Name: Hotel Don Taco
Address: 50 metros norte de la Agencia del ICE en Santa Elena, Monteverde, Costa Rica, Monteverde, Puntarenas Province, CR
Price range: US$47–US$78 per night
Rating: 8.43

What guests think

Across many reviews, Hotel Don Taco is praised for friendly, helpful staff, walkable location near Santa Elena, good value, and cooked-to-order breakfasts, while feedback notes basic rooms, firm beds, and occasional noise from wind or nearby roads.

Rooms are generally clean with pleasant views and some balconies or swings, though several mention dated fittings, thin walls, and hard mattresses. Facilities include an on-site restaurant and bar; parking can be tight, and hours or prices occasionally disappoint. Overall, expect a straightforward base for exploring Monteverde, but be prepared for steep walks and potential wind or road noise.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

On-site restaurant and bar are appreciated, though some found hours limited or prices high. Parking is available but limited/tight, with overflow locations, and parts of the property involve stairs.

Related guest reviews

10

Bao

26 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Just a quick walk from Santa Elena proper. Parking was a challenge, having 3 separate parking locations (and the very steep uphill didn't help, but no fault of the property). Great service, but the transport for the tour I booked never arrived.

10

Marc-Andre

26 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great value for the price. We were highly satisfied by our 4 persons cabin, it had great view, a small balcony and good privacy. The breakfast was fantastic with 4 options cooked to order. Parking was not an issue. Would definetly go back to Don Taco if I retirn to the area.

8

Janine

24 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Cute rooms Our three bed room was like a small wooden cabin View of city walkable Restaurant is very good and manager very welcoming Pizza for dinner to go Two pizzas were around $35, fed the whole family and we enjoyed it very much There is a soda walkable which was also very good - family owned soda nice people There’s a small community room with books, good places to play board games at the hotel Parking is tight but we were able to park our big suv there each night Walked down to city-12 minute walk so very convenient If you’re looking to be close to city thus is an affordable option- clean , no frills

8

Steven

30 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Everything was very nice including the included breakfast. The only problem I has was that there were too many stairs ti get to my cabin (with carrying luggage). They put me in their sister hotel next door on the ground floor and I was able to get the luggage in easily.

10

Marilyn

30 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was much better than I expected. The staff were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was included each morning. It was raining one night and we didn't want to walk down town so we went to the restaurant. The food was really good and the bar was also great and accommodating. The entire experience exceeded my expectations.

10

Chandra

16 Mar 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Located on the road heading down into Santa Elena, the hotel is a great place to stay. There is minimal parking right by the hotel with maybe 3-4 spots but they have more parking just up the road. We stayed in a family room and it was the perfect room for us. It's older and dated but clean. the included breakfast was decent as well. Our biggest complaints were there was no shampoo and we asked for more we got an extra bar of soap. The road beside the hotel gets loud with traffic shortly after 6 so if you aren't an early riser this would be an issue.

8

Michelle

12 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very nice staff. Helpful in arranging activities and transportation. The restaurant and bar were n very nice too. Walk to downtown Santa Elena is not far but the walk back to the hotel is a pretty steep climb!

8

Karen

8 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,364 nights

Overall sweet spot close to downtown with great views across to bay. January is very windy and we had one of two rooms with slatted glass windows = very drafty. Ran out of hot water by 9am! Good breakfast at restaurant (also serves lunch and dinner). Nice coffee shop/bar on site.

8

Patricia

6 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff were excellent , very friendly and helpful . Not many facilities though .

6

George

20 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not too far from MonteVerde, which was the hook for us in staying here. This place was a short walk from town (albeit a steep one) with a bunch of shops, cafes, sodas, restaurants within walking distance. The rooms had variations of balconies to sit and enjoy the outdoors. But the view is just ok and because town is just down the hill there’s lots of ruckus from motorcycles revving up and down the roads. The rooms have no AC nor a ceiling fan. We were concerned it’d be too hot at night but pleasantly surprised how nicely cool it was. Nice little on site pub, and restaurant. For what it is, we were quite content with our stay.

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Cleanliness

Many reviews describe the hotel and rooms as clean, even spotless. A few report issues such as insects, missed housekeeping over multiple nights, or worn fixtures.

Related guest reviews

8

Sudhir

5 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property is located up a steep hill from the town. One should know that Monte Verde is a very hilly area and almost all of the properties are on the hill. The staff is wonderful. The property is clean and reasonably well maintained compared to other properties.

6

Aurelie

7 Dec 2021

·

Stayed 2 nights

L'hotel en soit n'était pas trop mal placé. La chambre était bien mais ça grouillait de petites araignées et fourmis. Pas d'eau chaude. Beaucoup de vent dans la region et avec les grandes fenêtres ça claquait et faisait un boucan pas possible la nuit. Un matelas très dur aussi donc on n'a pas très bien dormi. Le restaurant sans plus, il vaut mieux aller en ville.

