“Beautiful and Relaxing Bungalows” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

My boyfriend and I stayed at Manala hotel during the end of May for 3 nights after a few days in Tamarindo. I did alot of research and read alot of reviews before deciding on Manala and I'm so glad I did. I definately wished we could have stayed longer. We stayed in Bungalow 5, which is the closest to the pool. The bungalows were very private, clean and spacious, the AC and the ceiling fan worked wonderfully. I loved the bed which was decorated with flowers and flower petals when we arrived. The grounds were also well maintain and the scenery was just gorgeous!! My boyfriend is pretty laid back and being a surfer, he will pretty much sleep anywhere, but Im pretty high maintenance when it comes to staying in hotels and I was happy with Manala. Another definate perk to staying here is the complimentary breakfast that they deliver to your room every morning. It was so relaxing to sit outside our rooms and enjoy our breakfast of juice, toast, and fresh fruit. They have an onsite restuarant but it was not operating during the time we were there, most likely because we were there during green season. The only negative thing were the ants in our bathroom. When it rained at night, we would have an army of ants come into our bathroom.

The receptionists, Marco and Ronald were so nice and so wonderful! Even prior to our trip, I would email them every now and then to ask questions about the location, how to get there, and even the weather. They always replied back and answered all my questions within a few hours. They were great with food/restaurant suggestions, as well as helping us with the ferry schedule. They even helped us with a mix up that occured with our canopy tour that we had booked on our own.

I don't know the security guard's name but he was awesome as well. He was constantly patrolling the grounds which made us feel safe. And since it gets dark so early in Costa Rica, it was hard to see at night when walking to our rooms. The security guard would shine his flashlight on the ground so that we could see better.

Overall, it was a fantastic and relaxing vacation and I would definately recommend staying at Manala hotel if you are going to be in the Santa Teresa/Mai Pais area.

“Great hotel for the price” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

We took a shot on this hotel via the reviews on TripAdvisor and hotels within our budget in the area. We were not disappointed. Laura (the owner) has done a very nice job with the accommodations.

Our first impression of Santa Teresa however was a little less than what we were envisioning. Our first few nights in Costa Rica were spent in Arenal. Our experience and accommodations there were exceptional. I would highly recommend you take a few days and explore this beautiful part of Costa Rica.

Even with all our research and reviews of Mal Pais / Santa Teresa, we were a little taken aback by the area (at first). Our intentions were to surf and relax, and explore... We did all of that. But keep in mind, Santa Teresa / Mal Pais are surf towns with a very laid back vibe. Our first bite to eat was next to guys lighting up a bong at the next table over... After first impressions, the town grew on us. It's remoteness, uniqueness, and offerings soon became the norm, and we really enjoyed our time.

I would highly recommend eating at Brisas Del Mar, the food and location are truly amazing. Kika, Basta Pasta, Burger Rancho, and the French bakery right at the entrance of the town are all worth a stop.

“Great Bungalows and Great Staff” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

We stayed at several places during our trip to Costa Rica and this was our first stop. What a great place to start our vacation. The staff was the BEST and made our stay there perfect. Ronald took great care of us and gave us lots of good advice. He even looked after our bags after we checked out until we could check into out next hotel. We missed the staff when we left and wished we had spent more time there. The bungalows are very nice and clean, probably the best deal in town for the price from what I could see. Close to the beach (right across the street)... Nice pool and grounds. Nice breakfast every morning with fresh fruit, coffee, tea, toast...

“The Best Hotel in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

I could not pass the opportunity to metioned this beautiful Hotel, I had the great pleasure of staying earlier this year and it was a great experiencie, from the price quality ratio to the confortable Bungalos with everything you need A/C, Minibar, Great Shower, Awsome pool just a few steps from your room. The beach is perfect and just a minute away by foot. The owners who run the place are adorable and have taken the time to make this the best hotel in Santa Teresa, Playa Mal Pais. Costa rica. Keep it Up.!!

“I can't wait to go back!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

I stayed at Hotel Manala from May 4th-14th 2011. This is by far one of the best hotels in the area. The property is beautiful, clean, safe and just minute away from the best surf spot in Santa Teresa. The beach is spectacular... you need to see it for yourself.

I booked the Hotel directly from their website and they coordinated my pick up and drop off from Tambor. I flew into San Jose, then took a Sansa flight (25 minutes) to Tambor Airport (way more efficient then driving 5 hours). Then a 40 minute drive to Santa Teresa. It was all well planned and easy.

