A Week at Somos in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

As a contractor perpetually grinding towards a book deal (and thus, paying myself to in time/opportunity cost to write extra), I don't really get vacations. I can take a day or two off here and there, and can definitely write from wherever—a major benefit. But there's never a "good time" to stop and I definitely don't get paid for the time I don't spend working. Usually, any delays are involuntary—illness, exhaustion, family troubles—and so I haven't yet had the luxury of building in makeshift PTO.

So my first-ever "adult vacation" was last July because I got extremely lucky with flight vouchers. I received it at the end of July 2022; on Southwest at least, flight vouchers expire within a year, so I had to use it by July 2023. Getting that free flight was the push I needed to set a boundary, take the time off, and try not to feel guilty about it.

Much love to this emailer.

Naturally, I wanted to get out of the country. Two of my friends had gone to Costa Rica, and that was one of the possible destinations. I knew I could do it cheaply, knew I wanted to surf, and loved the gorgeous hostel that appeared all over Instagram: Somos, which attracted plenty of solo travelers. I'm stay-forward for sure, meaning that I'll sometimes pick my destination based on the hotel or lodging I want to stay at.

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So I booked my vacation to Santa Teresa.

Spending & Budgeting

All in all, I spent on the following:

• Round-trip flight from Tampa (TPA) to San Jose (SJO) — free for me, normally roughly $600
• Round-trip flight from San Jose to Tambor — $300 (+$100 to reschedule when my previous flight was delayed; customer service was unhelpful)
• Taxi from Tambor to Santa Teresa — $80/way, cash only
• Mixed-dorm lodging — $198; it definitely looks like prices have gone up since then at $60/night, whereas mine was more like $35/night, but perhaps that's due to seasonal estimates.
• Overnight lodging in SJO depending on your flight — around $200

Then variable expenses like food and drink, activities, etc,. I'd definitely recommend packing your own sunscreen ahead if you check a bag (which will be determined by weight, so pack accordingly) as SPF in Santa Teresa proper is extremely expensive.

• Surf lessons — $60/lesson (and so worth it!)
• Sunscreen — $25/bottle
• ATM fees — $6/transaction — a lot of spending in the area is cash-only
• Food & drink — honestly didn't feel outrageous; probably spent similarly to my grocery and eating-out ratio in Hawai'i.

Packing for the Off-Season (Rainy Season)

Thursday's going-out outfit

I packed in two large backpacks, and paid attention to weight. Overall, I brought all casual, breezy clothing like shorts, dresses, going-out tops, etc,. expecting to be hot. Make sure you can sweat through whatever you bring without being embarrassed.

July is pretty muggy, and you'll definitely get caught in a storm at some point too. So I also brought a rain jacket and sandals I didn't mind trashing and throwing away or giving away at the end. Of course, I also planned to spend most of it surfing, so: surf suits, quick-dry towel, etc,. Then the essentials: ibuprofen, entertainment, general toiletries.

I visited during the rainy season, but we only had one huge storm—so I got lucky. For me, I actually relished the sound of thunder because O'ahu mostly has sunny rain (hence, us being the Rainbow State.) You'll definitely get lower rates, and I didn't experience any lesser enjoyment than I'd imagine during the dry—peak—season in winter.

Traveling to the Hostel

When I landed at SJO, customs took about an hour. I wouldn't recommend traveling via Costa Rica Green Air (as there's another provider too) because they were pretty difficult about my delayed flight and charged me extra despite promising I was okay; I'm generally not one to snub or negatively review at all, so it's really not like me to make an anti-recommendation, but would just go for the alternative in case that's a better experience.

Somos will arrange a cash-only taxi for you if you'd like via email ahead of your stay; I did that, and the taxi driver was very nice and easy.

At the Hostel

Upon check-in, you'll see the surf shop, lounge area, and food and drink service operating out of a café with a silver Airstream. Check-in was easy; staff was friendly.

Santa Teresa itself is kind of one long strip full of shops, restaurants, and other hidden corners. The overall impression is tucked away into the jungle, but mere steps from the beach.

