Costa Rica's Travel Document Requirements: 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 30 days after the date you enter the country. This means that if your passport will expire within the next 30 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.
Location, Climate, Amenities: When booking flights to Pura Vida Spa, you will want to fly into the San Jose International Airport (SJO). 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, the 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 resort has a mountainside Jacuzzi, a swimming pool, an honor bar, a gift shop featuring authentic Costa Rican fares, and laundry service (wash & fold - $8 per load). All accommodations at Pura Vida have electricity (including tentalows). Outlets are the same as the United States. Guest’s visitors are welcome at the resort and may dine at the restaurant with advance notice ($10-Breakfast, $15-Lunch, $25-Dinner). All visitors not staying overnight must vacate the premises by 10:00 pm.
What do I need to bring with me? 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.).
What is the address to the Spa? The mailing address is: Villas Pura Vida Retreat Center Apartado 1112, Alajuela 4050, Costa Rica
The physical address is: 700 metros al sur de salon Apolo 15 Pavas de Carrizal, Alajuela, Costa Rica
What is the phone number to the resort? The phone number to Pura Vida Spa is 011-506-2-483-0033. The fax number is 011-506-2-483-0041.
What are the shared bathrooms like? In the tentalow area there are two sets of bathrooms. Each set has two showers and two toilets. The shared bathrooms are set in lush gardens, are very attractive and are conveniently nearby. The bathrooms for the standard rooms are also shared. There are two toilets and showers here, too. These bathrooms are quite lovely, have ceramic tile floors and are mere steps from the standard rooms.
How far are the shared bathrooms? In the tentalow area the bathrooms are between 10 and 40 meters away depending on which tent you are in. The standard room bathrooms are only a few meters from the rooms.
How many people share the shared bathrooms? The maximum amount of people sharing the 4 tentalow bathrooms would be 16. For the standard rooms the maximum would be 8 people for 2 bathrooms.
Do men and women use the same bathroom? Yes, the shared bathrooms are all unisex. Of course, each toilet and shower stall is individual with locking doors.
Are there refrigerators in the rooms? Except for the Pagoda, none of our accommodations are equipped with refrigerators.
Do you have heat and air conditioning? The ambient temperature at Pura Vida is about ideal. We get the warmth of the tropics combined with the mountain freshness of being at 4,200 ft. elevation. Thus, none of our rooms or facilities has air conditioning or heating. The year round temperature is 70 to 80 degrees during the day with mild nights.
What do the standard rooms look like? The standard rooms are simple but comfortable. They can be arranged with two single beds or one king size bed. They have ceramic tile floors, coffee makers and a space to hang clothes. The four standard rooms are set in our lovely gardens and have shared bathrooms only a few steps away.
Are there beds in the tentalows? Yes, all the tentalows can be arranged with two single beds or one king size bed. The mattresses are very comfortable and are the same as we use in our other accommodations.
Do your rooms have locks? All our rooms, except for the tentalows, have doors that lock. We have a very secure property and have no problem with theft from guest rooms. Additionally, we have a safe in our office in which you can store your valuables like cash, credit cards, passports, etc.
Do all of the deluxe rooms have the same view? All of the accommodations (except the tentalows and standard rooms) have the same view; a gorgeous vista of the Central Valley and mountain ranges beyond.
Do you serve meat? The meals at Pura Vida are largely vegetarian but either fish or chicken is served at every lunch and dinner.
When can I pay my balance? You have the choice of either paying your balance due through our reservations office before you come to Pura Vida or paying upon check in once you arrive. If paying in the reservations office, you must do so 7 days before your arrival at Pura Vida (We accept Visa and MasterCard). If paying upon arrival at Pura Vida, we accept MasterCard, Visa, cash or traveler's checks.
How far are you from the ocean? The closest beaches to Pura Vida are about 2 hours away on the Pacific coast.
Are there a lot of bugs? No, we don't have a lot of bugs at Pura Vida. 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.