The property has about 8 detached Bungalo's. The bungalo was perfect! Air conditioning, privacy, fridge, great shower, and very spacious! Just as adverticed from the website. It was cleaned every day and it was nice to return to flower petals on the bed and our towels in the shape of Swans. A fruit breakfast was served every morning on our patio, which kept us full until lunch time.

The reception area is located just as you enter the property. You'll find either Marco or Ronald working the front desk with a big smile. They were very helpful and always willing to help... truly made me feel at home. The reception area closes at 8pm, and there is a guard that keeps the post to make sure the property is secure during the night. Santa Teresa is a safe place, but it was a nice to know that their was someone guarding the entrance while we slept.

Santa Teresa is literally a surf town on a dirt road. All the locals there seem to have come from Argentina, Columbia, Spain, Israel or Canada. They are people who went on vacation, fell in love, and just simply never went home.

As for food, there are a few great restaurants just minutes away from the hotel. My favorite for dinner was Kika's... live music on Thursday night too! For lunch... i recommend Ginger Cafe which is also about 5 minutes away. If you rent an ATV, i recommend Pizza Bakery, its a 20-30 minute walk but 5 minute ATV drive away.

Obviously if you're going to Santa Teresa, you're going to try surfing. I recommend you get a lesson and your boards from Del Soul surf shool... also minutes away from the hotel. Amit and Daniel are really nice people and they run a great surf school with the great prices.

If you're reading this review, and you're thinking about going.... I'm jealouse! You are going to have a great time!!! I can't wait to go back.

“little oasis in santa teresa” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

I couldn't have been happier with our stay at Manala. The spanish lady that runs the hotel was lovely , the service couldn't have been better , and the hotel grounds and rooms are spotless and really charming. it's a great deal for the money. the beach is just a 2 min walk across the road. we LOVED it!

“Rave Reviews For Manala Hotel & Staff!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

My husband and I just returned from a 7 night stay at Manala. I have never had a place live up to it's reviews quite like this one. The bungalows are gorgeous, well thought out and decorated, clean and comfortable. The complimentary breakfast every morning was delicious, fresh fruit and juice- the best pineapple I have ever tasted- toast and coffee. The pool area has nice chaises to lay out on, and the pool was clean and refreshing. The staff in reception were super helpful, very nice, spoke perfect English (which was necessary w/ our limited espanol).
The owner, Laura, goes above and beyond to make sure your stay is perfect. We had a small issue with our rental car and she bent over backwards to help us... I can't thank her enough. We vacation every year and never stay in the same place twice, but we will be breaking that rule for Manala. We will be back.

“Greatest Hotel in the most Wonderful Location” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

My husband and I just recently got back from a 2 week tour of Costa Rica, we stayed all over the area but loved this hotel the best. The beautiful bungalows, excellent service and friendly family feel made us feel so special.
Laura one of the owners even went out of her way to inform us of the recent earthquake in Japan and looked into how it was going to affect our return on the ferry. Everyone was friendly and very accommodating.
We also really loved the fresh breakfast that was delivered to our patio each morning. It was the perfect breakfast to start your day. We would without a doubt recommend the Manala to anyone looking for a great place to relax, enjoy great service and beautiful surroundings.

“AMAZING Hotel, GREAT Location, WONDERFUL People” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

As a first time, and solo traveler to Costa Rica, I wasn't even sure which part of the Nicoya Peninsula I wanted to visit. After a lot of research I decided on Santa Teresa and after scouring the websites of almost every single hotel there I wisely chose the Manala Hotel. I knew it had a lot going for it from the descriptions I'd read and the photos people posted, but the reality is even better.

The location is fantastic! The gorgeous, well maintained pool is surrounded by a lush canopy with howler monkeys passing through the tree tops twice a day. The Manala even turned me into a bird watcher! There is a path right across the street to a pristine beach where you can surf, people watch (although, it's a very uncrowded beach), and enjoy the sunsets. It's also walking distance to two of the best restaurants in Santa Teresa - Kika and Alma.

Then there's the staff - I left the best for last. These folks really go out of their way to make every guests stay amazing. From the beautiful flowers in the rooms to making sure you've got every Costa Rica adventure at your fingertips. They even arranged a driver to pick me from Montezuma after an event at 1 am!! First class all the way.

Another thing that should be mentioned is the amazing continental breakfast that's brought to your bungalow each morning. WOW! What an fantastic way to greet the day! They think of every little touch too. Now if I could just get breakfast served this way each day back home, I might not need to go on another vacation...

I'm already picking dates to go back to the Manala Hotel...

