Need information on Trapp Family Lodge...the Heliconia, Hotel Belmar, and the Monteverde Lodge are already full.

Is the Trapp Lodge comparable for views like the other 3 places listed above?? The price at the Trapp Lodge is very reasonable.

Any help at all...I need a place to stay from Dec. 15-18 in Monteverde!

Thanks,
Leigh

Nudging here abeit gently...

I am not sure what views you are talking about but it is in the cloud forest and right next to Monteverde. I haven't stayed there but got a little look at the grounds this year while doing a tree identification class in the area.

El Establo, Fonda Vela, El Sapo Dorado might be other options. El Establo is just a little further out of town than the Heliconia. People have mentioned having a hike up to it but the views of the Nicoya Peninsula can be awesome.

Thank you for responding...I haven't checked out Hotel Establo but the Heliconia and Sapo Dorado is booked up already.

If you stay at Establo, ask for a nice view (not all rooms have a good one).

It's getting kind of late and things are booking up for December. If Trapp still has openings, I think it's a fine choice. It's the last lodging heading up the mountain, but you're still about a 20-minute walk from the entrance to the reserve. Your own vehicle is ideal if you're staying up there, but most of the tours offer their own transport and will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. And if you go out to eat, the hotel reception is happy to call a taxi for you, and any restaurant will do the same to get you back to the hotel. It's entirely possible to do Monteverde without a car.

FYI: Trapp is an entirely no-smoking property. Actually, I think they have this little enclosed structure off the parking lot where they permit smoking, but the rooms, dining room, lobby and all other areas of the place are non-smoking.

Heyyyy Guys and Gals...thanks for the information on the lodging. I've narrowed it down to the Trapp Family Lodge and the Hotel Poco a Poco.

Jeff...have you ever stayed at Poco a Poco?? I saw a post yesterday that it was somebody's favorite lodge (money-wise).

Leigh

We stayed at Trapp Family Lodge, it's nice, but you are far from town and we felt "trapped" there.

The restaurant there was very good, the room was fine (we were not in the building, another building about 30 steps up). We just felt we were too far from town to venture out once it got dark.

That said, if we ever went back to Monteverde (which we won't), we would probably stay closer to town. We passed Poco a Poco, it looked very nice from the outside and near town.

That being said, if you want to try different restaurants and don't want to bounce around on the roads every night, I'd stay at Poco a Poco.

Hope that helps.

Thank you all for taking the time to share your information with me. I guess the Poco a Poco will be my place of residence for 3 days.

I really appreciate your time! What a GREAT forum!

Leigh

I also booked 2 nights at Poco a Poco for January based on these recommendations--booked on Orbitz.

JaneB...

Were you able to get the Hotel Poco a Poco cheaper through Orbitz?? I just called and made reservations for 3 nights in December! I'll let you know how it was when I get back if you're going in January. 8-)

STLady--I don't know if it was cheaper--I just got tired of corresponding back and forth with travel agents. There's a lot to be said for instant confirmation!! I paid $90/per night including taxes and fees. Jane

Good Grief...that's cheaper than what I got dealing directly with the Hotel!! Mine was $86.00 a night not counting taxes.

I just checked your dates on Orbitz and "there are no rooms available for those dates". So, its fortunate that you called the hotel. I never think about calling hotels because I don't speak any languages except English. I usually reserve hotels on the hotel's web sites where available. I don't think I have ever used Orbitz before.
December probably has higher rates than January, too,--so you "did good"!
Jane

Heres another suggestion. Claro de Luna. It is a two minute walk to town, but a lovely place in case your other options are booked.

http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/hotel/claro-de-luna/

Thanks Jane...you really helped me out a lot. I asked for a 10% discounted rate at Poco a Poco and they were soooooo nice about it when I explained about Orbitz.

That will be home for 3 nights in Monteverde or is it near Monteverde??? The Trapp Family Lodge was right next to the Reserve and was tempted just so I could be "in" the rainforest.

Is it relatively safe to walk around where I'll be staying?? I don't even know if it's a town surrounding the hotel.

Sandy, I'll check out the Claro de Luna for my second visit to CR this summer. 8-)

It will be safe enough to walk around there. Personally I think you made the better choice. The Trapp Family lodge looked very nice and being in the cloud forest was nice as well but it is really removed from much of the rest of the things to see. You can walk to the little town of Santa Elena easily from P a P. Check out Santa Elena reserve while you are there if you have time. It is so green and beautiful and less people. We always see some type of wildlife while walking in Finca Ecologica as well. You can access FE from monteverde lodge which is next door to PaP. You may be able to get into it from there as well. We didn't care for the Monteverde Lodge but we enjoyed being able to get into FE easily from it.

The butterfly garden is one of my favorite places. I have visited it at least 4 times. Gabriel has done a lovely job on the Orchid garden if you are interested in Orchids.

Santa Elena/Monteverde has always held a spot in my list of favorite places. Not everyone agrees but I love walking through the cloud forest. I can find plenty in the natural surroundings to entertain me, I don't need artificial. There are some great back trails in Monteverde where you see few people. The area in general has gotten much more crowded.

People really seem to like the zip lines. In over 15 years of travel down there I have yet to go on one. I guess I just go to be with nature. I get enough excitement just driving to the grocery store back home.