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Monteverde Lodge & Gardens: Traveler Reviews

3.5 of 5
after passing World of Insects on the left, take the right fork in the road | 500 meters to the entrance of the lodge, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 6941-1000, Costa Rica
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339 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    202
    101
    25
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    3
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Families
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Couples
170
 
Solo
7
 
Business
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Rating summary
  • Location
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Sleep Quality
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Rooms
    4 of 5 stars
  • Service
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Value
    4 of 5 stars
  • Cleanliness
    4.5 of 5 stars
Date Rating
Palo Alto, California
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“An Excellent Cloud Forest Stay”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 7, 2013

On our recent visit to Costa Rica, we had no idea what to expect, but boy were we more than pleased with our accommodations, especially at Monteverde! We went through an excellent travel group called Costa Rica Expeditions(which I HIGHLY recommend). Well they arranged all of our trip and the first place we stayed in was the Monteverded Lodge and Gardens. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this hotel-they beauty of the setting alone is enough, but they went above and beyond. The rooms were airy, spacious, clean and just plain great. They are very warm and welcoming towards families and with three kids of my own, this was very important to us. The restaurant has awesome food, ranging from American classics and favorites to awesome Costa Rican specialties. The staff is kind, courteous and most helpful. Costa Rica Expeditions owns and runs this hotel and they did an amazing job, I am only too sorry we did not make it to their other lodging facilities in Tortuguero. Don't miss cloud forest and do not miss staying at the Monteverde Lodge and Gardens.

Room Tip: Ask for second floor facing the back of the property
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask sk191932849 about Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
hiketiludrop, Guest Relations Manager at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens, responded to this review
January 8, 2013
Dear SK191932849,

We are delighted to hear that you and your family had such a wonderful time at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens.

Costa Rican staff is especially happy to have children among our guests, this is even more the case in remote areas such as Monteverde where, "the village that raises the children" is still very much the way of life. It's great to know that you all experienced a warm welcome.

I'll be sure to share your comments about the food with our Executive Chef, Federico Barrantes, he is on a personal mission to incorporate local flavors and dishes to our menu. He'll be delighted to know how much you enjoyed the food.

If you loved Monteverde Lodge & Gardens, you are sure to love Tortuga Lodge & Gardens, think all of the above plus boat rides into the rain forest with talented local guides and great wildlife opportunities.

All the Best,

Natalie Ewing
Chief Marketing & Guest Satisfaction Officer
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Grapevine, Texas
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“Enchanting Stay made by Gifted Hosts”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 6, 2013

Last week we enjoyed two peaceful and relaxing nights in the company of the fine people that grace this Lodge. More than being welcomed, we felt cared for each moment of our brief visit. A thousand thanks to Juan and Javier who spoiled us at every meal and no less to Cindy who attended to our every need. In over rwenty years of travel we have never experienced a hotel staffed with such genuine, warm and talented people.

  • Stayed January 2013, traveled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Jon M about Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
hiketiludrop, Guest Relations Manager at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens, responded to this review
January 7, 2013
Dear Jon M,

We appreciate you taking the time to write a review of Monteverde Lodge & Gardens but especially for pointing out how special and talented our staff is!

This wonderful team of talented young people thrive on offering guests the luxury of being taken care of by people who truly regard the guest as their sole raison d’etre.

They are going to be tickled to read your review.

Please do come and see us again.

Natalie Ewing
Chief Marketing & Guest Satisfaction Officer
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
London, England
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
17 hotel reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
83 helpful votes 83 helpful votes
“Lovely lodge with a bit of integrity - and best breakfast in Costa Rica”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 25, 2012

This place never pretended to be a five star resort and it exceeded our expectations as a place to sleep between local activities.

The lodge itself is hard to date being architecturally interesting - with a 50/60/1970s look to it - although I think it's actually rather newer.

