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Where to Stay in Monteverde: Santa Elena, Cerro Plano or Near the Reserve?

Monteverde isn’t really one town. It’s a string of small communities along one road. That road starts in Santa Elena and climbs about 5 km east to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

• Santa Elena: the main town, with restaurants, supermarkets, the bus station and most tour pickups. It’s the best base without a car, and it has most of the budget beds.
• Cerro Plano: the stretch of road heading toward the reserve, with bigger lodges, the butterfly garden and forest views. Town is a short taxi ride away.
• Near the reserve: the quietest spot and the closest to the trails, but you’ll want a car or taxis for dinner.

Here’s a quick look at all 15, with rough nightly rates for two people:

Hotel	Area	Rough Nightly Rate
Hotel Belmar	Reserve road	About $290 to $640
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens	Edge of Santa Elena	About $300 to $550
Senda Monteverde	Cerro Plano	About $300 to $800
Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco	Edge of Santa Elena	About $230 to $380
El Establo Mountain Hotel	Cerro Plano	About $200 to $450
Valle Escondido	Cerro Plano	About $120 to $300
Hotel Trópico Monteverde	South of town	About $165 to $280
Trapp Family Lodge	Near the reserve	About $135 to $200
Cala Lodge	Cerro Plano	About $85 to $240
Freddy’s Place B&B	Perro Negro, near town	About $110 to $160
Calathea Hotel Monteverde	Edge of Santa Elena	From about $95
Cabinas Eddy B&B	Santa Elena	About $60 to $100
Montefresco Boutique Hostel	Near Santa Elena	From about $54
Cattleya Family	Santa Elena	From about $30
OutBox Inn	Santa Elena	Beds from about $22

Rates change a lot with the season and the room type, so treat these as a rough guide. December to April costs the most, and the 13% tax isn’t always included in the first price you see.

Luxury Hotels in Monteverde

Monteverde’s top hotels aren’t flashy. You’re paying for space, quiet and forest views, plus a good restaurant, since evenings up here are low-key. These five are the best of the upscale stays.

1. Hotel Belmar

Hotel Belmar is the stylish pick, with chalet-style wood buildings on a hillside just off the main road to the reserve. It’s a member of Design Hotels, so expect more polish than most lodges up here.

The Celajes restaurant cooks with organic, local produce, and the hotel runs its own small brewery, Cervezas Artesanales Belmar. Some suites come with a big jacuzzi tub and long views over the forest.

Expect about $290 a night in September, the cheapest month, and $600 and up in high season, with April the priciest. Check what your rate includes, since breakfast isn’t always part of it.

2. Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens is the easy upscale pick, because Santa Elena is about a five-minute walk away. It’s part of the Böëna Lodges group now, so some booking sites list it as Monteverde Lodge by Böëna.

The lobby has its own butterfly garden, and the grounds back onto a private patch of cloud forest with garden paths. There’s a pool, a naturally heated pool and the El Jardín restaurant, and a cooked-to-order breakfast is included.

Rates run about $300 to $550 a night. Rooms are calm and simple, and a few don’t have a TV, which most people won’t miss.

3. Senda Monteverde

Senda is the quiet luxury pick in Cerro Plano, about 250 meters north of the BCR bank. Its 24 rooms are spread out in cabins across the gardens, and the property borders a nature reserve.

It’s part of the Cayuga Collection, the same small group behind Arenas del Mar in Manuel Antonio. That means service and sustainability come first. There’s a pool, a restaurant and bar, and breakfast is included.

Rates swing a lot, about $300 a night in October and $800 or more in March. Book early for dry season, since 24 rooms go fast.

4. Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Poco a Poco is the best upscale pick for walking into town. It’s about 100 meters east of the Ranario frog exhibit, with restaurants, cafés and a grocery store within walking distance.

There’s an indoor pool, a kids’ pool, a full-service spa and two restaurants, and the buffet breakfast is included. Rooms have air conditioning, which is rare up here.

Rates run about $230 to $380 a night, with November the cheapest month and April the priciest. Light sleepers should ask for a quiet room, since a few guests mention noise.

