Hotel Ficus, Monteverde

4.6 (11 reviews) · Comfort
Eco-friendly hotel in Monteverde's cloud forest with simple rooms, a nature trail, and a top-floor restaurant with sunset views

Overview

Situated atop a hill overlooking the Gulf of Nicoya, Hotel Ficus is a collection of modern, two-story yellow buildings in the village of Santa Elena in Monteverde's cloud forest. The hotel opened in 2010 and is a nice hybrid of urban and rural; the surroundings are heavily forested, and guests can feel like they're out in nature while still having easy access to the village. All 20 rooms have basic, clean, and comfy furnishings and offer balconies or terraces with coastal or forest vistas. Enjoy strolling the grounds via the hotel's on-site nature trail, dining in the top-floor restaurant at sunset, and walking into downtown Santa Elena in about five minutes.

Kimkim's Take

Brittany
Brittany McNamara kimkim staff
Based on kimkim staff visit, July 2022 (Learn more)
Pros
  • The hotel offers incredible views stretching to the Gulf of Nicoya, making for some amazing evenings watching the sun melt into the sea from the property.
  • If you dine at the onsite restaurant, you'll enjoy vegetables and herbs grown at the hotel's own greenhouse.
  • The location is ideal if you want to be close to the town center, as just a short walk takes you right into Santa Elena and its numerous restaurants, cafés, and shops.
  • The hotel has a short hiking trail.
Cons
  • There's currently no pool or spa at the hotel.
  • The property isn't accessible, as it requires an uphill walk to return to the hotel from Santa Elena and to get to rooms.
  • As a tradeoff to being close to the town center, the property can get a little noisy.
  • WiFi connectivity is hit or miss.

Authenticity

Though a simple, standard hotel, the property weaves authentic Costa Rica into the guest experience. The views are some of the best in the area, you can enjoy a short hiking trail through the property, and the onsite greenhouse provides ingredients for the very delicious fusion menu served at the restaurant.

Location

You won't be far from the center of Santa Elena, under a half-mile and just about a 5-minute walk. The stroll into town is quite pleasant, but you'll use your lungs on the way back, as the trek is now uphill. The tradeoff for a hilly location is, of course, enjoying the incredible vistas from the property! Plan for a short 10-minute drive to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Sky Adventures Park. 

Rooms & Bathrooms

Because Hotel Ficus opened in 2010, you'll find fairly modern accommodation in its 20 rooms. All feature simple yet comfortable furnishings, contemporary bathrooms with open tiled showers, and private balconies or terraces with views out to the Gulf of Nicoya or the property's private forest. A few rooms have the option of a king bed, and rollaway beds are available for small groups and families. Keep in mind that there's no air conditioning, but the hotel is happy to provide a fan in the room upon request. 

Sustainability

Hotel Ficus keeps sustainability in mind with its onsite greenhouse providing goods to the restaurant and its use of organic coffee from the local Heliconia Ranch.

Wildlife

Immersed in the Monteverde cloud forest, Hotel Ficus is located in one of the most biodiverse areas in Costa Rica. Past guests have still reported seeing some wildlife from the comfort of their own rooms and balconies, including howler monkeys, agoutis, and a wide range of birds.

Amenities

There's no pool or spa on-site, but there is a small gym and a short hiking trail guests can use. The top-floor bar and restaurant is the place to be at sunset. This hotel isn't ideal for those who have limited mobility: it's built on a steep hillside, and the hotel's buildings have stairs but no elevators. 

Family-Friendliness

The hotel is of average family-friendliness; it has rooms that can accommodate families with kids, but there are no special amenities for children, and young kids may find the steep hillsides difficult to navigate. Children don't stay for free but are charged reduced rates based on their age groups. The best room for families is the Deluxe Room, which can accommodate up to four guests. Extra beds are available on request.  

Other Highlights

The hotel's on-site restaurant is a highlight, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a beautiful top-floor dining room with fantastic views, especially at sunset. Plan for at least one dinner or drink at sunset to take advantage of the vistas. The hotel offers traditional Costa Rican and American breakfast options, happy hour specials, and a full bar. 

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Hotel Information

Hotel stars icon 3.5-star Hotel
Hotel phone icon +506 26456200
Hotel address icon Provincia de Puntarenas
Free parking
Free wifi

Traveler Reviews

11 total ratings, 9 with reviews
4.6
Feature ratings
Authenticity & Character
4.7
Location
4.8
Staff
4.6
Cleanliness & Comfort
4.8
K
Kevin S.
Canada | Reviewed on Feb 20, 2024
Nice view, good location and very clean large rooms. Read more

Nice view, good location and very clean large rooms.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to town.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in February 2024
Andrea
Andrea M.
Lanesboro, MN | Reviewed on Dec 24, 2023
Nice big rooms with lots of windows which we loved
Easy walking to restaurants etc
Read more

Nice big rooms with lots of windows which we loved
Easy walking to restaurants etc

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
always were greeted with a friendly smile
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in December 2023
Jessica
Jessica M.
Watertown, WI | Reviewed on Aug 27, 2023
This hotel exceeded our expectations. While the room decor is pretty basic, the bathroom is beautiful, the grounds are very nicely manicured and host many birds and wildlife, and the location was an easy walk to town but also at the top of a hill which afforded stunning sunset views. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Read more

This hotel exceeded our expectations. While the room decor is pretty basic, the bathroom is beautiful, the grounds are very nicely manicured and host many birds and wildlife, and the location was an easy walk to town but also at the top of a hill which afforded stunning sunset views. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in August 2023
Cindy
Cindy S.
Riverside, CA | Reviewed on Jun 30, 2023

This hotel is a very nice hotel. Only negative aspect is that there is no AC in the rooms & they make you sign off in renting their fans. However, the view from the rooms is amazing. I only stayed one night here so I can't really comment much on anything else.

