Costa Rica

No shots or vaccinations are needed for visits to Costa Rica. 

Everyone in office, the yoga teachers and the massage therapists all speak English.

The ambient temperature at Pura Vida is about ideal. The year round temperature is 70 to 80 degrees during the day with mild nights.Thus, none of our rooms or facilities has air conditioning or heating.

Being in the tropics, there is a lot of insect life in general in Costa Rica. However, our elevation keeps this issue at a minimum and our guests find it remarkably bug-free here.

Yes, we offer a laundry service to our guests. The charge is $8 per load to wash, dry and fold.

The closest beaches to Pura Vida are about 2 hours away on the Pacific coast.

Citizens of the U.S. and Canada may enter Costa Rica with a valid passport. Please note that Costa Rican law requires your passport be valid for at least 90 days after the date you enter the country. This means that if your passport will expire within the next 90 days, you must renew it before your trip. Check with your airline or travel agent for more information. Citizens of other countries should check with the applicable Costa Rican Consulate in your country about rules governing entrance into Costa Rica. You are required to carry your passport with you at all times. If you are stopped by officials, a photocopy with your photo, passport number and entry stamp will usually suffice and is recommended.

Tables are supplied at no cost. Flashlight, alarm clock, sunscreen and hat, bathing suit, day pack/backpack, walking/hiking shoes, sandals with straps, sweater/sweatshirt, insect repellant, toiletries, warm pajamas (cool nights), rainwear/poncho (May-Nov.).

Our retreat center is very secure. If it gives you greater peace of mind, a safe deposit box is also available for each guest at the front desk.  Please inquire. The surrounding neighborhood and coffee fields are also safe for a walk or jog with a companion.  We do not recommend venturing out for a walk or a jog after sunset.  By all means, go off the property in an Uber or taxi!  Generally, Costa Rica is quite safe. Like any place, normal precautions and care should be taken depending upon where you are visiting. Violent crime is rare in Costa Rica while theft of personal property (from automobiles and hotel rooms) is more common. Big cities, beach areas, and any place with a concentration of tourists require more caution.

Our retreat center is very secure. If it gives you greater peace of mind, a safe deposit box is also available for each guest at the front desk.  Please inquire. The surrounding neighborhood and coffee fields are also safe for a walk or jog with a companion.  We do not recommend venturing out for a walk or a jog after sunset.  By all means, go off the property in an Uber or taxi!  Generally, Costa Rica is quite safe. Like any place, normal precautions and care should be taken depending upon where you are visiting. Violent crime is rare in Costa Rica while theft of personal property (from automobiles and hotel rooms) is more common. Big cities, beach areas, and any place with a concentration of tourists require more caution.

Pura Vida Spa is a private, gated, 8-acre mountainside estate in Costa Rica’s Alajuela province. It is only 20 minutes northwest of the SJO International Airport and 45 minutes from downtown San Jose. Located at almost 5,000 feet above sea level, year-round temperatures at Pura Vida range from 70 to 80 degrees during the day with mild nights in the high 50s to low 60s. May through November is the Green Season in Costa Rica.

The mailing address is Villas Pura Vida Retreat Center Apartado 1112

Alajuela 4050, Costa Rica.

The physical address is 800 Mts SW From Minisuper Pavas

Pavas, Carrizal, Alajuela, 020103 Costa Rica

Free Wifi is available throughout the property (about 10 mbps)

We recommend downloading WhatsApp on your phone and having your friends and family do the same.  Phone calls/texts/video chats will be free anywhere to anyone who as the app and its encrypted.

We have bottled water in your room and at the bar. Soft drinks, beer and wine are also available. Our restaurant is casual buffet and our staff take great pride in serving delicious meals. The menu includes a variety of vegetarian fare as well as chicken and fish. We also can accommodate vegan and high-protein diets.

Yes, the water at Pura Vida is safe to drink from every faucet on the property. We filter our water on the premises with both a 1-micron filter and a UV filter. Countrywide, water quality standards in Costa Rica are generally quite high and visitors normally do not have any problems. There is now alkaline water available in the restaurant at no additional cost.

Airport pick-up and drop-off are included in the package price. Our representative will be waiting for you at the terminal exit with a sign listing your name and “PURA VIDA”.

The easiest way to get to town is by taxi. We can usually have a taxi for you in 15 minutes or less. The cost to downtown Alajuela is about $15 per taxi. There is also a public bus route that picks up near Pura Vida and goes to downtown Alajuela once per hour. The cost is less than 50 cents per person.

Yes, our staff will gladly help arrange this for you upon arrival at the resort. There are several companies that will drop off your rental car to you here at Pura Vida. You will need a valid driver’s license, passport and credit card.

Taxicab rates depend, of course, on the distance you want to travel. Taxis in Costa Rica charge by the trip and not per person. So, sharing taxis can really cut down on the cost. Generally taxis can accommodate up to 4 people. A trip to downtown Alajuela is about $15 each way, to the airport is $25 each way, to downtown San José is around $75 each way, and to Jacó (the nearest beach) is about $110 each way.