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Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat

your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

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Exterior
Property grounds
Property grounds
Books

Reviews

10 out of 10

Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 8111 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
    Breakfast available
  • Washer
    Washer
  • Parking available
    Parking available
  • Kitchen
    Kitchen
  • Dryer
    Dryer
  • Outdoor space
    Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Monteverde, Puntarenas
  • Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
    8 min walk
  • Monteverde Friends School - Escuela de los Amigos
    17 min walk
  • Friends Meeting House
    17 min walk
  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal)
    260 min drive

Room options

Similar properties

About the area

Monteverde

At this holiday home you'll be within a 20-minute stroll of Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and Monteverde Friends School - Escuela de los Amigos. Highlights at this holiday home include a kitchen, a washing machine and free WiFi. .Home features a balcony, a living room and a coffee/tea maker. In-room dining is easy with a kitchen that comes equipped with a fridge, a microwave and a stovetop. A safe, a hairdryer and a desk are also available. Housekeeping is available on request. .Attractions in proximity to this Monteverde holiday home include Arenal Volcano National Park and Lake Arenal.

What's nearby

  • Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Curi-Cancha Reserve - 5 min drive - 2.3 km
  • Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde - 6 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Monteverde Butterfly Gardens - 7 min drive - 4.3 km
  • Monteverde Orchid Garden - 8 min drive - 4.6 km

Getting around

  • San José (SJO-Juan Santamaría Intl.) - 157 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Laggus Restaurant - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Café Monteverde - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Las Riendas Restaurant - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Tree House Restaurante & Cafe - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Restaurante Sabor Tico - ‬8 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat

Our house is located on 40 acres of private property that abuts the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and is one of the last private homes before the Reserve. More than half our land is in primary cloud forest, but we also have a large clearing below our house that is perfect for viewing wildlife. In fact, because our place is contiguous to more than 110,000 acres of protected forest, you’re likely to see many more animals here than in most other places in the Monteverde zone. White-faced monkeys, coatis, and agoutis are all commonly seen on our land, and several cloud forest specialists, including resplendent quetzals and black guans are also often seen near the house. Even brocket deer, which are very uncommon, are occasionally seen here.

Fred Morrison built the house in the mid-1980s. He first visited Monteverde in 1981 and during his stay, he and two other biologists had a picnic on the property, taking in the spectacular view of the forest and the Gulf of Nicoya in the distance. A week later, his friends called to tell him that the parcel was for sale and asked if he would like to become a part owner. The three of them purchased the property later that year from one of the original Quaker farmers. Since then, each shareholder has built a house or cabin on the land. None of the dwellings are in sight of the others, which gives you a very private experience.

The house itself is located on a hillside at the end of a 500-foot driveway. It was designed with lots of large, picture windows to bring in plenty of natural light and is oriented toward the southwest with dramatic views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the forest canopy below.

The downstairs includes a living room with a wood burning stove, a dining room, kitchen, two box seats, a large bathroom and a small utility room with a washer and dryer. There’s also a long front porch on the first floor and upstairs, a roofed balcony, where you can sit looking out at the Gulf of Nicoya and watch up to nine species of hummingbirds visit the feeders. The second floor has two good-sized bedrooms, one with a queen-sized bed and the other with two full beds.

At our place, you will be well away from the bustle of Santa Elena and the main road. You will be able to go to sleep to the sounds of katydids, cicadas, frogs and wake up to chorusing black-bellied wood quail and dueting gray-breasted wood wrens.

A public bus passes by at the bottom of the driveway several times each day and taxis are available at any time. Several good restaurants, a small grocery store and a few gift/coffee shops are located within 2 miles and many more are available in nearby Santa Elena.

The entrance to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is just a ten minute walk from our house. But, of course, the walk could take much longer if you're looking at wildlife or plants!

If you’d like a home-cooked Costa Rican meal, we can arrange to have a talented local cook come before you arrive (or during your stay) and prepare one. She can also deliver groceries upon request.

If you're interested in hiring a private naturalist guide or taking a tour, please be in touch with us and we can make arrangements.

Property manager

Laurie Sanders

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Breakfast available for a fee

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room
  • Wood stove

Entertainment

  • Books
  • Games

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundromat nearby
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Desk

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Phone
  • Safe

Location highlights

  • In a rural location

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Unit size: 1,200 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a deadlock in all accommodation.

