We had a great stay in Santa Elena. This place is great value and the staff are very helpful with booking excursions. The rooms are small but clean and the bathrooms were very clean too. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast. If you're looking for a good budget option in the Monteverde area, I would recommend this place.

This place is good for your stay in Santa Elena while visiting Monteverde region. My thoughts and opinion about Monteverde mentioned in Monteverde cloud rainforest review, i wasn't impressed with the rainforest experience, however, if you already end up in Santa Elena - Cabinas El Pueblo is a nice stay and comfy stay.
It's cheap, we get a triple room ( one big bed and one "double decker" ) for roughly 30 dollars a night. It doesn't have air conditioner but you don't need one. Santa Elena is the only place in Costa Rica where i wore pants and sweatshirt when it get closer to the evening. Just open the window, you might even get cold.
The only downside i see of this place, but then again, it's not a fault of the place...washroom, or to be exact toilet position. It's right in front of the door to the washroom. The problem is i am 6'3, so its practically impossible to seat on the toilet and have the door closed at the same time. Either you doing number 2 with the open door either you twisted sideway.
Don't forget to go downstair into the kitchen area and on the board select your type of breakfast ( they have two options usually ), how many people are coming for breakfast and what time. I am not sure what happens if u don't do it, i think u will still get the breakfast, but we were reminded of this a night before.
The staff at the El Pueblo cabinas is great, Very helpfull in every way, willing to share information and even making the calls for you ( i needed information on ferry schedules from Puntarenas to Nikoya peninsula )
Nearby, you can find grocery shop, great taco place, some souvenir shops, bars, i think even a nightclub. To find cabinas El Pueblo is a bit tricky, but ask for directions from the locals and they will tell u. Pretty much, by the church ( there is only one in downtown ) u get to make a right turn to this little dirty road, it circles down the hill and u are in front of the Cabinas el Pueblo.

My girlfriend and I stayed here for 3 nights in a private room. It was just what we needed: simple, non-extravagant bedroom and jumping-off point for exploring the surrounding area (you aren't coming here for the b&b's are you?).

Everything in the town is a 5 min walk from anything in the town restaurants are close, but there is also a grocery store a minute away and a kitchen that you can cook in to keep a tighter budget.

Keep in mind, you don't come here for Santa Elena (a pretty small, quiet town), you come for everything it is nearby and these guys were friendly and helpful with hints, bookings, etc.

Very welcoming and helpful family!
Marlenny picked us up from the bus Station and helped us organising our travelling. Eddy showed us the sloth living in the neighbourhood and how to open a coconut :)
Delicious pancakes and very clean kitchen, well equipped.