Lucero was a perfect choice for a retreat! The owners are friendly, warm and very helpful. The experience was wonderful, the lodging, surf lessons and yoga were perfect! I could not have chosen a better retreat. I recommend them highly to friends and family!

What an amazing experience!!
First off .... Santa Theresa is the hidden gem of Costa Rica. From white sand beaches, amazing surf, and most importantly wonderful locals.

My fiance and I went down for a week ... and wish we could have stayed a lifetime. Lucero arranged wonderul lodging steps away from the beach. Try the amazing homemade Italian food served by the owners. Incredible. Yoga class in the morning and surf in the afternoon. Does it get any better!?!? Our instructors were top notch and catered to all levels. I highly recommend renting 4-wheelers and checking out the other small towns nearby.

I can't say enough good things about Lucero. Go .... Enjoy ... and thank me later.

So I researched so many places to learn how to surf. I stumbled upon this place on TripAdvisor and couldn't have been happier with my Choice. Marieke and Jared (the couple that own the surf camp) are the most inviting people I have met. I was a female solo traveller that has only gone as far as tourist Acapulco Mexico on a resort, so going to this small surf town by myself was a little scary. Once I got into town I was quick to learn that allot of people there are from North America or Europe and definitely not scary at all. Everyone at Otro Lado (the hotel Lucero Surf camp partners with) made me feel welcome, and the food there is just amazing, you feel as if you are in a tropical oasis.

Lucero made everything super easy, down to calling cabs and arranging my excursions while i was there. My surf lessons were super fun, Jared is an awesome teacher and amazing at catering to everyones skill level. Marieke was on the ball with details, she made the reservation process and "getting ready" process super easy. She was great with replying to my emails quickly and answering all my questions. They never made me feel like I was traveling alone. The hotel is beautiful and situated close enough to be part of the action but far enough to be a nice quite place to have a coffee, take a dip or read a book.

There are a few ways to get there:
1- Fly to a major city in Costa Rica (I flew to SJO but i think you can also do Liberia) and then take a tiny plane to Tambor and then Taxi.
2 - Fly in and then there is a 6hour bus ride which is cheaper then the small plane
3 - Fly in and rent a car drive down

My only advice is that if you are like me and love to explore and do allot of excursions and activities is to rent a car and drive down from the airport so that you have a vehicle while you are there. It's not needed if you just want to hang in the town. I did rent ATV's which are cheap and fun but with everything added into the equation (taxi+plane ect) I think you'd be better off with a small 4x4. If you don't have the itch to go outside of the town and just want to sit and hang then there is no need for a vehicle there are plenty of Taxis out there.

All in all i couldn't recommend a better place or people to learn how to surf with. This was a trip truly worth it!

My mother (50) and I (22) decided to go to Costa Rica for a girls' adventure trip after I graduated from college. We booked with Lucero for their Surf & Adventure Retreat and got exactly that. All our transportation and day-trips were arranged for us which was ultra-convenient. Desafio, the adventure company used, was excellent, fun, and dedicated to our experience. We had a blast rafting, ziplining, and repelling. When my mom slipped during the hiking portion of the repelling trip, they did everything possible to help her out including driving her to the paramedicos for a free check.

My mother had had enough adventure by that time which was perfect because now we headed for Santa Teresa, the sun, the beach, and the ocean. She had declined the surf lessons before we went on the trip but fully participated in Francesca's great yoga sessions. When we found out a massage wasn't included in our particular trip, she was a little disappointed but Marieke arranged for her to get her massage (free i think) anyways. That's great service! The staff of Lucero and of the hotel, Otro Lado, went out of their way to make you feel like you were part of their group of friends. There was really a community feel and we only wish we could have stayed longer as we were just getting to know our fellow guests.

I took the surf lessons with two other women on the retreat. We had Patrick as our instructor and he made our two hour daily sessions exhausting, informative, and really fun. By the second day we were all catching a majority of the little waves we paddled for. Watch out for the current and the rocks~ I had a blast despite a couple of scrapes and bruises. Again, I only wish I could have stayed longer.

Santa Teresa is a great town full of great dining and boutique-y shopping options. Don't expect any souvenirs and maybe bring a handkerchief to cover your mouth and nose as the ATVs, trucks, and dirtbikes kick up a lot of dust. It's pedestrian friendly for the most part and we had no issues walking everywhere even after dark. Make sure to get to the beach for the sunset!!!

Otro Lado was comfortable, clean, and peaceful (don't except late night parties, everyone's usually in bed by 10pm or sitting on their little balconies reading). We didn't miss our TVs or computers in the least bit and you probably won't either--just bring a good book and don't be afraid to talk to your neighbors!

Lucero arranged everything conveniently and with great customer service. Marieke was quick to answer our questions and offer assistance--which is tremendous considering she was about to burst with baby!