Property is also known as

Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat House Monteverde
Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat House
Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat Monteverde
Naturalist's Cloud Forest Ret
Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat Monteverde
Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat Private vacation home

Frequently asked questions

Does Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat have a pool?

No, this holiday home doesn't have a pool.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat?

No, Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat does not offer an airport shuttle service.

What time are check-in & check-out at Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:00 AM.

Are pets allowed at Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat?

No, pets are not allowed.

Naturalist's Cloud Forest Retreat Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 138 out of 148 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 148 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 148 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 148 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 148 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Xin L.

Liked: Cleanliness
A nice cozy home at a good location
The house is old but kept clean and cozy. It is at a high position on the mountain with a good view of the forest and the ocean. We waked up morning with birds' song and the hummingbirds are not afraid of human at all. The meal prepared by Lilliana is very tasty. Our family enjoyed our stay of 2 nights.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristen S., Port Republic, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Very nice
We loved this house and the surrounding property. The trail on the property was fun to hike. The hummingbirds were absolutely amazing! Monteverde is a super place to hike with Howler, Spider, Capuchin monkeys, Coatis, and many beautiful birds. We even saw the elusive Resplendent Quetzal! My only complaint is the terrible roads so full of potholes. A bit scary to drive and caused us some carsickness. Otherwise loved the isolation and new habitat. Thank you!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Highlight of trip to Costa Rica
We loved staying here! Raul was amazing to work with and he was so great to help us set up a night hike with his son (which was amazing) and helped us figure out transportation there. He was great and showed us plants around the property. We also loved the dinner made by Lillian! It was delicious and fed us for 2 nights. So wonderful to have food waiting after a long day of travel. Totally recommend this place. It was a little far from the town if you don’t have transportation but many of the places are hard to walk to if you want an awesome location with a view that can’t be beat! Sitting on the porch watching hummingbirds even when it was pouring rain was an incredible experience
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kari H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Cloud Forest Cabin - A must!
Perfect cabin situated above the trees of the cloud forest! We were juat amazed by the view of this place! They had everything we needed to stay comfortably. Very nice sitting area on the second floor where you can feed the hummingbirds and watch other wildlife. We had tons of hummingbirds in the day and bats flying around at night, super cool! Toucanets and Motmots where also a common sighting. Thank you Raul for tracking down a whole Gunabana fruit for us while we were there! The property is very close to the Monteverde cloud forest reserve. You could walk to it but is a little uphill from the property. We decided to just park at the official parking spot a little ways down the road and it worked out good for us. Its also a short ride/drive to downtown Monteverde with everything you need. Definitely a special place amd so glad to have stayed here.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristin H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Second stay at this special property
The little yellow house vibes love and family in all of its nooks and crevices! I wouldn’t be surprised if we are back again For a third visit.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Judy

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful and peaceful location with a view of the ocean. The hummingbirds were loudly waiting for food within minutes of us walking in and they did not disappoint-a never ending show. Raul is a wonderful host and Raul Jr is a fantastic naturalist guide. So much to do and see, we wish we could have stayed longer!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tom M.

