Casa Jungle Monteverde Bed & Breakfast

The walk to the center of Santa Elena takes about 10 minutes, though there are quite a few uphill sections, especially if you head toward Centro Comercial Monteverde with its supermarkets and restaurants. Natu, the "hidden" speakeasy, is worth a visit for inventive cocktails and food. The room was a good size, with a table, a foldable luggage rack, and two bedside tables with lamps. Those details were much appreciated, since even pricier Costa Rican hotels often have nowhere to put suitcases and forget bedside lamps. The hotel is cute and run by friendly people. Its clean, modern bathroom has hot water, and there’s parking at the hotel or on the street outside. Breakfast is served next door at the sister restaurant, with a few options.

The host gave us all sorts of recommendations for the area, and the breakfast had nice local and continental options. The rooms were pleasant and had air conditioning. I also left my AirPods behind, and the hostel kindly sent them on to my next destination. A great place to stay in central Santa Elena and the Monteverde region.

Emanuel was a big help with arranging local travel and activities. We enjoyed the comfortable beds, good plumbing, and the restaurant’s traditional Costa Rican home cooking. Treetopia and the NATUWA rescue centre were highlights, with lots of abandoned baby sloths and tapirs, plus a pair of jaguars. Five stars for the price, and I highly recommend it.

The owner was friendly, and the room and bedding were clean. There was a hot shower, plus coffee supplies and a fridge to use. His sister’s restaurant served really tasty food, and the large beers were well priced.