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Pura Vida Hostel

2.0 star property
Surround yourself with lush gardens while kids have fun in the playground or game room. Experience authentic local culture.

Photo gallery for Pura Vida Hostel

Lobby sitting area
Interior detail
Daily local cuisine breakfast (USD 5 per person)
Dining
Basic Shared Dormitory, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Reviews

7.2 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Bar
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 8 of 8 rooms

View all photos for Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Private Bathroom, Garden Area

Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Private Bathroom, Garden Area

Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Private Bathroom, Garden Area

Highlights

Air conditioning
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Portable fan
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Single Bed

Basic Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Air conditioning
Portable fan
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 8
  • 8 Single Bunk Beds

View all photos for Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Superior Double Room, 1 Bedroom, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Air conditioning
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Portable fan
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bed

Basic Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Air conditioning
Portable fan
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 5
  • 5 Single Bunk Beds

View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom, Shared Bathroom, Garden View

Standard Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom, Shared Bathroom, Garden View

Standard Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom, Shared Bathroom, Garden View

Highlights

Air conditioning
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Portable fan
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Single Beds

Basic Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Air conditioning
Portable fan
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 5
  • 5 Single Bunk Beds

View all photos for Economy Double Room, Multiple Beds, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Economy Double Room, Multiple Beds, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Economy Double Room, Multiple Beds, Accessible, Private Bathroom

Highlights

Air conditioning
Portable fan
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bed

Basic Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Air conditioning
Portable fan
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Rainfall showerhead
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Single Bunk Beds

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  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (44)
The price is NZ$121
includes taxes & fees
6 Mar - 7 Mar
Casa Pura Vida Surf Hostel
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About the area

Map
Calle Guanacaste Tamarindo, 100m East From Banco National, Tamarindo, Guanacaste, 50309

What's nearby

  • WAYRA Institute of Spanish - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Tamarindo Beach - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Playa Langosta - 7 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course - 32 min drive - 16.3 km
  • Grande Beach - 34 min drive - 18.1 km

Getting around

  • Tamarindo (TNO) - 8 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sharky's Sports Bar - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪El Moro - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Medusa Bar - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Chiquita’s - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Wild Panda - ‬6 min walk

About this property

Pura Vida Hostel

Family-friendly hostel near Tamarindo Beach
Located close to WAYRA Institute of Spanish and Grande Beach, Pura Vida Hostel provides a terrace, a coffee shop/cafe and a garden. Adventurous travellers may like the hiking/biking trails at this hostel. Free in-room WiFi is available to all guests, along with a playground and an arcade/games room.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • Free self-parking
  • Local cuisine breakfast (surcharge), bike hire and a round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Express check-out, express check-in and supervised childcare (surcharge)
Room features
All guest rooms at Pura Vida Hostel offer perks, such as premium bedding and air conditioning, in addition to amenities, such as free WiFi and free newspapers.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Portable fans and daily housekeeping

Languages

Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, English, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi and wired internet
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi and wired internet

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Daily local cuisine breakfast available 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee: USD 5 for adults and USD 5 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Bicycle rentals
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Library
  • Playground
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • Arcade/game room
  • Laundry facilities
  • Playground
  • Supervised activities for children (surcharge)

Conveniences

  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Assistive listening devices
  • No lift

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Private or shared bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Free daily newspapers
  • Portable fan

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: 11 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Late check-in subject to availability
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age - 12

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 11 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 10:30 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for local cuisine breakfast: from approximately USD 5 for adults and from USD 5 for children
  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 20 per person (return)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts mobile payments and cash
Mobile payment options include: PayPal
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms

Property is also known as

Pura Vida Hostel Tamarindo
Pura Vida Hostel
Pura Vida Tamarindo
Pura Vida Guesthouse Hotel Tamarindo
Pura Vida Guesthouse And Hostel
Pura Vida Hostel Tamarindo
Pura Vida Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
Pura Vida Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Tamarindo

Frequently asked questions

Is Pura Vida Hostel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking at Pura Vida Hostel?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Pura Vida Hostel?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: 11 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Pura Vida Hostel?

Checkout is at 11 AM.

Does Pura Vida Hostel provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle. A fee of USD 20 per person applies.

Where is Pura Vida Hostel located?

This family-friendly Tamarindo hostel is located near the beach, within a 10-minute walk of WAYRA Institute of Spanish and Tamarindo Beach. Tamarindo Church and Canopy Vista Tamarindo are also within 6 mi (10 km).