5. El Establo Mountain Hotel

El Establo is the big resort option, with 155 rooms spread across a steep hillside in Cerro Plano. Being this big means plenty of facilities on site, plus cloud forest views from the hillside.

There’s a full-service spa, an indoor heated pool, a kids’ pool and a restaurant on site. It works well for families and groups who want everything in one place.

Rates run about $200 to $450 a night. Fair warning: breakfast isn’t always part of the rate, so check before you pay.

Mid-Range Hotels in Monteverde

Mid-range hotels in Monteverde cost about $85 to $300 a night. This is where the town gives you the most for your money. Most include breakfast, and a few have their own trails.

6. Valle Escondido Nature Reserve Hotel & Farm

Valle Escondido is the nature lover’s pick, with its own private reserve and trails right outside your room. It’s about 100 meters south of the Monteverde Butterfly Garden in Cerro Plano.

The farm-to-table restaurant gets lots of love from guests, and the hotel holds a sustainability certification. The suites for couples are adults-only, which keeps them extra quiet.

Rates run about $120 to $300 a night, with December the priciest month. Booking about a month ahead usually gets you a better price.

7. Hotel Trópico Monteverde

Hotel Trópico is all about the views. It’s about 600 meters south of the 606 gas station, a few minutes’ drive outside town. The balconies look out over the valley.

Rooms come with fans rather than air conditioning, and there’s a restaurant and a tour desk. Ask for a balcony room when you book, since that’s where the views are.

Rates run about $165 to $280 a night, cheapest in May and priciest in March. You’ll want a car or taxis out here, and rooms near the road can be noisy.

8. Trapp Family Lodge Monteverde

Trapp Family Lodge is the closest hotel on this list to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, about 1 km away. So you can be on the trails first thing in the morning without a long drive.

Superior rooms have two queen beds, which works well for families or friends sharing. Breakfast is included, there’s a restaurant and bar, and parking is free.

Rates run about $135 to $200 a night, with June the cheapest month. The road up is steep and evenings out here are quiet, so plan on eating at the lodge.

9. Cala Lodge

Cala Lodge is a small, locally owned eco lodge on a quiet side road, about five minutes’ drive from downtown Santa Elena. It’s a great middle ground for couples and families.

Breakfast is made to order, and coffee and snacks come out in the afternoon. The Family Villa has two bedrooms and sleeps six, and the grounds have a short nature trail.

Regular rooms and family suites run about $85 to $240 a night, and the villa about $300 to $350. For a family of five or six, that villa is a good deal.

10. Freddy’s Place Bed and Breakfast

Freddy’s Place is a small B&B with just seven rooms. It’s in the Perro Negro area, about 250 meters northeast of the ICE offices. That’s an easy landmark for a taxi.

The made-to-order breakfast is the star here, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Rooms are simple, with a mini fridge and a fan instead of air conditioning.

Rates run about $110 to $160 a night. Town is a short walk downhill, but the walk back is steep, so save your legs for the trails.

Budget Hotels in Monteverde

Budget stays in Monteverde are mostly in or near Santa Elena. That’s handy, since it’s where the cheap sodas and tour pickups are. These five keep costs down without feeling bare.

11. Calathea Hotel Monteverde

Calathea is a good-value hotel in a quieter part of Monteverde, about 150 meters northwest of the OIJ judicial building. Free parking on site helps when you have a rental car.

Rooms range from doubles with a balcony or terrace to two-bedroom suites, and some suites have a kitchen. A full breakfast is included.

Rooms start around $95 a night. For a proper hotel with breakfast in Monteverde, that’s a fair price.

12. Cabinas Eddy B&B

Cabinas Eddy is a simple, friendly B&B about 150 meters south of the center of Santa Elena. You can walk to most tour pickups from here.

There are 18 rooms, each with a private bathroom and a balcony or terrace, and breakfast is included. Rooms are on the small side, and a few face a busy road, so ask for a quieter one.

Rates run about $60 to $100 a night, which is hard to beat this close to town.

