Sibu Boutique Hotel
Gardens, a fire pit and rooftop lounges a short walk from Santa Elena
Sibu Boutique Hotel, a short walk from Santa Elena town
Sibu sits on the edge of Santa Elena, the town at the centre of Monteverde, close enough to walk in for dinner or a coffee. The hotel takes its name from Sibu, the Bribri deity who appears as a hummingbird, and hummingbirds do feed in the garden outside the restaurant windows.
It reopened after a full renovation, and it suits couples and families who want an easy base for the cloud forest.
Why we choose it
- Town on foot. Santa Elena is a short walk away, so an evening out needs no driver, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and the Children's Eternal Rainforest are close by.
- Evenings outside. A sunken fire pit in the gardens, and rooftop lounges on top of the Forest Superior buildings for the sunset and, on a clear night, the stars.
- A pool and spa next door. Sibu belongs to the same Treebu group as Hotel Poco a Poco, and a shuttle takes guests over to its pool, jacuzzi, Naroa Spa and 450 m nature trail.
Rooms and views
The Lantana rooms open onto a terrace or a courtyard with seating, and take a queen bed on its own or with one or two singles. The Guaria rooms are the family-style ones, with 2 queen beds and a single, a mini fridge and a secluded terrace looking out over Monteverde.
For couples we ask for a Forest Superior room. It looks over tropical gardens and flowering trees, has air conditioning and a desk, and is steps from the restaurant, the fire pit and the rooftop lounges. Every room has blackout curtains, a coffee maker, a safe and organic bath products.
On the property
Bitzu Restaurant cooks Costa Rican and international dishes from local ingredients, with vegetarian dishes and choices without gluten, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, looking onto the courtyard and gardens. The Ambar Cacao Lounge Bar mixes handcrafted cocktails and serves tapas every day from 2 to 10 pm.
There is no pool or spa on the Sibu grounds itself: those are at Poco a Poco, by the shuttle. The hotel runs on solar panels, recycles in every department, and 95% of the staff come from the area.
Location and getting there
Sibu is 120 meters east of the north side of the sports plaza in Santa Elena, minutes from Selvatura Adventure Park, Treetopia and the Don Juan Coffee Tour. The drive is about 2.5 hours from San José airport and 2 hours 50 minutes from Liberia, and we arrange a private transfer either way. 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.
| Sibu Boutique Hotel | Poco a Poco Hotel | Monteverde Country Lodge | Senda Monteverde Hotel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Volcano setting | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Boutique | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Spa | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| 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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