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10

Kim

19 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We booked two rooms for our family. It was a very clean and safe resort, in a good location.

6

Anita

10 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nous avions réservé une chambre avec vue sur la montagne. Les photos étaient attrayantes: chambres revêtues de bois, belle vue, belle salle de bain, etc. La chambre que nous avons eue avait vue sur le restaurant! La salle de bain était vétuste, le sèche-cheveux ne fonctionnait pas, les lits ...moyens. Nous sommes restées 3 nuits et la chambre n'a jjamais été faite, les poubelles jamais vidées y compris celle de la salle de bains dans laquelle il faut jeter le papier hygiénique. Point positif: la gentillesse du personnel !

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10

Kyle

31 Dec 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was simple but clean. Staff was very cheerful and helpful. Wifi worked great and the food was good. Would reccommend.

8

Debra

16 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Spotless room, comfortable beds, great breakfast, pleasant, friendly and helpful staff. We loved the swing on the porch off the room! Liked the fact that it was an ecolodge.

10

khue

13 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Overall we enjoyed our stay. Hotel is located close to downtown monte verde, the staff are very friendly, the landscaping is pretty, the rooms are very clean. Free breakfast and free parking on site. It was very affordable.

2

Leelamma

12 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

first thing receptionist was not friendly . didnt explain everything . breakfast time they said 6.30 to 8.30 . but they opened breakfast room at 6.45 . no body came to take order . they took the order and serve to people came after us . when we question them they said they have to take care of the group first eventhough we were there first .we told them we will be late for the tour pickup . still the server did not do anything .we mention it to the receptionist . she said its out of my control . so we did not get any breakfast ' they are very rude . not friendly at all . room was not clean . no table or chair in the room . no hot water for the wash room . we never had a bad experience like this in our life . i will no recommend that hotel to anybody . .

10

Christi

9 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This was one of our favorite hotels! We tried to stay an additional night but it was fully booked. The view was spectacular. Breakfast was delicious. It was close to the center of town but far enough away that it felt private. The staff was incredibly helpful, the room was clean, and the shower was nice and hot.

10

Elena

31 May 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel is very clean, room was comfortable. The staff was very helpful and nice, booked us the tours we asked, answered all questions. The breakfast was delicious and the server was very nice. I love the place and would recommend to anyone.

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Rooms

Rooms are basic and vary in size; several have balconies or swings and good views. Common drawbacks include hard mattresses, thin pillows, limited sound insulation with wind or road noise, and no A/C (nights are typically cool).

Related guest reviews

6

Nadia

6 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very old building, close to busy and noisy road. Breakfast was included, small portions comparison to other hotels.

6

Gita

22 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely place, great staff and good location. Only reason why lower score is didn’t sleep for the 2 nites we were there! - howling from the winds, various super loud outside noise and noise from hotel pipework pretty much ongoing thru’ the nite. Sadly wouldn’t go back!

6

Lisa

13 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property in a central location. Breakfast was great and the receptionist was lovely and friendly and showed us a great map of the area. The rooms are basic, no shampoo so make sure you bring some. Pillows are paper thin and the bed wasn’t the comfiest. No air con so it got quite hot on our family room for 5. We enjoyed our stay but glad it was only for 1 night. Comfort wise. The hotel is very close to the town and walking to it is easy although no real pavements. Walking back is not so easy as it’s all uphill so no good for anyone with walking difficulties or wheelchair users.

8

Ed

3 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The rooms were small but quite sufficient, cost was very reasonable, and the beds were comfortable. There was a good hot prepared breakfast with choice of 3-4 options and fresh juice. The receptionists Wanda and Zadieka were absolutely fabulous and incredibly helpful - do not let these young ladies leave your establishment, they are so hospitable, intelligent, knowledgable of the area and out-of-this-world helpful!!!

8

Justin

7 Mar 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very basic facility, bed, shower, toilet. However, the selling point, great view, especially sunset! Bring a jacket, it gets chilly!

6

Benjamin

10 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very very basic place. Paper thin walls so you could hear everything from other rooms/outside. Restaurant on site was good, but very pricey

10

Karen

5 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Hotel located about 10 mins walk from Santa Elena. Room lovely and spacious with our swing as an added extra! Staff really great and breakfasts were lovely.

10

Marvin

16 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice room. Comfortable bed.

8

Stacey

1 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property and location! Breakfast was one of the best we had while in Costa Rica. No A/C, so we would have appreciated a ceiling fan!

