We paid $50 a night for the 'delux' appartment, so we weren't expecting much.

The good points - the room was lovely and big and the views were beautiful. We did feel there should be some mention of the winds on the website as they are very loud and the shaking and rattling of windows makes it quite difficuult to sleep.

The breakfast is okay for a hostel - cereal, bread and some fruit - we heard rumours that there were eggs on occasion but none while we were there. I would have preferred being offered washing up liquid to do our dishes. The breakfast is supposed to start at 6 but the one day we went down at 6 as we had to leave at 6.30 (and they knew this) nothing was ready until 6.20.

It was this attitude of the staff that really disappointed us. As soon as they found out we had booked our tours online already their whole attitude changed. They have signs everywhere warnign you to only book tours through them and that you will be hassled in town - we didn't find this to be the case. We saw them speaking to people who did book tours through them - it was amazing how much their English improved!

So overall quite disappointing as we felt the website was pretty inaccurate.

If i knew what to look forward to, maybe I wouldn't be so disappointed- but in their website they sell themselves as a hotel- when they are anything but that.
We booked through the web site a package for 3 night, prepaying 20% of the price online.
The first problem was with paying, as soon as we got there they asked for the remaining 80% and in cash. I explained that on their website I paid with a credit card, and in no place it said I will need to pay in cash, but they only said that if I want to pay with a credit card it would be an extra 15(!)%. The women at the desk didn’t even speak English so the dialog was very hard, and eventually she put the "boss" on the phone, which like I said didn’t help.
Then we entered the room, which was big and nicely decorated, as if it was a hotel- the only good point.
When the night came the biggest problem accord, we just couldn't sleep duo to the winds whistling, very hard in the windows- the sound kept us up most of the night. The biggest problem is that when we went to talk about it to the clerk the next morning, she just said something like "yes, it is like that every year from November to February, you can't do anything about it"- they know, and jest don’t care!
The straw that broke us was breakfast- I say again, this is not really a hotel, and the breakfast is the best way to understand that. You don’t get breakfast, you get to use a joint kitchen with some basic products like soft egg, and not only do you need to make your own breakfast, but you are required to wash the dishes and clean up after yourself.
Bottom line- worst place we slept inn in our trip to Costa rice- if in Monteverde, go to the Rustic lodge- they take only 10$ more for night and they are a real hotel.

First of all the breakfast is amazing, the kitchen was really nice and the rooms where very "hotel like". The location is pretty good although most hostels in Santa Elena are situated out side the center but it is a two min walk.
Over all great value for ur money! Don't miss out!
P.s they never stop cleaning there it is crazy

Breakfast was appreciated
View, overlooking mountains & onwards to the coast are amazing on a clear morning
Great staff