El Silencio Lodge & Spa Costa Rica

A nice quiet place that offers superior quality cabins and food. It is very respectful of the nature. The cloud forest, the waterfalls made the treks magical. The yoga was of great level as they took everyone’s experiences in consideration.

Extremely friendly, 5 star service at a truly beautiful property. Excellent dining with food sourced from on-site sustainable gardens, amazing activities, great room with a nice deck that included a jacuzzi spa. Not loving heights, I was a bit hesitant to walk to the 3 on-site waterfalls. No worries - it’s an easy hike, not at all harrowing and gorgeous. We loved the hummingbird garden. Great place.

El Silencio is truly a magical place and brings such peace to one's busy mind and soul! A stunning display of green (my favorite color), breathtaking flora everywhere you looked! The staff are top-notch professionals, attending to every comfort! The meals were a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach! The spa, oh the spa...such respite and tranquility! I want to shout from the mountaintop (and yes, there are impressive mountaintops!) how amazing our vacation was and how spectacular is El Silencio!

The accommodations, people, service, adventures were all top notch and beyond our expectations. We had an absolutely magical time at El Silencio. So much attention to detail, staff kindness and attentiveness, gorgeous appointments.

This lodge and spa is located in a valley between two mountain ranges at about 5000 feet (compared to Monte Verde 4300 feet) and is considered to be within the range of cloud forest. When we arrived, we were checked in and the host was very nice but failed to give us clear information of how to navigate the privately owned cloud forest with very hilly resort location and four water falls all within the property. But staff are otherwise great. Look for Bryan in the guide services. He stands very tall amongst all of them. Book activities in advance as they get full and then there is not much to do. Just walk around the property if it is very sunny. Lots of birds and clouds.

This place is amazing and worth the drive to get there. The area is beautiful and it’s a very nice small resort which made it almost private. The staff are amazing The food as well was great. They have a great little bar which is so warm and beautiful as well as the special drinks. I also had a special cooking class for my self which was so nice. Hiking to the waterfalls was interesting since they have a few trails but worth it To get to the top. If you want to learn to fish thru have trout ponds… Just a great place to chill and relax.

Pros: gorgeous property, serene, beautiful rooms, each has an outdoor hot tub, our weather was perfect, everyone loved zip lining, we loved the waterfall hike, and we were very happy with the tour leaders and organizers. They made things happen and didn’t seem put out in the least. Spa and yoga were both great. Food and drinks were good quality. In the context of our Costa Rica trip, this was the most serene hotel, kind of a honeymoon hotel. Not a lot going on but beautiful setting and a few things if you want them. Cons: if you don’t get a well located room, you either are far, far away or you are up a very steep hill. Your room location is the most important detail when you book. Once you get to the room it’s great but my kids will never stop complaining about the hike to our rooms (10 and 11). As for dining, we were a large group, and there really are very minimal options other than eating at the hotel. Given that, you’d think that the menu would change or rotate. It did not. Also because we were a large group they always wanted us to “pre-order” to make it easier for them. The problem with this is 1) on vacation, I don’t necessarily want to commit to when I’m getting to breakfast and 2) the service wasn’t that much better having pre- ordered. While the servers were nice, it just became tired quickly to be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same place and to have to think in advance what you want. This could be solved if breakfast was more buffet style. And maybe mix things up on the menu. There are like 6 entrees. I had beef tenderloin every single night. A note about excursions- our agent who booked recommended horse riding and bikes for our families. We split our group and did both. Both activities were at a much higher level of difficulty than what we anticipated. The horses ran and were not well behaved with each other which was not good at all with kids. The bike guide told two of us at the outset that we wouldn’t be able to do the bike ride. And apparently it was hard even with e-bikes because the terrain was so bumpy. Meanwhile when we booked them we were told both activities were for beginners. So that was disappointing. Skip the free “mystic hike”it was meh. And I just wouldn’t stay here too long- 3 nights max- just a little too much of the same thing over and over. 2 nights probably better but if I were recommending to a family I’d say skip this all together. Far better places for families in Costa Rica. But for the relaxing portion of the trip, this is a great option.

The good: Food is outstanding. Valley is lovely with a wide range of self guided walks. WiFi good Villa lovely, clean and comfortable with gorgeous views. Staff friendly The bad: No expectation management on activities - when we tried to book one hour after arriving for a two day visit - we are told that they are all booked. The odd: The setting is gorgeous but the place is a touch plastic or false with golf buggies zooming around taking people from a to b. The concierge staff all wear blue suits (in this weather!) and this might be ‘right’ in a city but felt all a touch sanitised for a remote valley offering walks and activities in the cloud forest? Prices are high for Costa Rica and even for upmarket lodges in the country.

Just an amazing, special place... The property is nestled right in the heart of the cloud forest. You wake up to the beautiful bird songs, as the clouds give way to morning sun... The lodges were the height of luxury. We had our own outdoor hot tub, kitchen, and dining room. Indoor fireplace. Outdoor fire pit. Surrounded by the trees and animals of the cloud forest... Beyond that, the food and service were also amazing. We LOVED our delicious breakfasts, eating along the banks of the river...everything we tried was just amazing. And the staff made you feel so welcome, like a member of their family. Special shout-out to Randall, who was such a pleasure to talk with. Great food and wine recommendations. Everyone there made the experience a top-notch one, and it felt like a quiet and hidden retreat that was well worth what we paid for it. I don't write too many reviews, but I just had to with this one!