Selina Monteverde

Monteverde & Santa Elena


An outlier in the Selina chain for its quiet location right up against the cloud forest, Selina Monteverde appeals to the backpacker or young family looking to socialize until a reasonable hour, then get up and see nature. Accommodations are basic with artful touches, and the six-, eight-, and 10-bed dorms – all with access to the property's hot tub, fire pit, yoga studio, hip restaurant and co-working space – offer excellent value.

E-bike rentals (per hour from US$5) are a great way to get from here to Bosque Nuboso Monteverde and back.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Monteverde & Santa Elena attractions

1. Friends Meeting House

0.26 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…

2. Bat Jungle

0.8 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…

4. Butterfly Garden

1.24 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…

5. Herpetarium Adventure

1.64 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. Ranario

1.7 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…

7. Jardín de Orquídeas

1.71 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…

8. El Arbol Hueco

1.73 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…