Fodor's Expert Review Parador Hacienda Gripiñas

Built on the grounds of a coffee plantation, this 19th-century inn is surrounded on all sides by mountain peaks. Several of the clapboard-walled rooms in the red-roofed manor house have private balconies overlooking lush gardens and a spring-fed pool—the nicest are rooms 4 and 5 facing the courtyard directly. There are plenty of small parlors where you can relax with a drink from the bar. Breakfast and dinner are included in the room rates. The dining area, which meanders through three different rooms, serves criollo fare like chicken with rice and beans. Nonguests are welcome for dinner, too. One nearby hiking trail leads to Cerro de Punta, about a 2½-hour climb.