Monteverde Rainforest Domes

The glamping tent idea is appealing, but the stay was badly managed. The owner was rude and had no hospitality, and made aggressive, racist comments to us as clients. It was extremely hot inside on arrival, at least 10°F hotter than outdoors because the tent acted like a greenhouse. The AC unit didn't work. Most lights were out too, including the main central light and every bathroom light. Shower water stayed hot for just 2 or 3 minutes, then turned absolutely ice-cold, and a broken door made the outdoor shower difficult to use. The WiFi was down as well. With limited cell service in the mountains, we were stranded and couldn't contact the owner or call a taxi. The outdoor chairs were moldy. Those were the bigger problems, and several other things were broken or malfunctioning. When we finally reached the owner, he said he'd come soon to fix things. Instead, he appeared after 10pm while we were trying to sleep, spoke loudly under the dome for a few minutes, insisted he had "fixed it," and left. Nothing had been fixed. He came back late the following day to collect full payment. We showed him a list of what was missing and broken. Being left sweating without AC and using our phone flashlights in the bathroom, along with the other problems, seemed like grounds for a refund in a place like this. Instead, the owner demanded full payment and wouldn't hear our complaints. Jose kept talking over us and was aggressive and rude. When we shared the list in hopes of making things better for future guests, he said, "you Indians always complain and never look for solutions!" It was completely unwarranted and disrespectful. If you decide to stay here, good luck.

The service went beyond what we expected. The owner was incredibly responsive on WhatsApp and always available, and did everything he could to help us. We had no complaints about the property, his attitude, or anything else. Everything was close to perfect.

We spent three nights in the domes during our Monteverde visit and had a wonderful stay. The driveway is steep, but our 4x4 handled it without any problem. Check-in was easy with a door code, so we could stop for groceries nearby first. Jose later came by to show us around and explain everything. Communication with our host was straightforward, and he was basically available 24/7. He also helped arrange a coffee farm tour and a night walk. The dome was beautifully designed, with lots of thoughtful details. We found no problems with it: the WiFi, air conditioning, and kitchen, including the electric stovetop, all worked perfectly. The outdoor bathtub on the terrace was the highlight. We were welcomed with red wine and snacks, and the fridge had complimentary soft drinks and beer. I honestly don't understand some of the negative reviews, and can wholeheartedly recommend the domes.

We stayed three nights during rainy season on our tour of the country, booking through CHECK24. The dome looked just like the pictures, and the owner was pleasant and easy to reach on WhatsApp. Electricity, hot water, air conditioning, and WiFi all worked flawlessly. The location, view, atmosphere, furnishings, easy check-in, and value were particularly good. The welcome wine, snacks, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and excellent service were highlights. A folder covers local tours, activities, restaurants, and other area information, and the owner is available 24/7. There are a few small drawbacks. The parking spot is narrow, and the driveway is a little tricky, though manageable in an automatic SUV. The bedside outlets worked with our international adapter but were unstable; the floor outlets worked fine. There's no breakfast, but town has good food and the kitchen makes it easy to prepare meals. A hot plate would be useful. The oven looks cute and cozy but is only a fake electric one, which wasn't a big deal. The whirlpool turned out to be a bathtub without bubbles, but it was still the highlight. Almost perfect. I landed on four stars because of those minor flaws, though it felt more like 4.5. Definitely recommended, and thanks for the stay.