REVIEW: Selina Monteverde, Costa Rica

I recently wrote a review of my experience at Selina Jaco and I thought I would share a bit about Selina Monteverde as well! I already shared my love for the Selina brand in the previous article—they have done a great job of building hostel/coliving spaces that cater to travelers of all ages and situations which I think is really key in this evolving landscape….with more and more people switching to a location independent lifestyle. The one small positive thing to come out of coronavirus is I think more companies are being forced to test out working remote and - when they see how great it works for everyone - hopefully that will translate to more digital nomads.

Selina Monteverde is a great location for those looking for a comfortable, quiet location to get some work done. It’s only a 15 min walk to the Cloud Forest too….so you have a lot of beautiful nature right at your fingertips. There isn’t a ton of other stuff within walking distance, but it just means Selina becomes your hangout. And people were always in the bar/restaurant hanging out, with their laptops, having a drink, etc.

The bar area is super cute and inviting too. I had a pass to the coworking space, but ended up working in the bar/restaurant just as much because it had a nice vibe. Per usual with Selina, the food was excellent. I tried a number of dishes (since there isn't much nearby) - the pumpkin hummus was awesome, as well as the falafel burger and vegetarian version of the patacones.

The bar/restaurant doesn’t have bottled water, but they have re-usable metal cups and filtered cucumber water available all the time — which is great and made me happy as an eco-conscious traveller. In case you are curious—the tap water in Costa Rica is drinkable….especially in Monteverde.

I was actually surprised by how active the hostel was (when it’s location was a bit remote). One night there was even a DJ playing and the bar area looked pretty popping. Granted, I didn’t really meet anyone (but I also wasn’t trying at all because I had a decent amount of work to do these days).

There are a number of other common areas around the hotel too — a fire pit area, 2 hot tubs that were often in use, and basket chairs throughout. People tended to congregate in various parts of the hotel reading or chatting (vs hanging out in their room).

The room itself was very nice, clean and spacious. Compared to Selina Jaco, it felt a bit nicer and included a mini desk/chair. Water pressure in the shower was great too (often an issue I find when traveling). The private rooms come with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash so you don’t have to worry about packing these items as well (always nice!)

The coworking space was open and inviting. They gave me a key when I paid the fee, but I noticed the door was always open so I never really needed it. There were only ever 2 other people in there when I was using it, so it stayed pretty quiet and easy to get stuff done. The wifi speed was fast and I didn’t encounter any issues. Some of the other Selina coworking spaces have had more amenities, but this one was still simple and pleasant.

The staff at the front desk was kind and helpful in booking activities. I booked the Night Walk and a shuttle thru them and it was a very easy process. They also helped me with information about the Cloud Forest. This is very easy do on your own by the way - no need for a tour at all. And the women working in the restaurant were friendly as well.

In typical Selina fashion, there were a lot of weekly activities guests could participate in too. Things ranging from salsa, karaoke, movie nights, yoga, etc . This information can be hard to find online, but screenshot for you below. You can also check out the Selina app that shares some of these weekly events by location as well.

In terms of the value, I was very happy with the overall vibe and experience (although I wish the coworking space would have been included in the room rate….I really hate additional fees for stuff like that). It was a bit on the pricier end for a Selina private room - $80/night (plus $10/day for the coworking), which is a bit more than what I paid at Selina Jaco ($60). I noticed Selina Manuel Antonio private rooms were like $120 though, which was one of the reasons I didn’t spend the night there and just did it as a day trip.

Since the hostel is a decent distance from town, they offer four daily (free) shuttles. I didn’t get a chance to take advantage of this offering (or explore town) but if I had more time I definitely would have liked to. The town looked really cute at night (albeit kind of spread out)….lots of twinkle lights!

If you’re coming thru Monteverde, I’d highly recommend checking out the Extremo Zipline tour. I didn’t have time to do it, but I heard it was excellent. Wish I had done zip lining here instead of in Tamarindo! (It was ok there but looked far more exciting & extensive here!). Definitely take a half day to walk thru the Cloud Forest as well, it’s so beautiful and makes for a very lovely experience.

All in all, I loved my time at Selina Monteverde — both at the hotel and on adventures nearby. I’d highly recommend adding it to your itinerary when passing thru!

xoxo

Lauren