Curious about coffee cultivation? From Costa Rica and Panama to Vietnam, a stay on a working plantation provides an immersive coffee farm experience – where hands-on tours are met by morning birdsong, home-cooking and heartfelt service
Coffee is hot conversation in 2025. Concerns that global warming may impact the world’s coffee supply loom large, while rising consumption is predicted to outstrip production: around three billion cups are currently drunk around the world each day, while growers grapple with unpredictable and fluctuating climates.
At least 100 million people depend on crimson coffee cherries for their livelihood, with the majority of coffee plantations located within a region known as the ‘bean belt,’ which includes Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Across rural towns and villages, coffee is essential to the local economy. The majority are small-scale, family-owned operations and close-knit communities, which shape the country’s cultural identity.
Why book a coffee farm stay?
In a world of ‘coffee to go’, a farm stay experience allows travellers to slow down, sip consciously and appreciate the ritualistic care and craft that goes into every cup. A plantation tour takes you from field to factory, revealing the alchemic cultivation processes and how diverse climates influence our coffee culture. You’ll also find charming boutique accommodation, locavore dining and owners who treat you as one of the family, set in lush tropical forestry buzzing with wildlife.
If you are intrigued by coffee cultivation and looking for a green getaway, a farm stay may inspire the trip of a lifetime. Here is Roadbook’s pick of the finest fincas, lodges, haciendas and resorts for a fully immersive experience, from Bali to Brazil.
Coffee farm stays in Costa Rica
Finca Rosa Blanca, Santa Bárbara
Best for: Gaudí-style interiors and art
Address: Calle Rosa Blanca Heredia, Santa Bárbara, Costa Rica
Price: 229 GBP per night
Finca Rosa Blanca is one of the world’s most unique and charming stays, set on an organic coffee farm amongst the banyan trees of Santa Barbara de Heredia hills in Costa Rica. The white stuccoed guesthouse has a Gaudí feel, with organic curves and mosaic detailing. It is owned by artists Glenn and Teri Jampol, both considered influential figures in Costa Rica sustainable tourism. In the rooms, you’ll find hand-painted murals by local artist Oscar Salazar and artwork from the Jampols’ extensive collection.
The region’s larder comes together at El Tigre Vestido farm-to-table restaurant, an outdoor space bordered by leafy plants and treetop views. Beneath a rainforest canopy, glossy coffee crops grow at high altitudes on volcanic soil to create Rosa Blanca’s award-winning blends. Guests can tour the 30-acre organic farm, learn about the coffee production process and try cupping (coffee tasting).
Coffee farm stays in Colombia
Finca Mariposa, Jardín
Best for: One of the highest altitude coffees in the world
Address: Vereda, Gibraltar, Jardín, Antioquia, Colombia
Price: From 147 GBP per night
Jardín is in the heart of southwestern Antioquia, Colombia’s largest coffee-producing region. Most beans produced here go straight to Nespresso and family-owned fincas are found throughout its hilly landscape. Among them is Finca Mariposa, a coffee farm stay with panoramic mountain views. A plantain-lined track leads to the three-bedroom property, with a communal kitchen and dining area. Guests are given a coffee basket to pick plump red coffee cherries and fruit, followed by a convivial meal on the wraparound patio and a cup of Mariposa coffee. Hike nearby waterfall trails, go horseback riding or take a 15-minute tuk-tuk to the town.
True to its name, flora and fauna abound in Jardín, alongside rushing cascades, colonial architecture and the Andes Mountains towering above. Hotel Plantación is a responsibly-minded boutique stay in Jardín, for those looking to extend their trip.
Hacienda Venecia, Manizales
Best for: World-leading Colombian coffee; community spirit
Address: Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
Price: *to check* 493 GBP per night
This small-scale coffee farm is found in Colombia’s coffee heartland of Manizales, between Medellín and Salento. Red and white paintwork – representing stages of the coffee plant cycle – pops against the area’s lush forestry, while rooms in the main house feature book-stacked shelves, ensuite bathrooms and verdant mountain views. There is also low-cost hostel accommodation amongst the coffee groves, with an open kitchen, mini market and camping space.
The farm is one of 59 global producers that cultivates unique blends for Nespresso, with a focus on bold, fruit-tinged flavours. Hands-on activities include coffee cupping and brewing, as well as cacao workshops, plantain cookery classes and rum tasting. Conversations over communal home-cooked meals on the veranda last long into the night, while days are spent hiking, birdwatching and swimming in the private pool.
This hotel can be booked through Journey Latin America as part of a 12-day self-driving trip, which also includes a stay at La Casa de Lola Garcia, a family guest house in Salamina.
