The People Behind the Experience — Jennifer Lotz, General Manager of Pasha Beachfront Estate in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Pasha is a 10-bedroom, fully staffed villa located just north of Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. Many factors make this villa truly one of a kind, but what makes it especially amazing are the people behind the experience. Here, we get to know Jennifer Lotz, the resident general manager who has worldwide experience and is involved in the details of every guest stay, from reservations, pre-arrival preparations, and curating the actual guest stay. A newly minted Mom, and lover of dogs, Jen is the heart of soul of the Pasha experience.
1) How long have you lived in Costa Rica? What region were you born in and how long have you lived in Santa Teresa?
“I was born and raised in San Jose de la Montaña in the Central northern mountains of Costa Rica. When I was ten, my family and I moved to a small German town called Staufen, where my sister and I went to school for a year so my dad could connect with his roots (my grandfather was German). I've lived in Santa Teresa for seven years now.”
2) You’ve worked in the travel industry for a long time. Tell us about your experience, how and why did you got involved? What lead you to become the GM for Pasha?
“I've worked in the travel industry for a little over 20 years now. I got involved in the industry shortly after I graduated from High School when I went to Les Roches Hotel Management School in Marbella. I did internships in Tenerife, Marbella, and Thailand during my studies. After I graduated, I came back to Costa Rica for a brief period before realizing I still wanted to continue learning and connecting; I was offered a Full Scholarship at Endicott College in Northern Massachusetts, where I got my BA in Business Administration while teaching Events and Service Management at the colleges' Hospitality Management School. After graduation, I worked for a year at the Four Seasons Boston; when my visa was up, I returned to Costa Rica, where I continued working for JW Marriott. After this, I decided to work less with corporate hotels and more with boutique sustainable hotels where guests focus more on their footprint, where they are traveling, what they consume, and where they stay.
I applied to Cayuga Collection in Costa Rica and was hired at Latitude 10 when I relocated to Santa Teresa and began my journey here. A couple of years after managing Latitude 10, COVID came simultaneously with the sale of the hotel, yet I decided Santa Teresa was my home and decided to stay. After COVID, I was hired at one of the oldest hotels in Santa Teresa, where I worked for a year while waiting to get back to a more boutique property. When Pasha was under construction, I met the owner, Cem, who offered me the job. This June will be my third year at Pasha; I began working here during the final stages of construction. Even though I've been in Santa Teresa for many years, I try to travel yearly to keep up with changes and continue learning and interacting with new cultures. These past years, I have gone to South Africa, India, back to Thailand (to a different region ), and I've been to Japan twice as I fell in love with the country and had to go back to see other parts.
I'm looking forward to these coming years and focusing more on my travels in South America and seeing what's there!”
3) You’re a mother now, congrats! Do you find it challenging to juggle being a single mother while managing the best, most unique villa in Costa Rica? What’s your favorite part of being a mom thus far?
“Thank you! It's definitely been a long, challenging journey to motherhood, but I made it, and I still can't believe she's here. My little nugget is five months old and loves beach life; we'll soon surf together! Thankfully Mila is such a happy baby that it hasn't been too much of a juggle; the team at Pasha loves her, so when I'm in meetings, catching up on emails or with guests, someone will take her, and when we are busy, my sister, who also lives in Teresa, stays at home with her. My favorite part of being a mom is how Mila challenges me daily and keeps me on my toes; motherhood has given life a different meaning.”
4) Last but definitely not least, what makes Pasha so special and different from other Villa accommodations in Santa Teresa? If there is one, or a few, experiences that you feel guests can’t miss out on while staying at Pasha, what are they?
“Pasha is the only fully staffed Villa in Santa Teresa; we operate like a Hotel. Most staff members who worked with me at Latitude 10, have come to work for Pasha and have been here since opening day. Pasha includes Breakfast; most of our products are local, organic, hormone-free, and grass-fed. There is a lot of interaction with guests, when they want to join the chef and learn how to make their ceviche or patacones, they can join and learn from our ingredients, where they come from, and the different forms they can be cooked. Pasha offers complete Food and Beverage service during clients' stay (there is no need to hire a private chef, bartender, or server), all this is included in the rate. We are located on the beachfront between Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa, which is a plus, especially during the high season when beaches can get a little crowded; at Pasha, you are far enough to have peace but close enough that when you want to be part of the "active" scene, you are just a 5-minute drive.
At Pasha, we do Beach setups for clients who wish to have a sunset beach Picnic with finger food and drinks. We can hire live music upon guests' requests. We also have a full-time concierge to do your grocery and regular shopping. We organize all activities, tours, and town reservations. There is a beachfront Yoga deck for private Yoga Lessons and a "Hammock Garden" under the Ceiba trees. All ten bedrooms can be king or twin beds. We also have 24-hour security and 16 security cameras for those travelers who worry about safety. Most importantly, we will make you feel at home away from home.
At Pasha, we give back. We donate a percentage of the staff's gratuity to Casa de Restauracion, a children's shelter in Cobano, and make monthly donations to sponsor twin toddlers. We participate in and organize beach cleanups and have no single use of plastic at the villa. (When grocery shopping for guests, we encourage them to purchase non-single-use plastic and focus more on local, sustainable products. It 's not always the case, and we respect that, but we encourage as much as we can!
Experiences you can't miss out on Surf. This is a local surf town with waves for all levels. Mountain and Beach horseback riding tour and the Blue Zone Nature tour.”
If you’re lucky enough, Jen might join your Pasha crew for a surf session. Her skills are impressive!
When doing a partial buyout of Pasha, let's say for the Main House 4-bedrooms only, do guests still get the full staff and service that is offered when doing a full buyout of all 10-bedrooms? Are there any dates during the year a partial buyout is not an option?
“With the partial buyout, guests get full staff and service. We encourage partial buyouts for last-minute bookings or low seasons. Partial bookings are not an option during any major holiday or peak season.”
We Look Forward to Hosting You!
What’s left to say that already hasn’t been said? We are waiting for you to visit Pasha and Jen will be there to welcome you with open arms; to curate your experience exactly the way you dreamed of. Below is a link to our rates and also a video walkthrough of the property with Clark Kotula himself. See ya’ll in paradise at Pasha!
Partial & Full Buyout Rack Rates 2024 – 2025
Property Walkthrough with Clark Kotula