6

George

20 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not too far from MonteVerde, which was the hook for us in staying here. This place was a short walk from town (albeit a steep one) with a bunch of shops, cafes, sodas, restaurants within walking distance. The rooms had variations of balconies to sit and enjoy the outdoors. But the view is just ok and because town is just down the hill there’s lots of ruckus from motorcycles revving up and down the roads. The rooms have no AC nor a ceiling fan. We were concerned it’d be too hot at night but pleasantly surprised how nicely cool it was. Nice little on site pub, and restaurant. For what it is, we were quite content with our stay.

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Service

Staff are widely praised as friendly, helpful, and proactive with tour and transport bookings. There are occasional complaints about breakfast service or check-in attitude.

Related guest reviews

8

McEachern

27 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The front desk staff were helpful and friendly.

10

Bao

26 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Just a quick walk from Santa Elena proper. Parking was a challenge, having 3 separate parking locations (and the very steep uphill didn't help, but no fault of the property). Great service, but the transport for the tour I booked never arrived.

8

Janine

24 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Cute rooms Our three bed room was like a small wooden cabin View of city walkable Restaurant is very good and manager very welcoming Pizza for dinner to go Two pizzas were around $35, fed the whole family and we enjoyed it very much There is a soda walkable which was also very good - family owned soda nice people There’s a small community room with books, good places to play board games at the hotel Parking is tight but we were able to park our big suv there each night Walked down to city-12 minute walk so very convenient If you’re looking to be close to city thus is an affordable option- clean , no frills

10

Avery

8 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Super friendly staff and excellent recommendations and service to organize your bookings

8

Steffen

25 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Sehr freundliches Personal, das auch bei der Buchung von Ausflügen unterstützt

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10

David

1 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The woman at reception when we checked in was delighful and insightful. She was a very knowledgeable person to dispense important information.

8

Debra

16 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Spotless room, comfortable beds, great breakfast, pleasant, friendly and helpful staff. We loved the swing on the porch off the room! Liked the fact that it was an ecolodge.

2

Leelamma

12 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

first thing receptionist was not friendly . didnt explain everything . breakfast time they said 6.30 to 8.30 . but they opened breakfast room at 6.45 . no body came to take order . they took the order and serve to people came after us . when we question them they said they have to take care of the group first eventhough we were there first .we told them we will be late for the tour pickup . still the server did not do anything .we mention it to the receptionist . she said its out of my control . so we did not get any breakfast ' they are very rude . not friendly at all . room was not clean . no table or chair in the room . no hot water for the wash room . we never had a bad experience like this in our life . i will no recommend that hotel to anybody . .

8

Judy

4 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Staff friendly and helpful. They booked shuttles for us. Breakfast good. The only complaint is the beds were hard

10

Robyn

13 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff were all wonderful and helped us so much to get a longer reservation, arrange our events and transportation, and the place is lovely especially on the Mar Inn side. There is some road noise from the back street (motorcycles, dogs) on the upper level of don Taco but the cabins at Don Taco were great as was the room at Mar Inn (the connecting hotel next door, same owner) The staff could not have been better. We hope to return.

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Location

Walkable to downtown Santa Elena and area attractions, with scenic hillside views. The return walk is steep, and some rooms pick up traffic noise.

Related guest reviews

10

marylou

20 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 19,338 nights

The location was great! Walking distance to anything you need downtown (as long as you are good walking back up hill!). The room had a nice view of the town and region beyond, they served a great breakfast each morning, nice little bar, and lovable resident dogs were the highlight.

10

Bao

26 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Just a quick walk from Santa Elena proper. Parking was a challenge, having 3 separate parking locations (and the very steep uphill didn't help, but no fault of the property). Great service, but the transport for the tour I booked never arrived.

8

Mark

4 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

It is in a perfect location for area attractions. Walkable to town for meals.

8

Sudhir

5 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property is located up a steep hill from the town. One should know that Monte Verde is a very hilly area and almost all of the properties are on the hill. The staff is wonderful. The property is clean and reasonably well maintained compared to other properties.

6

Lisa

13 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property in a central location. Breakfast was great and the receptionist was lovely and friendly and showed us a great map of the area. The rooms are basic, no shampoo so make sure you bring some. Pillows are paper thin and the bed wasn’t the comfiest. No air con so it got quite hot on our family room for 5. We enjoyed our stay but glad it was only for 1 night. Comfort wise. The hotel is very close to the town and walking to it is easy although no real pavements. Walking back is not so easy as it’s all uphill so no good for anyone with walking difficulties or wheelchair users.

10

Arnold

24 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very close to the town. Staff is friendly, nice, helpful and bilingual. Love the view from our room.

10

Karen

5 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Hotel located about 10 mins walk from Santa Elena. Room lovely and spacious with our swing as an added extra! Staff really great and breakfasts were lovely.