“Clean, relaxing & Safe!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

My wife and I spent 6 nights (stayed 2 extra nights because we loved it there so much!) at Hotel Manala during our honeymoon.

We found the staff at Manala to be extremely nice and helpful. They booked all our activities for us and gave us recommendations on which tours were good and places to eat. They all spoke good english which was a big help as our spanish is very limited.

The rooms and grounds are very clean and maintained around the clock (when the regular cleaning staff was off duty (evenings and weekends) the security guard and owners could be seen occasionly cleaning the pool and tidying up around the garden).

One of the main things we enjoyed about Manala is the security they have. As soon as the sun goes down a security guard starts his shift. He regularly walks the entire grounds all night and sits at the only entrance in between time. My wife and I felt safe 100% of the time while we were at Manala.

At this point the only thing Hotel Manala is missing is a restaurant in order to make it the perfect place for us. Fortunetly they have one built and will hopefully have it up and running soon.

We very much enjoyed our stay and would definitely go back if we ever visit Costa Rica again!

“Style, Service, and Great Location!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

We stayed a week at this lovely hotel and will stay there again. The grounds, pool, and bungalows were meticulously and stylishly styled and cared for. The service was first rate, with reservation assistance, daily breakfast, taxi calls by the multilingual owner and front desk staff. We didn't rent a car, but rode our bikes around town and kept them, and our surf gear, on our bungalow porch. The hotel was quiet (except for the howler monkeys at times), very safe, and in a great location on North end of town, away from the central hub and dust, on a very gently sloping location and right across the street from the best sunset and surf spots. All the necessary stores, surf shops, and great restaurants are within a 3-15 min walk. WiFi available at poolside.

“Honeymoon in Paradise” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

Everything about this hotel is wonderful! The staff was personal, friendly & very helpful. The bungalows are clean, quiet & private. The daily complimentary breakfast was such a lovely & delicious treat. Most importantly, the location is directly across from the point break surf spot (best on the beach) where my husband surfed twice daily! Also, it is a great value for everything you get compared to other hotels in the area. We will definitely visit again! Just make sure to insist on one queen bed instead of two twins pushed together (with a large gap in between).

“Clean, cool, great staff and pool!!!!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

After looking around Santa Terisa for an hour my buddy and I were looking to spoil ourselves. We had stayed in hostels for the previous 3 years (except for Franks Place). We looked at 3 other places in the 180.00 range and they were either full or is was more for a couple. We found this jewel for about 115.00. Just off the main road and 5 min. walking distance to the beach. The waves were great for my buddy that surfs. Sometimes reaching double overhead. The staff was great Laura and Monica made you feel like friends visiting their home. There are 8? cabanas that are nice and quiet, clean, cool and a short stroll to the pool! If 115.00 is in your price range, do it, you won't be disappointed. Oh, breakfast served on your porch at whichever time you pre-arrange.

“relaxing very clean and good service” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

We loved our stay at the Manala hotel. It is a simple, clean and peaceful place. The pool area was great well taken care of and the staff were very nice. It is walking distance to resturants and stores. The beach is only minutes away. I hope to go back someday we had a great time.

“Excellent hotel” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

We stayed for three nights in Manala and realy enjoyed it. The location opposite the best part of the beach is perfect and the hotel grounds were beautiful and realy well maintained. The bungalows are spacy, clean and comfortable and breakfast is served on the terasse which is realy nice. Only draw back is the dusty main road that you have to walk on to get around in the town, but that is a problem all over Santa Teresa. The owner was very friendly and recommended the best places for surf classes, yoga and restuarants. I can highly recommend this place and the value is great.

“It was beautiful and in a good location.” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

This place is in a great location. They serve excellent breakfasts right to your door where we ate outside with the monkeys. The rooms are very clean and they have great bathrooms. The service is great. This is definitely a romantic place to stay. There are several great restaurants near by. Kika's had the best food in the area. If you are looking for a nice lunch, Ginger Cafe was awesome, with fresh warm bread! You definitely get your money's worth at this place. The pool was very clean. I would definitely stay here again. They had four wheelers that we could rent so we could explore the country side. The only thing I didn't enjoy was geckos, but those you will have everywhere as long as you are in Costa Rica. Thank you Manala for making Costa Rica even better!

“A wonderful place to stay” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

My husband and I have been to Costa Rica several times, but this was the best place we've stayed. The hotel is a short walk to the beach (great for walking, running, surfing and just laying out). The grounds of the hotel including the pool are well maintained and beautiful.

