By the Where to Stay in Costa Rica editorial team · Updated November 5, 2026
The Short Answer
Stay in Cerro Plano, the hillside between Santa Elena town and the Monteverde reserve. It has the best mid-range and upscale hotels, it is 5 to 10 minutes from both town and the reserve road, and many rooms have views over the forest to the Pacific. Our pick is Hotel Belmar.
On a budget or without a car, stay in Santa Elena: it has the bus station, most restaurants and the cheapest beds, and tour vans collect from every hotel. If seeing birds at dawn matters most, book a lodge on the road to the reserve so you're minutes from the visitor center for the first time slot.
Monteverde's Areas Compared
| Area | Best for | To the reserve | Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Elena town | Budgets, no car, restaurants | About 15 min by car or bus | Busy main streets, few views |
| Cerro Plano | Views, boutique hotels, couples and families | 5–10 min by car | Steep walks into town |
| Road to the reserve | Early birding, quiet nights | Walk or a short drive | Few restaurants after dark |
The Santa Elena reserve and the main zip-line and hanging-bridge parks are north of town, about 15 minutes in the other direction, so wherever you stay you'll be using shuttles or a car for some tours.
Map of Monteverde Hotels
Santa Elena is the cluster in the middle; Cerro Plano and the reserve road run southeast from it.
Map prices come from Booking.com and other partners through Stay22. Enter your dates on the map to see live rates.
Search all Monteverde stays →Best Splurge Hotels
Both are in Cerro Plano, with views and restaurants good enough to stay in for dinner.
Hotel Belmar
Cerro Plano, Monteverde
Our top pick: a hillside boutique hotel with sunset views toward the Gulf of Nicoya and one of the area's best restaurants.
Best for: Food lovers and design fans
- Restaurant with its own brewery
- Spa, yoga and hot tub
- Family rooms
More about this hotel
Monteverde's best-known boutique hotel, with wood-paneled rooms, a brewery restaurant, an organic garden and a wellness center with yoga and a hot tub.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Senda Monteverde
Cerro Plano, Monteverde
Modern luxury with big windows onto the forest, in Cerro Plano.
Best for: Modern luxury
- Infinity pool, sauna and hot tub
- Mountain-view balconies
- Vegetarian and gluten-free options
More about this hotel
A newer Cayuga Collection hotel with mountain-view balconies, an infinity pool, a sauna and an outdoor fireplace, close to Santa Elena.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Best Mid-Range Hotels
Wooden lodges and garden hotels, several close to the reserve.
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Cerro Plano, Monteverde
Large hillside hotel with its own trails and views; good with kids.
Best for: Families
- Indoor pool and hot tub
- Cloud-forest balconies
- Two restaurants
More about this hotel
A large family-run hotel about 1 km from Santa Elena, with an indoor pool, a spa, two restaurants and balconies looking over the cloud forest.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Javier Losa, CC BY 2.0
Hotel Trapp Family
About 1 km from the reserve, Monteverde
Wooden lodge about 1 km from the reserve entrance, ideal for the first entry slot.
Best for: Early starts at the reserve
- About 1 km from the reserve
- Balconies over the forest
- Family rooms
More about this hotel
A rustic wooden lodge about 1 km from the reserve, ideal for early morning walks. Rooms and suites have balconies over the forest, and there is a restaurant on site.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: S. Rae from Scotland, UK, CC BY 2.0
Hotel Fonda Vela
Road to the cloud forest reserve, Monteverde
Garden rooms on the road up to the reserve, a few minutes from the entrance.
Best for: Being close to the reserve
- Walkable to the reserve entrance
- Birdwatching gardens
- Pool and restaurant
More about this hotel
About 1.5 km from the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve entrance, with gardens for birdwatching, views to the Gulf of Nicoya, a pool and a restaurant.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco
Santa Elena, Monteverde
Heated pool and spa in Santa Elena, useful on rainy afternoons.
Best for: Families and rainy days
- Covered, heated pool
- Spa and two restaurants
- Walk to Santa Elena
More about this hotel
A short walk from Santa Elena's center, with a covered heated pool, a spa and two restaurants. A good pick when the cloud forest lives up to its name.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Fran Devinney, CC BY 2.0
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
Edge of Santa Elena, Monteverde
Garden lodge on the edge of Santa Elena, a few minutes' walk from town.
