Here is our review and scoring of Mint Santa Teresa in a Deluxe Double Room and Double Pool Room in December 2021.

Mint Santa Teresa is a small adults-only boutique hotel in Santa Teresa Costa Rica. The property has 5 rooms: 2 Double Rooms, 2 Deluxe Double Rooms and one Double Pool Room.

1. Location: 17/20

Mint Santa Teresa is located in Santa Teresa, a small surfing town about a 4.5 hour drive from Liberia on the Nicoya Peninsula. Mint is a short (but very steep) walk away from the beach and numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants. Mint is located high up on a hill which provides stunning views of the sunset over the sea but the road is a little rough and you do need a 4X4 despite what others say (we had a small crossover and it was not easy to get up the hill as the driveway is unpaved and there are loose rocks).

2.       Bed & Sleep Quality: 16/20 

The bed and linens were comfortable and overall the property is very quiet. The air conditioning is a little loud and limited and so a ceiling fan would have been a nice touch. The room is not air-tight/sealed off (there are small gaps between the panels/shutters). Usually, we’d actually appreciate this kind of indoor/outdoor living, but critters do get in (especially overnight) and we did wake up when a large beetle was flying in the room (it is part of the jungle and takes some getting used to! See our post about 10 tips for travel in Costa Rica to hear more about the bugs!).

3.       Room and room amenities: 17/20 

• Deluxe Double Room: We enjoyed the layout of Deluxe Double Room better than the Double Pool Room. The Deluxe Double Room is higher up and there is only one other room beside it. The Deluxe Double Room’s bed faces out towards the sea and so you get a nice view and the shutters completely open up to a balcony for open-air jungle living. There is also a patio on top of the room with some chairs, a hammock, and space to do yoga. It was easier to get up to the rooftop patio of this room as it had a full staircase. The room had a small mini-fridge, a safe, some books, and a Nespresso-style machine but you have to pay for each pod (they include great coffee with breakfast, so this was not a concern).

• Deluxe Pool Room: The Deluxe Pool Room is located away from the other rooms and has a different layout but the same amenities. The bed faces a living area but the shutters open up to the pool area for that outdoor jungle living vibe. This room also has a rooftop patio but you need to use a circular staircase to get there (there might be an easier way but we didn’t find it!). The pool is very nice and refreshing; it’s a small plunge pool with a view of the sunset/ocean.

4.       Bathroom: 8/10

Deluxe Double Room: The layout of the bathroom in the Deluxe Double Room offers more privacy. The shower had panels that opened up and foliage to provide privacy and an outdoor shower experience. The bath products were top-notch and by a local company which was a nice touch. Overall, the water pressure and temperature were perfect.

Deluxe Pool Room: The Deluxe Pool Room had a spacious bathroom but the layout was much more open. It was nice to get the natural lights due to the large window in the shower but we did feel a little exposed as there were no curtains or blinds and there are other guests and staff walking around. Like the other bathroom, the bath products were top notch and overall, the water pressure and temperature were perfect.

5.       Hotel public areas and amenities: 9/10 

Mint’s design is stunning; from the minimalist aspects and small touches like art from local artists, it’s a very aesthetically thoughtful place. Its aesthetic follows the style of “tropical brutalism” with lots of concrete, and natural colors and is built in harmony with the jungle and foliage. As far as amenities, there is an infinity pool with a view of the ocean, some lounge chairs by the pool, a small bar that serves cocktails and snacks, and the owners and staff are there to help you make arrangements for everything from ATV rentals, to tours, surf lessons, yoga classes, massages, and reservations at restaurants in town. They also serve an amazing breakfast each morning with local fruit, fresh homemade baked goods, coconut water, and more. Johanna makes the best banana bread (sorry mom!). They also update the tides each day to help you plan your day.

6.       Service and staff: 9/10 

For such a small resort, the service is above what we expected. We only got to meet Johanna and she is very organized and so chill (not sure how she does it! Housekeeping was also really good. No negative comments about the service and staff.

7.       Overall Value: 8/10 

We found the overall value to be average but since we were travelling during the highest of the high season, it was reasonable and they had a very flexible and generous cancellation policy which is very appreciated during COVID times. We would book the Double Deluxe Room again. Accommodations in Santa Teresa range from hostels to lavish private villas and there is a Hyatt Branded Resort on the beach that’s pretty expensive and so Mint falls somewhere in the middle.

Overall:84/100 

Would weleavetoday to go back? If we go back to Santa Teresa, we would consider staying at Mint again but also look at other options.