Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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About
4.5
#2 of 10 hotels in Santa Elena
Location
Cleanliness
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Value
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
• We have 28 rooms. 12 Forest View Downstairs, 12 Forest View Balcony, 3 Garden View and 1 Superior Garden View. • All rooms have free wireless internet. • All rooms do not have air conditioning or television, so you can appreciate the sounds of the tropical cloud forest. • The service style is personalized, informal, caring. • Our food is what a Costa Rican grandmother would cook if she was also a creative and contemporary professional chef. • The atmosphere in our lodge is quiet, laid back and tranquil with an open fireplace. No background music. • Our bar serves up creative cocktails. • Suggested activities in Monteverde Lodge: Explore the gardens, spend time in our solar-heated pool, visit the butterfly and humming bird garden. • Among the suggested activities in the area are hiking or bird watching with a naturalist guide, horseback riding, and zip-lining through the canopy.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
400 Meters East From the Frog Pond, Entrance on the Right Hand Side of the Road, Santa Elena 60109 Costa Rica
Monteverde Lodge
1,713 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Monteverde Lodge is lauded for its modern and spotless rooms, which, despite occasional remarks on size and noise, provide a comfortable stay. The hotel's amenities, particularly its lush gardens and dining options, are consistently celebrated, with balconies adding to the allure. Service at the lodge is a high point, with staff earning accolades for their friendliness and attentiveness.
Nestled near Saint Elena and natural wonders, its location offers both seclusion and easy access to local attractions. While some guests find the pricing steep, many justify the cost with the hotel's exceptional views and tranquil, eco-friendly atmosphere.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Top-notch
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Myself and my two daughters stayed here for 2 nights while in Monteverde. This is a truely great little hotel (28 rooms) - it’s rustic lodge meets mid century modern design with clean, spacious rooms overlooking the beautiful gardens and cloud forest. The food in the restaurant was exceptional, and we ate most of our meals there! They also served the best daiquiris of anywhere we stayed in Costa Rica loaded with fresh fruit. The butterfly garden also made for a great spot to have a coffee and enjoy many species of butterfly float around you. I cannot day say enough good things about this fantastic spot!
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adriana DÃaz, Owner at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 24 Feb 2020
Dear CarlaM843, What a best way to enjoy with your family members than in a secluded, cozy lodge surrounded by the magic of the cloud forest. Thank you so much for such an outstanding description of our Lodge. It sounds like you really appreciate our hotel grounds, fantastic Restaurant, and by the way cheers to that wonderful daiquiri! You are welcome to come back and enjoy more of Monteverde. Sincerely,
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We stayed in the Forest View Room at the lodge, and the setting was serene, peaceful, natural. We heard an abundance of birds out on our balcony, though we didn't see or hear any monkeys. Our room was spacious and comfortable; there was no TV and no air conditioner but we didn't need either of those things. The temperature at night was perfect where we could open the patio door and put the fan on. The lack of TV allowed us to enjoy the peace and quiet of the area. I don't think there is any air conditioning at the lodge, but it wasn't needed at all. The fan in the room and the screens on the balcony door allowed us to be completely comfortable sleeping at night. inside of the lodge was organic, clean and the staff made everyone feel welcome and at home (especially Erick, who learned our names the first day and made sure we were comfortable or needed anything). The food was delicious, the outside grounds had trails where we spotted local wildlife and breathed the fresh air. We were able to walk a few minutes to a nearby town, drink some locally grown coffee and buy some cute souvenirs. It was a memorable time a the lodge; highly recommended
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Date of stay: March 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
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Response from Andres Madrigal, Guest Services / Front Office at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 19 Mar 2022
Hello from Costa Rica's cloud forest! You are so kind with your awesome recommendation of your stay at Monteverde Lodge. Monteverde's altitude and weather makes it unecesary for AC, providing a restful sleep. We appreciate your highlighting of our amazing staff, including Erick! Our location is perfect for travelers since is it close to the town of Santa Elena but quietly tucked away amongst lush gardens and trails. And thank you for sharing your dining at our El JardÃn Restaurant, which is also open for nonguests. We hope to have you back in the future at our lodge or at any of our sister lodges, all part of Böëna Wilderness Lodges.
