Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn

DO NOT RECOMMEND Insects and unclean rooms. Do not stay here. Extremely disappointed with our stay at Finca Rosa Blanca. Upon arrival, we found dirt on the bed along with other dirt and insects in the room, including a spider. (See Photo) When we raised the issue, staff offered a different room with no explanation of how it would address the problems we experienced. When we asked about a refund, we were told nothing could be done on their end because the room was booked through a third party, and that we'd need to contact the booking site directly. It was implied this would be a simple process, which was misleading — had we understood upfront that a refund wouldn't be approved on the hotel's end, we would have handled the situation very differently instead of leaving the property. To make matters worse, when we disputed the charge with the booking company, the hotel lied and claimed the room wasn't dirty and disputed our account of what happened. Being contradicted like that after what we experienced firsthand was even more upsetting than the original issue. I am now having to fight with them and my credit card company to see if I can get any money back. I do not recommend this place.

I'll be upfront: based on photos and reviews beforehand, I wasn't especially excited about this stay — it read like an older, dated Latin American hotel online. In person, that impression flipped almost immediately, and I think it's worth saying so for anyone else on the fence. The Property & Arrival Finca Rosa Blanca sits tucked away up a local road, and the grounds themselves are genuinely beautiful — lush greenery and paths winding between the restaurant, the main house, and the individual accommodations (we stayed in the El Cielo house). We were greeted warmly on arrival and taken straight to our room. One small heads-up: front-of-house staff and tour guides speak English well, but housekeeping and other property staff mostly don't — not a problem at all, just useful to know going in. No AC — What to Actually Expect The first thing we noticed in the room was that it felt a bit stuffy, and we quickly realized there's no AC unit. That was mildly concerning given the warmth, but the windows slide open and have screens, so you can get real airflow without bugs coming in (a couple of small holes in the screens, but never an actual bug issue). Our waiter at dinner explained that the elevation means the property cools off fast at night, and AC genuinely isn't needed. Do I fully agree? Mostly — we slept fine, but the humidity did make the sheets feel a little sticky at times, and I can't speak to what it's like in warmer months. If you're used to AC year-round and are visiting during warmer months, it's worth factoring in as a consideration, not a dealbreaker. The Pool We didn't swim, but we felt the water, and it was noticeably cold — consistent with what other reviews mention. It's solar-heated and doesn't seem to warm up substantially. Nice to look at and a good option in warmer weather, but temper your expectations if you're picturing a heated resort pool. The Access Road The narrow, winding road up to the property is something other reviews flag as a concern, and it's a fair heads-up, though we personally didn't find it difficult — we only drove it twice, on arrival and departure, since we stayed put the whole visit. One major upside: the drive to the Alamo rental car drop-off near the airport was only about 20 minutes, which made for an easy, low-stress departure early in the morning. The Coffee Tour A real highlight. It's genuinely a hike-and-tour combination — you go down stone steps and through some jungle terrain before reaching the plantation itself, so wear actual hiking boots or shoes, especially if there's been rain, since it can get slick. Our guide was knowledgeable and walked us through the entire process, finishing with a proper cupping demonstration: three cups (medium roast, dark roast, and one empty) to practice smelling the grounds and identifying aroma and flavor notes. A genuinely educational, well-run experience. Dining This was the biggest surprise of the stay. Every single meal was excellent — more sophisticated and higher-level than we expected going in. Pricing felt fair for the quality; we never felt like we were overpaying, even with wine and dessert added in, which is more than we can say for some other properties we've visited. On our early Sunday departure, they sent us off with a boxed breakfast of easy grab-and-go items for the drive to the airport — a genuinely thoughtful touch. Who This Is For This is an adults-and-older-kids property. The coffee tour, dining, and overall pace are built for people who can appreciate them — younger kids will have the pool and not a lot else. We'd call this a strong fit for couples or families with older children, not a great match for a trip centered around young kids. Bottom Line We'd absolutely stay again, but with a specific purpose in mind: as a one or two-night bookend at the start or end of a Costa Rica trip — either arriving late at night or staying the evening before an early flight — rather than a home base for exploring the wider area. Between the property itself, the coffee tour, and genuinely excellent food, it more than earned a second visit.

Finca Rosa Blanca is a very special place. We stayed for our last night in Costa Rica to be near the airport. Every detail of this property is thoughtfully curated. We stayed in Las Aves (birds) Junior Suite which was cozy, yet felt open with it's many surrounding windows and skylight facing lush greenery. A private hot tub outside our bedroom. We toured around the property and learned about its vegetable and herb gardens and sustainability efforts. With only 14 units the property still has a full service restaurant and bar where we had a very nice meal for my birthday along with a generous breakfast the next morning before our flight. It was a great thing to end our trip with a stay at this property.

Finca Rosa Blanca is a special place. Located just outside San Jose (and only 20 minutes from the airport), it is a sustainability-focused boutique hotel that feels like it’s own special little world. You can tell that loving hands have created and guided this space. The property is lush, the birds are plentiful, the architecture is beautiful and the wonderful hospitality is the icing on the cake. We have stayed here multiple times and in different rooms and they each offer their own delightful twist. The shade-grown coffee farm that is around the hotel and across the road is wonderful to tour and learn about the sustainable practices they use and the diversity of flora and fauna. Their open-air restaurant has a great view and a delicious menu and wonderful staff to take care of you. There is a one-of-a-kind pool and hot tub as well as a spa. If you’re spending any time around San Jose, even just a night, Finca Rosa Blanca is truly a special place worth visiting. Pura Vida.

What a wonderful way to start our tour of Costa Rica! What makes this quirky, beautifully designed hotel SO special is its staff. From the outset, its architecture and individually designed rooms cheers you up - think Hundertwasser crossed with Fred Flintstone and you’ve got it. White buildings with curved walls and odd-shaped, huge windows. It’s SO comfortable. The food is fabulous, from the fresh fruit and fresh juice at breakfast before the à la carte choice right through to the wonderful dinner options. But what makes this place special is its staff. The hotel staff are friendly, knowledgable and passionate about their hotel, from reception to bar to restaurant with its terrific view over San Jose. The bird life is incredible. We took two tours with hotel staff. In the morning the utterly delightful Ulysses took us up to the Poas volcano and the first thing we saw was the Resplendent Quetzal!! How rare is that?!?! His knowledge and love of birds and his country meant we could have stayed all day. But I’m glad we didn’t since we spent the afternoon with Marianna on the coffee plantation. Her knowledge is encyclopaedic and we examined every plant, bird and butterfly before having a PROPER coffee tasting experience at the end. The torrential rain didn’t put us off at all. If youre coming to Costa RIca, come here. You’ll be glad you did.