Fonda Vela

The Fonda Vela hotel is set in 35 acres of lush rainforest and verdant pastures. The main building has been constructed with local hardwoods and has 28 spacious rooms with large vista windows and attractive hardwood flooring. Each room also has private hot water bathrooms and comfortable interiors with mini-bar, cable TV, telephone, tea and coffee making facilities.

There is a bar and good restaurant with homely open fireplace serving tasty local dishes. Other facilities include an indoor swimming pool and two relaxing Jacuzzis. There are trails leading into the forest from the hotel gardens where parrots, toucans and occasionally quetzals and bellbirds can be seen. The hotel has its own bird feeders and there are occasional visits from inquisitive white-nosed coatis and racoons. The hotel strives for best practice and uses only sustainable and recycled products, solar power and has instigated a 20-year reforestation plan.

The hotel provides excellent accommodation for a visit to the Monteverde cloud forest reserve. The 10,500-hectare non-profit primary cloud forest reserve is one of the finest birdwatching locations in the country – here you can see the resplendent quetzal and a wealth of other fauna and flora.

The high altitude forest around the hotel is often shrouded in mist and is quite cool. Light wet weather protection is recommended as well as a sweater for the chilly nights.