Liked: Cleanliness
A private extension of the nature preserve
Wonderful home next to the park. Huge property with very well maintained trails, it’s functionally part of the nature preserve. Highly recommend Raul Jr’s night tour if he’s available, it was outstanding. Incredible to stay so close to the cloud forrest entrance. We saw many birds from the porch, can see the Pacific Ocean on a clear day. Long term ecology conscious owner, warm and joyful local support folks. Can’t recommend enough, the perfect way to experience the cloud forrest.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Maggie C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful spot - great stay
Absolutely beautiful spot. We loved our stay and highly recommend this cabin. Everything is in great condition and very clean. The only thing for guests to be aware of is that check-in requires meeting the property manager at the property a pre-arranged time (rather than self-check-in).
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Betsy C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Mountaintop magic
Two special people make for a unique experience. Raul Ramirez, the property manager, arranged for a guide in the Cloud Forest who was excellent, and called taxis that could manage the steep driveway and understand some English. Lillian, the cook and housekeeper, had the place looking spotless and provided dinner in huge proportions that fed us well for two meals. She kindly brought breakfast supplies as well. There's a personal touch with a binder that provides the owner's story and a guide to the house, and a guest book with lots of thank yous. Children's drawings are especially appreciated. Just as advertised, it's an easy walk from the house to the entrance to the Cloud Forest Preserve.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jenny M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing stay in Monte Verde
We loved our stay at the cabin on the mountain! Spacious and comfortable and located in a quiet, serene setting just a short walk to the Reserve and Cafe Colibri. We loved the cozy window seats to relax and peruse the many books on nature and look at our pictures from the day of exploring. We enjoyed our time exploring the trail behind the house, and sitting on the balcony, sipping wine and watching gorgeous hummingbirds come to the feeders. Raul was so kind and helpful and he was always quick to reply if I had a question. He arranged a wonderful night tour with his son and even let us follow him to the site so we wouldn't have trouble finding it. Lillian prepared several delicious meals for us that lasted us for a few nights nights. We stayed for four nights but would have loved to stay longer as there is so much to do in Monte Verde!
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Wilkie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Nice quiet secluded house a short walk away from the entrance to the Cloud Forest Preserve. However, there is a fairly steep and long driveway to negotiate. There are animals and birds that frequent the property, and there is a nice walk through a trail on the property itself. Just be aware, this is a comfortable but rustic house- no TV, but decent wifi (suggestion to Laurie: replace the router with one or two eeros. Shower head also should be replaced.). Pre-arrival communication with the owner was great, as was the check-in with Raul, the property manager. A short drive to the restaurants and shops at Monteverde and Santa Elena. Take advantage of the opportunity to have Lillian cook a meal for you.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Taran N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Paradise
The spot was completely magical. Our only negative was that we didn’t stay long enough. Incredibly peaceful and beautiful with outrageous sunset views and very easy walks to Monteverde park. A true dream.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sara A.

Liked: Cleanliness
Short but sweet
We spent to wonderful nights in this house. The hummingbirds are awesome. They drank two feeders in one day. The house is very cozy.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mary G., Lynn, MA, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful mountainside location
I wish we had booked a longer stay here! The views were so wonderful we were reluctant to go anywhere else. We spent hours on the upstairs deck watching the hummingbirds (9 or 10 different species that we were able to identify) and staring out at the Gulf of Nicoya. The house was exactly as advertised and we were very happy to be able to do laundry. We had dinner waiting for us upon our arrival and tons of leftovers - enough for a couple more meals per person. This was a perfect midway stop during our Costa Rica vacation!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Colby D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful immersion into nature
The four of us (kids 9 and 11) had a wonderful stay at this home in Monteverde. Laurie the host was so helpful with information in advance, and Raul was on site to help us settle in and coordinate with our guides and other activities. Lillian made us an incredible dinner that we enjoyed all week. We enjoyed a guided tour of the nearby park and a night hike with Marvin. The house was clean with wonderful wildlife all around and had everything we needed to enjoy our time in the rain forest. We loved it- thanks to all!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

David B., Springfield

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful October stay
We stayed for six nights in this very nice home. Comfortable beds. Very quite nights to sleep. An excellent meal was prepared for us upon arrival and feed us for four nights. Lillian is a superb chef. Trails into very nice forest around house. Ten species of hummingbirds were regular at feeders. We recorded 76 species of birds around the grounds. Will certainly make plans to return. Recommended.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amanda N.

Liked: Cleanliness
I love this place.
My group of 4 had a wonderful five-night stay. The location is perfect for access to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and to Curi-Cancha. We enjoyed the trails on the property, taking hikes in the day and at night. We spent hours daily, especially in the evenings, on the upper deck, for the beautiful scenery and for the many hummingbirds. This truly is a perfect place for a naturalist, and has the warmth of a home that has been loved. If you are a reader, like I am, this place is perfect, with a couple of comfy nooks, plus the deck. I quite enjoyed the bookshelf full of naturalist books about the flora and fauna of the are. Beds were comfortable. The shower gets nice and hot. It had all we could need, and the kitchen was well-stocked with equipment, making it very easy for us to cook. Lillian’s cooked for us a couple of nights, and her food was delicious, especially the tres leches cake. Raul was so helpful for checking us in and answering questions. We took one night hike with Raul’s son, who was an excellent guide. I highly recommend this home to anyone who wants a comfortable stay, in a lush and peaceful place.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Evan M.

