We booked our stay at the TreeTop House after falling in love with pictures of it online. It looked so interesting and unique that we had to stay there. We were not disappointed.

I honestly wish I could buy this place myself. It was a wonderful retreat yet still close to everything we wanted to see.

I will get the minor negatives out of the way first. One of the drawbacks of the rugged beauty and undeveloped nature of Costa Rica is plumbing issues. You can't flush tissue as we can in the States, and water pressure & hot water are possibly rarer than the Quetzal! This is not just at TreeTop House but most interesting places. We didn't want to stay at boring hotel clones, and we chose a variety of interesting places to stay. They were all delightful in their own ways. The drawback to all is the plumbing (which is apparently a problem even in the expensive resorts).

Our bathroom at the TreeTop House was very cute with a skylight and a beautiful mosaic in the shower. You just can't expect the conveniences we take for granted in American bathrooms. And that's pretty much the most negative thing I can recall!

When we arrived, we met Sabine, the proprietress, in Santa Elena, which is just down the hill/mountain from the TreeTop House. We had wanted to pick up some groceries, so she met us at the grocery store, and we followed her to the house.

The house used to be an art studio, and while I still think it would be a great studio, I'm so glad Sabine bought it and opened it to travelers. You sit at treetop of a cloud forest, birds and other tree-dwellers easily viewable from the windows and porches. The architecture of the house is fun, quirky, unique, and overall charming. From the peaked ceiling in the kitchen/dining area to nooks in the lower bedroom, from the curving staircase to the tree growing right up through the structure, from the wide-around window views to the unique open display dividing dining & sleeping... Honestly, it was all such a treat. I will share some of my pictures so you can get an idea, but they really don't do it justice. (Also, some of my pictures were taken with a fisheye lens for a wider view, so they'll look round and sometimes slightly distorted.) We had the house to ourselves, upstairs and a downstairs bedroom. Sabine was in the process of renovating some other rooms (they looked great, very fun & funky), so I guess it's possible that you might share part of the house w/someone else if you chose not to rent the whole thing. However, the various levels are already pretty separate, so it would be more like sharing a duplex or hotel rather than a normal house.

The wildlife near the house is plentiful. Birds birds birds! Apparently some monkeys come close to the house, but we didn't get to see any. Although we did hear the howler monkeys, ubiquitous at every corner we visited in Costa Rica except atop Cerro de la Muerte. I still miss that sound and occasionally think I hear it upon waking, only to realize I'm home and hearing neighborhood dogs.

Sabine was a good hostess, providing us with a clean house & information. She was eager for input on what could have been done to improve our stay. Honestly, my biggest suggestion was an increase in the kitchen supplies. We had most everything we needed for casual cooking, but I seem to recall that an extra pot and maybe an additional plate or utensils... Whatever the case, it was very minor, and we loved the kitchen space. The little cooktop stove was great, and even though I have a huge Viking range at home, I wouldn't mind having a little Mabe for some extra burner space. It was delightful.

One of my favorite things (and what ended up costing me!) was how Sabine had the art and handcrafts of local artists and artisans throughout the house. I fell so in love with the big bowl that I made guacamole in that I had to have one. I came home with more wooden bowls & utensils than anyone needs, but, oh, they are lovely!

On the way out of Monteverde (If I remember correctly, we turned left off the street the house is on; our path was heading eventually northeast -- we were going up to La Fortuna & around to stay at Arenal) we passed a place on the left that had a sign for rosewood bowls, etc. I have a card for them, but I can't find it now. I'll update my review when I find it. But it's a family-run business, and they were so friendly & wonderful. The husband, who makes the bowls, utensils, and other rosewood items, gave us a tour of his beautiful garden and took us to see his workshop. The wife has some of her items in the shop; the ones I bought were handmade napkins; each had a Quetzal embroidered on it. The family was charming, their prices very fair, and they were just a delight to meet. Even if you aren't heading that way, I recommend a stop while you're in Monteverde. I would say they're no more than 5 or 10 minutes from the TreeTop House.

We also enjoyed the CASEM art coop. They had some interesting items, most very reasonably priced. Most of the shops in Santa Elena were a little higher, although I did get a fantastic, large bowl at the grocery store for what I thought was a good price.

We went on the Cloud Forest canopy tour with the company Selvatura. It was amazing. I am terrified - terrified - of heights. When we looked at the pictures online before leaving for our trip, I almost cried just looking. I still don't know how I managed to do it, but I did, and I'm so thankful. I LOVED it. The first few bridges were a little scary, and I went slowly, but by the 3rd bridge, I was walking alone, and by the 4th, I was snapping pictures like crazy. Our guide was great - Juan Carlos - ask for him! We actually were blessed to see a Quetzal! We had seen some on Cerro de la Muerte but didn't hold our breath on spotting any more. Juan Carlos was as excited as we were. He was an informed, friendly, and engaging guide.

I would love to make another trip back. In addition to nice accomodations while visiting the area, the TreeTop House is perfect for writing, photography, and painting, and it has been beckoning us since we left.