It took us approximately two hours from our friends home on a dusty and pothole speckled-road to arrive in Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa. Our second part of our Costa Rican trip had begun! I was quite excited for this leg of our journey as it’s listed as a top surfing destination around the area. Just around 4 hours south of Tamarindo and 45 minutes to Montezuma, our bruised asses and growling stomachs were relieved to arrive at a tucked away complex mixed into the ambience of the jungle. A coded gate, a friendly security guard and a plethora of various foliage surrounded us as we were welcomed with Pura Vida!

Welcome to Lua Villas, an oasis in the jungle, which is home to villas, apartments and studios. We were blessed to call a studio, which is a perfect size for or a couple, home for a week. Villas can fit up to 5 people and apartments between 3-4 people. One of our favorite aspects in checking in was the paperwork: there was none. Our situation is obviously different and it can’t be expected for all visitors but all we had to confirm our stay was an email and even at that, our receptionist didn’t read it entirely to immediately take us to our room; the check-in – truly, Pura Vida!

Parking: Free parking on property. One vehicle per family. As mentioned below, there is a garage door opener attached to your room keys.

LUA VILLAS STUDIO

The pathway leading to our room was something out of an Indiana Jones movie: A rock statue, live foliage, and a local – in this case, a friendly neighborhood kitten that we began to call Andie, – had created a captivation that made us feel like we were in a different world. That was just the entrance making us feel that way!

Our studio came standard with wi-fi, a King sized bed, a safe-box, A/C, and a full Kitchen with a fridge. We had no complaints that it didn’t offer a microwave or a brainwashing television! It motivated us to cook fresh food every night, in appropriate quantities and without tv, we had no distractions to sleep at adequate times.

The bamboo rack, just by the hammock, was a great place to leave our wet clothes after the beach. Waiting for your clothes to dry while laying in a hammock is something I hadn’t realized gave me so much peace and joy until reflecting about it, in writing this post.

The key was an old school iron key & lock combination attached with a garage-door opener for the main gate. On top of 24-hour security, and our locked, tucked away entrance, we were confident in the safety Lua Villa provided in Costa Rica.

lua villas property

Apart from our amazing studio that offered a relaxing environment with a hammock and dining table on the patio, the pool area and yoga deck were ideal to get the mind and body feeling at peace.

The Lua Villas main pool cascaded a beautiful stream of water into the jacuzzi which was unfortunately out of service during our stay. We were still able to enjoy the infinity-designed pool and lounge chairs, however. Similar to the cascading water of the pool, an outdoor waterfall shower was available to rinse off after a swim.

If you aren’t much of a swimmer and rather use yoga for physical activity, Lua Villa accommodates that perfectly with a dedicated yoga deck which also offers free classes and makes it an ideal lodging for Yoga retreats!

At last, my favorite part of this jungle paradise: Surf Board rentals! At the time of our stay, it cost $10 a day, which is incredibly affordable. Compared to Hawaii, the difference is anywhere between $15-$25 AN HOUR for one board rental.

Only a three-minute walk from the most tubular beach in Santa Teresa, a five-minute walk to the local grocery store, and with beefed up security, Lua Villas is a centered around the famous Pura Vida spirit; similar to the Aloha Spirit. It’s a carefree, nature retreat and an overall luxurious experience in both the physical aspects of pool, yoga, and surf. Additionally, it’s a wonderful place for groups and families to help recenter and find peace from our chaotic lives. Highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a great accommodation in Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica!

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