Stayed in June 2023
Larry
Larry M.
Mesa, AZ | Reviewed on Jun 08, 2023
Beautiful complex of suites along the hillside, we stayed in the sunset rooms at the top and the views were worth it. Rolling back the huge glass doors allows the cool night breezes to make the rooms great for sunsets and sleeping. As there are no window or door screens, I recommend the Ficus Inn install mosquito netting drapes over / around each bed so patrons can enjoy a restful sleep with the lights out.
Unless you love flying bugs keeping you company!
A nice eco-friendly hotel at the... Read more

Beautiful complex of suites along the hillside, we stayed in the sunset rooms at the top and the views were worth it. Rolling back the huge glass doors allows the cool night breezes to make the rooms great for sunsets and sleeping. As there are no window or door screens, I recommend the Ficus Inn install mosquito netting drapes over / around each bed so patrons can enjoy a restful sleep with the lights out.
Unless you love flying bugs keeping you company!

A nice eco-friendly hotel at the edge of town at a steep uphill road. Good parking, breakfast, and wi-fi. Pleasant staff.

Authenticity & Character
Eco-friendly
Location
Sunset views. Sound of big rigs struggling up the hill was distracting, I guess that’s what earbuds are for.
Staff
More knowledgeable staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Netting around/ over beds to keep flying bugs out of your ears.
Stayed in May 2023
J
Jan E.
Australia | Reviewed on May 05, 2023
Stunning views, beautiful gardens and an excellent breakfast. Read more

Stunning views, beautiful gardens and an excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in April 2023
Tobi
Tobi S.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 01, 2023
Loved this hotel it was quite amazing. It was beautiful and well taken care of, it was also easy walking access to shops and restaurants. The restaurant was also very good for breakfast. 2 things I would note for other travellers: 1 - there is no a/c (I did ask specifically about this and was told there was a/c but there is not.) thankfully it cools down there quite nicely at night but my girls didn’t want me to open the windows because there are no screens and they were worried about bugs... Read more

Loved this hotel it was quite amazing. It was beautiful and well taken care of, it was also easy walking access to shops and restaurants. The restaurant was also very good for breakfast. 2 things I would note for other travellers: 1 - there is no a/c (I did ask specifically about this and was told there was a/c but there is not.) thankfully it cools down there quite nicely at night but my girls didn’t want me to open the windows because there are no screens and they were worried about bugs coming in. 2nd - there is no pool, I didn’t ask about this, I just assumed there was, if it was just me travelling, it would have been fine but I had a child with me and it’s always best to have a pool when travelling with children, from my experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in March 2023
BRENDA
BRENDA M.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 20, 2023
Close to restaurants and small mall. Beautiful grounds comfortable rooms. Traffic noise in early morning but because of Monteverde's hilly geography it was hard to avoid. Read more

Close to restaurants and small mall. Beautiful grounds comfortable rooms. Traffic noise in early morning but because of Monteverde's hilly geography it was hard to avoid.

Authenticity & Character
Nice wood. Clean and comfortable.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stayed in March 2023
David
David G.
Greenville, SC | Reviewed on Jul 10, 2022
The room itself was nice & large with a private patio for viewing the scenery. We saw several species of animals on the property including the cute Coalti and not so cute "Raton Grande", as wll as many types of birds. The restaurant/office/bar area were nearby so making it for breakfast was a snap. The staff were very kind and helpful. We found it odd that barely anyone used the on-site restaurant & bar as we were usually the only ones in there when dining. Perhaps more people go into... Read more

The room itself was nice & large with a private patio for viewing the scenery. We saw several species of animals on the property including the cute Coalti and not so cute "Raton Grande", as wll as many types of birds.

The restaurant/office/bar area were nearby so making it for breakfast was a snap. The staff were very kind and helpful. We found it odd that barely anyone used the on-site restaurant & bar as we were usually the only ones in there when dining. Perhaps more people go into town for these features?

Interesting note: Because of the type of santitation used in the area, when in the bathrooms after wiping, the toilet paper is NOT to be flushed but rather thrown into the trashcan. This was strange for us.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Short walk to downtown Santa Elena, but be prepared for some hilly hikes
Staff
Very kind and helpful. We were able to use the laundry facilities to get our shirts cleaned and pressed from the trip's activities.
Stayed in June 2022

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Hotel Information

Hotel stars icon 3.5-star Hotel
Hotel phone icon +506 26456200
Hotel address icon Provincia de Puntarenas
Free parking
Free wifi