Pura Vida Mini Hostel Santa Teresa

Great location... far enough up a steep paved side road away from the crazily chaotic main road to be very peaceful, but still an easy walk to the beach. Exposed enough on the edge of the hillside to really catch the breeze, but enough tree canopy to shade a majority of the property. Very close to the very best grocery & general merchandise store in town: Ronny's Super #1. MegaSuper (also nearby) beats their prices when they have advertised discounts, but otherwise Ronny's #1 has the best prices on pretty much EVERYTHING. PuraVida has plenty of both indoor & outdoor space for everybody to relax. The current crew of volunteers are all delightful young folks with great attitudes. NO free breakfast & NO hot showers for dorm guests ("mistakes" on HostelWorld & Booking.com). The only reason i don't give PuraVida a solid 5 stars is maintenance. It's kept very clean & the mattresses are comfy, but the kitchen could be better equipped & several things like faucets, switches, a toilet & a shower drain were in need of repair. Also, halfway through my month-long stay a gradually increasing sewage stench kept wafting into the gazebo & the upper kitchen & dining area. The handyman is a VERY respectable & respectful kid with a great attitude (& a serious badass on a surfboard) but simply not experienced enough. Also probably not confident enough to push the owner to get on the ball & provide what he needs to get it DONE already! (Said the EXTREMELY diligent, experienced &pushy 56yo gringo repairman) Don't get me wrong... the owner is a very courteous & gentle young man, just weirdly resistant or hesitant or something to realize that he's not doing himself any favors by not INSTANTLY putting in the negligeable amount of money & effort it would take to dial in every detail perfectly. I'm not talking appearances... i VERY much like the slightly faded, worn-in, rough-around-the-edges vibe of the place, but who wants to smell sewage or wait in line for a decent knife or frying pan or working toilet?

The reception was polite and helpful. I stayed in a shared room that was clean and tidy. They have books for readers like me. I slept well and had shower before leaving, bathrooms and common areas are clean and well kept. My best hostle experience by far

Pablo was very helpful with the shuttle accommodation and also for returning back rentals! Great vibe, would recommend!