It's a long walk from one end to the other, so some choose to rent an ATV during the duration of their stay. (I'm not sure of the parking and cost logistics.) I opted to walk the entire time, but it was definitely a hike—especially if you needed to go to the ATM, which was easily 30+ minutes away. So be smart about when to go where! My step count was incredible.

ROOMS

Credit / Somos

I opted for the lowest-possible rung of the Mixed Dorm. The lodging area is marked off from the main lounge area — which is open to all, and turns into a party on Thursday nights — so you can only access the pool, kitchen, and rooms if you're staying at Somos.

The Mixed Dorm was a six-bed room with twin-sized mattresses complete with frosty air conditioning, spacious lockers, two bathrooms and showers (which were honestly so nice), provided towels, and a little privacy nook for each bed. I was perfectly happy in there, but heard from travelers that the upgraded dorms (with full beds) were fabulous. Maybe next time.

Upon checking in, I immediately headed to the pool. I had made absolutely zero plans for my week off, and am also usually cagey in my first day or two alone as a solo female traveler. (It's my mom's fault—she instills horror stories in me. All I heard worth repeating was basically not to be at the beach at night in Santa Teresa.) All I knew I wanted was to read and lay in the sun, so: achieved.

Credit / Somos

You can also rent out a swanky private room like the Deluxe King Bungalow + Terrace. You can rent out an Airstream like the Somos Camper Small. I was pretty happy with my dorm select though.

Somos is also often the site of various yoga, surf, and wellness retreats—so you might find an escape you're looking to do in which you get to stay at the hostel.

AMENITIES & OFFERINGS

I'm still very novice in my surfing, but pros will appreciate the surfboard shaping studios. Since I visited, Somos also added the Sweat Den: including a small gym area for surfers looking to train plus daily yoga, pilates, and other fitness classes.

The front desk can easily set up excursions for you including waterfall hikes, horseback riding, surf lessons, fishing trips, skydiving, and more.

The Social Element Is the Best Part of Somos

For the record, I'm really shy. In a group of people, I'm probably "the quiet one" or the wallflower, just people-watching and enjoying the company. I am not the life of the party, nor am I always with others. I tend to love to do my own thing, and know that can make me a little...difficult to connect to, I guess.

That being said: Somos was really special, socially. I met the friendliest people, and the transient nature of this hostel was really welcoming. Others can be hit or miss! Travelers' ages ranged, but it overall trended young. Some were doing extended WFH stays while others were backpacking South and Central America, and others (like me) had specifically headed to Costa Rica for a one-off vacation.

I don't necessarily think I make friends easily—I'm too independent and specific for that, so I'm not everyone's cup of tea—but I felt so welcome and light and easy playing pool with my roommates the first night, or chatting up the South African boat captain, or playing cards and drinking games with the group of British girls who'd all quit their jobs for a Hail-Mary trip.

There were people popping out on day trips you could join, plenty of company for dinner or adventures, and it all extremely personable but also respectful of your time and space (if you were needing to isolate some.)

I was not expecting to fall in love with the social aspect of Somos so much, because I just haven't had that deep experience elsewhere; it definitely gave me the travel bug, and made me inclined to return—even as someone who gets a little sad you'll never encounter the same combination of people traveling at the same time. Bittersweet! Fabulous way to spend the week.

My Rough Itinerary

SUNDAY: Lazy pool reading. Dinner at Somos. Played pool (which I was very bad at) with new friends. Early bedtime. (Do bring earplugs or headphones and/or a blackout mask. People were hungover from a jungle party the night before, but the hostel still plays music late.)

MONDAY: Surf lesson, I think? Ask the front desk, and they'll set you up with Pura Vida Surfers. The lessons include your board rental, some sunscreen (although I'd definitely recommend applying beforehand), transportation, and the guys running the operation were extremely friendly. You also get a fresh coconut at the end of each lesson, and by then, it was the highest luxury I could imagine. Although I'd surfed before, I went for an absolute beginner lesson and appreciated the mechanics of the whitewash. Read all afternoon and worked out at a drop-in gym nearby. Made pasta for dinner (a Grace classic.)