Is there snorkeling, surfing, deep-sea fishing, golfing nearby? There is snorkeling, surfing and deep-sea fishing at many beach areas in Costa Rica on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Golf is more difficult in that the golf courses here are mostly connected with big hotels or private clubs and are generally not open to visitors. There is one golf course open to the public about 45 minutes from Pura Vida.
What types of massages do you offer? We have a huge variety of massage and spa treatments available. Please see the info on our Wellness Center for more details.
Can I register for spa and trips before I go? Because the spa treatments we offer change somewhat from week to week (depending on which therapists are here), we ask that you wait until arrival to arrange appointments at the Wellness Center. Once you arrive you will also have a schedule for your week and will better know what times work better for you to arrange appointments.
Do you accept U.S. Dollars? Yes, we accept U.S. Dollars, traveler's checks and Visa or MasterCard at Pura Vida
Do I need to exchange U.S. Dollars for Colones (Costa Rican currency) before I come? No it is not necessary to get Colones prior to arrival. Pura Vida, and almost all other businesses in Costa Rica, accepts U.S. currency. If you should want or need Colones, we can exchange small amounts here at Pura Vida or you can go to many local banks to exchange larger amounts.
Is there an ATM? We do not have an ATM here on the property of Pura Vida but there are numerous ones available in the nearby town of Alajuela.
Do I need shots? No shots or vaccinations are needed for visits to Costa Rica.
Do the people at the resort speak English? Everyone in office, the yoga teachers and the massage therapists all speak English.
What types of yoga do you offer? The types of yoga we offer are numerous. Our staff yoga instructors (those who teach the Mind-Body-Spirit Program classes) teach everything from slower, more Iyengar-based classes, to Vinyasa flow classes, to Ashtanga/Power classes. We also have hundreds of teachers each year come to Pura Vida with groups and they offer an even wider variety of yoga styles form which to choose. Please see our Calendar of Events for more details.
What types of eco-excursions do you offer? We have many tour options available to you. Please see the info on our eco-excursions for more details.
On which days do the excursions happen? Our regular tour package (for our Mind-Body-Spirit Program participants and any others who want to go) includes a trip to the Waterfall Gardens on Monday, a choice of three full-day excursions on Wednesday and a trip to Poas Volcano on Friday. Many other optional tours are available and can be arranged for most any day.
Can I use my cell phone? Most cell phones work, however, you will need to contact your provider for assistance..
Can I use my laptop? Yes! Free Wi-Fi is available in our guest lounge, pool area and restaurant.
Where is the nearest internet café? There are a number of internet cafés in the nearby town of Alajuela. This is about a 15 minute ride away by taxi.
Do you offer a laundry service? Yes, we offer a laundry service to our guests. The charge is $8 per load to wash, dry and fold.
How do I get into town? 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 $5 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.
Can I rent a car? Yes, it is easy to rent a car if you wish. You can either arrange it with the major car rental companies before you come or we can help arrange it once you are here. 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.
How much is a cab? Taxicab rates depend, of course, on the distance you want to travel. Taxis in Costa Rica charge by the trip, 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 $8 each way, to the airport is $12 each way, to downtown San José is around $20 each way, and to Jacó (the nearest beach) is about $75 each way.
Is the water safe to drink? 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.
What is your elevation? Pura Vida is at 4,200 feet elevation.
How long has Pura Vida been around? Pura Vida has been in business for about 15 years.
What is the resort's policy on children? What can they do while they're there? Children are welcome are Pura Vida. While here, they can use our pool and hot tub. There is also a guest lounge with a television, VCR and modest video library as well as a couple of board games, magazines and books. Children really enjoy our eco-excursions, too. (Please note that some tours have age minimums.)
Is Pura Vida a safe place for single women to visit? Yes, our property is very secure. The area around Pura Vida is also safe to walk around in and many people (male and female) enjoy a walk or run in the surrounding neighborhood and coffee fields.
Do mostly singles or couples come to PV? A rough guess would be about 50 percent come alone (either they are single or are married and are here alone) and the rest come as couples.
Is Costa Rica safe? 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 anyplace with a concentration of tourists is more likely to draw thieves and such.
