Spanish by the River - Turrialba - Hostel

During the month I took classes and arranged lodging with the school, its administration repeatedly overpromised and then fell far short. The disorganization cost me a significant amount of time and money as I had to keep making new arrangements. The school seems past its heyday, with poor management and derelict facilities.

Turrialba was a nice break from Costa Rica’s more touristy areas, and I loved it. The staff here were really helpful and arranged a coffee farm tour for the day we arrived. It turned out to be a great, very personalized tour. I’d definitely recommend staying here.

There’s a great view from the hostel over its garden, which is the jungle, and the outdoor spaces are especially nice for relaxing. The shared areas are large, and the kitchen is big. The rooms and beds are fine. The bathrooms aren’t always very clean, but that’s okay for a hostel. I had an amazing stay in Turrialba.

My daughter and I spent a month traveling in Costa Rica, and our week studying Spanish with Abi was the highlight. I was surprised by how much my rusty Spanish improved. I feel more confident handling travel situations now, and although I have plenty left to learn, the week got me keen to keep improving. Abi teaches Spanish at the local college and is a gifted, knowledgeable, patient, generous, engaging, and fun instructor. We also learned a lot about Costa Rican culture, customs, and history. We chose a host family rather than the hostel. The hostel is beautiful, clean, well kept, and has a fully equipped kitchen, with amazing staff. Our host family, Rosie and Alex, were generous, kind, welcoming, enthusiastic, and fun. We feel lucky to have spent a week with this wonderful Costa Rican family. If you want a quality, authentic Costa Rican experience that isn’t touristy, Spanish by the River is it!