TUESDAY: Surf lesson. I was the only one willing to go at 5:30 AM, so I practically got a private. Amazing. Read in the afternoon—notice a pattern? Walked down the strip and popped into a sushi restaurant for dinner (delicious.) Played card games with a new group rolling in, etc,. etc,.

WEDNESDAY: Took a break from surfing to just explore the town, but had a grand day doing so. Went for a run (super dusty.) Submitted my only article due that week, tipsy from a margarita. Played chess, pool, etc,. with the friends back at the hostel and stayed up late swapping travel stories and drinking wine.

THURSDAY: Took a surf lesson that afternoon at a gorgeous nearby beach, got drinks after with the rest of the group, and then all met up again at Somos after getting ready. Thursday is the night that Somos pops off and everyone goes out nearby. There's live music and a crowd of both locals and travelers. It's definitely the "going out" night. Drinks are good but chaotic. At closing, you'd spill out into the street to go to a club of sorts down the street—very hot, fun, loose.

FRIDAY: All I'm going to say is that you do want to be careful about the amount of sugar in the more traditional drinks you'll get throughout the night. Fun! But ouch, hangover-wise. Definitely just relaxed on the beach and by the pool on this day. That night, it absolutely monsooned in the best way. The power went out. The thunder was wild. I felt so refreshed and at peace, and it was the perfect night to end on.

SATURDAY: I took a final 5:30 A.M. surf lesson. Check-out was a bit tricky because the power and water were out, and the front desk was a pain about giving updates as to when all that would be restored; I was hoping not to get on my flight sticky. But it happens. Just be aware that Somos is so luxurious and polished for a hostel—but it's still a hostel! People who need the finer things may not enjoy it for some of its quirks.

I ended up spending the night in San Jose because I had an early morning flight, and the puddle-jumper wouldn't get me there in time. You do need cash to pay a toll on your way out of Tambor, and multiple people were surprised by that at the airport.

What I Loved About Somos

• Like I said, it was so easy to meet people and everyone was so kind and open. I had such good conversations, always had a place to tag along, and felt welcome no matter what I craved from my day. Definitely keeping in touch with some.
• The hostel has really good, fresh food and fair enough pricing. Honestly, I mostly just ate at the hostel despite plenty of other culinary options. There was a wide variety, and waitstaff spoke multiple languages. The kitchen was stocked okay with necessities and utensils (and you'll definitely need to label your stuff), but it was very doable on the nights I cooked. There was never any pile-up, but it was social enough that you'd have company if you wanted while you did so.
• Costa Rica—and this area—has so much to see. This was my stay to largely base myself at Somos. Next time, I need a week to just explore Santa Teresa. Then, I need another week to do all the day trips and adventures around the rest of Costa Rica.
• Honestly, the pool. I felt a little silly spending so much time at the pool because I have access to a pool on O'ahu and at home in Florida, but it was always so nice and refreshing especially in the heat. They had giant lounger beanbags that could go into or out of the water, and there were always either conversations to join or the possibility of being left alone to finish your book. Overall, Somos was a great mix of privacy and openness.
• And the stay is just gorgeous. The gunmetal, concrete, and wood details. The film capture. The crunch of gravel and seashells under your sandals. The live music. The knits and the trees. Overall, Somos is a beautiful stay. I'm not one to seek out the expensive either, but "it looks more expensive than it is." I appreciated a lot of the aesthetic and décor, and it paid homage to the town it's in—always my big trait to look out for. Sense of place.

Overall Thoughts

I loved my week at Somos, and it was exactly what I needed. The stay was just as dreamy as I'd expected, and didn't have much friction beyond the power outage. I could easily have opted to stay longer—and some guests did. As a woman, I largely felt safe. It also was easy to make friends and have company when I wanted, which I hadn't expected. Don't stay here if you need quiet to sleep.

If you're on a hostel budget but want a more elevated feel than your usual, Somos straddles aesthetics and affordability in a reasonable way for what it offers. I would stay here again for sure.

Bonus: Southwest needed to kick someone off on the flight back, so I earned my flight voucher back and then some just by killing eight hours in the Houston airport. It didn't pay for a vacation this year, but it did pay for a trip home. I will always be the first to volunteer.