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.

Had a fabulous 2 night stay at Villa Blanca. Was a bit concerned before arrival due to some of the mixed reviews but need not have worried. Our villa, number 5, was lovely - clean , comfy & rustic. We had glorious weather during our stay so did not suffer with damp problems. We lit the fire each night & enjoyed it while rocking in the rocking chairs. During our free time in the day we sat on our terrace & were entertained by coati & racoons. We were part of a tour group & very much enjoyed the special 3 course dinner menu that was on offer, although there was almost too much food. The Happy Hour from 4-6pm was excellent & the spicy margarita amazing. Marcella who works behind the bar & in the restaurant was a delight & a real credit to the hotel. We had pre- booked the guided morning & evening nature walks but they were a little hit & miss with not masses to see. No fault of our guide just one of those things. We did see 2 red eyed tree frogs though & what looked like a fairly fresh ocelot paw print. Also milked the cow, fed the calf & did the art session. Definitely my favourite hotel of the trip.

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.

Comfy beds and glorious views, but take warm clothing. The rooms in thelittle chalets look lovely but were very chilly. We tried to light the fire, but that simply filled the room with smoke. The public rooms looked lovely also, but depite lighting two log fires in the evenings, they left the big doors open ( probably to let the smoke out) and so it wasn't warm there either. We felt that the grounds had been lovely several years ago and enjoyed the waymaked walks, but the greenhouses were very rundown as was the frog house and the orchid house. No need to use the expensive guided walks if you don't want to - we followed the trails and saw humming birds, coati and several birds.The food was very American and there is nowhere else to eat.

To start with the positive: the staff is incredibly friendly, helpful and well-trained but the hotel itself needs serious work. It rained and misted without interruption (it’s after all a CLOUD hotel) making everything damp. We stayed in the Presidential Suite which has been newly and well-renovated. Spacious, anttractiv and well-equipped- which it should be for $400-600 a night. The fireplace is- great if only the wood were dry. We had no hot water for 2 days because, even after asking someone to come fix it, no one told us that you have to adjust the shower “just so”. That was the management’s fault, probably not the staff. The facilities are pretty run down. The dining room is dark and anything but inviting. The food is simple and starchy and pretty heavy. All in all more a backpacker try hotel than a Villa.

This hotel is literally in the middle of nowhere, and only accessed via a very long bumpy road. No problem for us as we were being driven in a mini bus, and the surrounding countryside is breathtaking. The accommodation consists of a number of casitas which are all very spread out so there was plenty of privacy. As others have said, there was a slight dampness in the room, but we were in the cloud forest with high humidity, so its to be expected! I felt like I was experiencing the "real" Costa Rica. We did experience a bit of "insect life" in the room, but again not surprising, given where we were. This was probably the most rustic place we stayed at during our tour of Costa Rica but the casita had everything we needed. The beds were comfortable, and the bathroom was large with a decent shower. We would have appreciated a fridge, however, and can't really understand why they were taken away. We were probably a 5 minute walk from the main building, which housed the restaurant and an extremely cosy and characterful area with leather sofas, books, coffee and a bar. The food in the restaurant was good, although alcohol was pricey. Every single member of staff we encountered were extremely friendly and helpful. We took the morning and evening tours, although didn't see a great deal unfortunately. However, our guide made the best of it and he was very knowledgeable. The grounds had a number of trails you could explore and there's a beautiful onsite chapel which is well worth a visit. The grounds around the main building and casitas were immaculately landscaped. We purchased some of the spa products to take back to the UK with us. I'd recommend them to anyone as they were lovely.