I'd read some of the reviews on here before we went out to Costa Rica and approached our stay at the Heliconia with some trepidation. But really there was no need - from the welcome drink on arrival to our departure, the hotel proved to be far better than its ranking here would suggest.

We stayed in one of the family suites on the hill - yes, it's a little walk from the hotel itself, but the walk is worth it to have what is essentially your own lodge. Some people here seem to be complaining about the smell of damp in the rooms - there was certainly nothing like that, although there was the smell of wood everywhere; but then I think you can expect (and enjoy) that when you are staying in a wooden cabin.

Breakfasts were great, probably the best we had in Costa Rica. And -most- of the staff were friendly and helpful. Although we ended up not booking any of our tours through them, they were always willing to offer advice, to contact operators on our behalf (ones we suggested rather than the ones they have links to at the hotel) and to sort out transport that was cheaper than booking a taxi.

There are, of course, a few small issues - the restaurant for dinner was expensive, though with four good restaurants within a minute of the place, and town only a ten minute walk away (though a steep walk back) that's really not a problem. And the box lunches are rubbish - make up your own before you go out for the day. I could also see that in the rainy season the cabins might get a bit cold - unless they put in a heater when it's needed.

But overall, it's a great place to stay and so nice to have that bit of isolation and not feel like you're just in a standard hotel.

We found the staff at this hotel really helpful, you get a welcome drink on arrival and the reception staff are really knowledgable about the local attractions and tours. They are commision based to Selvatura Park I think, but they were more than happy to tell us all about any other companies we asked about too.

The rooms are okay, nothing special but fine.

We were disappointed with the jacuzzi's - there are 4 but they were all cold and we couldn't use them. The bar is nice and the barman really helpful, breakfast buffet is nice as well and they cook your eggs freshly.

I would recommend this hotel if you are looking for basic comfortable accommodation.

We had chosen this hotel after reading the description in Lonely Planet Guide but we were very disappointed. Had the author stayed there or invested in the place? True, it is attractive looking from the outside but the rooms inside were damp and dreary. There was loads of space but none of it well designed. We had a balcony but we couldnt open the sliding glass doors to access it. Took 3 phone calls and 3 visits from different levels of staff to finally open the door.
We took a suite that was on the hill. Be warned the wind whips over the hill side and makes this a cold and long walk back to the room. You can still hear the wind howling long after you shut the door for the night.
Three of the four jacuzzis listed in the guidebook were filthy and luke warm - couldnt beleive they don't let guests use them for free (the clean one!). If its a jacuzzi tub you're after, then stay at Monteverde Lodge - a beautiful hot jacuzzi free to guests.
Finally, we ate one night at the hotel's restaurant and would definitely advise guests to skip the experience. Very mediocre food and service. Across the street is Moon Shiva - fantastic food, nice atmosphere, good prices.

We stayed in a family suite at the top of the property. Huge with a loft but expensive and no breakfast. Food at the property was very overpriced so we ate down the road in a smaller hotel which was wonderful and they also gave us internet access. Front desk were helpful but keen to push their own tours. I wouldn't recommend staying in St Elena - Did the zip lines at Salvardura which my family said were incredible and far better than any other they have done in Costa Rica. This town is in a wonderful location - the drive up there is horrendous but worth it. WE did a lot of it in torrential rain which made visibility pretty bad but we all agreed it was a fantastic experience. You need to book in advance to go to Monteverde Cloud forest. We hadn't and couldn't get in which was sad.