The Basics
- Where: Sabanilla, Alajuela, on the slopes of Poás Volcano, under an hour from San José
- Cost:
- Adults – $36.00
- Senior (Must show gold card upon arrival)$31.00
- Students (Must show Student ID upon arrival) – $31.00
- Starbucks Partner (Must show ID upon arrival) – $26.00
- Local Adults – $26.00
- Local Senior (Must show gold card upon arrival) – $21.00
- Local Students (Must show Student ID upon arrival) – $21.00
- Starbucks Partner Local (Must show ID upon arrival) – $21.00
- Children (6 and under) – Free!
- Our tour time: 1:00–2:30 PM
- Time needed: 1.5 to 2.5 hours if doing the tour, less if you’re just stopping for coffee
- Book: starbuckscoffeefarm.com
Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ first and only coffee farm, and it doubles as their global agronomy headquarters. The guided tour walks you through the tree nursery, wet mill, drying patio, and roaster, ending with a coffee tasting in the visitor center. See what they are doing to empower farmers, promote sustainable practices, and develop the next generation of coffee.
Tours are available in English and Spanish, no translations.
Our Experience
The Starbucks coffee farm was a must-see for me because I am a former Starbucks Barista. We stopped here on the drive from San Jose to La Fortuna, and the views over the farm alone made it worth the visit. The property is smaller than we expected, but the setting is beautiful.
We got there what we thought was early to have some lunch before the tour, but it took a lot longer to order and to get our items than we expected. They ended up coming out right as our tour started, so we packed them up real quick and took them with. If you plan to eat lunch before, give yourself plenty of time. Better yet, just book your tour to start when you arrive and relax and enjoy the view after. We only didn’t do this because we were not sure how long it would take to get through customs and get our car we didn’t want to feel rushed to get there.
The tour was nice; it’s a path through the process of the farm, with many stops using actual equipment they use. One of the stops has a fabulous view of the whole farm. This path was not cane-friendly, however, so my father-in-law missed a good chunk of the tour. It was overall informative and nice.
I gotta say though, the coffee tasting felt underwhelming. It was just one brew rather than a lineup of roasts paired with food, which is what I was hoping for. When I first started with Starbucks many moons ago, coffee tasting was so important for understanding the coffee; being able to see the differences in the roasts and how food impacts the flavor was so interesting. it seemed strange to me that this would be left out on a tour of a whole farm. There are a few short walks around to see the farm if you decide not to do the tour.
Even if you stop for just lunch and a view, it’s worth a stop; it’s on the way, and it’s really neat to see.
Tips for Visiting
- If you just want coffee and the view, skip the paid tour. The visitor center and café are free to enter.
- Wear comfortable. closed-toe shoes if you take the tour; it’s a rocky path with some incline.
- Pair it with a stop at Poás Volcano or La Paz Waterfall Gardens if you have extra time and the weather cooperates; both are about 30 minutes away.
