Review: Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast
Come for the easy access to Monteverde’s cloud forest, stay for the warm hospitality
TLDR: Why stay at Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast?
Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast has a whole lot going for it: a prime location in Santa Elena, just a short drive from Monteverde’s famous cloud forest; a sunny treetop terrace; and a mouth-watering made-to-order breakfast menu. But it was our hosts’ genuine warmth, hospitality and helpfulness that took our stay from good to great.
We arrived in Santa Elena without a single plan or booking. By the time we left the check-in desk at Camino Verde, Jeaustin had greeted us like long-lost friends, built a customized itinerary and arranged all of our bookings including transportation. How’s that for a warm welcome?
Keep reading for our full review of Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast, covering our first impressions, along with detailed reviews of the guest rooms, surroundings, service, food and drink, amenities, and more.
Set the scene. Give us your first impressions.
By the time we arrived at Camino Verde, the sun was about to set. We were exhausted from a long day of travel – we’d left La Fortuna via a “Jeep Boat Jeep” transfer around lunchtime – and were ready to collapse into bed for an early evening siesta.
We dragged our luggage into the warm wood-paneled lobby, where our host, Jeaustin, greeted us warmly at reception and invited us to take a seat. He wanted to hear all about our journey from La Fortuna and our plans for our time in Monteverde. When we told him that we had not booked a single excursion for our 2 days in Monteverde, he jumped into action. Jeaustin walked us through an extensive menu of adventure sports, flora and fauna tours and other options.
Within just a few minutes, Jeaustin had arranged our transportation and confirmed our bookings: a nighttime forest walk, a half-day ecological tour of Monteverde’s cloud forest, and a sold-out horseback trail ride with sweeping sunset views over the Pacific.
Tell us about the rooms. How did you sleep?
Our room was clean, tidy and simply furnished (think polished wooden bed frames, crisp white sheets and tropical design accents, in fitting with the property’s overall aesthetic).
Make sure to bring ear plugs – while the property is situated just outside of Santa Elena’s city center, rooms facing the street can be a bit noisy at night. When we stayed at Camino Verde in 2022, we also had a built-in alarm clock: a friendly neighborhood rooster who made his presence known each morning before sunrise.
What’s the surrounding area like?
From Camino Verde’s front door, it’s just a short, 5-minute walk into Santa Elena’s town center, where you’ll find plenty of restaurants (we loved Taco Taco), bars and souvenir shops. And don’t miss Soda la Amistad – a small, family-run restaurant serving classic Costa Rican dishes – which is literally steps from Camino Verde’s front door.
If you’re venturing into downtown Santa Elena at night, be prepared: the road into town is poorly lit, the sidewalk is not continuous and remember that you’ll be going uphill on your way back to Camino Verde. Said another way: keep your wits about you as you walk home from the bars.
Most of the area’s tourist attractions – including the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve – are a short drive from Santa Elena. If you’re not renting a car, don’t fret: most tour operators offer complimentary round-trip transport from your hotel.
How was the service?
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a review of Camino Verde that doesn’t highlight the staff’s unique brand of warm, friendly service – and with good reason. We were immediately made to feel right at home and appreciated the time Jeaustin spent to familiarize us with our surroundings and map out our itinerary.
Jeaustin even went above and beyond the standard concierge call of duty to arrange our booking for horseback riding at Equus Farms, calling in a personal favor to get us reservations for a sold-out sunset trail ride.
Tell us about the food and drink options.
Breakfast is included in the room rate and served each morning in a sunny dining room with sweeping views of lush treetops and rolling hills. Guests can choose from a menu of Costa Rican classics (rice and beans with eggs, for example) or standard diner fare (pancakes with eggs).
All dishes are served hot and made-to-order, with sides of coffee, tea and juice. Beer and wine are available onsite for purchase. If you’d prefer to cook for yourself, guests are also invited to use the communal kitchen once the breakfast service has wrapped up. Otherwise, there are plenty of dining options in downtown Santa Elena, just a short walk from Camino Verde.
On a scale from 1 to heavenly, how do the amenities stack up?
What Camino Verde lacks in luxury amenities (there’s no pool or gym), it makes up for in charm. The outdoor, covered terrace is a major selling point, with its panoramic views of Monteverde’s verdant landscape and plenty of seating.
We were similarly charmed by Camino Verde’s overall aesthetic – warm, homey, and inspired by traditional Costa Rican “tico” architecture. The white-washed walls embellished with colorful recycled glass fragments, rustic polished wood beams and woven pendant lights reinforced the tropical “home-away-from-home” vibe.
Anything else we should know?
As always when traveling in the developing world – it’s wise to stay flexible. As soon as we had settled into our room at Camino Verde, we realized that there was no running water in the bathroom.
When we flagged it to Jeaustin, he informed us that unfortunately the issue was out of his control. There had been a water main break earlier that day and shortly after our arrival, the city had shut off the entire town’s water supply to make repairs. Luckily, by the time we returned to our room later that evening, all was well and the water supply was restored.
The verdict: Would you stay at Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast again?
Sí, por supuesto. And next time, we’d extend our stay in Monteverde to 3 or 4 nights; we felt a little pressed for time with only 2 nights and 1 full day in the region. Book your stay.
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