The Red Palm Villas

Built on a beach full of surfers and backpackers, Red Palm Resort is a rustic retreat with lots of privacy. When the hotel opened in 2005, it was one of just a few hotels in town. It has a few neighbors now, but the beach and surrounding areas still have a lost-in-paradise vibe. Red Palm’s grounds are lush and full of palms, blossoming hibiscus, and ixora flowers. The villas are scattered throughout the grounds far enough apart to avoid hearing their neighbors. Along the hotel's oceanfront is a grove of towering almond trees that shade hammocks and lounge chairs. It’s common to see (and hear) howler monkeys overhead traipsing through the trees. It's also a popular wedding venue and weddings happen at Red Palm roughly once a month. Hotel guests are mostly couples from the United States, joined by families during the holidays. 

Red Palm Villas is located on a long, sandy beach in Santa Teresa, a dusty, one-road surf town on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. The hotel’s situated on the calmer, less developed northern side of town. There’s no restaurant on-site, but the closest eatery is a two-minute walk down the beach and serves international cuisine. They also host a weekly beach party. Within a five-minute drive of Red Palm are an Italian restaurant, a few bars, and a Mexican restaurant. The nearest pharmacy, ATM, and bank are a 12-minute drive from the hotel. Mal Pais, a small fishing village with a waterfront fish market and a beautiful secret beach is a 21-minute drive from Red Palm. Montezuma is a small, waterfront town with waterfalls and zip line courses that’s a 43-minute drive away. The off-the-beaten-path tour to Isla San Lucas, a former prison turned national park is an hour- and 15-minutes drive, plus a 30-minute boat ride away from the hotel. Getting from Liberia to Red Palm requires either a four-hour drive or a 25-minute flight plus an hour's drive from Tambor Airport. Traveling from San Jose to the hotel requires either a five-hour drive or a 20-minute flight followed by the hour drive from Tambor Airport. Alternatively, it’s a 30-minute helicopter transfer from San Jose directly to the hotel’s helipad. 

Rooms at Red Palm are a mix of suites and villas with airy, open floor plans and lots of hardwood accents and trim. The ocean-view Hummingbird and Honeymoon Villas are the choicest offerings. The two-story Honeymoon Villa has a huge outdoor balcony with rocking chairs, a futon, and a big dining table and chairs. Its two bedrooms: an air-conditioned room on the ground floor and a fan-cooled room on the second floor, have king beds with red bed runners and walls decorated with Mayan Masks and gorgeous pieces of live-edge wood. There’s a full kitchen with tile counters, a gas range and oven, coffeemaker, blender, toaster, and free coffee and sugar. Mortar and pestles for making homemade guacamole are provided. The unit's open air bathroom is amazing. Especially the shower -- it has a Southwest feel to it with a tan and brown speckled granite counter, stepped adobe-like walls, a tiled mosaic of a crashing wave, and a huge shower area with a rain showerhead. Suites are much simpler but still comfortable. Expect open-air living rooms, king beds, faux rattan-wrapped armchairs, and glass-top tables. They also have full kitchens with live-edge bars and stools. Standard room amenities include small book libraries, safes, and flashlights. Mosquito nets are available upon request. All villas and suites have free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning. For rooms at this price point, we were pretty disappointed that the only included toiletry is cheap bar soap. 

Red Palm offers just a few amenities and they're mostly focused on the beach. The gorgeous beach feels secluded and has a handful of wooden beach chairs and hammocks. The direct beachfront isn’t swimmable but it’s a 30-second (or less) walk to a safe, swimmable area. Facing the water are yoga platforms with ocean views and mats are free to borrow. The hotel can arrange a variety of activities including yoga lessons, surf lessons, fishing trips, and tours. It can also set up massages, airport transportation, taxis, and car or ATV rentals. Since all units have full kitchens, the grocery provisioning service (for a fee) is a big plus. Laundry service is available for a fee. There’s an on-site heliport (really just a flat grassy field) for direct transfers from San Jose. Wi-Fi is free throughout Red Palm.