Cloud Forest Lodge
Large rooms, a private reserve and the original canopy tour between two reserves
Cloud Forest Lodge, between the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves
The lodge sits high in the Tilarán Mountains, two kilometres from Monteverde town, inside the Bellbird Biological Corridor that links the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves. It is the newest of the five Boena Wilderness Lodges, the same group as Pacuare Lodge, Lapa Rios and Tortuga Lodge.
It suits nature lovers and birders who want the forest outside the door, and families who want large rooms after a day on the trails.
Why we choose it
- A forest of its own. The lodge sits on a private 23-hectare reserve, mostly primary forest, with walking trails and raised platforms for watching wildlife.
- The original zipline. Costa Rica's Original Zipline and Canopy Tour runs on the property, so the canopy is a short walk from your room, not a drive.
- Every room is big. Rooms run from 66 to 80 m2, each with a terrace, twin vanities, a solar-heated rain shower and nightly turndown.
Rooms and views
The Tityra Junior Suites are the largest and most private, at 80 m2, with a pillow-top king bed, a parlour with a reading nook and daybed, and a terrace placed for wildlife viewing. The bathrooms are stone and wood, with a glass rain shower.
Families take the Euphonia rooms: 72 m2, two queen beds, room for four, and a covered terrace facing the wilderness and the gardens. The Manakin rooms, at 66 m2, look over the gardens and the reserve from a terrace with a sitting area. Every room has bathrobes, Costa Rican coffee and WiFi, and none allows smoking.
On the property
Life centres on the main house. Endemica Restaurant cooks Costa Rican and international food from local produce, keeps a plant-based menu and a good wine list, and invites local musicians to play. It opens from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm every day. Outside there is a bar beside a fire pit.
There is no pool or spa here, and that is the point of the place: the forest is what you come for. Hot water comes from 25 thermo-solar panels, kitchen waste is composted, all of the staff come from the local area, and the Boena lodges protect more than 800 hectares of forest between them.
Location and getting there
Walk the reserve with a guide or on your own, then head out to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Curi Cancha or the Santa Elena Reserve, a night walk, or the Don Juan and El Trapiche coffee and chocolate tours. We arrange the private transfer in and plan the tours around the weather. Read more about the Monteverde cloud forest.
Hotels we book in Monteverde
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Cloud Forest Lodge | Monteverde Lodge & Gardens | Fondavela Mountain Hotel | Hotel Belmar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Boutique | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Spa | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Check availability | See hotel | See hotel | See hotel |
Where it is
Your Costa Rican driver waits at arrivals and stops whenever you like on the way: fruit stands, a sloth in a tree, a bathroom.
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