Monteverde Lodge

Situated on a hillside covered in pristine cloud forest and yet a short walk from the small town of Santa Elena is Monteverde Lodge and Gardens. A beautiful property already well known for its seclusion and impressive tropical gardens with winding trails, it became the fourth property of the BOENA Wilderness Lodges together with Pacuare Lodge, Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge and Tortuga Lodge to complete the ultimate Costa Rica experience within their distinctive ecosystems.

The 28 rooms all look out onto the designer gardens, featuring a hidden naturally heated pool and which offers a natural oasis with opportunities to spot many species of birds, monkeys and sloth at any time of day. They have 1.5km of easily self-guided trails through their private reserve - allowing the guest to explore the wonders of the forest at their leisure. The experience here is enhanced further by the excellent restaurant, El Jardin, which features an impressive menu of surprising fusions of flavours and local ingredients. They also offer an extensive plant-based menu and a selection of innovative ice-creams made onsite!

Waking up to the sounds of a tropical dawn chorus in one of the best bird watching destinations in the world is an experience to behold. As the sun rose through the trees on my first morning in Costa Rica, having driven up from San Jose the day before, the mist hung low over the lodge’s gardens, but this didn’t deter the numerous species of birds from belting out their early morning song. The effects of jet lag meant I was wide awake and so taking advantage of this went out to explore the trails around the reserve to immerse myself in the sounds and smells of the cloud forest. The trails were mostly deserted, bar one or two other keen bird watching guests, but I still felt I had the whole place to myself. Satisfied with my pre-breakfast stroll, I came back to the orchid house dining room ready for the platter of fresh fruits, freshly brewed coffee and full Gallo Pinto breakfast that awaited me, which needless to say set me up for a day of exploring the surrounding national reserves of Monteverde.

Nicola Gude - Senderos

Key Facts

No. of rooms: 28, all with garden views, free Wi-Fi, nightly turndown service, plush, pillowtop beds and private terraces or balconies.

Room Categories: All rooms offer plush pillow-top beds, private balconies, nightly turndown service, soft bathrobes and free WiFi.

Toucanet Downstairs Suites (ex-Forest View Downstairs): 12 Rooms, 1 king size or 2 queen size beds and small private terraces with views straight out the gardens, stream and forest.

Motmot Balcony Suites (ex-Forest View Balcony): 11 Rooms, on the upper floor above the Toucanet Downstairs Suites, these rooms are the same size with 1 king size or 2 queen size beds and with full balconies, offering views into the forest and canopy.

Mountain Gem Suites: 5 spacious suties with a super-king sized bed, large bathroom, private covered terrace with chairs and views straight out to the landscaped gardens or canopy.

Package basis: Bed and Breakfast. Self-guided trails around the property’s reserve. Lunch, dinner, excursions, transfers and spa treatments are extra.

Excursion details: A menu of excursions are available to book through the lodge with local experienced guides. These include Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve guided tour, Curi Cancha reserve guided tour, Santa Elena Reserve guided tour, Night tour, Frog pond, Orchid Garden, Butterfly Garden, Bat Jungle, Horse riding tour, Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Tours, Sky Adventure Park, Selvatura Park and El Tigre Waterfall. Private guides available for extra fee, if requested in advance.

Rates from: 2024 Double Rooms from $351 per room per night (Cotinga Suites - Green Season) plus $10 conservation fee per person

Rate Seasons: Green: 01 May - 30 June / 16 Aug - 21 Dec. High: 04 Jan - 30 April / 01 July - 15 Aug. Holiday: 22 Dec - 03 Jan

For full rates see the links in Gallery and Resources box below

Minimum stay: 1 night minimum stay Green and High seasons and 2 nights minimum stay in Holiday season (22Dec - 03 Jan)

Minimum age: N/A

Dates of operation: All year

Facilities: Saline swimming pool, bar and beautifully designed restaurant with an exquisite menu, plus orchid house dining area, self-guided trails, WiFi, live music in the evenings Thu - Sat. Coming soon - Ice-cream Parlour, newly renovated spa.

Internet: WiFi throughout

Senderos recommends: 2 to 3 nights to make the most of the area and the lodge’s own reserve and gardens.

Sustainability

Beyond the baseline actions for sustainable tourism - recycling, no plastic products, environmentally friendly waste management and efficient energy use, Monteverde Lodge and Gardens goes beyond this with many different and developing initiatives in place:

The lodge supports several local sustainability programs which reach fruition through a one-time $8 per person Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Conservation Support. They share regular progress reports and updates with guests to demonstrate how important their contributions are.

100% of the staff are from local areas. To support their career development, Böëna offer regular training opportunities so they can acquire new skills and grow professionally. They also offer cross-training with colleagues from sister Böëna Lodges, which encourage employees to build leadership potential and expand their professional horizons.

They support the local recycling initiative through funding as well as provide the centre with administration and organisational assistance as part of the staff’s regular work responsibilities.

They buy their produce, dairy products, eggs, berries, and other food products from local growers and providers whenever possible.

They’ve dedicated a significant portion of their 3.8-hectare property as a private nature reserve.

Much of the energy consumption is supplied through the lodge’s 47 solar panels.

The swimming pool is purified with salt and stabilisers instead of chlorine. Salt systems are much kinder to the environment – and our skin.

Stories:

Senderos stories celebrate the positive impact that sustainable and regenerative tourism can bring to destinations, communities and the environment.

Click here to discover the insightful interview with Priscilla Murillo, Monteverde Lodge's sustainability manager (see below).

"We have a responsibility to make sure that the locations we are in not only remain 'pristine paradises' but become even better through the work we do. It's about far more than just doing less harm, it's about creating a net-positive impact."

Need to know

As Monteverde is at a slight elevation in the Tilarán Mountain Range, the temperature of the area which also has more rain and cloud cover, is generally much cooler than other regions in Costa Rica.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has 6 ecological zones, 90% of which are virgin rainforest - which allows for an abundance of plant and wildlife species.

The Resplendent Quetzal can be spotted in the reserves around Monteverde - usually with an early morning guided tour.

The 1.5km of nature trails within the Lodge’s reserve are signposted and easy to follow - with indications of what animals and bird life guests can spot.

The El Jardin Restaurant is well-renowned in the area for its innovative and varied menu and delicious dishes.

Part of the Boena Group which also includes Pacuare Lodge, Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge and Tortuga Lodge

Perfect for:

Families, couples, bird and wildlife enthusiasts

Getting there

by road

BY ROAD

2.5 - 3 hours drive from San Jose to Monteverde with incredible views across to Nicoya Peninsula and the mountains around Monteverde.

by boat

BY BOAT

From Arenal there is the option of travelling cross-country by boat and road. This takes approximately 2.5 - 3 hours

Gallery & Resources

Follow this link to Senderos Resources for Monteverde Lodge to access:

Images, our selection
Fact sheets
Presentations
Rack rates
Excursion lists
And other useful information.

Boena also has its own Media Kit with more photos and material.

Weather

Misty and cloudy much of the year. Rainier season starts in June and continues onto September. Sool in the evenings and warm and humid during the day.

Links

www.monteverdelodge.com

Boena Wilderness Lodges

Senderos Webinar featuring Finca Rosa Blanca, Monteverde Lodge & Gdns, Tortuga Lodge.

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