Visiting Costa Rica: A Serene Haven in El Silencio Lodge & Spa in Bajos del Toro #PuraVida #GiftOfHappiness

El Silencio Lodge and Spa.

Pure heaven on earth.

As many of you know, in the beginning of December, I was invited to the beautiful country of Costa Rica to add a little (a whole lot) of happiness to our lives. It truly was a Gift of Happiness and I was invited by the Costa Rica Tourism Board to spend 8 days and 7 nights in various locations throughout their gorgeous country.

We made our way to Costa Rica via plane and as soon as we landed, we were greeted by our super friendly and very helpful tour guide, Diego. We hopped into our tour guide van and started making the journey to Bajos del Toro, we were in San Jose very briefly but, driving through the city was a sight to see. So much more different from what we were used to. In a good way of course!

As you know, we travelled through Sarchi and Grecia in order to get to Bajos del Toro and our home for 2 days. The ascension was an adventurous one, that’s for sure. Luckily our guide was very skilled and accustomed to the mountain terrain and the very, very narrow roads of the mountains and country side.

The higher we climbed the steeper the embankments. It was thrilling and the view we could see was straight out of a post card. We also saw a lot of coffee plants as the high altitude is optimal.

In a Cloud Forest.

We arrived to the El Silencio Lodge & Spa and we were kindly greeted by the staff. We were taken into their lobby and given a delicious welcome drink that was made fresh with lemon and mint. We checked in and they kindly went ahead and took our luggage and brought it to our room and set up the private heater in our room.

We were placed right by the Gorrion River and spring and that house pictured above was our haven in the clouds for two days. The main house and lobby housed the Las Ventanas Restaurant, a coffee lounge, a conference and media room, the reception office and a gift shop.

One of the reasons why we loved our stay here is because this hotel is sustainable. It respects the natural eco-system it rests upon and they strive to maintain it.

Sustainablity:

• 500 acre private forest reserve
• Contributes to a biological corridor connecting 2 national parks
• Waste minimization strategies
• CO2 mitigation program
• Refillable water containers
• Energy-efficient lighting
• Certified eco-friendly cleaning products
• Local employment and local purchases
• Electric cart in-property guest transport
• Comprehensive recycling
• Organic composting

Our Cozy Retreat.

This was our digs for our first two days in Costa Rica. Not to shabby, huh? Who am I kidding? It’s absolutely gorgeous. It warm and cozy and spacious! It was like our very own private home on a mountain. Not to mention, right outside our door, we had the sounds of the water stream that was a relaxing and zen-like to fall asleep to.

The staff was extraordinary and each night, we had fresh fruit-infused water on both of our night stands, complimentary robes and sandals to use during our stay and a full bar.

Fully-Equipped.

The suites come fully stocked and you can find a King bed plus 2 twin day beds, double sink master bathroom, private outdoor heated whirlpool, viewing deck with rocking chairs, panoramic windows, electric heaters and local, organic personal care products.

It had everything we needed and the housekeepers were amazing with keeping it tidy and turning down our rooms. They even left warm water bags at the foot of our bed so that our feet would be nice and toasty. The whirlpool was absolutely relaxing and very private. The shower was refreshing and there was plenty of personal care products that were all organic and green. They smelled great and we never needed anything replaced.

About Las Ventanas Restaurants.

One of El Silencio Lodge & Spa’s defining features is the farm-to-table dining experience offered at Las Ventanas Restaurant. Set in the hotel’s main lodge, Las Ventanas is surrounded by panoramic windows that gently draw in the relaxing sights of Costa Rica’s cloud-kissed scenery.

Signature dishes emphasize local and organic ingredients to enhance delicious Costa Rican traditions with inspired flair and a savory international twist. Much of the fresh produce, herbs, free-range eggs, and fresh trout are sourced from the in-property organic mini-farm. New cuisine specialties include vegetarian and gluten-free options!

Organic and Delicious.

The food at El Silencio and Las Ventanas is something that I will never in my life forget. The relaxation, the beautiful environment and the FOOD is a reason why I have added El Silencio Lodge & Spa to my return list when I visit Costa Rica again. Many of you know that I am a foodie and will often travel to popular destinations just to try the food alone.

The food was so nostalgic and fresh. You can literally taste the difference and what blew me away was that everything is grown on-site. We even saw the chicken coop, the trout pond and the garden. It was truly a beautiful experience and the casado, fresh cream and cheese and perfectly cooked eggs have a lot to do with it. The steaks were tender and juicy, chicken–out of this world, soups perfectly creamy, deserts–divine.

Each  morning we had a delicious breakfast with fresh fruit and yogurt. I opted for the typical Tico breakfast and all were served with the day’s fresh bread and dessert bread and delicious Costa Rican coffee. There was nothing that I tried at the restaurant that I didn’t fall in love with and that tasted, literally, perfect.

Some of my favorite dishes are pictured above, due to the lighting which is very romantic and soft, I didn’t take very many pictures of dinner. But, the Chifrijo I had at lunch totally blew my mind. Chicken, beans, rice, avocado. You know in Ratatouille when the food critic ate the ratatouille dish Remy made? That BOOM moment? Yeah, that with the Costarricense dessert pictured above. Prestiños. Hand spun ice cream that was topped with organic locally grown sugar cane syrup. It literally brought me back to childhood.

Plenty to Do.

Or not.

There are various different activities to do at El Silencio, we were booked for a hike to see the waterfalls that are on the property. But, you can find a lot of activities like local market shopping, coffee tasting, Tico cooking. You can even plant a tree, bird watch or if you seek a bigger thrill, you can go rappelling or river rafting.

You decide.

I opted for just the hike and relaxing, since our room had limited access to WiFi and the media room at the main house, we had a lot of unplugged time which was absolutely needed. For those who need electronics, be prepared because there is no TV and you have to go to the Media Room to watch TV and use the WiFi. Dara made time to go to the media room because he needs his TV and I NEED my social media so I would hop on when we were eating our meals.

I had plenty of time for reflection, to listen to the serene sounds of natural and fresh flowing water and the calls and songs of the birds and creatures that shared our home. I was able to take out time to journal and put my feelings into words with ink and paper. It’s something that I love doing and that I was able to do so uninterrupted. Not to mention, I had the perfect setting to help the words flow.

A Serene Haven in The Mountains.

Being almost 6, 000 ft. above sea level, the air felt fresher, the lands were lush and the grounds and accommodations were stellar. The staff and servers were amazing, friendly and made sure we were happy and taken care of.  I will have to try the spa next time I’m there. I have to give this resort a 5-star rating because of their sustainability, accommodations, location, cuisine, experiences and service.

Just picture yourself rocking in these chairs and just taking it all in.

I did.

If you are visiting Costa Rica, be sure to consider staying in nirvana and put El Silencio Lodge & Spa on your list. You can get more information about traveling to Costa Rica by going to Visit Costa Rica, the tourism board. Travel with Dara and I and join us tomorrow when I’ll post about where we traveled next.

A Costa Rica Must.

[usrlist Sleep-Quality:5 Rooms:5 Cleanliness:5 Dining:5 Location:5]

Have you ever been to Costa Rica?

Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!