Hotel Belmar, Monteverde

Pros

• This property was the second hotel built in Monteverde, established in the 1980s when the area first received tourism interest.
• The on-site farm-to-table restaurant and microbrewery are special perks and feature live local music on the weekends—a popular spot for locals, too!
• The hotel has been carbon neutral since 2016 and focuses on significant sustainability efforts, prioritizing local community connections and support.
• Guests can partake in the complimentary sustainability tour and yoga classes held weekly.
• Other notable activities include tours of the hotel's private preserve, early-morning bird-watching excursions, and visits to the offsite farm to learn about sustainable agriculture.

Cons

• The hotel features Austrian (not Costa Rican) design, which could be a downside for some.
• The location is remote; it's a longer trek to downtown Santa Elena or offsite restaurants than some other recommended accommodations in the area. 
• The hotel's bars close on the earlier side.
• There's no pool on-site, and you might have to wait in line to use the Jacuzzi.
• WiFi doesn't work away from the main buildings.

Additional Notes From Brittany

You'll not often find locals hanging out at a hotel bar, but that's what you can expect on weekends at Hotel Belmar's microbrewery and beer garden. Guests and locals pack the place, standing under umbrellas, beer in hand, listening to local musicians—a great way to end the day! The Belmar also offers a treasure trove of other unique experiences, including a visit to a private farm 20 minutes away, a garden-to-glass cocktail class where participants pick herbs and create cocktails, and more.

Authenticity

As an area staple, Hotel Belmar was the second-ever hotel in Monteverde, opening in the 1980s. This era explains the design inspiration to mimic Austrian mountain huts, a popular and appealing style at the time. Besides its history, Belmar provides authentic experiences like tours in its private Savia Reserve and a cocktail-making class using herbs from the on-site gardens. 

Location

You'll be a bit off the beaten path (adding to the hotel's charm), meaning a car or transfer is necessary to visit downtown Santa Elena and other area sites. Plan for about five minutes to the town center and roughly 15 minutes to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve and Sky Adventures Park.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Hotel Belmar is a quaint boutique property with just 26 rooms set in a few different chalet-style buildings. Most units have a lot of hardwood detail, including floors, walls, ceilings, and furniture, yet remain airy and bright. Upgrade to a suite for more space and perks like living rooms, indoor gardens, and porch swings. Maintaining the hotel's sense of tranquility, you won't find any TVs in the rooms. You also won't find air-conditioning, but each room has ceiling fans.

Sustainability

Hotel Belmar has a strong focus on sustainability and one full-time staff member who works exclusively on sustainability efforts. You'll find an entire composting system on the property, which has been entirely carbon-neutral since 2016. Other notable practices include solar panels, air-drying facilities, rainwater harvesting, and using a biodigester to treat wastewater (and harness its byproduct as energy).

Wildlife

Hotel Belmar is surrounded by wildlife. Colorful hummingbirds and tropical butterflies flit around the gardens, and walking on the property's private nature trail, you could spot animals, including the two-toed sloth, kinkajou, armadillo, coati, howler monkey, toucan, parrot, resplendent Quetzal, salamander, giant toad, glass frog, and pygmy rain frog.

Amenities

The hotel has a glass-walled gazebo with a large 10-seater Jacuzzi and a deck with views of the surrounding forest. Outside, accessible by a short trail, the hotel grounds feature a spring-fed pond with a sun deck with plenty of space for relaxing by the water. Yoga classes are also held here. The Tap Room and Brewery are located on the edge of this small lake, so it's an excellent place to have a cold drink after returning from a tour or hike. A small wood-paneled spa offers facials and body treatments. Travelers who require wheelchair access should book ground-level rooms in the Peninsula category. 

Family-Friendliness

Children of all ages are welcome at Hotel Belmar, and those under 12 stay for free (up to two per room). Extra beds are not available. There's no swimming pool, kids' menu, daycare, or any similar feature. Still, the hotel is a good choice for families who plan to spend a lot of their time exploring the surrounding area on excursions and activities tailored to families.

Other Highlights

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served at the hotel. The main restaurant is Restaurante Celajes, with balconies, views over the Pacific Ocean, and farm-to-table Costa Rican and international dishes made from organic produce from the hotel's garden. The Celajes Lounge Bar incorporates herbs and seasonal ingredients from the garden into craft cocktails and house-infused liquor. A limited range of beer, wine, and spirits are also available. The hotel's Juice Bar & Tea Room serves coffee, tea, and fresh-squeezed juices on the main floor of the original chalet. Down by the pond, the Tap Room and Beer Garden feature craft beers brewed on-site, wine, cocktails, and freshly squeezed juices.