El Silencio Lodge & Spa

I had the pleasure of planning a wedding at Hotel El Silencio, and I can truly say the entire experience was exceptional from beginning to end. The planning process was incredibly smooth thanks to the outstanding support of Paola Bolaños, Victoria Campos, and Nicolas Cambronero. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine passion for what they do made all the difference. They were always one step ahead, providing us with all the information we needed and making us feel completely supported throughout the journey. My clients from the U.S., as well as my entire team, fell in love with the hotel and its breathtaking atmosphere—but what truly makes this place special is its people. Every single staff member went above and beyond to create a memorable experience. Even on the wedding day, when it rained, the team handled everything with such grace and positivity that guests ended up embracing and enjoying the moment even more. The reception was simply unforgettable. The food was exquisite, and the service was impeccable. A very special thank you to Didier, Rudy, Randall, and Johans, who took such wonderful care of everyone, they are truly exceptional at what they do. I also want to highlight Nicolas’s incredible dedication—when we needed additional candles and they weren’t available on the property, he personally went into town to get them for us. That level of commitment is rare and meant so much to all of us. This wedding would not have been possible without the support and dedication of the entire Hotel El Silencio team. I wholeheartedly recommend this beautiful property as a wedding destination and truly hope to create many more events together in the future. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As a R & C property, we were expecting exceptional standards across all aspects of hospitality and guiding and this was not delivered. Whilst the room was very good with plenty of space and a lovely hot tub, very little else impressed us. Overall from arrival to departure, with a few exceptions such as the coffee shop, we experienced a lack of warmth or engagement and this has to be levelled at the management. This Lodge came across as an events based space rather than a comfy hotel. Compared to other similar priced properties where we stayed, this was by far the only disappointing place. What a shame!

A truly beautiful setting, incredibly tranquil, there is a lot to love about El Silencio. The rooms are really wonderful -- spacious private cabins in the forest with outdoor jacuzzis on the terrace of each room. Comfortable bed with high-quality linens, and space to spread out. We really enjoyed exploring the property, particularly the forest trails and the hummingbird garden which is absolutely packed with hummingbirds enjoying the flowers (instead of feeders), quite magical. We had spa services which were good but not great, the massage was not a true deep tissue therapy. Spa facilities are nice, but wish they were a bit more extensive with better sauna, steam, and hydrotherapy; it would be a great way to pass a rainy day lounging in a European-style spa. They have unfortunately fallen into the 'resort fee' swindle, which is always disappointing; wouldn't it be lovely to just receive an up-front and honest room rate? We didn't see any mountain bikes, tree planing, or archery, which were apparently included, and the guided walk was disappointing. We did enjoy the hot chocolate and in fact, the extremely knowledgeable barista was a true highlight, even demonstrating the traditional method for preparing filter coffee and explaining various roasting techniques. For the prices they are charging (regularly in the $600-1200/night range), it would certainly be nice if they included the other on-property activities (birdwatching, zip lining, night walks, etc.) in the complimentary activities. I suspect you could arrange the off-site activities yourself for a fraction of the cost, but if you're doing long day trips away from El Silencio, you would probably be better off to stay elsewhere. We enjoyed the restaurant, nothing spectacular, but good meals. Variety starts lacking after a couple of days, and the menu leans toward heavy/rich/cream-based, and could benefit from some variation and lighter options. A couple of service issues, most prominently a plumbing problem that was not fixed after numerous calls and visits from maintenance (who did track mud through our room on one occasion) over several days -- at this level of property for the rates charged, this was a bit shocking. I would describe the service in general as a bit distant, not particularly proactive, but at least folks were pleasant. Overall, I would return for the peace and quiet and the unbelievable beauty of the property itself, but hope the problems wouldn't repeat.

The accommodation, food, service, location are fabulous. We were spoiled by the quality, choice and the amount of food available. The only tiny criticism we would have was that dining in the evening was very formal, waiters in suits which seemed a bit over the top when everyone is fairly relaxed in outdoor gear etc.

We stayed at El Silencio Lodge for 3 nights and loved it. The grounds are a beautiful mix of garden and jungle with the mist of the cloud forest creating a magical atmosphere. Our room was so comfortable with double sliding glass doors so we could sit in bed and look directly out to the lush greenery and hear the rush of the river in the background. The cool misty weather made the canopied outdoor hot tub the prefect retreat. We arranged for a private tour of two of the area’s best waterfalls, guided by Angelo whom we loved. He also recommended we hike to the 3 waterfalls at the back of the property, which we did the next day and this should not be missed! Beautiful…deep in the cloud forest all by ourselves. But perhaps the star of the show was the food. We ate all of our meal there for 3 days, trying new dishes every night, one better than the other. Our waiter Fabian was super helpful and particularly good at helping us select the best wine paring with our meals. We went to El Silencio as a special celebration for my 70th birthday and it was all I had hoped for and more.