Hotel El Atardecer

Monteverde & Santa Elena


This attractive two-story wooden lodge is located away from the main drag in Santa Elena, guaranteeing a good night’s rest. Surrounding a spacious courtyard restaurant, the musty yet ample tiled rooms have high, beamed ceilings, wood paneling and good mattresses. The selling point is the shared balcony, a magnificent place for – you guessed it – the sunset.

If there's no room at this inn, the owner's daughter runs El Amanecer down the block; it's similarly named, built and priced (double/triple US$65/75).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Monteverde & Santa Elena attractions

1. Iglesia

0.13 MILES

A local landmark in the center of Santa Elena. The adjacent roasted-chicken shack apparently has no religious affiliation.

2. Ranario

0.14 MILES

Returning to its former glory as the Ranario, or Frog Pond (it's changed names a few times), this place also features an insect house. The frogs are still…

3. Jardín de Orquídeas

0.21 MILES

This sweet-smelling garden in Santa Elena has shady trails winding past more than 500 types of orchids. On your guided tour, you’ll see such rarities as…

4. Herpetarium Adventure

0.24 MILES

For those who prefer their reptiles under glass (or at least behind it), a guide will show you around and introduce you to more than 50 species of…

5. El Arbol Hueco

0.53 MILES

There's no sign, no website, and last we checked, nobody was collecting any money for this delightful roadside attraction. It's simply a hollowed-out fig…

6. Butterfly Garden

0.62 MILES

Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…

7. Bat Jungle

1.07 MILES

The Bat Jungle in Monteverde is a small but informative exhibit, with good bilingual educational displays and a habitat housing almost 100 free-flying…

8. Friends Meeting House

1.58 MILES

This simple meeting house in Monteverde is the ‘church’ of the American Society of Friends, or the Quakers, who first settled this area and committed to…