13. Montefresco Boutique Hostel

Montefresco calls itself a hostel, but it’s really a small, family-run guesthouse with private rooms only, near downtown Santa Elena.

Breakfast is included, and the staff ask the night before what you’d like, so it’s made fresh in the morning. There’s a shared kitchen, a garden terrace with an outdoor fireplace and family rooms that sleep up to six.

Rooms start around $54 a night before tax. The last bit of the access road is unpaved, so take it slow in a rental car.

14. Cattleya Family

Cattleya Family is a small, family-run spot on Calle Paraiso in Santa Elena, an easy walk into town. Rooms are private, with their own bathrooms, and there are family rooms too.

There’s a shared kitchen, so you can cook a few meals and save on dinners out.

Rooms start around $30 a night. That’s hard to beat for a private room in Monteverde.

15. OutBox Inn

OutBox Inn is the social pick, right in central Santa Elena, about 20 meters southwest of the municipal building. The Orchid Garden is about a three-minute walk away.

Dorms have privacy curtains on each bed, and there are basic private rooms too. The outdoor shared kitchen and terrace make it easy to meet people between tours.

Beds start around $22 a night. It’s a hostel for meeting people rather than early nights, so pack earplugs.

Which Monteverde Hotel Should You Book?

For a first visit without a car, stay in or near Santa Elena. Poco a Poco and Monteverde Lodge & Gardens are the comfortable picks, and Cabinas Eddy keeps costs down.

For a special trip, Hotel Belmar and Senda are worth the splurge. Trapp Family Lodge is the one to book when the cloud forest is the whole point. You’re about 1 km from the reserve.

On a tight budget, Cattleya Family or OutBox Inn will do the job, and the savings can go toward a night tour.

Whichever you pick, our Monteverde itinerary helps you plan your days. For getting there, see our La Fortuna to Monteverde and San José to Monteverde guides.

Monteverde Hotels FAQ

What Is the Best Area to Stay in Monteverde?

The best area to stay in Monteverde for most people is Santa Elena, the main town. Restaurants, supermarkets, the bus station and most tour pickups are a short walk away, and it has the cheapest beds.

Cerro Plano and the road to the reserve are quieter, with bigger lodges and forest views. You’ll need taxis or a car, though. The reserve itself is about 5 km from Santa Elena.

Do You Need a Car to Stay in Monteverde?

You don’t need a car to stay in Monteverde when you base yourself in Santa Elena. Most tours pick you up at your hotel, and taxis cover the rest.

A car helps for lodges outside town, like Hotel Trópico or Trapp Family Lodge, about 1 km from the reserve. Some access roads are steep and partly unpaved, so a 4×4 is the safer bet in rainy season.

Do Monteverde Hotels Have Air Conditioning?

Most Monteverde hotels don’t have air conditioning, and you won’t need it. The cloud forest stays cool all year, around 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C), and nights can feel chilly.

Rooms come with fans and warm bedding instead. Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco is a rare exception with air conditioning. Either way, pack a light fleece or jacket for the evenings.

How Far in Advance Should You Book a Hotel in Monteverde?

Book a hotel in Monteverde about a month ahead for December to April, and earlier for Christmas, New Year and Easter. Small places like Freddy’s Place, with just seven rooms, fill up first.

In low season, May to November, a week or two ahead is fine for most hotels, and rates drop too. Senda, for example, runs about $300 in October and $800 or more in March.

Which Monteverde Hotel Is Closest to the Cloud Forest Reserve?

Trapp Family Lodge is the closest hotel on this list to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, about 1 km away. Rates run about $135 to $200 a night, with breakfast included.

Staying that close means you can be on the trails first thing, before the day gets busy. Most other hotels are in Santa Elena or Cerro Plano, up to about 5 km away and a short taxi ride.

What Are the Best Budget Hotels in Monteverde?

The best budget hotels in Monteverde are in or near Santa Elena. OutBox Inn has beds from around $22, Cattleya Family has private rooms from around $30, and Montefresco starts around $54 with breakfast.

Cabinas Eddy, at about $60 to $100, is the pick for a private balcony and breakfast close to town. All of them are close to restaurants and tour pickups.