Montara Hotel Brings Hilton's Tapestry Collection to Costa Rica

Hilton just planted its flag in the Costa Rican mountains. The Montara Hotel opened September 24 in the hills of Heredia, the first Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in Costa Rica and in Central America, and it is a real mountain resort: 97 rooms, 38 of them suites with private balconies and firepits, spread across 540,000 square feet of grounds.

The hotel

Tapestry Collection is Hilton’s soft brand for independent-minded hotels, and Montara is its first in the region. The building sits low in the hills above the Central Valley, with the volcano country of Heredia rising behind it. Inside, the 1998 Lobby Bar anchors the arrival experience, and the property carries roughly 12,700 square feet of event space for weddings and corporate retreats.

The rooms

The room count is 97, and the suites are the story: 38 of them, each with a private balcony and a firepit. At mountain altitude, evenings run cool, and a firepit on your own balcony is the kind of detail that sells a room. No verified room photography has been released publicly yet, so we will update this story when Hilton’s press gallery opens up.

Eat and drink

Four food and drink concepts open with the hotel. Bosco is the signature restaurant, built on Costa Rican ingredients from Heredia farmers. Santoro is the fire-led steakhouse, led by chef Regis Molina, and it is the room we are watching. The 1998 Lobby Bar handles the cocktail program, and a juice bar rounds out the set. For a 97-room mountain property, four concepts is an ambitious opening lineup, and Molina’s name on the steakhouse gives it real culinary credibility.

The grounds

The 540,000 square feet of grounds are the point. Heredia sits in the Central Valley, about 20 km from Juan Santamaria International Airport and downtown San Jose, and the hotel is positioned as a base for the region: Braulio Carrillo National Park, Poas Volcano, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens are all within day-trip range. A 13,200-square-foot spa handles recovery after the hiking.

If you go

The Montara Hotel is bookable now through Hilton, and it participates in Hilton Honors. At roughly 20 km from the airport, it works as a first or last stop on a Costa Rica itinerary, the kind of place you land at before heading to the coast or rest at before flying home. Rates were not published at opening; check Hilton.com for current pricing.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Hilton’s first Tapestry Collection property in Central America is open in Heredia, with 97 rooms, four food and drink concepts, and a fire-led steakhouse from chef Regis Molina. It is bookable now, 20 km from the airport, and it makes Heredia a real first or last stop on a Costa Rica itinerary.