Santa Elena Hotels

Welcome to the Monteverde hotels weblog with recommendations for hotels and cabinas in Santa Elena and Monteverde.

This month we've reviewed Tina's Casitas and Tina's Birdwatcher's Paradise Lodge - pictured on the left - in Santa Elena.

NOW LOW SEASON DISCOUNTS for Tina's BIRDWATCHER'S PARADISE LODGE!

March 25, 2008 in 01. HOME | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

EXCLUSIVELY FOR NATURE LOVERS

NEW!

Tina's Birdwatcher's Paradise Lodge
is the perfect choice for nature lovers that don’t want to be in touch with hectic and bustling tourism.
Bird watching is easy right from the sunny terrace at the lodge in the amazing Monteverde area in Costa Rica.
Even from your bed you can observe hummingbirds taking a sip from the ''cola de gato'' flowers.

Birdwatcher's Paradise Lodge is peacefully located on the 3 acres of former farming land called "’Finca Cielo Verde" (Finca Green Sky), right at the edge of Santa Elena village.
The large terrace is surrounded by primary forest and country side, with lots of flowers and coffee- and banana plants.
Walking on our trails, you can watch Toucans, Trogons,
Quetzals, the Three-Wattled Bellbird, Motmots, Manakins,
parrots, hummingbirds, Toledos, hawks, woodpeckers,
butterflies and other winged beauties of this zone
with a little bit of luck. We have also seen a
variety of mammals such as raccoons, opossums,
agoutis, foxes, bats, which come right to the house at night time, between other more shy species.

Finca Cielo Verde has a special location. Birds and
animals stay there in the mountains, as further down
the Pacific slope the forests have been cut. Enjoy
views of the mountains and of the Pacific Ocean from
our trail.
Being only 7 minutes away from the center of often
noisy and touristy Santa Elena, gives you easy access
of other attractions of Monteverde.
Many tour providers pick you up right at the farm’s entrance for free.

The 48 square meters sized cabin is just a year old. It is built with an artistic
rustic touch. There is a fully equipped kitchen and a wonderful hot
shower. In the sleeping room we provide 2 double beds
and one single bed. As a special you find a Costa Rican fireplace with a cozy sitting
area, to relax during cool nights.
Tina's Birdwatcher’s Paradise is protected from the wind
and off the gravel road. For this reason days are warm
and dust is not a bother. The huge terrace invites you to enjoy
the sun.

Have a wonderful cup of our coffee every morning. We produce 100% organically coffee on the farm. See some of the plants right beside the house.
Or, get a branch of our peppermint plant and prepare a fresh cup of tea.

We are trying to reforest ‘’Finca Cielo Verde’’, as it was some 20 years ago. With the help of the "Monteverde Institute", that provides native trees, we help endangered species to survive.

Rates:
For 2 people: $40
For 3 people: $50
For 4 people: $60
For 5 people: $70

Longterm stay for only $500 per month!

For Tina it's a pleasure to assist guests with information and arrangements of the things to do in Monteverde and other parts of Costa Rica.

We are happy to be recommended now in the new ''Reise Know How'' 2007 (German travel guide book), as well as in the ''Rough Guide'' 2007 and ''The New Key to Costa Rica'' 2007.

In April 2007 a group of volunteers was so nice to help us with planting a part of a living fence. Thank you so much!

After having Tina's Casitas in Santa Elena for 10 years, Tina and her daughter Laura moved here to be able to enjoy the beautiful nature of Monteverde again. That was two years ago, when tourism started to get very busy in Santa Elena village.

Free pick up from the bus stop in Santa Elena is
provided.

Directions: From the bus stop in Santa Elena you go
to the cemetery and follow the road down to the end,
where you turn right. After the bridge you turn right
to arrive at the lodge.

Comments of recent guests:

-''Tina (the owner) was very friendly and helpful. We wouldn't have had such a successful trip without her! The location is wonderful and gives you a feel for the beautiful Costa Rican country side.''
Nathan Visconti, April 2007

-''Great place if you wanna be far from everything, yet close enough to Santa Elena at the same time …. Beautiful scenery and friendly/useful help from Tina, the owner, who lives a hundred meters up the hill. She will sort out tours for you… You'll also get to hang out with your own humming birds!''
Enrique Fernandez, Dec. 2006

-''Freddie ... offers an excellent bird-watching tour around the fringes of Monteverde NP $20 for @ 4 hours and we saw all sorts inc mammals too….''
Helen Douse, June 2006

Contact us at: birdwatchersparadise@gmail.com

If you want to make a booking, go to the category "Reservations".

March 24, 2008 in 02. Tina's BIRDWATCHER'S PARADISE LODGE | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Hello!

Nice to have you looking at our blog.

