Monteverde Lodge (long known as Monteverde Lodge & Gardens) is a 31-room hotel on the edge of Santa Elena, framed by landscaped gardens and a small private cloud forest reserve. It’s one of the more polished places to stay in Monteverde, with naturalist-led walks, a well-regarded restaurant and a heated pool, yet it’s only a ten-minute walk from town. Choose it if you want comfort and good food between early-morning reserve visits.
At a glance
| Location | Edge of Santa Elena, Monteverde, in the Tilarán Mountains |
|---|---|
| Style | 31-room upscale lodge in five room categories |
| Setting | Gardens and a private cloud forest reserve with a creek, about 1,440 m above sea level |
| Best for | Couples, food lovers, first-time visitors to the cloud forest |
| Getting there | Road transfer or package from San José; private flights offered by its sister air service |
| CST status | Not in the official CST directory (checked 2026-Oct-21) |
Where it is
The lodge sits in the Tilarán range, about 15 minutes by road from the entrance to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and a ten-minute walk from the restaurants and shops of Santa Elena, according to its directions page. The lodge recommends booking a package with round-trip transport included, since the last stretch of road into Monteverde is winding and many visitors prefer not to drive it themselves.
Monteverde sits at about 4,662 feet (1,440 m) here, and the lodge points out that it’s refreshingly cool compared with the coast. Evenings can be chilly and damp, which is why the lounge has a wood fire.
Who runs it
The lodge is part of Böëna Lodges, a Costa Rican group that also runs Pacuare Lodge, Lapa Rios, Tortuga Lodge and Cloud Forest Lodge. Its Böëna page explains that the name comes from a Cabécar word meaning health and well-being. When Böëna restored the lodge, it kept the original architecture and its open-air feel, with large windows to pull in natural light and ventilation.
Rooms
All 31 rooms have private balconies or terraces with forest or garden views, pillow-top beds, bathrobes, free Wi-Fi and nightly turndown. The accommodations page lists five categories:
- Quetzal Suite (43 square meters): the newest and most private room, with a large balcony and an outdoor bathtub
- Mountain Gem rooms (45 square meters): the most spacious standard rooms, with views of forest wildlife from the window
- Toucanet rooms (37 square meters) and Motmot rooms (34 square meters): forest-facing rooms with balconies
- Cotinga rooms (32 square meters): direct access to the main lodge, facing open lawns
A filtration system provides drinkable tap water throughout the property. The lodge describes mornings filled with birdsong and the sound of a nearby creek.
Food at El Jardín
El Jardín is the lodge’s main draw for many visitors. The menu was created by Chef George Belesis around local ingredients and reworked Costa Rican traditions, and the restaurant page highlights dishes such as beef tenderloin in a blackberry and coffee sauce, squid-ink risotto with octopus, and fresh Pacific fish from small-scale fishers. One of the gardens has been turned into a greenhouse dining space, and the restaurant offers plant-based, brunch and dessert menus. It serves from 6 a.m. until a last sitting at 8:30 p.m., and room service is available.
Getting into the forest
The lodge’s gardens and small private reserve are good for unhurried wildlife watching, with benches set up for reading or waiting quietly for birds. Naturalist guides lead an evening walk that the lodge says can turn up frogs, snakes, armadillos, bats, two-toed sloths, insects and roosting birds.
Staff also arrange visits to the region’s main reserves, as described on the lodge’s Monteverde page:
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: short to long trails through primary and recovering forest up to the windswept Continental Divide; the lodge calls it the best spot for resplendent quetzals, especially from January to July
- Santa Elena Reserve: about 7 km north of town, on the Caribbean side of the divide at roughly 1,600 m
- Curi-Cancha Reserve: a smaller reserve popular with birders, where three-wattled bellbirds, blue-crowned motmots and orange-bellied trogons are often reported
- Coffee, chocolate and sugarcane farm tours, the Santa Elena orchid garden, night tours and an adventure park with zip lines
Sustainability
The lodge’s sustainability page describes community-focused work more than technical green features. A one-time conservation contribution added to each guest’s stay funds local programs, and the lodge reports back to guests on how it’s spent. Other practices it lists:
- Most staff come from nearby communities, and women hold most management roles, including lodge manager
- Cross-training with staff at the other Böëna lodges
- Financial and organizational support for Monteverde’s recycling center and sponsorship of the Monteverde Environmental Park, which is developing solid waste, sewage and compost facilities for the area
- Funding and equipment for environmental education at La Lindora school
- Buying produce, dairy, eggs and berries from local growers whenever possible
The lodge doesn’t currently appear in the CST directory, so these points rest on the lodge’s own reporting.
Who it suits, and who might not enjoy it
Monteverde Lodge is a good match for couples and first-time visitors who want reliable comfort, a short walk into town, and an excellent dinner after a day on the trails. Birders will appreciate how quickly the main reserves can be reached.
People wanting a remote, off-grid cloud forest experience may find it too close to town and too polished. In that case, its sister property Cloud Forest Lodge sits further out in its own forest, and Arco Iris Lodge is a simpler, smaller alternative in Santa Elena. Find more stays in our Monteverde region guide, and plan your reserve days with our Monteverde cloud forest guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I walk from Monteverde Lodge to Santa Elena?
Yes. The lodge is about a ten-minute walk from downtown Santa Elena's restaurants, bars and shops, though the forest setting makes it feel further away.
How far is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve?
About 15 minutes by road from the lodge. Staff can book guided reserve walks and transport, and early starts give the best chance of quetzals and other birds.
Is the pool heated?
Yes. The lodge describes its pool as one of the few heated pools in the Monteverde area, set among gardens and tall trees, which helps on cool cloud forest evenings.
What's the easiest way to get to Monteverde Lodge?
The lodge suggests booking a package that includes round-trip transport, since the mountain road into Monteverde is slow and winding. Its menu also lists private flights through Böëna's sister air service. Ask the reservations team which option fits your route.