From the owner to the staff, everyone was very helpful and friendly. Our room was cleaned daily and we'd come back to a variety of flowers each day - reminded me of our honeymoon. In the morning we got breakfaat delivered - a tray of fresh sliced fruits, tea or coffee, toast and jellies/butter. Very good! I felt safe around the area and on the beach. The hotel even has a security guard at night. Also, lots of very good restaurants within walking distance.

Since the rooms are set up as bungelos they are very private and quite. Whether you are looking for a romantic place to stay or just a clean, beautiful, relaxing room - I highly recommend you consider this hotel when you stay in Santa Teresa.

“Paridise in Costa Rica” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

This is as good as it gets! We stayed here 12 days and it was all excellent. The individual bungalows were beautiful, spacious, well decorated, excellent air conditioning, covered patio. Small fridge, large shower. Fresh flower petals on the made up bed every day! Breakfast of fresh fruit, toast, juice and coffee delivered to you patio every morning at the time of your choosing. The grounds are impeccable. Jungle like surroundings. We saw monkeys in the trees, hummingbirds, many other birds, squirrels, etc. The pool was great and well maintained. On top of that Laura and her assistant Monica left us wanting for nothing.

“Great location and great staff” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

The Manala hotel is a great choice if you want to be near one of the best surf breaks in Santa Teresa. Moreover, the hotel is a great choice if you want to be close enough to walk to town and to several good restaurants. The rooms are fairly new and modern. The staff is very helpful and friendly. They can arrange a massage, zipline tour or rent you a quad on site. I would recommend taking the helmet if they offer as there is a very slight chance you could be pulled over by the traffic police if they happen to be in town that day. It is worth exploring the beaches north of Playa Hermosa at low tide. Although it was nice to have breakfast brought to the room in the morning, since it consists of fruit, toast and coffee, you may want to consider a more substantial breakfast at Ginger's down the street. There are two great restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. Alma serves interesting sushi and fish dishes while Kika does great seafood as well. If you are looking for a low key hotel with clean rooms, great staff and an even better location, look no further than Hotel Manala.

“Just Perfect!!”

I went to this hotel because I read great reviews about it and I fell in love with the pictures and comments about it. So I decided to go with my partner.... the service was great since we arrived till the moment we left. The location is great, like 20 mts from the entrance to the beach, the rooms are so perfectly decorated and they always put flowers on your bed every day, flowers on breakfast etc, those little details made me want to stay!!! It's totally clean, and they are so friendly. I would recommend this hotel to EVERYBODY! Specially for couples who are looking for a romantic spot where to stay. If you ask me if I would go back, the answer is: I CAN'T WAIT :)

“We had an amazing honeymoon at Manala Hotel!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

What a perfect place to stay! My husband and I stayed here on our honeymoon from Jan 11-18 and had such a wonderful time. It was the perfect location to be able to relax at the hotel by the pool or in the bungalow, walk down the road to eat lunch or dinner, and our favorite thing was to walk to the beach several times a day! The owner and staff was friendly and helpful and made us feel completely at home. Laura and Monica were such wonderful people to meet and helped us set up a zip line canopy tour, quad rentals, and even the taxi back to the airport when we left. They also made great recommendations for places to eat and visit while we were there. I can't say enough good things about this place. It was our own little paradise.

“Awesome” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

what can I say? best place i´ve been in a long while (and I travel a lot), great rooms, very quiet surroundings, spectacular service, and perfect location. If you want to spend a few days in one of the best beaches around, this should be one of your top choices. People at the hotel make you feel right at home and give you the best service.

“Location, quality, value, clean, comfy” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

I stayed at Manala 3 nights and it was very nice. The quality of the room
is excellent - spacious, comfortable, refrigerator, A/C, clean and priced
way below this level. It appears to be a brand new facility. The location
is exactly centered on the surf beach at Santa Teresa. Several restaurants
within a few minutes walk, but a little farther to the busier areas. The hotel
restaurant was not open for business yet. The room service is a treat for the ladies.
I had a "double" bed (I think) but it was actually two twins side by side.
Didn't matter to me since I was solo, but you might want to check further.

“Thank you Manala!” - Manala Hotel Santa Teresa Costa Rica

Me and my girlfriend stayed at Manala four nights. The service was excellent, and the rooms/cabins really really nice! I think Manala have the best housekeeping service in CR. Every time you got home from the beach the housekeeper have done a incredible job making leafs, swans, hearts etc with the towels and put many many good smelling flowers in the cabins, AMAZING!

There is a 2 minutes walk to the beach from the hotel and 3 minutes walk to the supermarket.

We loved the staying and we will be back! :)

Thank you Laura, Leo & Co for a lovely stay at your hotel!