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This was my first visit to the area and it won't be my last! I was impressed with the Lodge from the moment I walked in. The staff at reception were extremely friendly and went out of their way to answer our questions, give us advice or book our tours. The pineapple juice that was served when we first arrived was most welcome. Our room was an end unit on the ground floor, so we had windows facing two directions. We saw a number of birds, a Coati and an agouti from our room. The staff in the dining area are very attentive and extremely friendly. There is a large variety of dishes and the food was really delicious and well presented (looked like out of a food magazine). The lodge is in an great location. You can walk to the Orchid Gardens, the Ranario Frog Pond and a small shopping center. Other attractions are a few minutes drive from the Lodge. We drove to the Arenal Volcano National Park. It is a 3.5 hour drive each way. We enjoyed our walks in the gardens and trails in the forest. We got to see interesting trees, birds and butterflies. Saw a troop of capuchin monkeys one day and a group of female coatis a few days later. The roads in the area are not good. I would recommend a 4 wheel drive or high clearance vehicle. On our return to San Jose we discovered that road 606 was closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Iota, so we had to detour through San Luis. The road very steep and very bumpy. The views are spectacular but the you have to drive slowly. I look forward to my next visit. Pura Vida.
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Date of stay: November 2020
Rooms
Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andres Madrigal, Guest Services / Front Office at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 28 Mar 2022
Hello from Monteverde Lodge! A very belated thank you for your kind review of your experience at Monteverde and our lodge. We hope to have you again in the future!
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We stayed for three nights and really enjoyed the accommodations. The rooms were clean, the breakfast was AWESOME and the employees helped us set up a handful of local tours. The location was also really easy to walk into the main part of town for food and groceries. There was also a butterfly garden that our kids loved. The pool was beautiful and made for nice swims in the morning and night. We had a room that backed up to the jungle and were able to see a lot of wildlife including Pizotes. I would definitely recommend this as a place to stay for families.
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Date of stay: August 2019
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Rooms with a jungle view are ideal for animal watching at night!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
However, the room was quite noisy (near restaurant and corridor) and the pool and pool area were dirty (and thus unusable). The garden looks nice but the garden furniture was dirty as well. For us a no no for a 4* hotel of that price. We raised this but no one seemed to act upon it. Also, the reception staff weren't as helpful as you would expect regarding activities unless you book a tour through them.
The main restaurant area lacks in atmosphere, that's why we didn't eat there.
We stayed in less expensive hotels in Costa Rica and had a much better experience, especially in terms of reception and facilities.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andres Madrigal, Guest Services / Front Office at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 20 Dec 2022
Daniela, we appreciate your comments and feedback regarding your stay at our lodge. We are glad that you enjoyed your Mountain Gem room and views of our gardens, our breakfast and our friendly staff. Our lodge is located within walking distance of the town of Santa Elena, yet we are in a secluded area, surrounded by lush gardens. Regarding our lawn furniture and pool, we are in a cloud forest, with high humidy and winds during this time of the year, causing leaves to fall in the pool. Our maintenance crew cleans it daily but we will increase the frequency on a daily basis. We only offer tours with companies that comply with the standards and policies required by our lodge. However, we never refuse to collaborate with a guest. If a guest wants an activity that we do not offer, we will help by putting both parties in contact and the guest can book it directly. We do hope that you ha a great time exploring the unique cloud forest of Monteverde!
