Montana De Fuego Resort & Spa

The suburban-like hotel property keeps the wilderness at arm's length, and lacks the rainforest feel of many area properties. But it does have a terrific position for views, and it's easy to enjoy outlooks of the volcano looming above from just about everywhere on the property. It mostly catered to Spanish-speaking clientele during our stay (staff said Spain and Mexico provide a lot of guests, while former staff throughout the area told us its guests are largely tico). We spotted plenty of couples from Spain, Mexico, and San Jose holding hands or huddling together against the rain as they made their way back to their bungalows from the restaurant. Montana de Fuego feels like a neighborhood in a city, with narrow lanes everywhere for guests to parallel park their cars. The hotel is definitely showing its age, from the sun-bleached billboards on the main road to the letters missing from the hotel's own name on the sign facing the volcano, to the faded paint on the street signs indicating room numbers.

The hotel sits right off the main road around the volcano from La Fortuna to the Arenal dam, across from a cattle farm and a souvenir rest stop, and near the foot of the western side of the volcano. It's about a 15-minute drive to La Fortuna, which can be a little inconvenient when you're coming back from town at night in bad weather, but not horribly so, and you're that much closer to the attractions to the west. Nature is at arm's length here -- the cattle farm and the Route 142 dominate the area here along with the volcano, and the rainforest is mostly out of sight and out of mind (though there are a couple forest trails on the property).

Rooms are designed with jutting bay windows to maximize views of the volcano, but for the most part the view is actually into the jutting bay windows of other, too-close rooms, or of the swarm of guests' parked cars on the lane. The furniture and fittings show their age -- our room had some mold on the ceiling, and the plastic sink in the kitchenette was cracked. Many other  guests have complained of mustiness and mildew, and the tube TVs are from another era. All units have private outdoor space and volcano views, and many are adorned with lots of wood (on the ceilings and walls) which adds an attractive rusticity. Amenities include mini-fridges, safes, cable TVs, and coffeemakers, and simple bathrooms with showers. The Lake Suites are picturesque, sitting on stilts in a small pond with the best view of the volcano -- but the noise from passing cars is clearly audible inside even with the doors closed. None of the rooms have Wi-Fi access -- guests have to check up on work from the lobby or restaurant instead.

The hotel has an all-inclusive package deal for people who want to get their hotel, adventure tours, and sightseeing all in one place. The hot springs are a major feature on the property itself, though some guests complain that the temperature is merely warm, not hot (Hotel El Silencio del Campo has truly hot hot springs). The outdoor pool has a swim-up bar, adjacent kiddy pool, and tropical landscaping. An indoor hot tub is available with big windows. The hotel's spa has six treatment rooms and a sauna; a special thermo-mineral circuit is offered to help guests reap the full health benefits of the mineral waters and volcanic clay. Acuarelas Restaurant serves all three meals and has volcano views; the food gets high marks for many guests, and the local and international dishes include salads, soups, fish, pastas, fajitas, rice dishes, among others. The free breakfast buffet includes traditional dishes such as gallo pinto, and features an omelet station.