El Silencio Lodge & Spa 

Ultra-luxe cloud forest lodge

A Relais & Château-run retreat in a 500-acre reserve in Costa Rica’s Central Highlands.

Atmospheric mists cloak this cloud forest lodge, a luxe retreat that’s built for out-of-the-way, back-to-nature retreats. There are hundreds of acres of breathtaking (and protected) Central Highlands landscapes that are yours to explore, be it on two feet or two wheels. Wander past waterfalls, listen to the sounds of the forest, spot flitting hummingbirds and catching a glimpse of the resplendent quetzals with their trademark iridescent plumage (May to June). Then return each day to make the most of one of the best eco-lodges in Costa Rica where the service is impeccable, the farm-to-table food worth writing home about and the setting spectacular.

Why we love El Silencio Lodge & Spa

  • It’s a cloud forest retreat operated by Relais & Chateaux, a name synonymous with high-end luxury and fine dining

  • Get back-to-nature vibes as you explore the lodge’s 500-acre private cloud forest reserve

  • There are just 18 suites and six standalone villas, each with jaw-dropping mountain views

  • You can fill your days with unforgettable jungle experiences and soul-soothing spa treatments

4 stars
11 hours
A 600-acre private cloud forest reserve in Bajos del Toro – a rural community in the Central Highlands
Approx. 1 hour’s transfer from San José airport
Boutique, Villas

Rooms

Facilities

  • Restaurants & bars
  • Board
  • Spas & wellness
  • Sustainability
  • Good to Know

Relais & Chateau are celebrated for their extraordinary culinary offerings that are influenced by a sense of place and seasonality. This is certainly the case at El Silencio where there’s a focus on harvest-to-table cuisine. The vegetables, herbs and spices used to create mouthwatering dishes is sourced from the lodge’s own organic farm, while your morning eggs have seriously low food miles: the free-range chickens see to that.

Las Ventanas Restaurant
With floor-to-ceiling windows bringing the beauty of the outside in (and inspiring its name), Las Ventanas is a stunning spot to savour your trio of daily meals. The day begins with fresh fruit, pastries and local breakfast specialities; at lunch, the focus stays on Costa Rican favourites while for dinner, the culinary net is cast a little wider, with plenty of international-inspired dishes on the menu.

Toro Bohemio Bar
The place to raise a creatively crafted cocktail, home-brewed beer or glass of chilled white wine to the day’s adventures is the cosy Toro Bohemio Bar.

Racho Orquideas Private Dining
Private dinners para dos or la familia are a treat that we all deserve from time to time and at El Silencio they come with a stunning Gorrión River-side setting.

What's included

Breakfast at Las Ventanas Restaurant.

Natural healing and a spectacular setting combine at El Silencio’s sanctuary of wellness, the Esencia Spa. There are a cluster of open-air treatment rooms where you can have treatments with the sounds of the jungle and the river as your soundtrack.

El Silencio’s view is that luxury lodgings should not come at an expense to the environment and cultural heritage, especially in an ecosystem as sensitive as the cloud forest. The extensive eco practices have led to the lodge being awarded elite certification from the government-sponsored Certification of Sustainable Tourism (CST). Over 95% of the lodge’s staff are employed from local communities, much of the produce used at El Silencio is produced on site or using local farmers and there is a real focus on fundraising for local community programmes.

Children aged 8 and over are welcome.

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