Cabinas Las Manzanas — Hotel in Copey

Been staying here every coupe years since 2011. Latest stay was last week. This is a very remote region and Las Manzanas is the best accommodation around. Clean, and this is a BIG one, clean, not common or easy to find, truly clean. REAL toilets that can be used like American toilets, no "you know what can" in the bathroom. Hot shower, shower head heater but works, unlimited hot water shower. Full concrete construction of hotel building, not drafty dirty wood cabin. Nice clean tile floors. Great breakfast included, wifi, slow out here but workable for surfing/email/social media. Family owned and operated and these people are extremely warm and honest. They go out of their way to meet any need, like an afternoon snack w/ coffee, or laundry service for a small flat total price. The property is also huge and beautiful, a working apple orchard, avocado farm, and various other fruits and flowers. Secure, locked gate at night, plenty of parking very close to rooms. The owners also show a genuine interest in you, what your plans are, and are great conversationalists, and they speak very clear and slow spanish which is much easier to follow for someone still learning the language. On the down side, this is still rustic, small twin beds are as good as it gets. Not the best nights sleep for sure, but still far better than any other option anywhere in the region, can't ding them on it since this is as rural as it gets in Costa Rica and its a very inexpensive option. Also, have to mention San Gerardo de Dota, if your search shows that area when looking for hotels, is not really a true part of this region. It has high end pricey hotels in an isolated valley with bad service and crime, total tourist trap and not convenient to any other Dota area at all. It also starts at over 200.00 a night for poor service and not so...

This past summer I volunteered as an English Teacher in the small mountain village of Copey de Dota in the Zona de los Santos (about 1.5 hours south of San Jose). I stayed with the wonderful Serrano family in their B&B, Las Cabinas las Manzanas. The Cabinas is an immaculately clean place, each room with private bath and breakfast included for $20 during low season. They can also provide lunch and dinner if so desired for and extra $6 each. ||||The property is tranquil and has a stunning garden frequently visited by hummingbirds. The owner, Olman Serrano who is also a fruit grower, can take you on a tour of his fruit orchard spanning the slope of the mountain behind the house. He has at least 12 avocado varieties in the orchard, as well as apples, plums, etc. Because they are so proud of their apples, (it's about the only place in Costa Rica where they can grow), many of the dishes prepared by Rosibel, the wife, feature apples like the delicious crepas de manzanas - soooo yummy for breakfast or dessert!!||||Staying here was a dream. The surrounding mountains make for breathtaking walks, especially early in the morning where you might even catch a glimpse of the elusive quetzal, which are particularly common in this area. The Serranos were extremely kind, had a wonderful sense of humour, and were always so eager to make each and every day a beautiful one!! I highly recommend the place. If you can choose, go during their summer, December to March, to take in the beautiful fruit and coffee growing season, the place really...

Arguably the best coffee of Costa Rica comes from the Valle de los Santos just minutes away, and the names of most of them end in "Dota". Copey is much quieter than nearby Santa Maria de Dota. You go to Cabinas Las Manzanas if you want to rest, walk and see the roadside flora and fauna at high elevation. Olman Serrano and his wife Rosy, are humble, generous hosts. Rosy is willing to cook trout for your dinner if the only restaurant in town is closed. Olman will take you on a walk on his mountainside covered with apple, peach and avocado orchards. There are 12 varieties of avocados! Olman and Rosy don't speak English, but if you speak Spanish, they will enjoy communicating with you about the history of land use in the area and their own beautiful garden. The rooms (only 4) are solidly built and are very clean. The bed is comfortable. There is just one towel per person. There are reading lights, and Rosy will give you extra pillows without complaint. We loved the simplicity of the place. For only $40 a night, per couple, including breakfast, you can hardly go wrong. Copey is a beautiful place; we could imagine living there. May it stay as peaceful as it is. Why is it so charming and peaceful? Maybe because there is no high speed internet...