Koora Hotel: Luxury Amid Monteverde’s Cloud Forest
People heading to Monteverde with busy itineraries may also be looking for a bit of restful luxury when they’re not out and about. Koora Hotel has them covered.
Set into the mountainside just 10 minutes from the area’s most popular attraction, Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, Koora Hotel is the perfect place to stay when you want to be close to everything while still far enough away to relax in luxurious solitude. You may even find yourself wishing you never had to leave the property once you set foot in this beautiful hotel.
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The Rooms at Koora Hotel
Koora Hotel has nine different room styles available depending on your needs and price range. These rooms range from the relatively simple, like the Forest King Room, to whole bungalows with multiple rooms across two floors.
We stayed in the Forest King Room for two nights during our time at Koora Hotel. Despite describing this room as “relatively simple,” it’s still quite nice. The Forest King Room has two large queen beds with comfortable beddings, a mini fridge, TV, lounge chair, coffee and an electric kettle. It’s also a pretty decent size, with space to spread out as needed.
The bathroom is more than adequate, with a large walk-in shower with a rain showerhead, two sinks, and well-stocked with bathroom products. From the shower, you have a window to look through to take in Koora Hotel’s views while bathing (don’t worry, the window is pretty high so it’s practically impossible to see in from the outside).
My favorite part of our room at Koora Hotel was the balcony. The balcony has two large chairs with a small table set between them. It’s a great place to sit and relax at any time of day. Rooms come with a space heater to help keep you warm at night, and if that’s not enough, grab one of the huge quilted blankets to take out with you.
One potential downside to some of the rooms is that it can be a bit of a hike from the check-in lobby to your bungalow. It’s a pleasant walk, but you may have some trouble if you aren’t physically fit or have any mobility issues. If that’s the case, you can try requesting a room close to the lobby when booking your room.
Koora Hotel’s Pools
Koora Hotel has two small pools available for guests to use. Each pool is heated, comes with two lounge chairs and plenty of trees and flowers to look at while wading around. You can also order food and drinks from the pools via WhatsApp.
All in all, the pools are a really nice way to rest and recover from an early morning out and about in Monteverde.
While the pools are very nice, they’re also pretty small, able to accommodate only a few people at a time. Basically, it’s only for one family or one couple at a time. They’re first come, first served, too, so if you want to swim, you have to hope no one else had the same idea before you.
Fortunately, most people will likely be out exploring Monteverde during the middle part of the day. If you want to hang out in the pool, you should be able to snag one of the two pools during this time.
Koora Hotel’s Firepits
Koora Hotel also has two firepits near the pools to relax by in the evening after you’re done exploring the area.
Much like the pools, each firepit only has a handful of chairs, so they’re only for one group of people at a time. Still, most people will probably be at the restaurant or in their rooms resting up, so you should be able to grab one of the firepits in the evening without too much difficulty.
I only walked down to the firepit briefly just to get an idea of what it was like. As much as I would have liked to try one out, it would have been too difficult with our baby’s sleep schedule. They seemed nice, and, importantly, use propane tanks instead of wood. This small fact means you won’t come away from the firepit smelling like a campfire till the next time you bathe.
Like the pools, you can also order food and drinks to be delivered to you at the fire pits via WhatsApp.
The Grounds of Koora Hotel
Walking around Koora Hotel feels like you’re walking through a dense tropical rainforest. That’s because you basically are – except it’s a cloud forest, not a rainforest.
From the main building, there’s a single main path that connects each end of the property with just a couple sidewalks branching off to the lower section of the hotel. As you walk along the sloping path, tropical flowers, orchids, trees and other vegetation abound. The guest bungalows blend seamlessly into this lush paradise.
With Koora Hotel’s setting, you’re almost certain to see some of Monteverde’s native wildlife. During our stay we saw several choati, aguti and various birds. Capuchin monkeys are known to frequent the hotel’s property, but we weren’t fortunate enough to see any. Koora Hotel also houses some tiny beehives that are easily visible from the sidewalks.
