Costa Rica is well-known for its stunning accommodation – to help you decide, we've compiled a list of our favourite luxury hotels near the Volcanoes and Cloud Forests.
Monteverde Lodge
Monteverde Lodge is the best option for comfort in Monteverde. They have 27 rooms, each with private bathroom and the restaurant, which looks out onto jungle, serves very good international food (there is even the option to choose from a BBQ).
An exhilarating activity is the Monteverde Sky Trek which involves zip-wiring through and above the cloud forest. Not advisable for those who suffer from vertigo! The longest zip-wire is 800 metres and 400 high. There are 11 zip-wires in total.
Why We Love It
The property is surrounded by beautiful gardens with lots of wildlife and the entrance to the National Park is only a 15 minute walk from the lodge.
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
Located in Alajuela in north-central Costa Rica, Villa Blanca offers access to some of the country's pristine cloud forest.
The hotel is surrounded by a 75-acre private biological reserve, pristine cloud forest and dairy farmland. Accommodation consists of private bungalows or casitas, all with a cosy fireplace for the cool nights that characterise the tropical cloud forest. From the main hacienda house on the hilltop, which contains the restaurant and billiards room, there are views over the surrounding landscapes towards distant Mt. Arenal. Facilities include a swimming pool and a spa offering a range of treatments using natural, organic Costa Rican products. As well as nature trails on the hotel's own property, local activities include guided hiking, birdwatching trips to see the rare quetzal bird, wildlife viewing in the Carara National Park, horse riding and trips to waterfalls, butterfly gardens, the Poas Volcano National Park and the local town of San Ramón. Nocturnal nature walks and zip-line canopy tours to see the cloud forest from a bird's eye view are also available.
Why We Love It
Follow the expert guides on a birdwatching trip and hope to be lucky enough to see the rare quetzal, revered by the Maya culture.
Poas Volcano Lodge
Poas Volcano Lodge is a boutique hotel situated on the edge of a protected sub-tropical cloud forest, with views of Poas Volcano and the northern Caribbean Plains.
The property is newly renovated in a Costa Rican style, with a combination of modern lines, rustic stone and wood features. The 11 en-suite bedrooms and suites, some with balconies with scenic views and others with private gardens, are split between the main lodge and outside Garden Rooms. They are all designed to have their own character and individuality. The lodge itself has three communal areas, a living room with a big open fire, a dinky library with a wide variety of books and an elegant sitting room which centres the lodge - an ideal area for guests to relax and view the surroundings. Food is served in the Bromeila restaurant and, which offers a mixture of European and traditional Costa Rican cuisine, with ingredients which are locally sourced. Not to mention a fine selection of wine. As for activities, Poas Volcano lodge is within a short distance of the La Paz Waterfall gardens, Poas volcano and tours of the Doka Coffee Estate and the Colonais del Poas Canopy.
Why We Love It
Guests can glide between 24 treetop platforms via harness and cable.