Montara Hotel has opened in the mountains of Heredia as the first Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in Costa Rica and Central America.
The hotel occupies the former La Condesa site in San Rafael de Heredia, overlooking the Central Valley. Hilton’s opening announcement describes a 97-room hotel with 38 suites, private lakes, four dining concepts and a 13,200-square-foot spa. It is around 20 kilometres from Juan Santamaría International Airport, making it a possible first or final stop on a trip through Costa Rica.
Rooms and valley views
Montara’s grounds cover approximately 540,000 square feet, a little over 12 acres. More than 130,000 square feet is built space, leaving room for gardens and lakes around the hotel.
Hilton lists private balconies and firepits among the room features. If an evening outside is part of the plan, it is worth checking which room category has the balcony or firepit you want. The 38 suites account for nearly two in every five rooms.
The spa and its private trails
The spa measures 13,200 square feet. Hilton lists facial therapies using advanced techniques, holistic treatments, hydrotherapy and relaxation treatments, with open-air decks and meditation areas alongside the treatment spaces. The hotel’s private nature trails offer another way to spend time outside between appointments.
The spa’s size is close to that of Montara’s event space, which covers approximately 12,700 square feet.
Dining at Bosco and Santoro
Bosco is Montara’s signature restaurant, pairing Costa Rican ingredients that change with the seasons and international influences. Hilton says the kitchen collaborates with farmers and artisans in Heredia and nearby communities. The property’s organic garden provides herbs and seasonal vegetables.
Santoro has a different focus. International chef Regis Molina leads the steakhouse, where the menu centres on premium cuts prepared over fire. Santoro has an open kitchen, while Bosco focuses on seasonal produce.
The remaining two dining concepts are for less formal stops. The 1998 Lobby Bar serves cocktails and other drinks, while a juice bar near the pool and fitness areas serves fresh drinks.
Local art and the La Condesa site
Hilton says Montara’s art collection was commissioned for the hotel and draws on its landscape. It includes work by Costa Rican artists Mario Maffioli and Fabio Herrera. Hilton identifies Maffioli as a National Painting Award recipient and says Herrera’s work is represented in the collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
“Travelers are seeking meaningful connections to the communities they visit while benefiting from the quality and reliability of a global hospitality brand,” said Maxime Verstraete, Hilton’s vice president of brand management for the Caribbean and Latin America.
The address has a longer hospitality history than the new name suggests. Before closing in October 2014, La Condesa drew people for family trips, wedding celebrations and conferences.
Solar power and water reuse
Hilton says solar panels supply electricity for use at the hotel, which also uses LED lighting. Its listed measures include electrically powered maintenance and landscaping equipment, along with rainwater collection. These measures sit alongside a wastewater treatment plant intended to enable irrigation with reused water.
Hydration stations form part of a plan to do away with single-use plastics. Hilton has described the systems it has put in place and their intended uses; the opening announcement does not give figures for energy or water savings.
Events and getting there
Montara offers event facilities for corporate retreats and weddings, as well as other celebrations, across a space of approximately 12,700 square feet. A large event may bring a different atmosphere to the hotel than a quieter week.
Downtown San José, like Juan Santamaría International Airport, is approximately 20 kilometres away. Hilton also points guests towards Braulio Carrillo National Park and Poás Volcano when planning time beyond the property. Montara could therefore fit at either end of a wider trip, or serve as a base for several days in Heredia.
