El Silencio Lodge & Spa

The grounds at El Silencio are just gorgeous… Not overly manicured but clearly well designed and cared for. Everything is green and so lush! I don’t think I saw one piece of litter during our four nights there anywhere. The staff are very anxious to please, and the food is very very good. I’m a foodie so I don’t give that praise easily. The only food I would criticize would be their baked goods/pastries… These could definitely use a little help. The facilities are gorgeous… Our villa was perfect for our stay, quiet and calming. There is no A/C, and you can’t leave the windows open because there are insects… So it was stuffy at night. Other than that, the villa was very comfortable. The yoga studio was gorgeous. I think my favorite time was mornings… Coffee on our porch at the villa, then yoga at the yoga studio, followed by a fantastic breakfast! The spa itself is a beautiful facility… We had different experiences with the quality of the services. One of us said it was fantastic… They had a therapeutic deep tissue massage. Another said it was “good“… And another said it was a little subpar. We didn’t really expect great things from the spa… And they met expectations. Based on our experience, I would recommend the deep tissue massage. We hiked to the waterfall, taking the “easy“ path… And honestly, it was all I could do to get to the lower Falls. I’m 65, have had one knee replaced, and the other is not great, so I’m not in prime condition, but it was not an easy hike. Definitely wear hiking shoes because the trail has roots and rocks and water and wet leaves. They do have hiking sticks/poles, and that was critical for me. My adult daughters are all fit and they agreed that it was not an easy hike. Having said all that… It was a beautiful walk and I’m glad that I did it Finally, the drive in… this is definitely not a DYI project! Leave this to the professionals! Of the 90 minute drive, one hour is on a two-lane road that has hairpin after hairpin along steep mountain drops with no guard rails… And remember you’re in the cloud forest so wet, pavement, or rain, are very likely. In our case, we had a local Driver who drove far too fast for my comfort. We all arrived feeling a little queasy. I did share feedback with the hotel staff and asked that the driver drive slower on our return to the airport, and the return drive was much much better. The hot tub at our villa… We used it a great deal and really enjoyed it. So often hot tubs are barely lukewarm, but this was a nice hot robust tub! We appreciate that! We greatly enjoyed our stay at El Silencio, and I do highly recommend it. Thank you for a lovely, rejuvenative stay!

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.