Hotel Senda Monteverde: Property Report

Senda Monteverde is for travelers who want to immerse themselves in nature. As such, the villas are lovely and comfortable, but sparse and slightly rustic. There are a total of 28 villas across four classes of accommodations: two Senda Suites, eight Premium Suites, eight Superior Suites and 10 Junior Suites. All of the villas come with a king-size bed that can be split into two beds upon request, a sofa bed/daybed and a small sitting area with a table and chairs, making them a perfect accommodation for a couple with kids.

Additionally, each villa has its own patio and mini bar, with a variety of snacks and drinks that are free for guests to enjoy. The decor consists of neutral tones, and the linens are plush and soft. Guests should be aware that the villas do not have televisions or A/C, although they do have plans to outfit their facilities with air conditioning in the future. However, the cool mountain temperatures make the villas quite comfortable at night with just a ceiling fan, and the resort does offer free Wi-Fi for all guests. Laundry service is available for a fee for guests in the Junior and Superior Suites; it is complimentary for guests staying in either the Premium or Senda Suites.

The resort has a lovely restaurant onsite that serves traditional Costa Rican cuisine and utilizes local ingredients. Every reservation includes daily breakfast, served in the restaurant dining room and made to order (i.e., it is not a breakfast buffet). Lunch and dinner are available as well for an additional charge. The “green juice” at breakfast is a refreshing mix of celery, cucumber and pineapple, and the homemade mantequilla (butter) and warm rolls served each night with dinner are absolutely delicious. Aside from the onsite restaurant, the hotel also has a yoga studio, an Exploration Center with books and games, five nature trails (two main trails that are about 800 meters each and three smaller trails of varying lengths), and a gift shop. Within the next one to two years, the resort will be adding a pool and a spa for guests as well, and the location on the property has already been identified.

Guests can arrange a variety of local activities right from the hotel, including zip-lining, hanging bridge and canopy tours (guided or unguided) or a hike to see gorgeous waterfalls. Additional tours and demonstrations offer guests insight into Costa Rican coffee and chocolate production, or visitors to the hotel might enjoy a short horseback riding trip through the mountains. Senda’s property is also situated directly adjacent to the Aguti Wildlife Reserve, and admission to the Reserve is complimentary for all hotel guests. Finally, despite its secluded feel, Senda Monteverde is just a short walk away from the local town, allowing the option to explore the local area beyond the typical ecotourism that draws travelers to this area year-round.

Travelers to Monteverde should bring hiking shoes or closed-toed shoes for the best protection while trekking through the cloud forests. However, the hotel has hiking boots and walking sticks available for loan. Due to the elevation, guests should plan for temperatures to be cooler in Monteverde compared to the rest of Costa Rica. Also, the road to the hotel is quite bumpy, windy, narrow and may be difficult to navigate.

Typical stays for this area should be two to three days to provide adequate time for exploring and experiences. Monteverde, in general, and Senda, specifically, will appeal to nature lovers of all kinds, and the guest profile for this property includes an entire spectrum of travelers, including families, older couples, younger couples and solo travelers. (There were several families with school-age children onsite during my stay, which surprised me slightly due to the lack of televisions in the villas or an onsite pool, but the kids seemed to be fully enjoying themselves.) I would not necessarily recommend this destination for families with younger children (less than eight to 10 years old) because they might be bored.