Finca Lerida Coffee Plantation and Eco Resort in Boquete

History of the Finca

The history of Finca Lerida starts the vacation trip of the world known engineer who designed the emergency dams of the Panama Canal, Tollef B. Mönniche, in 1911.

Accompanied by his wife, Julia he traveled five days by boat from Panama City and two more on horseback to reach the town of Boquete, which was known for its excellent weather. During his stay he purchased a piece of land where he moved permanently after he finished his contract with the Canal in 1917.

He then build a home in the traditional Scandinavian architectural style and began to develop the coffee trees he had planted on his original visit, converting this into the coffee plantation you can know visit. Mönniche designed and constructed the first “beneficio” or processing plant which function by gravity, which is displayed permanently in Finca Lerida‘s Coffee Exhibit.

Besides his love for coffee, Tollef was also passionate for nature and he left the majority of his land untouched. The primary and secondary forest in his estate make one of the world’s richest biodiversity, in which he especially enjoyed birdwatching. He preserved a large collection of birds whose habitat is above 5,000 feet and the collection can now be found in the Chicago Museum of Natural History. The importance of Lerida as a birdwatching site is duly noted in Robert S. Ridgley’s book A Guide to The Birds of Panama. Mr. Mönniche preserved a large collection of birds whose habitat is above 5,000 feet.

In 1957 Alfred Collins, a US Merchant seaman and a pioneer in the shrimp industry in Panama, purchased Finca Lerida. Fritz, as everybody knew him, moved to Boquete with his wife Inga and their six children and was a leader in the organization of the coffee industry and in developing new markets for the coffees of Panama. Since 2002, Finca Lerida is open for visitor to come enjoy this unique piece of property.

The Collins family also owns Panamonte Hotel in Boquete, member of the Small Leading Hotel of the World.

Pictures of Finca Lerida:

Hotel Facilities and Rooms

Finca Lerida is an exclusive private nature reserve, at an altitude ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level.

After a day of birding, hiking, walking or just relaxing, enjoy our old style excellent and traditional home cooked meals, served at the Coffee House.

Finca Lerida Old House, the Finca’s original vintage family home of Scandinavian design consists of 3 suites and 2 bedrooms, each with private bath. The inviting living room with its charming old fireplace and the garden bohio have views of the forest and stream on the property.

Rooms and Rates:

Jacaranda Suite – This suite with queen size bed and private porch overlooks the magnificent Jacaranda trees and the stream. It has an adjoining room with a single bed.

El Ático – Cozy room with twin beds on the second floor, is the original guest room of the finca. It faces the coffee processing plant and the garden.

Veraneras Suite – Enjoy the springtime feeling of this Suite with twin beds facing the bougainvillea “veraneras” garden. Its cozy adjoining room has a twin bed.

El Colibrí - “El Colibri”, meaning Hummingbird is a charming room with queen size bed facing the bohio surrounded by hummingbird feeders.

Suite del Jardín - The Garden Suite with twin beds, is bright and spacious with a springtime feeling, overlooking the flower garden and the vegetable and herb garden.

Finca Lerida Ecolodge has 11 very comfortable double rooms with private bath, each with its own porch overlooking the pristine forest and our small coffee plantation. Our award winning coffee is produced in keeping with our commitment to preserve the environment and is an important element in sustaining the surrounding forests.

Pictures of the rooms:

Hotel Policies

To confirm your reservation we require a deposit for the first night. A 10 day prior to the arrival date is required for reimbursed cancellations, which are subject to a $30 processing fee. For groups we require 50% deposit with a 30 day cancellation notice.
Finca Lerida is a non-smoking establishment.
Pets are not allowed.
Children are welcome at Finca Lerida Eco-lodge, at the Old House children must be over 10 years of age.

Reserve this hotel: info@panamatravelgroup.com

+507-202-1111 (Panama)   |    1-786-539-4731 (USA)

Tours and Activities

Coffee Tour

Recently SCAAP (Specialty Coffee Association) visited Panama for a cupping session of Panama’s Best Coffees. Mr. Willem Boot, from the association, expressed that Boquete has the potential of becoming the equivalent of Napa Valley for coffees.
Finca Lerida started producing and processing coffee in 1922, making it one of the oldest and most traditional coffee estates in Panama. Their coffee is exported to the United States, Europe and Japan.

Learn more about coffee in this tour, visit the coffee plantations, see how the coffee is processed and roasted and do a coffee tasting.

Birdwatching Tour

At Finca Lerida we see Highland species of birds, and due to the variety of trees producing the “aguacatillo”, the fruit produced by the laurel family trees we have quetzals year around. Other Highland species you may see are the Collared Trogon, Orange-bellied Trogon, Three-wattled Bellbird, Dark Pewee, Silvery-throated Tanager, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Black Guan, Prong-billed Barbet, Red-headed Barbet, Acorn Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Barred Becard, Black-faced Solitaire, Buff-fronte Quail Dove, Spotted Wood Quail and the Rufous-Collared Sparrow, Silvery-throated Tanager, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, and the Black Guan.

See a great variety of Hummingbirds, among them the Violet Saberwing, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, White-tailed Emerald, Volcano Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain – Gem, Scintillant Hummingbird.

Lunch is included in this tour.

Hiking Tour

Enjoy hiking at Finca Lerida’s natural reserve, a unique place to study and experience the cloud forest environment and to discover the flora and fauna hidden within. Our ancient trees covered with moss, epiphytic plants, and orchids are a storehouse of biodiversity. Many of the birds found in Panama can be seen in our Estate, as well as many species of plants and trees. Hike through the pristine forest to a hidden waterfall leaving civilization behind and relax listening to the sound of bird calls and the soft rush of the stream formed by waters from the fall.

Hiking tours can be full day or half day and include lunch at the lodge for half day tour or picnic lunch or full day tour. Our trails vary in degree of difficulty and one is handicap accessible.

Pictures of the Birdwatching and Hiking Tours in Boquete:

For more information on this tours or to make a reservation of this hotel, please contact us.