The Ocotea Boutique Hotel is an extremely unique business in Monteverde for a number of reasons. Not only is it run by an exceptional mother-daughter team (which, in Costa Rica, is still pretty rare), but it was also designed and built with nature in mind, from the eco-friendly, sustainable features to the low-impact construction using locally-sourced materials.

We recently did an article that discusses the Natural Modern style of design and how it was used to draw our guest’s focus to the beauty that surrounds the hotel and pulls that beauty inside providing a calm and relaxing space.

About halfway from the Inter-American highway to Monteverde, you’ll start to find cars stopped on the shoulder of the narrow mountain roads. It’s impossible to build a viewpoint for every stunning view stretching out across the rolling hills towards the Golfo de Nicoya, or up through valley corridors to where the mountains meet the clouds. So you make do with little dirt paths and sheepish waves to the locals and the occasional traveler when your car can’t quite get out off the road. 

As an ex-pat who lives in Costa Rica almost year-round, I often get asked about what it’s like in the less busy times of the year, like the green season… and my answer is always that Costa Rica is an amazing place to visit at any time of year.

The moment you drive up the hill and catch a glimpse of the Ocotea Hotel’s graceful lines and striking modern design, you understand that you are about to experience something new and unique.  The stark white walls and expansive windows certainly stand out against the lush greenery of the gardens and the spreading branches of damas trees like a cool and comforting oasis.

Designing, and building the Ocotea Boutique Hotel has been a complex and lengthy labor of love, and everyone on the Ocotea team is extremely proud of our accomplishment. It’s a joy to help people learn about Monteverde and all that it has to offer and to provide them with the best possible experience here so that they go home and tell everyone about our incredible corner of the world.

Do you ever wish we could go back in time to when life moved a little slower, communities were a little closer, and people appreciated the detail, time, and effort that went into something more than the brand name on its label?

While it is not my habit to write these posts from a personal place, this post is a little bit special. I recently had a bit of an epiphany, and it happened while seated in a big comfortable chair, early in the morning, in Ocotea’s back garden.

December 24th marked the first anniversary of the Ocotea Boutique Hotel, and passing that milestone naturally makes us think back on the events of the past year and reflect. We are happy to say, our first year has been spectacular, and we couldn’t be more proud of the wonderful team of people who have made that possible.