El Sol

El Sol just became one of our favorite hotels we’ve ever stayed at, although it’s more like hotel meets home meets bed and breakfast in paradise. We were looking for a quiet and relaxing place to stay in the Monteverde area and I’m not sure we could’ve found a more perfect spot to relax and unplug. Javier is a phenomenal owner who made sure all of our needs were taken care of every step of the way. He and Siân helped us plan our activities around Monteverde and were available at a moment’s notice via WhatsApp, even making last minute changes to our itinerary as our requests changed. We did not rent a car but Javier and Siân arranged for rides and Javier even drove us into town one afternoon. While the hotel is about a ten minute drive into town, the peaceful setting was a well needed escape to tranquility. The cabins are charming and are surrounded by jungle-like gardens that make you feel like you’re in a treehouse. The staff brought us breakfast to our cabin both mornings and we also ordered dinner one night to the cabin., which has every amenity you need, making it feel like home. We ate on the porch, had a morning visit from a Magpie-Jay, chilled on a hammock and also scheduled a massage after a day of hiking. The infinity pool and sun deck were peaceful and the views stunning. This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and we have many other places we want to visit, but El Sol will be on our itinerary again next time because of the memorable time we spent.

Just a beautiful, truly magical place. I went with my sister and 18-month-old daughter in May, and we all fell completely in love with everything about El Sol. For starters, the incredible people who curate and care for the hotel, the grounds, and the guests are beyond special. From the moment Javier picked us up in Tamarindo, we were learning tons from him and seeing new dimensions of Costa Rica everywhere we looked, though we'd already been in-country for a while. Things only got better once we actually arrived at El Sol. We were in the "Sunny Villa," which is ideal for families and so charming. There was something to love in every corner, from the sun-soaked indoor garden and peaceful back patio down to all the live edge furniture and vibrant quilts. And Susannah helped us plan an unforgettable stay -- birdwatching in the cloud forest, horseback riding to nearby hot springs, in-room massage, a private yoga session, and dinner in the village. Hard to believe we were only there for 2.5 days! But it all felt worthwhile and rejuvenating — Susannah's guide/provider recommendations in particular were stellar, and she's an excellent yoga teacher. And folks everywhere went above and beyond to make things toddler-friendly and fun, including the riding and hiking. (We even saw quetzals on our cloud forest bridge walk, something I'm always going to cherish sharing with my daughter and sister.) Everything exceeded our expectations by leaps and bounds — it's only taken me this long to write a review because I hardly knew where to begin. When I asked my sister to weigh in, she had this to say: "Of course the surrounding nature was gorgeous, but the design details of the lodge are stunning. Bright, beautiful colors, airy open architecture in our suite, and overall, a cheery yet tasteful aesthetic — as the owners were trained in design, too! Susannah also makes bold, inspired art that's in many of the spaces, making them feel both lived-in and welcoming. We loved her original paintings so much we bought some to take home. Simply cannot wait to visit our friends at El Sol again." More than anything, though, El Sol just had this grounded, serene, welcoming energy we didn't even realize we needed till we were immersed in it. If you're looking for a bustling scene, heated pool, or standard resort vibe — or you'd like to be near nature but not actually in it — this is not the spot for you. (You'll definitely get a tropical bug or two flying around your room if you leave the patio door open past dusk!) But for us, it was perfect. We could've spent our entire stay on the grounds, or even in our villa, and probably had the same amazing time, just lounging in the indoor garden, taking in the breathtaking scenery from the pool, or having a fantastic home-made lunch on the patio. (Our villa had a kitchen, but we mostly took advantage of the "room service" menu — fresh, delicious local cuisine prepared and delivered by some exceedingly nice ladies next door.) And bec

This place to me is what an accommodation away from home should feel like: the grounds are thoughtfully and artfully done, the bungalows are awesome with privacy, whimsy and high end bathrooms. The natural spring infinity pool is pure magic. The food presentation was another art piece, beautifully prepared, delicious, nutritious. Staff was also superb.