8

Michelle

12 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very nice staff. Helpful in arranging activities and transportation. The restaurant and bar were n very nice too. Walk to downtown Santa Elena is not far but the walk back to the hotel is a pretty steep climb!

10

Markus

24 Dec 2023

·

Within walking distance to town center, this stay was ideal for our stay in Monteverde. Great views, great staff, parking and even towels for show cleaning. Highly recommended.

6

George

20 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not too far from MonteVerde, which was the hook for us in staying here. This place was a short walk from town (albeit a steep one) with a bunch of shops, cafes, sodas, restaurants within walking distance. The rooms had variations of balconies to sit and enjoy the outdoors. But the view is just ok and because town is just down the hill there’s lots of ruckus from motorcycles revving up and down the roads. The rooms have no AC nor a ceiling fan. We were concerned it’d be too hot at night but pleasantly surprised how nicely cool it was. Nice little on site pub, and restaurant. For what it is, we were quite content with our stay.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Breakfast is frequently highlighted as tasty with several cooked-to-order options, though a few guests found portions small or the quality average. The restaurant and bar are convenient but sometimes pricey or not operating as expected.

Related guest reviews

6

Luisa

31 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Die Unterkunft hat ein gutes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnisb und die Angestellten sind sehr nett. Die Zimmer sind allerdings schon etwas in die Jahre gekommen und die Matratze ist äußerst hart. Man muss sich bewusst sein, dass es nur eine Art Schiebe-Rollo als Tür zum Badezimmer gibt und das Bett direkt vor dem Fenster steht, was eine Privatsphäre eher schwierig gestaltet. Das Frühstück war in Ordnung. An einem Morgen war allerdings ein Toast etwas schimmelig. Dafür sind die Frühstückszeiten ideal, um frühe Unternehmungen in der Umgebung wahrzunehmen. Fußläufig gibt es Restaurants und einen Supermarkt. Auch das Parken an der Unterkunft lief problemlos.

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10

Marc-Andre

26 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great value for the price. We were highly satisfied by our 4 persons cabin, it had great view, a small balcony and good privacy. The breakfast was fantastic with 4 options cooked to order. Parking was not an issue. Would definetly go back to Don Taco if I retirn to the area.

8

Brent

29 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great property, close to town and wonderful breakfast options

6

Percy

8 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel offers 4 different breakfast options. Their breakfast options and plate sizes were the best on our Costa Rica trip. I had the 2 eggs, rice, beans, toast option breakfast and it was good. Good coffee too. Their onsite restaurant serves good pizza but we ate in downtown Monteverde and it was a good pizza place in the lane next to Orchid restaurant. Very close and walking distance to downtown. They arranged for our taxi rides on both days to the cloud forests. Monteverde is very windy so that kept us up at night.

6

Benjamin

10 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very very basic place. Paper thin walls so you could hear everything from other rooms/outside. Restaurant on site was good, but very pricey

8

Debra

16 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Spotless room, comfortable beds, great breakfast, pleasant, friendly and helpful staff. We loved the swing on the porch off the room! Liked the fact that it was an ecolodge.

6

Denise

12 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The bed was terribly hard. The “restaurant” was really only open for breakfast, even though signs indicated a happy hour at the bar, and there was a menu.

6

Stefanie

26 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Frühstück hat uns nicht überzeugt, am letzten Tag hatten sie nicht mal mehr Butter, aber das Zimmer war voll ok

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8

Stacey

1 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great property and location! Breakfast was one of the best we had while in Costa Rica. No A/C, so we would have appreciated a ceiling fan!

6

Linda

17 Feb 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

For the price we paid the roo was OK. But, the restaurant was closed the day we arrived and we were only staying on day.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19 $55
20 $52	21 $52	22 $52	23 $52	24 $53	25 $52	26 $52
27 $53	28 $60	29 $60	30 $58

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $64	2 $56	3 $60
4 $60	5 $52	6 $60	7 $60	8 $52	9 $52	10 $60
11 $58	12 $78	13 $52	14 $60	15 $52	16 $60	17 $60
18 $78	19 $67	20 $60	21 $47	22 $60	23 $60	24 $51
25	26	27	28	29 $52	30 $67	31 $60

Hotel Don Taco

About this property

Location

Room options

Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom

Economy Double Room

Standard Double Room

Family Room, Balcony

Superior Double Room

Superior Room, Balcony

Standard Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom

Superior Triple Room, Mountain View

Superior Quadruple Room, 1 Bedroom

Traditional Double Room, 1 Double Bed

Superior Cabin

Guest reviews of Hotel Don Taco

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Hotel Don Taco

Prices for upcoming dates