Discover The Pure Life at Griss Lodge + Villas

Situated in the paradise jungle of Santa Teresa, on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula, lays the Griss Lodge & Villas.

A boutique costal retreat brimming with rustic charm, the hotel is the love child of Italians Ricky and Sabrina, who after one life-changing trip to Costa Rica, said ‘Arrivederci’ to life in Italy and ‘Holla’ to Santa Teresa… If you have ever been so lucky to visit, you’ll understand why.

Close to the natural reserve of Cabo Blanco, in a quite jungle area that remains mostly untouched and connected to the rest of the country via unpaved roads (which in rainy season becomes almost completely un-drivable), Santa Teresa is not the easiest of areas to reach. Yet it is this very reason that has protected it from the over development of other coastal resorts, adding to it’s charm and exclusivity.  Indeed, so cut of is this area of Nicoya, that when I first visited Costa Rica 14 years ago, Santa Teresa didn’t even exist!

Nevertheless time goes on and this once deserted paradise is now a beautiful and tranquil beach community, complete with restaurants, a buzzing nightlife and activities galore, from surfing the pacific, to jungle canopy tours and horse riding on Santa Teresa’s pristine beaches.

A home from home, where staff make guests feel welcome and monkeys swing through trees, the Griss Hotel & Villa’s caters for lone travellers and families alike.  Offering a host of accommodation, guest can choose from their rustically stylish 1 bed garden villas with mini kitchen, living area, TV and garden (a personal fave for post beach drinks), a quirky 2 level wooden houses that sleeps up to 6, boutique hotel rooms or their latest edition, a series of chic apartments complete with open-air rooftop kitchen or mini swimming pool!

And while the hotel may only be a stones throw from one of the most stunning beaches in the world, those longing for a sand free swim can take a refreshing dip in the garden pool before refuelling with some fresh coconut water and a Panini (the owners are Italian after all!) at the hotel café.

For those looking for something a bit more active, there is an open-air fitness studio offering an array of classes for guests and locals, as well as extensive range of bikes for hire. Of course it would be criminal to head to Santa Teresa without taking in some of its world famous surf, and Griss can help both the beginner and more accomplished surfer refine their skills with surf lesions in English, Spanish and Italian.

Boutique accommodation, unparalleled wild life and world-class surf, all topped off with a warming charm straight out of Italy with love, The Griss Lodge and Villa’s is one place we will be visiting again.

 Prices start from $75 per night in low season. For further information or to book your accommodation visit grisscostarica.com