We are the team of Cabinas Tina’s Casitas in Santa Elena in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Cabinas Tina's Casitas is a peaceful budget place just a five minutes walk from the hustle and bustle of Santa Elena center in the area of Monteverde.
Meet other travelers at our patio and enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean and of the Monteverde Reserve from the garden.
In the clean wooden rooms you find rustic artistic furniture of Tina's design. You can use a shared kitchenette, and there is hot water in the bathrooms.
Right beside there is a restaurant, a grocery store, laundry service and a public telephone, as well as Internet access.
Tina’s Casitas is built and maintained with the environment in mind (which is unluckily not the rule here yet).

We rent 3 houses with 7 rooms all in all.

The prices (incl. Tax, without breakfast) are:

In a house with 4 wooden dbl. rooms with shared bath:

Sgl. room $10, dbl. room $14

In a house with 2 wooden rooms, each with a private bath:

Sgl. room $25, dbl. room $25, trpl. room $30

A house, 1 room for 4 people with private bath:

$40.

Most of the transportations pick you up right in front of Tina's Casitas. It will be a pleasure for us to help you with the most actual information in Spanish, English and German. You can book all tours at the best price right with us.

Cabinas Tina's Casitas is highly recommended in the ''Lonely Planet'' guide books for years, as well as in the ''Reise Know How'', ''Rough Guide'', ''The New Key to Costa Rica'', ''Polyglott'' and n the ''Let's Go''.

Comments of guests:

''Everything was great! Tina's (Casitas) was everything it claimed to be. It could be a little closer to the town but is walking distance to almost everything. I would stay there again.''

Ryan Battles, February 2006

''... The place was EXTREMELY clean and all furniture was made out of tree branches... it was incredible. You def need to go on the Selvatura Canopy Tour... they pick you up right in front of your bungalow….''

Natalia Sardo, March 2006

If you want to make a booking go to the category "Reservations" on the left.

March 23, 2008 in 03. CABINAS TINA'S CASITAS | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

It will be our pleasure to help you with all information in Spanish, English or German. You can book all tours at the best prices right with us, such as:

* Canopy Tours
* Suspension bridges
* Horseback riding
* Guided day and night tours
* Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge
* Arenal volcano tour with hot springs
* Jeep/Boat/Jeep from and to Arenal Volcano
* Transportation to/from the airport and beaches
* Taxis

Most of the transportations pick you up right at the lodge.

March 22, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

We would be happy to have you stay with us.

To make a reservation, please follow one of the directions:

(1) Reservations by Fax

Send us a fax at (506) 2645 7241.

Please include:

Credit Card number
Credit Card expiration date
Amount of one night's stay
Dates you will be staying
Name and Signature of credit card holder

(If you do not come and have not canceled the reservation 72 hours prior, you will be charged the amount of one night stay.)

(2) Reservations by Email

Send us an e-mail at:

birdwatchersparadise@gmail.com

Please include:

Credit Card number
Credit Card expiration date
Amount of one night's stay
Dates and amount of people that will be staying
Name and signature MUST be included

(If you do not come and have not canceled the reservation 72 hours prior, you will be charged the amount of one night stay.)

Suggestion: Put all of the above information in a Microsoft Word document (or Word pad file) and include a copy of your signature in the Word document.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but the banks in Costa Rica only allow these two methods of taking reservations. Upon arrival, you can pay in Colones, Dollars or Traveler Checks.

March 21, 2008 in 04. HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Cabinas Monte Sol

Rooms and apartments are situated in a calm and natural environment just 200 meters from the sea at the south end of the village of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Lovely and clean rooms in a relaxed atmosphere make Monte Sol a perfect base in Puerto Viejo, a home between the rain forest and the sea.

More info of Monte Sol? Visit them here

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Costa Rica

A fishing village between the rain forest and the sea.

The fabulous diversity of flora and fauna in the rain forest and the beautiful palm-fringed beaches make the Caribbean dream come true.

Characterized by the Afro-Caribbean culture and the influence of people who have immigrated from all around the world, Puerto Viejo presents a wonderful example of a thriving multicultural village community.

Its vitality, with all its creativity, nature and serenity creates a cultural Mecca.

March 20, 2008 in 08. NICE HOTEL IN PUERTO VIEJO | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

HOTEL CASA DEL SUIZO B&B

Built in 2008 - Very clean - Very quiet

Friendly atmosphere - Wheel chair friendly

Casa del Suizo just moved to the most quiet location that you can imagine, just 10 minutes from the International Airport Juan Santamaria in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Georg and his wife will make you feel like at home. They love to help you with all information of what to do in Costa Rica.

They have airport pick up 24 hours
Don't forget to ask for their cheap rental cars!
Free lockers
If you wish, they will also serve you a healthy dinner.

From the rooms you have a fantastic view of the Poas and Barva volcanoes