El Establo Mountain Hotel

Stayed at El Establo Mountain Hotel for two nights during our visit to Monteverde. The location is stunning, perched above the cloud forest with lovely views from many rooms and common areas. The room balcony provides excellent views of sunsets. The property feels expansive and resort-like, with plenty of on-site options including hiking trails, two outdoor pools (one heated), spa services, tennis courts, and shuttle service across the grounds. The breakfast buffet and restaurants serve solid meals. One can visit adventures nearby like Ziplining, hanging bridges, brewery. Rooms are spacious and have great views, though the decor feels dated and lighting is minimal. During the day, the big glass doors facing outdoors provide sufficient light, but after dark the lighting in the room is too low. Wi-Fi can be spotty, working better in common areas than in rooms, and there’s no air-conditioning (common for Monteverde). More importantly since Monteverde nights get cold, there is no heating in the room. Get extra blankets to keep comfy.

We enjoyed our two-night stay at El Establo. The hotel is surrounded by nature and the grounds are huge — walking up to the viewpoint was beautiful, and we even saw wildlife like coatis and a giant agouti. Our room was conveniently close to the reception, the staff was friendly, and the breakfast (especially the fresh pancakes) was great. The hotel is quiet and not really for nightlife or long walks, but it’s a perfect base for all the adventure activities in Monteverde like ziplining, hanging bridges and night tours. A few restaurants are within walking distance. Overall, a peaceful stay and great for exploring Monteverde’s action-packed side. 🌿✨

I’m a wedding photographer in Costa Rica, and Hotel El Establo in Monteverde stands out for its spacious grounds and strong connection to nature. It’s a great option for engagement sessions, family photos, elopements, and also larger weddings, thanks to its generous event spaces. The property invites you to explore: tree-lined trails, beautifully maintained gardens, and a scenic lake at the heart of the hotel that photographs beautifully. And if you visit during sunset season, you’re in for a treat — the views from the hotel are truly breathtaking. If you’re dreaming of a photo session surrounded by nature, wide-open spaces, and stunning landscapes, this hotel should definitely be on your list. Pura vida, Joice Dahianna

• The Security Failure: A stranger walked into my room while I was naked and exiting the shower. The hotel lied and claimed it was "security," but the intruder had a suitcase—it was a clear double-booking. I was terrified. My daughters were in a separate room, and I shudder to think if this had happened to them. • The Environmental Fail: The grounds look nice but are an ecological mess. Instead of preserving native Costa Rican nature, the property is overrun with invasive species like pottos, ginger, and dracaena. It shows a total lack of care for the local ecosystem, because they can choke native plants. The, accommodations were good, pool was ok but no hot tub on that kind of climate was a let down. Breakfast was great but new year’s buffet was substandard and pricey. Zip lines were fun. I would come here again, but I expected a better apology from them and more zealous approach towards nature.

A lot of the reviews I've read of this place seem to be expecting a 4 or 5 star hotel experience. It is not listed as such. While El Establo has some issues, it was not as bad as some folks have made it out to be. First, the good: The views are gorgeous, our double was spacious, the shower hot and with good pressure. The breakfast was delicious and generous, all of the staff friendly and helpful. The mid: The rooms don't have AC or heat, but in October that wasn't a problem for us. One of our open windows didn't have screens so a few bugs got in (not a big deal for us). The hotel is on a steep incline which makes moving between your room and the pool/gym/restaurant a little tough but they have a shuttle service for you. The bad: Mostly pricing for non-breakfast food and activities. We opted out of everything you can do at the hotel because it was all as expensive as doing it elsewhere. You would expect guests to get a break. Overall, we were happy with our stay here, and wouldn't recommend anyone not stay here.

This hotel was one of the most disappointing and frustrating places I have ever stayed, and I would not recommend it to anyone, especially families with children. While the location and views are beautiful, that is where the positives end. The property is extremely spread out, built on steep hills, and you are completely dependent on a shuttle van to get anywhere. Rooms, restaurants, pool, reception, and amenities are all far apart. There is nowhere safe to walk, and no one helps with luggage. You are expected to haul suitcases up and down steep stairs and slopes on your own, even with kids. There are no elevators. There are also no security features in each building. More specifically, there is no lock on the front door to your building. The front desk staff repeatedly say they are “always available” and “happy to help,” but in reality, you are given the runaround. You are passed from person to person, nothing gets resolved, and no one takes ownership of issues. What you are told at the desk often turns out to be untrue. For instance, they ignore texts on WhatsApp without even acknowledging receipt. The rooms themselves are unacceptable for the price. There is no heating and no air conditioning. At night, the rooms get very cold. When it is windy, the wind blows directly into the unit through overlapping glass window slits, almost like blinds. There are also open vent holes with no screens, which birds can and do fly into. It genuinely felt like the room was a birdhouse. Because there is no insulation in the exterior walls, the rooms are extremely noisy, and you hear everything outside. The rooms are also completely bare. No decor, minimal furniture, harsh white walls. It felt cold, sterile, and honestly prison-like. Nothing about it felt comfortable or welcoming. Most concerning of all, this property is dangerous for children. Nothing meets North American safety standards. The railings on the stairs and second-floor balconies are wide enough that a child could slip through. The stairs are steep and slippery. I have included photos to show how unsafe this is. I would never feel comfortable letting children move around freely here. This hotel is wildly overpriced for what it offers and relies on its location to justify costs while neglecting maintenance, safety, and basic guest care. Based on our experience and the many similar reviews, this is a pattern, not a one-off. I've also included pictures of how run-down the units are inside. The exteriors of the buildings look nice, but the units inside are of very poor quality. Lastly, the toilets don't work well. They clog easily! Stay elsewhere. Monteverde has many better options that are safer, better maintained, and actually care about their guests.

We stayed 3 nights and it was worth. Rooms are modern and minimalist style enhancing the backdrop of the beautiful mountains surrounding the hotel. There is no room with a bad view. The chef is an artist. We tasted some of the best steaks and fish. They have lots of activities and their service is phenomenal. Best time of the year is late December to early March of you want to avoid the rain. However, this is the Rainforest and nothing wrong experiencing the rain and listen to the thousands of birds singing afterwards.

The grounds at El Establo are absolutely gorgeous. They have plenty of hiking trails right on the premises. My husband and I even did a guided night walk, where we got to see a snake, tarantulas, and all sorts of cool insects. Our honeymoon suite was gorgeous, but there was no door for the toilet. Maybe this is a cultural difference, but I found that pretty gross. There is also no privacy for the shower, but that wasn't an issue for my husband and I. The customer service was great too. Shoutout to José for his hospitality! Unfortunately, the food was my biggest gripe with El Establo. First off, there are only two restaurants for lunch and dinner (main dining and the pool) and both are very slow dining. We waited for over an hour after ordering to receive our food at the main restaurant. We tried eating at the pool the next day and it was almost just as slow. I ordered a Margherita pizza and it was ATROCIOUS. In fact, all of the food I ate was subpar at best. This was disappointing given how expensive this place is. There is also not enough dining flexibility. If you want to eat outside of restaurant hours, you're out of luck. They don't even have a fast casual dining option. Fortunately, they do a self-serve buffet for breakfast, which gives guest much more flexibility. Overall I enjoyed our stay, but we probably won't be back given that the food did not live up to our expectations for a luxury hotel and resort.