Budgeting backpackers can try the Nuevo Hotel Jardín (tel. 506/445-5620), on the west side of the bus station. There’s a Chinese restaurant to one side and a bakery to the other.

In town, La Posada Bed and Breakfast (tel. 506/445-7359, fax 506/447-2021, $30 s, $40 d standard; $40 s, $60 d with a/c), 50 meters east of the hospital, is a conversion of a home furnished with antique reproductions, albeit a bit gauche for some tastes. The 15 rooms in the original home have hardwood walls and ceilings, 37-inch cable TVs (eight also have stereo systems), and huge bathrooms; some have magnificent Louis XIV–style beds. Some downstairs rooms get little light; upstairs rooms are preferred and open to a balcony. Avoid the cramped and carpeted rooms in the annex. It has laundry, Internet, and secure parking.

Evoking a classic villa of Spain, the Inn at Coyote Mountain (tel. 506/383-0544, www.cerrocoyote.com, $153–219 s/d), at San Francisco de Piedades Sur, about 12 miles west of San Ramón, is a mountaintop stunner set in its own nature reserve. Designed on a Mujedar- meets-monastery theme—imagine a tiled courtyard with fountains—this luxury hotel has four individually themed guest rooms, all with unbeatable views. Soaring hardwood ceilings. Four-poster beds with high-thread cotton sheets. Oriental wall rugs against whitewashed walls. The Tamarindo Room boasts a circular mosaic tub. The Observatory suite, atop a tower and accessed by a spiral staircase, has wrap-around walls of glass and the most stupendous views. The hotel hosts the Creole Cooking School. The restaurant is open to the public and serves gourmet Latin-creole meals. Four-course candlelit dinners with daily menus might include wild mushroom soup, tomato and feta salad with sherry dressing, macadamia nut–crusted marlin fillet, and fresh mango tart. Weather permitting, you can dine on the patio.

The Hotel Ecocolonia Resort (tel./fax 506/222-2333, www.ecocolonia.com, $25–55) is an eco-lodge that stands amid 102 hectares of rainforest, nine kilometers by dirt road from the main road; the turn-off is 24 kilometers northwest of San Ramón. Four-wheel drive is recommended. It has eight rooms and two cabins, which vary widely. All have decks and private, tiled bathrooms with hot water; some have outdoor whirlpool tubs. There’s a restaurant, plus bar and games room. Trails lead into the forest, and there’s a stable.

Run by a charming North American couple, Angel Valley Farm Bed & Breakfast (tel. 506/447-4684, www.angelvalleyfarmbandb.com, $35 s, $50 d low season; $40 s, $60 d high season), at Los Angeles del Sur, has a picture perfect setting with gorgeous views. Individually styled rooms have delightful handmade components. Horseback riding and hiking are among the many activities available, and it has two vehicles for rent.

Glowing after a total remake, the superb Villablanca Cloud Forest Hotel & Spa (tel. 506/461-3000, fax 506/461-0302, www.villablanca-costarica.com, $140 s/d low season, $155 s/d high season) sits atop the Continental Divide on the edge of the Los Angeles reserve. The main lodge reflects its former life as a colonial farmhouse, albeit with a hip contemporary facelift melding perfectly into the original structure. The 35 cozy chalets (sleeping 2–6 people; some are handicapped equipped) are appointed with handmade hardwood pieces and tasteful decor; a small fireplace decorates one corner and the bathrooms are a testament to 21st-century good taste: They include huge walk-in showers and (in suites) separate whirlpool tubs big enough for a Playboy party. The full-service spa is welcome after a day hiking or horseback riding, and the El Sendero restaurant serves gourmet nouvelle Latin American fare. The bar-lounge with two huge hearths, flat-screen TVs, and plump leather sofas is inviting, and there’s even a surround-sound movie theater (a nature documentary is shown at 6 p.m. nightly, followed by a top movie at 8 p.m.)! This hotel is one of only three “five leaf” Certified Sustainable Tourism hotels in the country.

An also-ran is the Lands in Love (tel. 506/231-0906, fax 506/232-9591, www.landsinlove.com, $60 s, $80 d), on the northern slopes en route to La Tigra, 32 kilometers north of San Ramón. While the public arenas appeal, the accommodations are uninspired, although most have lovely valley views. It operates as a pet hotel. Dogs abound!