Casa Cecilia, Santa Teresa

Hear the roar of the ocean from your room at Casa Cecilia, a beachfront hotel on Playa Santa Teresa on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. The hotel, which has a main house with 10 rooms and a separate villa, offers an almost private beach experience. There's a shared lounge and terrace area, and each room has an outdoor seating area. These accommodations are modern and casual, with simple, fresh decor and outdoor spaces with hammocks that allow travelers to relax in the shade or catch the breeze on a hot day. The serene location is perfect for beach lovers and wildlife enthusiasts; it's a short walk away from Cocal Beach and a quick drive from Hermosa Beach and Carmen Beach.

Pros

• The hotel is right on the beach, and many of the rooms have beach views.
• Bicycles are available to rent from the hotel.
• The hotel features outdoor spaces with hammocks and areas to practice yoga.
• Nearby Playa Santa Teresa has calm tide pools at low tide.

Cons

• Getting here can be a challenge: the hotel recommends that travelers rent a 4WD vehicle.
• Casa Cecilia doesn't have a pool or a hot tub.
• There's no restaurant, pool, spa, or fitness center at Casa Cecilia.

Authenticity

Casa Cecilia is in a quiet location with an almost private beach, removed from civilization but still with easy access to the town of Playa Santa Teresa. The property is rich with wildlife: guests are likely to be woken in the mornings by birdsong.

Location

Playa Santa Teresa is a three-minute drive away (0.7 mi/1.1 km), with plenty of shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and more. It can also be reached on foot. Travelers can visit nearby beaches, including Playa Carmen, less than 10 minutes south (2.4 mi/3.9 km), and Playa Manzanillo, a 17-minute drive up the coast (4.3 mi/7 km). At the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, about an hour's drive (15 mi/24 km) from the hotel, is the Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve,

Rooms & Bathrooms

With 10 rooms housed within a main building and a separate villa, the hotel can accommodate up to 18 guests at a time. Each room is air-conditioned and comes with complimentary WiFi and outdoor spaces for you to unwind in the shade or enjoy the breeze. Several rooms have beach views, while others overlook the garden. Some rooms offer additional amenities like a full kitchen and an outdoor teak shower cubicle.

Wildlife

From the hotel grounds, visitors can spot a variety of wildlife, birds, and sea creatures, including crabs, iguanas, and monkeys. Past guests say howler monkeys can be noisy in the morning.

Amenities

This hotel doesn't have a pool, gym, spa, or fitness center, but it's location near the beach makes up for it. Enjoy beautiful views from the terrace and garden, relax in a shared lounge space, or use the hotel's barbecue grills to prepare fresh seafood. The hotel offers bicycle rentals and free private parking.

Family-Friendliness

Kids are welcome at Casa Cecilia. The larger rooms and villa—the Swell and Rocamar rooms and Casa Cassandra—are the best options for families, as they sleep up to two adults and two kids.  Kids will enjoy playing on the beach and hanging around in the hammocks on the property.

Other Highlights

There are no restaurants at Casa Cecilia but there are many places to eat nearby, and a barbecue grill is available to use. Many rooms include a cooked-to-order continental breakfast that's highly rated by past guests.