Hotel at a Glance: El Establo Hotel

Costa Rica’s most popular attraction, Monteverde Cloud Forest encompasses nearly 30,000 acres along the Tilaran Mountain Range. It’s perched at 4,500 feet above sea level, and it’s almost always shrouded in a mist of clouds, creating a moist climate that supports thousands of species of animals and plants. El Establo hotel is located right in the cloud forest’s backyard. You can walk to and from the forest as you please, or partake in one of the hotel’s guided tours—during a treetop canopy tour, you’ll traverse hanging bridges high above the forest floor, where you’ll get panoramic views of the preserve.

• Room with a view: Suites and deluxe rooms have private terraces or balconies with spectacular views of the Gulf of Nicoya
• Pamper yourself: Get a hot-stone massage or take a soak in a “Mermaid Bath” infused with seaweed and sea salt at Green Leaf Spa
• Must-see attraction: Monteverde’s Bat Jungle exhibit features a flight space designed to look like a nighttime cloud forest, where you can watch more than 95 bats feed, fly, and hang.
• **Keep your eyes peeled for: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve's jaguars, sloths, and the endangered three-wattled bellbird—one of 400 bird species in the area
• Onsite dining: Guests can savor gourmet cuisine and fine wines at Laggus, a two-story restaurant overlooking the lake, hills, and the Gulf of Nicoya.
• Do as the locals do: Enjoy a cup of Costa Rican coffee with a tortilla or an empanada
• Don't forget to pack: High-quality rain gear for your rainforest treks, including jackets, pants, and boots

Monteverde, Costa Rica: Ziplining, Hiking, and Wildlife Viewing in the World-Famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde is a small mountain town in northern central Costa Rica. It was originally founded in the 1950s by a group of Quakers who fled the United States after being jailed for refusing to fight in the Korean War. Today, Monteverde is one of the country’s top eco-tourism destinations thanks to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which Travel + Leisure named one of the 10 most pristine forests in the world. Situated along the Tilaran Mountain Range, this 30,000-acre reserve is home to 3,000 plant species and 400 bird species including the resplendent quetzal whose iridescent feathers give off shades of red, blue, and green. Because of its high altitude, the reserve is almost always covered in a thick fog, a phenomenon that adds to the fantastical landscape.

You can enjoy dazzling views of the Gulf of Nicoya from bridges suspended high above the treetops. For a faster-paced tour, ride a canopy zip-line through the trees, or hop aboard the Sky Tram. These open gondolas travel deep into the rainforest, giving you the chance to spot jagaurs, ocelots, and pumas. There are attractions and exhibits dedicated to many of Monteverde’s native species. For something different, consider taking a tour of the area’s sugar cane and coffee plantations, or pay a visit to the Monteverde Cheese Factory.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.