Must-see hotels in Monteverde & Santa Elena

  • Hidden Canopy Treehouses

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    The accommodations are perched on stilts (not in trees) but, goodness, everything else is perfect. Floor-to-ceiling windows encase this opulent forest…

  • Chira

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    An imaginative treetop glamping experience involving geodesic dome tents on platforms overlooking the cloud forest. Kids will love the family tents, which…

  • Casa Batsu

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Carlos and Paula remodeled their family farmhouse, filled it with art, jazz and delicious food, and then opened their doors to share the love. Five rooms…

  • Pensión Santa Elena

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This full-service hostel right in central Santa Elena is a perennial favorite, offering budget travelers top-notch service and pura vida hospitality. Each…

  • Casa Tranquilo

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    The wonderful Tico hospitality starts first thing in the morning with homemade banana bread or pancakes. In addition to the excellent breakfast, staff…

  • Los Pinos Cabañas y Jardines

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Fifteen freestanding cabinas are scattered around the forested gardens of this 8-hectare property, which once formed part of the family finca. Each cabaña…

  • Hotel Belmar

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Every room at the Belmar boasts views of forest or gulf – or both! The gorgeous light-filled rooms are decked out with handcrafted furniture and high…

  • Hotel Trapp Family

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Here’s some contemporary luxury in the midst of the cloud forest. The 20 spacious rooms have high wooden ceilings, big bathrooms and fabulous views from…

  • Finca Terra Viva

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    A 121-hectare working dairy finca surrounded by lush forest, this unique place offers guests an authentic rural experience, while raising environmental…

  • El Bosque

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    On the edge of the Bosque Eterno de los Niños in Monteverde, this place is a pleasant surprise. Wooden duplex solar-powered cabins are surrounded by…

  • Capulín Cabins & Farm

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Observe traditional farm life, hike the trails to spot birds and monkeys or just swing in a hammock and watch the show in the sky. There are nine…

  • Monteverde Rustic Lodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Funny thing about the Rustic Lodge: it’s not that rustic. The tree-trunk posts and furnishings play along with the theme, but remodeled rooms are spotless…

  • Senda Lodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This resurrected collection of bungalows has been freshened up with contemporary decor and local art, and surrounded by newly planted foliage. Add to that…

  • Vista Verde Lodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Wanna get away? Drive your 4WD 7km north of town to this remote, weather-beaten lodge, where you’ll fall asleep to the sounds of the rainforest. Wood…

  • Selina Monteverde

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    An outlier in the Selina chain for its quiet location right up against the cloud forest, Selina Monteverde appeals to the backpacker or young family…

  • Cloud Forest Lodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Sleep in the clouds – this hilltop lodge is up there, surrounded by 28 hectares of primary and secondary forest. There are trails to walk, species to…

  • Santa Elena Hostel Resort

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    With fish in the koi pond and monkeys and coatis on the rooftops, this hostel seems like a fan-cooled paradise. The shady grounds are strung with hammocks…

  • Hotel Fonda Vela

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    With unique architectural styling and around 14 hectares of trail-laced grounds, this long-standing lodge had, at the time of research, recently been…

  • Hotel Poco a Poco

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    There’s a lot to love about Poco a Poco. There's the spa, of course, but the restaurant is also excellent, and the contemporary architecture is striking…

  • Arco Iris Ecolodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This clutch of pretty cabins is on a little hill overlooking Santa Elena and the surrounding forests. Rooms vary in size and style, but all are quite…

  • Cabinas El Pueblo

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    On a quiet road just steps from Santa Elena town, this pleasant hostel is run by an attentive Tico couple, Marlenny and Freddy. Well-furnished rooms are…

  • Sleepers

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Downstairs it looks like a friendly restaurant, but it’s actually a crowded communal kitchen, where happy travelers prepare and share meals. Upstairs it…

  • Mariposa B&B

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Just 2km from the Monteverde reserve, this friendly place has nice rooms with stained-wood walls, terracotta floors, writing desks and beamed ceilings,…

  • Valle Campanas

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Four humble cabins are scattered around this family-run coffee and sugar plantation. The functional cabins have shiny kitchens, wide porches with hammocks…

  • Camino Verde B&B

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This travelers’ nest offers an assortment of spacious rooms with wood ceilings and tile floors. A newer addition contains more expensive (and recommended)…

  • Cabinas Eddy

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This budget spot continues to get rave reviews for its amazing breakfasts, attentive service and delightful manager Eddy (son of Freddy). The rooms are…

  • Hotel Claro de Luna

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This graceful old mahogany gingerbread-style house in Santa Elena is surrounded by gorgeous gardens bursting with heliconias, orchids and other tropical…

  • Hotel El Viandante

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Perched on a small but steep hill in Cerro Plano, this stone lodge is a solid choice. The rooms are standard, with good mattresses, pinewood interiors and…

  • Monteverde Backpackers

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Small and friendly, Monteverde Backpackers is part of the Costa Rica Hostel Network. The dorms are clean and comfy enough, the showers are hot, the…

  • Cabinas & Hotel Vista al Golfo

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This bright, kitschy lodge is well kept, the showers are hot and the owners will make you feel right at home. On a clear day the upstairs balconies have…

  • Jaguarundi Lodge

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    All the dorms in this former hostel have been replaced by double rooms. It's akin to a well-appointed mountain lodge but only 200m from town; you might…

  • Hotel El Atardecer

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This attractive two-story wooden lodge is located away from the main drag in Santa Elena, guaranteeing a good night’s rest. Surrounding a spacious…

  • El Establo Mountain Hotel

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This may be the only place in Costa Rica where the rooms have wall-to-wall carpeting. The rooms also have orthopedic mattresses with plush linens, and…

  • Swiss Hotel Miramontes

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    About 700m north of the soccer field in Santa Elena, this charming Euro-inspired retreat is well situated in a grove of pine trees and tropical flowers…

  • Ficus Sunset Suites

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Just south of Santa Elena, above the mini-mall, Ficus' rooms are spacious and stylish, with private terraces and sweet views of the town and forest beyond…

  • Hotel Las Orquideas

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Surrounded by forest yet only 500m from Santa Elena town, Nidia's lovely little hotel is a pleasant base for your explorations. There’s not a lot going on…

  • Mar Inn B&B

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This humble, homey B&B in Santa Elena is a family-run place that makes all guests feel warm and welcome. Rooms are rustic but comfortable, with stained…

  • Sloth Backpackers

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    This colorful hovel comes with super-friendly management, a nice shared kitchen and excellent hammock swings. An actual sloth lives in the trees across…

  • Hotel El Sueño

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    Smack dab in the middle of Santa Elena, this family-run hotel has friendly service, huge wooden rooms and a generous breakfast. The floors are squeaky and…

  • Roca Verde

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    If you want to base yourself a bit out of town, this motel with a shared kitchen is a true bargain. It's simple, clean, and the grounds are filled with…

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