Liked: Cleanliness
We loved it!
We were delighted to find that this property was so close to the preserve. It was easily the highest house on the hill, and afforded spectacular views, as well as lush vegetation that was just as impressive as the nearby a reserve. In fact, we had better luck seeing birds and wildlife on this property versus the preserve. We were glad we had four-wheel-drive to get up the driveway, since it was rainy that week. The property manager Raul was responsive and helpful and we hired Lilian (housekeeper) to make some amazing meals. The hummingbird feeders were a big highlight for all of us - we couldn’t believe the variety of birds that visited. The kids also loved seeing coatis and agoutis wander by. We were cozy, comfortable and very pleased with the house. Given our family size we wished there was more that just the one bathroom, but we made it work. We would come back again without hesitation. 5/5 stars!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Scott C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Rustic Mountain Retreat
Loved it. Staying in the cloud forest and having hundreds of hummingbirds buzzing around all day was amazing!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ronald, Clayton

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeff B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Highest house in Monteverde!
We enjoyed our stay at this cabin. We are a family of 6 and had enough room using the sitting area cushions, which were very comfortable. Raul, the property manager, was very helpful and assisted with setting up tours in the area. We even did a night hike with his son, Raul Jr, who was so nice and a really great guide. Things we enjoyed in the area were, zip lining at 100% Adventura, sky adventures hanging bridges, and the Don Juan chocolate tour. The Don Juan chocolate tour really surprised us. It was a lot of fun and very informative and our guide, Jocsan, was so funny and entertaining. We loved eating at Open Kitchen, that had healthy and delicious options! The house itself was rustic, but was clean and had everything we needed at a great price. Lillian prepared a meal for us upon arrival, which was wonderful, and we even had leftovers for the next day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anne P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Sweet Spot
We really enjoyed our stay here - a family of 4. The house is clean and the chairs on the deck have been updated and are nicer than the ones in the photo. The house manager was friendly and helpful and we could walt to the Reserve, which was fun. There's a cook who can make local dishes for you too, which was nice (tho I'd recommend avoiding the gluten-free desserts and they were costly and not very good but the meals were).
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Location and View.
It was a great place to stay and we enjoyed our stay at the house.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Heidi N., Irvine, CA

Liked: Cleanliness
A Truly Unique Place in the World
We had a great stay at this wonderfully unique cabin in the cloud forest. The house is full of rustic charm & the surrounding area is one of the most private locations you can find. The driveway may have been improved lately because I read 4x4 was required, but our shuttle driver drove his Mercedes Sprinter van up with no trouble. The beds were very comfortable & the house was sparkling clean. We only found one spider during our stay & we had no trouble escorting him gently outside. I must highlight all the help we received from Laurie & her team during our trip. This was our first time in Costa Rica & she provided us with invaluable contacts to make our trip smooth & memorable. First, she introduced us to Jose who has an immaculate red tourist van & is an excellent & safe driver. He took us wherever we needed to go & patiently waited while we did errands, etc. He even went into the bank with my husband to help translate during a transaction. Way above & beyond! Secondly, Lillian prepared delicious food that was waiting for us at the house. It was so convenient since we did not have a car for shopping. You must try the Arroz con Pollo & Tres Leches Cake! Third, the property manager, Raul, was incredibly helpful throughout our stay. The location is remote, so it was nice to know Raul was close by & accessible via WhatsApp for anything. He even arranged for his son to take us on a Night Hike. Raul Jr. is an excellent guide. Highly recommend! Overall, a 5-star experience!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jessie H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great mountainside home
Our family, including our 3 children ages 14, 14, and 9 loved Laurie’s home. The place was clean and check in with Raul was easy peasy. Lillian’s dinner was so delicious, we never went out to eat. There’s no A/C, but it’s not needed as the evenings were very cool, we wore sweaters outside. The roads are rough and a 4WD is definitely helpful. For reference, it took us about 28 min to get to Selventura park for zip lining. Also, sipping coffee while gazing at the peninsula and watching hummingbirds fight over the feeder was just another plus to this place.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023