Monteverde Costa Rica refers to the area around the Monteverde Reserve, comprised of three villages; Santa Elena, Cerro Plano and Monteverde. Santa Elena is at a lower elevation and intersects the roads coming from Arenal, the Pan-American Highway and Las Juntas. Farther up the road toward the reserve, lies Cerro Plano, and after that, at the end of the road, Monteverde. The distance from Santa Elena to the Reserve is about 8 kilometers on unpaved roads. There are some 5000 people living in this community.

Santa Elena:

Santa Elena is the more densely populated and commercial section. The "downtown" is made up of one street that forms a triangle. Here you will find the bank, supermarket, police, post office, drug store and number restaurants and Internet cafes. Santa Elena is the hub for public transportation and services in the area. Most of the inexpensive Pensions are located around here. There are over 20 small Pension or small hotels in the vicinity. Double rooms can be found for around $15, often with private baths. The main clientele consists of backpackers and younger expense conscious travelers. Some places offer community kitchens. Staying at one of these hotels is great way to meet other travelers and exchange stories. 

We do not mention many of the smaller budget motels and pensions on this site. Reservations are usually not needed and people can just look around upon arrival. In fact anyone arriving by public bus will be practically accosted by representatives of the stiffly competing pensions. While this can be annoying after a four and a half bus ride, remember they are just doing there jobs and may actually be offering accommodations that you are looking for. For budget hotels we can recommend the Pension Santa Elena.  Other mid range hotels include Las Orquideas and Finca Valverde.

Cerro Plano:

This plateau situated between Santa Elena and Monteverde is home to attractions such as the Butterfly Garden and a number of good restaurants. This is a good location as you are in the middle of it all. A number of trails and tours are in easy walking distance. The area is dominated by the Hotel El Establo, a large up scale hotel that has expanded over the years. Another growing hotel is Montana de Monteverde. There are also a number of mid range options such as the De Lucia Inn and Cabinas Los Pinos.


Monteverde:

The road that climbs up from Santa Elena and passes through Cerro Plano stops at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This dairy-farming hamlet founded by Quakers in the 50's is made up of private homes, farms and hotels, all spread out three or four kilometers of the road to the park. The Fonda Vela and Trapp Family Lodge offer nice rooms that are surrounded by green and nature. These tranquil locations are slightly more isolated while a short walk from the reserve and it's trails. The rate of rooms and cabins in the Monteverde area is mid to high range.