Ethereal Cloud Forests in Costa Rica

I was freaking out a bit because my friends and I were traveling to Costa Rica during the high season (Easter) and we hadn't booked any hotels.

FINDING THE HOTEL:
After an excruciatingly bumpy drive to the Monte Verde Cloud forest, we finally reached the village of Santa Elena. One of the first hotels we came across was Las Orquideas. There was a sign advertising a wonderful view, so we stopped to take a look. It was indeed an amazing view of an expansive canyon and waterfall. And lucky enough, they had one room left for us.

ABOUT THE HOTEL IN GENERAL:
Las Orquideas is an adorable little B&B. It is a one story building, almost ranch style. The 8 rooms open up to an indoor "courtyard" of sorts, so there is a lounge area where you can sit and read or eat. The decor on the inside is rain-foresty. Probably one of the cleanest places I stayed at during the entire trip. It was recently renovated, so very modern but regardless, the place is very well kept.

OUR ROOM:
The three of us took a room with 1 double bed and 1 single bed. The room wasn't big, but with the high ceilings, it did not feel cramped. Medium dark wood paneling. The bathroom was very clean. The shower was nice too, with the skylight the bathroom was actually quite pleasant.

BREAKFAST… MMMM GALLO PINTO!
Definitely go for the breakfast option, which was not expensive, maybe $6 US or less. You have lots of options, from an American style breakfast, to Gallo Pinto (rice and beans, traditional Costa Rican staple. try it, it's really good!). And delicious fresh fruit. The ladies who help are so lovely and kind! You can even take your breakfast outside and spend some time admiring the gorgeous view of the canyon.

FREE INFO:
The owner of the place, Mr. Zamora, lived in the US for many years so he speaks fluent English, but knows a ton about the area. He was extremely helpful and friendly!

AMAZING DEAL:
For the price, it was amazing. During high season it was less that $40 a night.

PICTURES:
http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/hotel/las-orquideas.htm

EVERYTHING YOU THINK A RAIN FOREST SHOULD BE:

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a "wet" rain forest. Lush green plants, trees with dampened moss, fluffy white clouds creeping in like fog. A much quieter and magical place than Manuel Antonio in the south (which is a "dry" rain forest).

TAKE A TOUR:
It does cost money to enter the park and the guide is additional (check website for current prices). However, it is worth it.

The trails are not at all difficult. The three of us twenty-somethings were lagging behind a group of seniors (60-plus), for example. The tour guides are very helpful in pointing out things to see along the way. It was definitely worth the money. Many of the guides are research scientists who spend their lives studying the Monte Verde Cloud Forest so the tour is very educational. It's no guarantee that you'll see animals, but the guides do their best to point them out. We saw monkeys, gorillas, birds, and lizards.

Monte Verde is a must. It's simply a very beautiful place.

MORE INFO:
http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/monteverde.htm