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I’ve struggled with this one out of all our stays in Costa Rica. It was by far the most expensive place we stayed and the least impressive. The Pros: Beautiful lodge, modern rooms, grounds are impeccable, absolutely the friendliest staff, saw wildlife close to the trails and rooms, stunning views. The cons: for $400 a night I expected more. We reserved months in advance and booked a king room. Got two doubles that were uncomfortable and not attached to the headboard so they slid around all night. There wasn’t more than a few people staying so why they couldn’t accommodate a king bed I don’t understand. Everything closes down at 10pm; the front desk and restaurant so if you wanted a beverage you’re SOL. No refrigerator in room so you can’t even buy stuff to keep cold. They put us next to a couple that was quarantining after testing positive for COVID. Not sure if the staff knew, I assume so because for days there was a stand and tray table outside their room the staff would leave and retrieve food and drinks from. The entire resort and nobody staying and your only option was to place us next to them? All the while they sat outside a few feet away coughing and hacking. The restaurant wasn’t busy at all but they insisted on reservations. First night I ordered the burrata salad. Got a huge serving a cheese, almost too much. Next night ordered room service, the pumpkin ravioli and soup. The ravioli was the main entree and came with 3 tiny ravioli. Very inconsistent portion sizing and the entire menu caters to vegetarians which is great, but don’t expect to find anything with chicken after 3pm. The room itself was nice although the ceiling fan didn’t work. They placed a floor fan in the room that made awful noises and couldn’t be used if you wanted to sleep. Speaking of sleeping, there’s motion lights in the hall that randomly light up every 15 seconds illuminating your room making falling asleep that much more difficult. We checked to see if someone was walking by and nobody was there. We were at the end of the hall and this fun feature continued most of the night. This place has potential but at $400 a night you need to work on the details. I wouldn’t choose this place again based on the lack of amenities. So many better options in the area at far less cost.
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andres Madrigal, Guest Services / Front Office at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 24 Jan 2022
Thank you for your thorough review and feedback of your stay. We are glad you enjoyed our expansive gardens, wildlife, views, rooms, exploring the cloud forest of Monteverde and highlighting our amazing staff. A few comments regarding your input: The amenities included in our rooms are detailed in our website, same as the service hours of our restaurant, reception, etc. Our restaurant does require reservations since we not only service our guests but also non guests. We are puzzled about your comment that our menu only provides options for vegetarians after 3 pm, since we do provide options with steak, chicken and seafood. The couple quarantining followed all our sanitary protocols. We wish you could’ve provided this feedback during your stay wish us so that we cold have provided options and would have take action immediately. Thank you again for your feedback.
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This property offers spacious rooms, a very good restaurant, a lovely butterfly garden and very relaxing outdoor spaces. The staff is very friendly and helpful. And, the restaurant was very accommodating in preparing food to go with no prior request. It is located very near the main area of Monteverde, but is very quiet and comfortable. I would definitely stay here again!
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from GabrielaSCR, Guest Satisfaction Specialist at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 28 Jan 2020
Dear sarahcR2564SQ Thank you for your kind words We are so glad you got to enjoy our lodge and experience the relaxing atmosphere and outdoor spaces with close proximity from Monteverde town. We love to know that our staff was so considerate to take good care of your meals and that our Restaurant El Jardin was such an excellent option for you. We would love to have you as our guests sometime soon.
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We traveled to Monteverde in August and had booked 5 nights at the Monteverde Lodge and Gardens. After the first day, my wife who suffers from asthma had a severe reaction to the altitude. We had no choice but to leave and explained to the hotel that this was a medical emergency. They cited their rigid cancellation policy and charged my credit card for the full 5 days. A factor in my wife's reaction was that our room was on the second level and accessible only by a steep narrow staircase. Beware of any hotel with rigid cancellation policy, It is a red flag.
The room we had was not as advertised, and the one meal we had at the hotel was virtually inedible.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Cleanliness
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andres Madrigal, Guest Services / Front Office at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 17 Sept 2021
Hello Alan, we are sorry about the delay of the refund of your stay. We understood your situation the day you decided to check out and we informed you that we were going to reach out to management about the refund request. Due to internal miscommunications it took longer than normal to refund the 4 nights. The refund process to your bank/credit card was initiated a while back. Our reservations department will keep you updated on the progress via email. Regarding your comment about the one meal you both had, we wish you had reached out to our restaurant staff with feedback. We are rated as one of the top restaurants in Monteverde by travelers but we are always open to hear our guests comments. Also we would have appreciated more information about the room since the photos on our website and other platforms accurately reflect the types of accommodations we offer. Again, please accept our sincere apologies for the delay.
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Had a fantastic stay at Monteverde lodge and gardens. Great central point for all the excursions to the national parks and a 10 minute walk to the small but vibrant Santa Elena town. Walking in the other direction, you get to see great sunsets if you are as lucky as we were with the weather although we would have been just as happy with the magical mist covering the cloud forest. The garden walks, pool and look out area of Monteverde lodge were fantastic, very natural and you had the feeling you were in the midst of the forest. The restaurant with its huge open fireplace was also superb and the staff were just lovely . If I could change anything on our stay , it would be the room we were in. Although it had lovely huge glass panels looking out into the garden and the room was beautifully decorated, the bathroom was very tired and these days shower curtains in a hotel are just a no no. Also the vents in the bathroom went outside to the hall where people walked by. Maybe I’m a little bit petty but there are rooms with beautiful balconies and patios with hammocks and I would definitely look at these next time. Overall a beautiful and very welcoming hotel .
