The story
Nantipa opened in 2018 on one of the last big beachfront parcels in Santa Teresa — 2.3 hectares from the main road down to 155 metres of sand, 150 metres south of the plaza — and kept nearly all the original trees. Earth-toned two-storey buildings and free-standing bungalows sit under them; room names and amenities are in Chorotega, the language of the people who lived on the Nicoya when the Spanish arrived, and "nantipa" itself means blue. The Nicoya is also one of the world's five Blue Zones, which the hotel leans into with the Namu wellness center.
The heart of it is Manzú, thatched huts on the sand with an open kitchen, a Costa Rican chef cooking generational Tico recipes — casados, ceviche, tacos — mixologists working local spirits and fruit, and the town's best-known sunset seats. Beachfront bungalows have plunge pools and outdoor paths straight to the shower; garden bungalows and family suites sleep up to five; two three-bedroom villas have private pools and direct beach access. Guests describe it as "shiny and new" but still a Costa Rican beach experience — and, tellingly, "not packed even in high season and no loud drinking adults."