Best for: A garden lodge near town
- Large gardens
- Heated pool
- Fireplace bar and restaurant
More about this hotel
A garden lodge about 1 km from Santa Elena, with a heated pool and a fireplace bar. The reserve is about 15 minutes away by car.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Best Budget Stays
Simple rooms in Santa Elena town, close to the bus and the restaurants.
Pensión Santa Elena
Santa Elena town center, Monteverde
Long-running budget guesthouse in the middle of Santa Elena.
Best for: Budget stays
- Central Santa Elena
- Tour desk
- Family rooms
More about this hotel
A simple, popular guesthouse in the middle of Santa Elena, with a tour desk, a shared lounge and local breakfast available.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Fran Devinney, CC BY 2.0
Hostel Monteverde Backpackers
Santa Elena town, Monteverde
Simple hostel in town with tours booked at the desk.
Best for: Backpackers
- Shared kitchen and barbecue
- Free parking
- Tour desk and shuttles
More about this hotel
A small hostel in Santa Elena with a shared kitchen, a barbecue, free parking and a tour desk with shuttle bookings.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Erebus555, CC BY-SA 3.0
Monteverde Hotels at a Glance
Prices change by date and room type, so check your own dates on Booking.com before you decide.
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Hotel Trapp FamilyAbout 1 km from the reserve, Monteverde · Mid-rangeEarly starts at the reserveCheck prices -
Hotel Fonda VelaRoad to the cloud forest reserve, Monteverde · Mid-rangeBeing close to the reserveCheck prices -
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Monteverde Lodge & GardensEdge of Santa Elena, Monteverde · Mid-rangeA garden lodge near townCheck prices -
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| Hotel | Location | Price level | Best for | Prices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Hotel Belmar
Design hotel
|
Cerro Plano, Monteverde | Splurge | Food lovers and design fans | Check prices |
|
|
Senda Monteverde
Modern luxury
|
Cerro Plano, Monteverde | Splurge | Modern luxury | Check prices |
|
|
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Mountain hotel
|
Cerro Plano, Monteverde | Mid-range | Families | Check prices |
|
|
Hotel Trapp Family
Wooden lodge
|
About 1 km from the reserve, Monteverde | Mid-range | Early starts at the reserve | Check prices |
|
|
Hotel Fonda Vela
Garden hotel
|
Road to the cloud forest reserve, Monteverde | Mid-range | Being close to the reserve | Check prices |
|
|
Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco
Hotel and spa
|
Santa Elena, Monteverde | Mid-range | Families and rainy days | Check prices |
|
|
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
Garden lodge
|
Edge of Santa Elena, Monteverde | Mid-range | A garden lodge near town | Check prices |
|
|
Pensión Santa Elena
Guesthouse
|
Santa Elena town center, Monteverde | Budget | Budget stays | Check prices |
|
|
Hostel Monteverde Backpackers
Hostel
|
Santa Elena town, Monteverde | Budget | Backpackers | Check prices |
Hotel details checked on November 5, 2026.
Getting to Monteverde
- From San José airport (SJO): 3 to 3.5 hours. The road up from the Pan-American Highway is now paved but steep and winding.
- From Liberia airport (LIR): 2.5 to 3 hours.
- From La Fortuna: about 3.5 hours by road around Lake Arenal (the road from Tilarán is partly dirt; a 4x4 is recommended, especially from May to November), or about 3.5 hours by "jeep-boat-jeep": a van to the lake, a boat across, and a van up to Santa Elena.
- From Manuel Antonio: about 4 hours.
Tips for Your Stay
- It's cool up here. At around 1,400 m, evenings are cool and windy, especially from December to February. Pack a fleece and a rain jacket.
- Book the reserve ahead. Day passes to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve have ended: you now buy a timed ticket for one trail circuit (about $29 for foreign adults), then take a shuttle from the visitor center below the entrance. Early slots fill first in high season.
- Do a night walk. Guided night tours, which pick up from hotels, are the best way to see sloths, tarantulas, frogs and sleeping birds.
- Two nights is enough for the reserve, a hanging-bridge or zip-line park and a night walk. Add a third for coffee and chocolate tours or the Santa Elena reserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to help you choose where to stay.