Pluses:
- Cindy on reception was (like all the staff) every helpful and smiling.
-Suprisingly for an out-of-the-way place, the food was extremely good - they re-opened the restaurant for a mid-afternoon lunch after our late arrival. The 'gallo pinto' breakfast was the best in Costa Rica.
- The rooms, while not huge, are architecturally interesting (upstairs - vaulted ceilings) with balconies with long views to the forest and with comfortable beds
- The bath (well shower) room is newly refurbished (albeit compact)
- The lodge is walkable into the (hilly) town (St Elena - with a kind of ski/frontier vibe with a few restaurants and a supermarket) - other hotels are not
- The lodge is set in beautifully landscaped gardens
- There is a litle-used indoor hot-tub

Negatives
- The access to rooms is rather institutional (think deluxe school trip) down long corridors with wood-effect flooring where the room bathrooms have internal windows onto this corridor.
- The digital room safe is the most secure I have ever found - it would never open it once set (Cindy to the rescue each time).
- The sound insulation between the rooms is poor - hearing word-for-word the conversation of the next room's occupants after their 5am alarm call isn't good.

Overall this is one of my favourite places to stay in CR. It's not the last word in luxury and it never pretended to be so. But it is rather good.

PS Do the twilight tour in the reserve right next to the lodge and ask for Esteban/Steven as your guide. Amongst various creatures, we saw a sleeping sloth after just one minute. Also the italian restaurant (forgotten name) nearest to the Monteverde Reserve is a great place for lunch after a tour.

Also, Trio the resaturant is good and walkable - just past the big supermarket in St Elena. When you think "it can't possibly be over there", that's where it is. Many other restaurants just a short drive from town were completely empty - not sure why.

Room Tip: Given the issue with room-to-room noise, I imagine the upstairs rooms are probably worth the premium...
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with friends
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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See 2 more reviews by LondonTravel1 for Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Ask LondonTravel1 about Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
hiketiludrop, Guest Relations Manager at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens, responded to this review
December 26, 2012
Dear LondonTravel1,

We really appreciate your detailed review, heartfelt thanks for taking the time to write it.

Of the many things you said, I liked that you mentioned Cindy’s outstanding service and that the lodge exceeded your expectations. Part of our philosophy is to under promise and over deliver.

It’s wonderful to know that you enjoyed the food as much as you did, especially the Gallo Pinto.

The lodge was actually built in 1991. We built it at a time when it was only the second lodge in the region with private bathrooms. When first built, the lodge won prizes for its design. Guests tell us that features like the vaulted ceilings; the hot tub atrium and the open fire place give it a special feel.

You’re right; the hallways aren’t quite in keeping with feel of the public areas. We try to keep them bright and filled with tropical plants and when the weather allows we open the windows to the gardens so that you can stop and check out anything happening outside.

The sound proofing between the rooms is a result of the time when the lodge was built. We are working on correcting this, but installing the insulation is a slow expensive process and we make the renovation as cash flow allows.

We want to apologize for the inconvenience of your safe not working. The circuit boards tend to accumulate moisture given the humidity in the region, they then stop working. We do our best to keep them dry and functioning but there are times when they break down. We are pushing for a special rainforest version of in room safes!

Coming all the way from London, we realize that you may not be in Costa Rica soon, but if you ever decide to come back, you might want to consider out sister loge. Tortuga Lodge & Gardens. Reviews are available here on TripAdvisor.

All the Best,

Natalie Ewing
Chief Marketing & Guest Satisfaction Officer
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Circleville, Ohio, United States
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
“Very Peaceful Place”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed December 20, 2012

My husband and I stayed at the Lodge last week for two nights as part of a longer trip and really enjoyed it. It is a very quiet and peaceful place, with beautiful grounds to explore in your downtime. The hot tub felt wonderful after hiking and the fresh flowers and decorations around the public spaces really added to the feeling of relaxation. The rooms were quite nice, but not extremely fancy, which is perfectly expected in a lodge setting. The best part of the stay however, was most definitely the staff. They were very friendly and welcoming- I learned more about Costa Rica by sitting at the bar and talking to Jeff than I did through the rest of my stays combined! :) My only small complaint is that the food seemed to be rather pricey, but I'm assuming that this is the norm for the area since it is a tourist type town.

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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See 2 more reviews by Tashawnda M for Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
hiketiludrop, Guest Relations Manager at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens, responded to this review
December 21, 2012
Dear Tashawnda M,

First of all I want to thank you for your review. We are delighted to hear how much you enjoyed the lodge, the grounds, hiking and soaking in the hot tub. You seem to have experienced exactly what we strive to create, a peaceful and quiet place to come back to after a day of Cloud Forest exploration.