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from GabrielaSCR, Guest Satisfaction Specialist at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 28 Jan 2020
Dear Marshallj68 Thank you for taking the time to write such valuable review about our services. The cloud forest is such a wonderful place with great opportunities to enjoy the mist as well as a great sunset, and we are so glad you got the chance to enjoy both. We are pleased that the lodge and the restaurant met your expectations. Your observations about the hotel´s room, bathroom curtains and vents are very valuable for us and we definitely believe there is always room for improvement. We would love to have you as our guest sometime soon.
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We just completed a three night stay at the Lodge in a Forest View upstairs room. The room and balcony are on the small side, but offered everything we needed. The housekeeping staff does a great job in the room and throughout the lodge. The grounds are pleasing to stroll through, and the pool is a lovely place to sit and relax, especially when they make it so easy to enjoy a drink or meal poolside. The food was well prepared and fresh, and the dining staff went out of their way to provide great service. We had to depart before the restaurant normally opens for breakfast at 6:00 a.m., yet they offered to prepare a full breakfast for us anyway. Our private tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest was fantastic. Our naturalist guide Marcella was extremely knowledgeable about the life and sounds of the forest. She was able to follow the sounds to track the birds and explain the relationships between the birds, insects, and plants. The front desk was always available and helpful. They gave us great information on activities beyond our tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We were recommended to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, where we enjoyed a beautiful and challenging hike. Finally, our three-hour trip to the airport was a delight thanks to our driver, Minor. We made a few short stops to smell a special flower or taste a special coffee. His knowledge of and love for Costa Rica is contagious!
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Adriana DÃaz, Owner at Monteverde Lodge
Responded 27 Feb 2020
Dear Diane O, Wow what a beautiful description of our Lodge and the services that are provided. I can just picture every little corner of the cozy room or even imagine a refreshing splash at the pool. Thank you for your kind words. Our Lodge is a place meant to enjoy a nice walk along the gardens or to experience a top quality meal along with excellent service. As you mention, it is our goal that every guest feels absolutely comfy all the time. There is no better way to explore the cloud forest than visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Such a magical and unique ecosystem full of rare wildlife. So happy you decided to go with an experience Nature Guide that interpret the forest so well. How brave you are going the extra mile to Santa Elena Cloud Forest! Kudos to you. We are thrilled that everything was so outstanding and we really hope you come visit us again. Sincerely,
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San Jose, Costa Rica10 contributions6 helpful votes
Hello! You can have the test done in the town of Santa Elena, about half a mile from our lodge or it can be arranged to be done in our lodge. Please contact Monteverde Lodge for further advice.
We stayed in one of the garden rooms and didn't have any issues with noise from above. The room was small but cozy and had a really nice terrace with furniture and a hammock outside. I would stay there again without hesitation.
HI Nancy,
Yes, sure, our receptionists will help you to book the activities you like when you arrive.
You can see the list of tours that we offer in the Monteverde Lodge & Gardens website, just go to the Activities tab and you'll find them there.
For a night tour I would recommend El Refugio Twilight Tour.
The night walk is a two hour walk on both flat and uphill trails. Some steep sections have steps and handrails. You will have the opportunity to see nocturnal animals such as olingos, kinkajous, two-toed sloths and possums, tarantulas, if you’re lucky perhaps a snake, during the rainy season some species of frogs. It’s not uncommon to see migrant and resident birds sleeping and you will only view them with flashlights handled by the nature guide, so as not to disturb their sleep. Regardless of what you see, the experience of walking in the forest after dark is unique.
See you soon!
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Elena area.
PRICE RANGE
₹22,258 - ₹31,077 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
monteverde lodge & gardens hotel monteverde cloud forest reserve, monteverde lodge and gardens, monteverde hotel gardens, gardens hotel monteverde
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasMonteverdeSanta Elena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
