I loved studying Spanish at Marazul Spanish school.
It is a small local school with very professional enthusiastic teachers.
Isabel my teacher was really good, always reacted on my feedback. And did a lot of extra work to help me with my special request for practicing aviaton vocabulary, where I work in.
I do recomend to email the school in advance to make sure they reserve a class for you.

During a 3 month trip through South America stayed in Montanita for over a month. Wanting to learn surfing and spanish I contacted Gaby for lessons. Lessons were amazing. Took daily private lessons all through my stay. Classes are great, you talk a lot (luckily not one of those classes where you write all the time), and in a month covered virtually all the grammar. But apart from, that Gaby is such a warm, and great person. (and don't forget Kyle the dog..). She helped me right after first contact with accomodation, and transport from Guayaquil. And apart from classes she gives regular dinners at her place, gathers everyone for nights out in town.

All in all, a fantastic experience for everyone who wants to learn talking spanish quickly and meet a wonderful person! Very, very, very recommendable (also financially by the way)

What a gem of a Spanish school! Surfing might bring you to Montanita, but classes at relaxed Marazul will make you stay. Gaby, the owner, is a special, lovely person, who can arrange all aspects of your stay in Montanita. She even helped me figure out how to get a yellow fever vaccination and arranged a group tour, complete with lunch, to a local waterfall. I never had Gaby as a teacher, but for four weeks I delighted in having dedicated and cheerful Miguel as my teacher. He may not be the most accomplished linguist (often I had to correct him--with my knowledge of Latin and Italian, I have a good grasp of grammar), but he is supportive and encouraging and he is excellent at explaining vocabulary in Spanish (without resorting to English) and coming up with games to practice grammar and vocabulary. On top of that, he loves what he does and it makes his students love studying Spanish. He even volunteered to go out to dinner with us twice because he enjoys socializing with us, even if our Spanish is painfully rudimentary. This is an exceptional Spanish school.

I can't possibly say enough good things about the Mar Azul school.

I studied here for 3 weeks in March, and the amount of Spanish I learned was amazing. I studied for 4 hours a day solo with Gaby, and she was a fantastic teacher. I had little to no knowledge of spanish when I arrived, and in three weeks, I was not only comprehending a lot when other people talked, but I could also express myself in the present, past, and future tenses.

Classes are taught outside, with sand under your feet and warm sun above. They're casual -- it doesn't feel at all like the last language class you had in high school or college. They're focused on real learning, not book learning -- you don't waste your time learning to spell correctly, and instead are focused on useful spanish.

Gaby was an amazing teacher -- of all my teachers in the US and otherwise, she was the best language teacher by far. And she went out of the way not only to make sure that you were OK throughout your visit, but she organized activities like dancing, dinner, and tours to make sure your days and nights were busy. I really enjoyed talking with her -- it wasn't just language practice, it was fun.

Prices are more than reasonable, and Montanita is a great place. There's a lot to do, many places to eat, and a varied culture close around the city. Like most people, I tried to learn to surf, but also did cool things like spear fishing and hiking.

Really, do this if you can. Gaby's school is so much better than the one in town with tons of tourists flowing through. And you're helping a local, Ecuadorian business.