second time to Mal Pais, and Casa Marbella did not disappoint us. It is a beautiful hotel, and a great central location. Just a short walk down the drive (which is really steep!!! If you're driving up there, don't be afraid. Just gun it!) to the Super Ronny (the local market), restaurants, and most importantly the beach.

Their neighbor hotel (a slightly scary climb up some stairs built into a hill) is Buenos Ares, which provided for a great spot to grab a quick and delicious bite - try the empanadas - they are delicious. It was especially perfect because Casa Marbella doesn't have a restaurant itself.

We stayed for 6 nights during the rainy season (august 2008) in one of the two bedroom suites. The room was very comfortable and clean. It had a very comfy, firm king bed in main room, queen in second room, small kitchen (two burners, fridge, very limited cooking utensils) and a table. It had a nice, clean bathroom, a terrific balcony with a hammock, and a very nice ocean view. The trip to Mal Pais / Santa Teresa is extremely bumpy (supposedly the road is one of the worst in Costa Rica), but that is the price to pay to sneak away to a little slice of paradise.

Stephanie and Jim (the owners) are really nice (a young couple from Florida with a super cute toddler). Take a surf lesson with Jim. He's a great teacher! I had never touched a board before and he had me up on the board in just a few minutes.

The crowd when we were at the hotel was pretty diverse. There was a family with a young boy, some other rooms with youngish couples, and some surfers. Everyone was quiet and respectful and friendly while at the pool/courtyard (very important as the hotel was built around an open courtyard - which could get loud). We made friends with two of the rooms of people, even going on a tour to Isla Tortuga (a must do) with some of them.

Overall, the place has a great feeling to it. A great place for a little R&R. We were sad to leave, and can't wait to go back to Mal Pais. When we come back, we definitely plan on staying here again!


“Perfect Malpais Vacation”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
My daughter and I recently stayed in a 2-bedroom suite for 9 days (we enjoyed it so much we extended our stay). The rooms are tastefully decorated with a kitchen. The highlights were relaxing in the hammock on the deck listening to the ocean. Another favorite was fixing breakfast and eating it poolside overlooking the ocean.

Casa Marbella has the intimacy of a B&B, while feeling like a full service resort. Jim was the best surf instructor I've ever met - he had me stunned at the progress I made on the waves. Stephanie was able to find us fun things to do, amazing restaurants on the beach and take care of every strange request we had (there were a few)

Malpais is incredible. It's a perfect spot for surfing and enjoying the beach. After spending time in Monteverde and Arenal, I really appreciate the unspoiled nature of Malpais and Santa Teresa. It's not overrun with American tourists. I completely understand it being ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

I tend to want to try new destinations in future vacations. That said Casa Marbella would be the exception, as I hope to return soon.

“Fantastic Casa Marbella”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
We recently stayed in the luxury condo at the Casa Marbella, and it was fantastic! My husband and I went with another couple and had a great time, thanks in a large part to Jim and Stephanie, the owners of the hotel. It is a small property that is very personal and lovely, the luxury condo was huge, with a large great room and three bedrooms. We spent a lot of time on the porch, swinging in the hammock and sipping pina coladas and beer and looking out over the incredible view. The condo itself is beautifully decorated and the perfect space to relax in after a fun day spent at the beach or hiking. We also loved the pool, where you can gaze out to the ocean. Jim and Stephanie provided a huge notebook full of excursions and activities in the area and called to book massages and day trips for us, as well as cab rides. They were invaluable in advising us on where to eat and how to get around. I hope that we can go back next year!!

“Love Casa Marbella”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
A lovely 8 (?) room boutique hotel. Opened in Nov 07. Very clean, nicely decorated. Great view! Jim and Stephanie live on premises, so pretty much always there and always available.

Also loved the location. It was just off the main road, which gave it a very secluded feeling, but a close walk to beach and town. Jim and Stephanie were great!

We were there in the off-season, so we had the pool pretty much all to ourselves.

We'll definitely stay there on our next trip to Mal Pais/Santa Teresa.

“Luxury at a low cost!”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
I traveled to Mal Pais and came across Casa Marbella. It has an outstanding view of the ocean from the hill while overlooking the infinity pool. Each room is modern and laid back. This place is always kept up and looking A+ with security at night for piece of mind. Very short walk down the hill to the beach. Approx 2-3 mins. The owner, Jim, took care of our every need including surfboard rentals and restaurant recommendations. I was blown away!

“Casa Marbella - cool and chic - beautiful views”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
We stayed 10 nights and we enjoyed every minute. The hotel is brand new and has a really cool and chic design (nice details), we stayed in a standard room that was enough, although the rooms on the ends have balconies with hammocks and beautiful ocean view. In the center there is an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. The view is spectacular; we also enjoyed it when coming home late in the evening watching the stars ;-)
Stefanie and Jim, the owners, are more like friends, they help you with everything and we were lucky to be invited twice for dinner. You should rent a quad, go deep-sea fishing (you can bring your catch back to the hotel what we did, and Jim grilled our yellow-fin-tuna - fantastic!) or take a surf lesson. By the way, the beach which is just a 5 min walk down from the hotel is one of the nicest I have seen worldwide - you will start to surf, for sure!
And there was not only one situation where we felt unsecure!
So we can highly recommend the place. Remember, it is still an insider- tip, not a lot of tourism! For more pictures check

“The best”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
I was referred to Casa Marbella from another hotel in the area that was sold out at that time. I was so impressed with the cleanliness, artistic decor, and high level of comfort and service provided. Stephanie and Jim just opened this hotel and there commitment to their guests is apparent. I was traveling by myself and the intimacy of this beautiful hotel made it easy for me to meet and join other guests for meals and activities if I wished. It is a hotel with 7 different rooms some with kitchens, some with multiple bedrooms. Each room (because I was curious I looked) has its own personality and charm. All the rooms look onto an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. The view is spectacular and the atmosphere is tranquil. I also loved floating in the pool at night looking up at the stars. I also recommend hiring Jim to teach you a surfing lesson his confident and calm manner is just what you need when trying to surf. I am not easily impressed but I was so pleased with this experience that I am sharing it!

