Believe Surf & Yoga Santa Teresa

Overall Experience I stayed at this hostel with my group between February 20–26, 2026. Our experience was unfortunately far from good. The hostel is located near the beach and several restaurants, which is convenient, but it is quite far from the city center. Overall, it did not meet basic standards for service, cleanliness, comfort, or safety, and we cannot recommend staying here. Service & Staff From the beginning, we were met by a very unfriendly and unhelpful receptionist, who refused to assist us when needed. During a city-wide power outage, we went ourselves to a nearby supermarket for essentials, as no help or alternatives were offered. After two hours without power, we asked for candles and water. He said there were none and refused to buy any from the store, even in the rain later that evening. We found around twenty tea lights on the yoga deck ourselves and set them up, while no staff helped. When we asked about toilets, he initially said they could not be used. Another guest eventually found buckets, but staff did not assist with distribution, filling, or organizing any solution. At least three staff members were living on-site but did nothing to help. At 9 p.m., the receptionist left, and no one remained on site, which felt unsafe and unprofessional given the ongoing outage and visible electrical hazards outside. Safety & Security: Security was poor. Each dorm had only one key that had to stay in the door, leaving rooms effectively unlocked. The road gate was often open, and lockers were too small to store even a small bag. One night, another guest even took my charger, which we got back the next morning. Dorms & Comfort: Dorms were poorly maintained: shelves weren’t cleaned, beds were oddly placed, and there were no curtains for privacy. AC was fixed at 25°C and unevenly distributed; one person in a corner was extremely hot, while I slept in front of the unit with strong airflow, which made me sick. Later in the evening, rain leaked into our dorm and onto a bed. Dorms were poorly insulated, with gaps leading directly outside. Noise The rooms were extremely noisy. Yoga classes take place early in the morning (around 6–7 a.m.), and once they finish, many guests gather in the restaurant and reception area to buy smoothies and socialize. Staff also speak very loudly. Because the dorms are not insulated, all of this noise carries directly into the rooms, making it impossible to sleep. Kitchen & Hygiene The kitchen was in very poor condition. It was dirty, the shelves and cupboards did not seem to be cleaned, and there were ants crawling into the food. Combined with the leaking roof, the whole area felt unhygienic and unpleasant to use. There were also ants in my bed. The showers and toilets were not clean or fresh. There’s also a cat that lives on the property, frequently walking on kitchen shelves where pans, plates and glasses are stored. Facilities The pool area and the pool itself were dirty, adding to the overall neglected feeling of the property. Positives To mention something positive: the hostel has a water filter machine. The also have a very beautiful yoga deck, and although I didn’t personally attend a class, one in our group did and said it was the best yoga class she’s ever taken, we also heard very good feedback about the yoga sessions from other guests. It was also appreciated that the showers were stocked with shampoo, body wash, and conditioner. Final Verdict Overall, this hostel fails on basic service, cleanliness, safety, and comfort. Despite its convenient location near the beach and several restaurants, it is far from the city center and the negatives far outweigh the positives. We cannot recommend staying here

I really do not recommend staying at this hotel. We stayed at Believe Surf & Yoga for four nights. In our room, there was no proper blanket. When I asked for one, the woman at reception replied, “That’s the blankets in Costa Rica,” which is simply not true - I had already been traveling around Costa Rica for three weeks before arriving at this hotel and experienced otherwise. The cleaning was very poor, and our bedsheets were not replaced until we specifically asked for it. Additionally, the hotel’s laundry service ruined four items of my clothing. When I reported this, they claimed they take no responsibility and said I shouldn’t have put a new red item in the laundry with other clothes. They also admitted they do not separate laundry because “they wash everything in cold water” and again said “that’s how it is in Costa Rica.” Only after I insisted did they agree to refund the $20 I paid for the laundry - nothing more. The staff, overall, were not kind or helpful, except for the cleaning ladies, who were genuinely very sweet. For the same price, you can find much better hotels nearby.

I did yoga class with Kristen today and she was off the charts amazing. She gently encouraged me into poses I didn’t know I could get into, and had such lovely and caring energy. What a treat to take her class, much appreciated!