Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel & Retreat

This hotel offers a unique experience. The staff attention to detail is second to none and it felt like a home from home. The surroundings are stunning and the rustic style rooms are well thought out with every comfort available. The food is delicious and a lot is produced on the estate. I thoroughly enjoyed helping to milk the cow and feeding little Luna her calf in the morning. Thank you dear Zac. As the owner, you made everyone feel welcome and provided a personal touch. I will definitely be back.

We were so disappointed with this accommodation on what was otherwise a fabulous trip to Costa Rica. This was by far the worst place we stayed. It’s 8km down a very potholed and bumpy track and the place was shrouded by cloud for our entire stay (thankfully only two nights!). I know we were in a cloud forest but the accommodation felt very dank and dreary and the rooms are very run down and in need of some major work. We had no outside furniture. There was a space where there obviously used to be a fridge but no more, and an incredibly noisy dehumidifier that we had to empty three times during our two night stay! Everything felt damp including the bedding, despite the dehumidifier but the bed was comfortable. Both sets of blinds were dirty and broken. The main building feels like an old hunting lodge and although there were two open fires they kept the doors open all of the time so it never felt warm. The staff were not particularly welcoming and we were very disappointed in the food offerings in the restaurant (one of us is gluten free and both our tour operator and ourselves had pre warned this hotel before our stay.) There was very little on an incredibly expensive menu that my husband was able to eat. The restaurant was inflexible with regards to accommodating a special diet. There was a complimentary tea/coffee station available in the lounge but when I asked if it was possible to have a decaffeinated coffee I was told I would have to pay €5! This place is literally in the middle of nowhere so there are no other food options available. Breakfast was ok but a bit basic compared to other hotels we stayed in and the waiting staff just seemed unfriendly. All in all we felt unwelcome and have reported our concerns to our tour company. The positives: we saw some incredible wildlife on a night/day tour with very knowledgeable local guides.