Hillside Casita in Santa Teresa

The position alone sets the tone. Perched at the crest of a forested hillside, this five-bedroom villa commands an uninterrupted sweep of coastline from Santa Teresa all the way to Cabo Blanco — the famous point break visible from every balcony, the Pacific horizon framed by tropical canopy. Howler monkeys move through the trees at dusk. Iguanas cross the garden path without ceremony. The house doesn't announce itself; the landscape does that.

Designed for cross-ventilation and outdoor living, the architecture works with the coastal climate rather than against it — panoramic windows open onto wide covered terraces that catch the ocean breeze from every angle, making the boundary between inside and outside largely theoretical. For those who prefer it, the villa is also fully air-conditioned throughout.

The main level holds an open-plan kitchen and living room, a generous covered balcony, and one of two master suites with an ensuite bathroom. A level below, the second master suite mirrors it in privacy and finish, accompanied by two additional guest rooms — one with twin bunk beds, another with a king and a pull-out single — sharing a third bathroom between them. On the lowest level, reached via an exterior staircase, a private bedroom with its own bathroom offers a discreet retreat for a nanny or additional guest; note this room is cooled by ceiling fan only.

As the house is nestled in a gated community, it provides 24-hour security, shared parking, and a community swimming pool. A 4WD vehicle or ATV is recommended for navigating the hillside access road; once parked, a short 50-meter walk with eight steps leads to the main entrance. Santa Teresa's natural character — occasional power cuts, high humidity, resident wildlife — is part of life here, not an exception to it.