While not directly related to the hotel grounds themselves, it bears noting that the drive up to Koora Hotel is pretty rough and rocky. If you don’t have a 4×4, make sure to slow down as you start climbing up the hill to the hotel.
Kiré Restaurant
Despite how nice the rooms and grounds of Koora Hotel are, the highlight is probably Kiré, its restaurant and bar. The food and drinks are good, but they aren’t why Kiré is special.
From Kiré’s terrace, you have uninterrupted views from Koora Hotel’s spot on the mountain all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The view is beautiful enough on its own, but it’s a special place to sit with a drink while the sun sets. You definitely won’t want to miss it.
But what about the food and drinks? They’re excellent, as well! Two meals stood out for me. The first was this seafood plate that featured a variety of local fish, crab and shellfish. The preparation was fairly simple, but it tasted delicious.
Then, on our last day I had their typical gallo pinto that came with a traditional sauce. The sauce was kind of like a sweet barbecue sauce that reminded me a bit of HP sauce from the UK. Whatever it was, it was very tasty when combined with this traditional Costa Rican dish.
Drinks from the bar were good. I wouldn’t say they were anything life changing, but they certainly got the job done. Koora Hotel has a good happy hour from 5:00 to 6:00 with 50% off their specialty cocktails, select wines and beers. Between this special and the view, you won’t want to be anywhere else in Monteverde at that time!
Reserva Aguti
An added bonus of staying at Koora Hotel is easy access to Reserva Aguti. This nature reserve right next to the lobby has a few miles of trails leading farther up the mountain. It’s not a must-see, but it’s worth checking out if you have some time to spare.
Reserva Aguti has several different trails all connecting with one another at various points. My one complaint about Reserva Aguti is the trail system is a bit confusing. There’s a map and some signage, but the map isn’t remotely drawn to scale, so it’s hard to know where you are.
Asides from that, it’s a pleasant albeit kind of steep hike without any of Costa Rica’s crowds. You may not see any grand sights, but you will see some impressively large trees, nice views of the areas, and the opportunity to see wildlife.
We saw several aguti, motmots and hordes of leafcutter ants. The ants were the most interesting thing we saw. They were everywhere: crawling up and down trees, marching across the trail, and stumbling over fallen branches. To find them, just look out for small wriggling leaves among the foliage.
The Cost of Luxury
The one downside of Koora Hotel is its price. Our Forest King Room came in at just over $900 for two nights. That’s quite a hefty price tag, but you’re paying for luxury and location.
Yet, it’s worth the price considering everything you get: perhaps the best view in Monteverde, delicious food, a spacious and comfortable room, and all the gorgeous grounds. If you’re going to splurge on an accommodation somewhere in Costa Rica, Koora Hotel is a good option.
That said, I wouldn’t recommend Koora Hotel if you’ll be out and about most of the time in Monteverde. I doubt we would have stayed here if it were just us without our young baby. Since we knew we’d be spending much of our time in the hotel, we wanted somewhere more luxurious than our usual, and Koora Hotel was perfect for us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Koora Hotel
What is there to do around Koora Hotel?
Monteverde has plenty to see and do. The most well-known attraction is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. Another popular thing to do here is to go on a coffee tour. I recommend the Don Juan Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Tour. This tour was one of my favorites in Costa Rica.
Other things to see in Monteverde include the Bat Jungle, Orchid Garden, Selvatura, and the Cafe Monteverde Coffee Tour.
When is the best time to visit Monteverde?
December to April is Monteverde’s dry season, which makes this time of year the most popular time to visit. You’ll see less rain and warmer weather during this time, but you’re also likely to see larger crowds.
A visit during the shoulder months of November and May is a good option if you want smaller crowds at the expense of a bit more rain.
Does Koora Hotel accommodate children?
Children will love the pools, firepits and all the wildlife around Koora Hotel. The lobby also has a few games to keep kids entertained while parents enjoy the views from the restaurant.
If your little ones haven’t quite graduated to a bed, you can request a crib to be set up in your room free of charge.
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