“Great Service, Views, Pool.”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
We stayed 8 nights and can't say more about what owners Jim and Stephanie built and how enjoyable our stay was here. Amazing ocean views from most rooms, a community pool overlooking the ocean and vegetation, and rooms that are stylish, modern and comfortable and extremely clean.

My 4th trip to Santa Teresa/Mal Pais area and this has been my favorite place to stay. Highly recommend staying here. Especially if you too are one of the lucky few that get here while the place is spanking new. It was just completed 3 months ago.

Enjoy! And thank you Jim and Stephanie for a wonderful stay and for sharing your wisdom about the area. We'll be back!!

“Casa Marbella Rocks”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
Stayed at Casa Marbella in Dec '07 and loved every min. of it.
We kind of fell @ss backwards into Casa Marbella and couldn't have been happier. Due to it being Christmas time we were unable to find anywhere to stay in Mal Pais that wouldn't break the bank. But while searching for a place to say we found one of the other hotels in Mal Pais that while full had a "friend" who had a place that could be rented. It was cheap and available so we booked it. Once I arrived in Mal Pais the owner of the other hotel informed me that while the place we had booked was still available the neighbors had shown up and were parting till all hours and he could promise the place would be quite. He suggested that his Friends at Casa Marbella had a spare room and for only $5 more a night we should check it out. He took me up to see the hotel and meet Jim and Steph. One look at the immaculate rooms and the infinity pool and I was sold. We got lucky...the hotel was sold out but one of there rooms that they had just finished furnishing/outfitting was available since they had literally just finished getting it ready (door frame paint was till tacky when I arrived).
The hotel is laid out with 5 standard rooms (1 double 1 single bed), 2 two-bedroom rooms with full kitchens and 2 three-bedroom apartments.
The Standard rooms have bar fridges while the bigger rooms have full kitchens as well as balconies with hammocks.
An infinity pool takes up their hotel courtyard over looking the tree's and the ocean and an outdoor shower for de-sanding after the beach.
Jim and Steph live in one of the three bedrooms but I believe will move around if a big family or group requires the space.
The only complaint that we had about the hotel was that it was at the top quite a big hill, not really a big problem but after a long day of surfing or hiking it was a bit of a chore :)
Jim and Stephanie were great and made sure we were enjoying our stay.... they arranged any taxi's we needed as well as renting Quads and restaurant recommendations. Jim also does surf lessons and even though we went out on probably the worst day for surfing ever...a fun time was still had by all.

The hotel is near to everything in Mal Pais including the beach, supermarket, yoga and restaurants. The Hotel Buenos Ares is 50 feet away at the top of the hill and has a great restaurant over looking the ocean.

Over this entire hotel was a great place and I can't wait to go back and stay with Jim and Stephanie again.

“Amazing Hotel - Beautiful Views.”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
I stayed at the Casa Marbella for four days (end of Jan - Feb 08) and it was incredible from beginning to end. The owners, Jim and Stephanie, are warm and welcoming and have created the perfect oasis in Santa Teresa. The hotel is a great break from all the cabinas and wooden structures you'll find all over Costa Rica. The rooms are immaculate, modern, spacious - perfect. All rooms have a refrigerator and safe (though you don't really need the safe - the hotel is quite secure). There are also units with two bedrooms and full kitchens if you're traveling with family or a group. The pool and lounge chair area is perfect and relaxing.

Casa Marbella is located up a hill off the main street. It is within walking distance to everything - the beach, many restaurants, the market. One restaurant in particular - Brisas Del Mar - is amazing. The freshest seafood I've ever had and perfectly prepared. Word is getting around so it's best to make a reservation. Another spot is the Hotel Buenos Aires, located right above Marbella. It's a convenient spot to have drinks or dinner with an amazing view of the sunset.

My stay was perfect and I'm already thinking about my next trip back. I cannot say enough great things about this hotel.

“Modern oasis just above from the heart of Santa Theresa”
Casa Marbella Santa Teresa, Mal Pais Costa Rica
Casa Marbella is a new property built just above the heart of Santa Theresa. We found it through a friend who knows one of the owners, and were thrilled that we choose to stay here. There are eight rooms, both one and two bedrooms. All have kitchenettes, fridges, and other basic amenities. The property is in a u-shape with a gorgeous infinity edge pool and hot tub in the center. The two rooms on the ends have balconies with hammocks where you can relax with a drink and gaze out at the ocean and wildlife in the trees. The two couples that own Casa Marbella; occupy the space above the rooms. They are youthful, warm, and welcoming. One couple is from Florida and the other from Germany. They were extremely helpful in arranging for our quads, suggesting things to do, and Jim even gives surfing lessons to brave guests. The decor and architecture is chic.