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Pura Vida Hostel Reviews

Reviews

7.2

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 10 out of 32 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 32 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 32 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 32 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 32 reviews

6.6/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

6.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

4.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Nancy

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022

2/10 Terrible

Rachel

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
When I arrived, the owner of the property told me he wanted me to cancel my expedia booking and pay him cash because "he couldnt recieve the funds I paid through expedia". I submitted a request for a full refund and expedia said they need confirmation through the owner of the hostel. The hostel owner told me that he confirmed with expedia and made me pay him money before I received any sort of refund for the money I already had paid for my stay. I contacted expedia yesterday to confirm that I was recieving a refund and they said they still couldnt contact the property owner to confirm. Therefore I have paid this man twice, once on expedia and once with cash for the same booking. I am pretty sure it is illegal to scam your customers like this, this is totally unacceptable. Please find a way to contact this man to help me recieve my refund. The hostel was also very dirty and smelled like stinky feet. As I was packing my bag to leave, I found peanuts scattered underneath my bed. I told my roommate and he said he saw them when he checked in earlier in the week. The room looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a month and the sheets I was given to make my own bed were stained. The hostel owner was also very rude and made me cry when he told me to pay him cash even though I hadn't recieved my expedia refund yet. I will never go back and I hope he doesn't scam the rest of the people who book through expedia.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

6/10 Okay

Till

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

2/10 Terrible

romain

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021

2/10 Terrible

Ron

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2021

2/10 Terrible

Mitault

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

8/10 Good

Luis Miguel Juarez

Personal super amable y servicial, excelente trato al cliente
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Jonathan

Estuvo muy bonito
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Daniel Coto González

Muy buena estadia, Cool y relax
Muuy buena la temática y las habitaciones muy limpias ordenadas y compartir mucho con las demás personas hospedadas
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2021

8/10 Good

EVAN

Great Place
Great Hostel Experience, nice people.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2020

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
You won’t be sleeping alone ...
I booked this place with an open mind since it had limited reviews. Everything I came across though said it was good so I took a chance. It’s a unique place that had a very laid back vibe. People hanging out conversing and small jam sessions were cool. The rooms however were a little questionable in terms of cleanliness. The sheets were very worn and had stains on them. The bunk I had had multiple small little ants crawling all over it. Now I get there are bugs in Costa Rica and ants come with the territory but the per capita to the space was a little high. Also when we came back that night we found a giant cockroach on the wall next to the bunk. I scurried it back the bathroom and tried to sleep knowing it was free and it likely had multiple friends there with it. I was awoken at 1 am to multiple firecrackers outside the hostel at this time I decided to use the restroom and I found the cockroach friends all over the sink and shower. To top the night off there were multiple bats in the open area living in the giant hit ceiling and kid you not a skunk ran through the communal area. By far my worst hostel experience and I get that you get for what you pay for but multiple critters is a little much.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fuyons!
Gars de l'accueil sympa mais peu apte à donner des informations pratiques ou touristiques. La chambre et installations basiques de chez basiques - meme rudimentaires et pzs tres propre. Pour un prix qui ne vaut meme pzs la moitié 'de ce que nous avons payer - prix exorbitant de base et encore plu en vue de ce que nous avons eu. Le seul point positif: l'hostel a invite tout le monde pour le repas de Noël ce qui etit bien sympa. Sinon a éviter !
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

A fun place to stay if you are young and on a budget
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Un buen hostel cerca de todo
Todo muy bien, confortable, limpio y buena ubicacion. Precio/calidad insuperable en ese sector.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

my 1st time in a hostel. the staff were amazing. my room was large and comfortable. walking distance to beach and shopping. will stay there every time i go back to costa rica
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Very close to the ocean and beach, maybe 5-15 minute walk! A great spot with lots of really good food and very nice people within walking distance. The place itself was very beach-hippy esque, bright colours and lots of chill communal spaces. The rooms were ok but quite hot and not the cleanest hostel I have stayed in. Sheets seemed worn and pillow was all lumps. This overall cleanliness could also be attributed to the sand and water being tracked in by all the guests though. While front desk employees were nice they did seem a tad unorganized. Took us 3 different staff before someknew could help us pay as they weren’t confident in how to do it properly. If you are laid back and just need a place to crash while you stay by the beach this is a fine choice. Wouldn’t be my recommendation for a long-term stay though.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Vey central location. The instalations weren´t too clean and the facilities were limited.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jeanne

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Stacy

Family like atmosphere
Stayed in the four person dorm with my friend for two nights. The room was large with plenty of locker space for belongings. The hostel has two kitchens and a large outside living area. Free coffee in the morning, live entertainment three nights a week. Great hostel.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Fabiola

Exc
Me encantó, muy amables. Me encanta el estilo del hostel, el ambiente que tiene! Definitivamente quiero volver
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

carlos, SJO Costa Rica

Close to the beach. conveniente
conveniente, close to the beach and cheap. good attention
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Edwin

Estadía en el hostel pura vida
No me gusto ya que en el area del rancho la gente se queda hablando muy tarde en la noche y uno no puede dormir. Deberían solucionar esto para que los huespedes tengan ese derecho a la tranquilidad-. Si uno renta un cuarto es para pasarla bien y poder dormir y no soportar hasta altas horas de la noche la gente hablando, eso no puede ser.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Ivan, Mexico

Tamarindo para vivir
Excelente ambiente, el personal super amable, te hacen sentir en casa, hay artistas invitados en las noches. No lo recomiendo si viajas con niños.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Hanna

Bodde här tidigare men åkte tillbaka igen för att detta hostel troligast är det bästa jag bott på. Personalen är grym och väldigt hjälpsamma. Många kvällar i veckan händer det någonting, eldshow, olika band som spelar osv. Det är en väldigt skön atmosfär
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

We had an amazing time. Just bring lots of bug spray.