Central Valley and San Jose, Costa Rica
El Silencio
With extensive tropical forest, a winding river and three waterfalls, it is hard to beat El Silencio as an eco-lodge experience. The name – El Silencio (“silence”) – is appropriate to this remote and tranquil place where you will be able to experience the majestic environment of Costa Rica’s Central Volcanic Valley.
With extensive tropical forest, a winding river and three waterfalls, it is hard to beat El Silencio as an eco-lodge experience. The name – El Silencio (“silence”) – is appropriate to this remote and tranquil place where you will be able to experience the majestic environment of Costa Rica’s Central Volcanic Valley.
With extensive tropical forest, a winding river and three waterfalls, it is hard to beat El Silencio as an eco-lodge experience. The name – El Silencio (“silence”) – is appropriate to this remote and tranquil place where you will be able to experience the majestic environment of Costa Rica’s Central Volcanic Valley.
With extensive tropical forest, a winding river and three waterfalls, it is hard to beat El Silencio as an eco-lodge experience. The name – El Silencio (“silence”) – is appropriate to this remote and tranquil place where you will be able to experience the majestic environment of Costa Rica’s Central Volcanic Valley.
Location
El Silencio is set amidst its own 500 acre private cloud forest reserve at an altitude of 1500m and about 90 minutes from San Jose. Between two national parks, and part of a UNESCO world heritage area, this is a place of wonderful seclusion and natural beauty.
Accommodation
El Silencio has 18 terraced suites and 6 villas. The suites are actually simple and elegant lodges, containing canopied ceilings, locally-sourced wooden furniture, bamboo furnishings, and huge glass doors which lead onto a private deck, each with a stone hot tub. Whether it is from your hot tub, from a chair or from bed, the view of the forest and its mists will be dramatic.
The candlelit Esencia Spa further connects guests to nature, making use of Costa Rica’s natural healing ingredients. There is an al fresco yoga deck and a meditation room, where guests are encouraged to channel the energy of the forest. Another highlight is the hummingbird garden.
The candlelit Esencia Spa further connects guests to nature, making use of Costa Rica’s natural healing ingredients. There is an al fresco yoga deck and a meditation room, where guests are encouraged to channel the energy of the forest. Another highlight is the hummingbird garden.
After hiking through the surrounding rainforest, enjoy a private-dining dinner in a torch-lit forest setting, featuring ingredients from the resort’s own organic farm. The hotel’s main restaurant, Los Ventanas, is largely supplied straight from farm-to-table thanks to the hotel’s estate which includes a trout farm, free range chickens and an organic herb and vegetable garden enclosed by a 5000 square foot greenhouse. This approach has been justifiably termed “hyper-local”.
Experiences
- You will be encouraged to plant a tree to commemorate your stay at El Silencio. The hotel will send you regular future updates on the progress of their ecological programmes.
- The waterfalls and other hikes in the immediate vicinity of the lodge are easily accessible, but it is possible to go further afield. For example, the nearby volcano of Poas has two crater lakes and a geyser field.
- A trip to the settlement of SarchĂ will give you the chance to see local arts and crafts including decorative ox carts.
- Pozo Azul, an eco-park and working ranch offers a huge array of thrills such as a white water rafting, abseiling, ziplining and horse riding. If you want to stay closer to base, there are four zip lines in the forest immediately around El Silencio.
- Rainbow trout abound in the tranquil waters of Gorrión River. Fish whilst you experience the dense forest, and then – of course – hand over your fish to the hotel.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Environment
El Silencio has received Elite-level recognition by Costa Rica’s Certification of Sustainable Tourism through the lodge’s commitment to their rigorous ESG goals.
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Conservation
El Silencio’s pledge is to not only protect their natural surroundings, but to champion them. The recently revamped Hummingbird Garden and their new Meliponary are two projects that seek to fuel the proliferation of the planet’s tiniest birds and local stingless honeybees.
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Community
The lodge is located nearby a collection of tiny rural communities with a cultural history of agriculture. Through the El Silencio social responsibility model, a well-balanced harmony of development, conservation has been struck in the region ranging from employment opportunities to improved infrastructure for all to use.
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