After the Von Trapp family escaped from Austria to Switzerland, some of the family remained in Switzerland, some emigrated to the U.S. and others moved to Chile. During the tumultuous decades of the seventies and eighties Chile became an unpleasant place for anyone of age for military service. The Trapp's escaped again, this time to the Switzerland of Central America: Costa Rica.

   The Trapp Family Lodge of Monteverde was constructed in 1999. The lodge has the same alpine feel as the Vermont lodge; made of elegantly carved wood and also picturesquely placed on a mountain. The Trapp family Lodge is the closest hotel to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. There are 20 comfortable rooms with private bathrooms, queen size beds and cushioned chairs which face floor to ceiling picture windows. Outside views are of the cloud forest and would be ideal for bird watching. One corner room is especially impressive due as a result of two connecting windows, which serve as the outside walls. The main building contains of a comfortable wooden lobby with a restaurant and bar. An area designated for smoking is enclosed off the main lobby.

   The new Mountain Suites should open sometime in early 2006, but unfortunately were not ready to inspect at the time of writing this. The Mountain Suites will be 8 Suites set slightly higher than the Lodge with excellent views.