I have stayed in El Establo several times. Alone, with my ex and with the whole family and of course… as a tour leader!
And I have stayed in all their room types. From the very basic quarters of the tour guides and drivers to the luxurious honeymoon suites.
Of course… You are not going to stay in the tour guides rooms…
So, let’s start with the Standard rooms.
First of all being standard rooms… They are big! Two queen beds in all of them, a balcony or terrace (Depending if you are on the second or first floor), all of them have a magnificent view of the forest, the mountains and the Gulf of Nicoya at the back (We could say… ocean view…), and of course the usual in a big hotel: telephone (Watch that, calls can be a bit pricey!), television, hair dryer and pretty large bathrooms with separate bath tub and shower.
They are set on the top of the mountain and literally speaking, if you don’t have a car with you, there is a permanent shuttle service up and down the property all day long. A service that you can call to take you and bring you back.
Then there are the Suites.
The suites are humongous! And I mean massive! They have the main floor where there are either two queen beds or a king size and then on the second there is a king size bed. A huge window from one floor to the next facing the amazing Gulf of Nicoya view. Just like the Standard rooms, they have the usual, only that bathrooms are also bigger and they have LCD 26” screens in all of them. They also separate the shower from the bath tub.
These rooms are fantastic to be with the children. Plus they are closer to reception and the main restaurant, etc.
And then… There are the Honeymoon Suites.
Actually they are smaller, and more affordable than the Suites… But! Ah! The Honeymoon Suites.
Don’t even think about going there on a solo trip unless you are so in love with yourself you don’t mind all the romantic touches that these rooms offer.
The rooms are made to enjoy each other, open Jacuzzi that you can see from the bed, amazing view that you can see from the Jacuzzi… It is truly an experience to live and enjoy with a loved one! A great place for a romantic escapade… and even a reconciliation! Truly magical!
Now, let’s talk about the rest of the hotel… And this is a big hotel!
Restaurants:
It has two very different restaurants.
At Las Riendas is where breakfast is served. It is a very large comfortable place at the very entrance of the hotel. They have a huge buffet for all meals, and depending on the plan you choose for the hotel, buffets are included or not. They also offer a great variety of dishes a la carte.
Laggus is a totally different experience. It is classy and romantic. Located by a lake totally surrounded by forest, Laggus is a magical place to have an exceptional dinner.
Important to know:
- El Establo has tennis, basketball and soccer courts
- Has a pretty good small gym
- 2 indoor tempered swimming pools
- Great spa! Truly great! In a good day weather you get the massages right by the rainforest. The feeling is amazing!
- Canopy Tour in the property. The forest is pretty awesome and the tour guides are great.
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- It is big, great grounds, great view.
- Rainforest around the property. If lucky you get to see some of the unusual but beautiful birds and wildlife.
- Rooms are nice
- Great spa
- Has its own canopy, gym, and sports courts.
[/text_output][text_output]CONS
- It is big. If you don’t have a car you are totally dependant on the shuttle service.
- Restaurant is not the best in Monteverde
- In some of the rooms bathroom shares space (Over the walls there is a gap between walls and roof) with bedroom, with the consequences adjointed.
- It is not soundproof
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