Hotel Belmar

Monteverde & Santa Elena


Every room at the Belmar boasts views of forest or gulf – or both! The gorgeous light-filled rooms are decked out with handcrafted furniture and high-thread-count linens. There are spectacular sunset views from the private balconies – the higher you go, the more spectacular they are. Other perks include yoga classes, spa services and a fabulous restaurant with those same jaw-dropping views.

Incidentally, this place is a real eco-resort, boasting five leaves from the country's sustainable tourism program. Solar-heated water, biodigested energy and rainwater harvesting are just a few of the sustainable practices at the Belmar.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Monteverde & Santa Elena attractions

1. Bat Jungle

0.28 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…

2. Butterfly Garden

0.64 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…

3. Friends Meeting House

0.73 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…

4. El Arbol Hueco

0.8 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…

5. Herpetarium Adventure

0.83 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…

6. Jardín de Orquídeas

0.88 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…

7. Ranario

0.95 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…

8. Iglesia

0.96 MILES

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