It was also great to hear how much you enjoyed the staff and speaking with Jeff, your bartender. I'm glad that you enjoyed learning about Costa Rica from him. We have a bright group of people working at the lodge and are very proud of them.

I saw that you felt that the meals were a bit pricey so I went online to compare with some of the more upscale US chains. What I found is that dish for dish, our prices are slightly higher. Part of that difference has to do with the cost of getting some of those ingredients from San Jose to Monteverde.

Where you may end up paying more is that our menu's are smaller and don't offer as many of the lower priced items as what you might find at home.

I hope that you enjoyed the food and the view from the restaurant. The menu and prices are posted on our website, so it is possible to have a look before arriving. I highly recommend the Tuna Tartare, the Basil Baked Snapper and the Orange & Passion Fruit Baked Tart!

Happy Travels,

Natalie Ewing
Chief Marketing & Guest Satisfaction
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dalton, Pennsylvania
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Peaceful stay at a lovely Hotel”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 16, 2012

We stayed at the Lodge over Thanksgiving. We were greeted by a handsome young bartender offering us tasty lemonade/mint drinks. The desk staff was so friendly, especially Fancinie, and they gave us endless suggestions on how to spend some time after our tours of the rainforest. Our boys 10 and 9 LOVED the bat exhibit. They couldn't stop talking about bats, it's now our science fair project. The hotel is very cozy - reminding us of a great ski lodge. We made friends playing scrabble and around the fire during afternoon coffee and treats. The rooms were quiet and the bathrooms were very well appointed. Being the end of the rainy season, the hotel even offered boots, umbrellas and ponchos. There are several computers to access if you needed to connect to the outside world, but it was great to totally unplug. The hotel is walking distance to the small town and offered beautiful gardens and walking paths. We would definately come back again. Keep up the great job everyone.

  • Stayed November 2012, traveled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Additional Information about Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

Also Known As:
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Hotel Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Hotel
Monteverde Lodge And Gardens
Monteverde Hotel Gardens
Gardens Hotel Monteverde
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Costa Rica
Address: after passing World of Insects on the left, take the right fork in the road | 500 meters to the entrance of the lodge, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 6941-1000, Costa Rica
Phone Number:
Region: Costa Rica > Province of Puntarenas > Monteverde > Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Amenities:
Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Restaurant Room Service Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
Ranked #1 of 7 Specialty lodging in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Price Range: $$$
Hotel Class:3.5 star (3.5*)
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
Located at 4,600 ft. above sea level on the edge of the world's best-known mid-elevation cloud forest, Monteverde Lodge is the expression of Costa Rica Expeditions' desire to create the ultimate lodging experience for the discerning nature traveler. Monteverde Lodge offers two room types: Forest View Downstairs Rooms and Upstairs Balcony Rooms. Forest View Balcony Rooms have two double beds and double doors leading out to your own private balcony, where two wicker chairs and a coffee table encourage you to sit and watch for life in the cloud forest. Forest View Downstairs Rooms also offer two double beds. These rooms have corner bay windows with the same seating arrangement as the upstairs balconies. This alcove is designed to put you in the forest while still within your room. Both upstairs and downstairs rooms have glass enclosed showers, solar heated hot water, in-room safe, hot water, coffee maker, alarm clock, ceiling fan, reading lamps, hair dryer and laundry bag. All rooms have free wireless internet. The main entry of Monteverde Lodge includes a glass cathedral entry, high wooden ceilings, an open fireplace, restaurant, bar, and 15-person hot tub. There are comfortable sofas in the bar, reading room and on the garden terrace. There is a computer room with three computers for guest use and wireless connection throughout the public areas of the hotel. The landscaping is designed to bring the flora and fauna of the cloud forest to the doorstep of the hotel. Plan on spending a morning or afternoon to wander in the 15 year old garden that includes Imperial Bromeliads, Costa Rica’s national flower the Guarianthe skinneri orchid and hedges of Blue porter weed and Lantana where butterflies feed. ... more   less 
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