Hotel El Silencio del Campo: The La Fortuna Hotel You Won’t Want to Leave
Hotel El Silencio del Campo is a relatively small, family-owned hotel just a few miles west of La Fortuna. With impressive views of Arenal Volcano right on your doorstep, plentiful wildlife and lush vegetation, and a relaxing hot spring, Hotel El Silencio del Campo is a treat for any type of visitor to Costa Rica.
Even though I came to La Fortuna wanting to see and do all the tours, once I was on the property of Hotel El Silencio del Campo, I didn’t want to leave!
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Our Cabana at Hotel El Silencio del Campo
Our cabana, the standard villa, at Hotel El Silencio del Campo was very nearly perfect except for one small flaw. It had two comfy queen beds with plenty of pillows and blankets to suit different sleeping preferences. Upon request, we were also able to get an additional pack and play for our 6-month old daughter.
Next to each bed were two large windows. One of these windows had a great view of Arenal Volcano for us to look at without having to go outside. The other window view wasn’t quite as impressive, but it was still nice to have for lighting.
Each cabana comes with a small patio with a table and four seats that looks out onto the grounds and Arenal Volcano in the distance. I can’t speak for the quality of the view from each cabana, but our view from cabana #6 was excellent.
The bathroom was on the smaller side, but the shower was still more than large enough for us to both stand in it while bathing our daughter. It also has a built-in seat for those who need it. It comes equipped with shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. The hotel also provides body lotion and bug repellant.
A small minibar is available in each cabana consisting of a pretty expensive bottle of wine, cheap beer, snacks and soda. I didn’t use the minibar much except for taking some timely Pringles out after the long drive from San José.
The only negative aspect of the cabanas is the door. It doesn’t latch shut on its own. So, to fully close the door, you need to lock the deadbolt with the key each time you enter or leave. It doesn’t sound like a big deal at first, but it means you have to have the key in hand to keep the door shut to prevent bugs from getting in.
It’s also a bit annoying if you just want to step outside for a bit. Anyone you’re traveling with will be locked inside till you unlock the door for them. It isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is definitely annoying.
The Hot Spring and Pool at Hotel El Silencio del Campo
Among the tropical trees in the back corner of Hotel El Silencio del Campo is my favorite part of the hotel: the hot spring. Its setting amid the trees with the relaxing sounds of the waterfall feeding the pool was just perfection. Just standing in its warm waters was serene.
The hot spring here is divided into three different pools of varying sizes and privacy, as well as a small jacuzzi. We spent all our time in the upper most spring right next to the bar because it had everything we needed: space to swim around with Ava, shade and, of course, drinks.
In fact, I didn’t even realize there were two other sections of the hot spring till our last evening at the hotel because I had no need to explore further. These other two were smaller in size but offered a bit more privacy than the top spring.
The pool at Hotel el Silencio del Campo paled in comparison to the hot spring. It wasn’t even particularly bad, but I couldn’t find any reason to want to be there with the hot spring just feet away.
The pool’s most redeeming quality was the cooler temperature water of its water. If you’ve been out in the hot, humid climate of La Fortuna, it may be nice to jump in here to cool off before heading over to the more relaxing hot spring.
Hotel El Silencio del Campo’s Grounds
Not to be outdone by the hot spring, the grounds around Hotel El Silencio del Campo are pretty special. The property is interconnected by winding sidewalks lined by tropical trees and exotic flowers with cabanas spread out at regular intervals.
Besides all the foliage, you’re almost certain to spot a variety of Costa Rican wildlife as you walk around the property. The most prevalent animals are birds. Hotel el Silenco del Campo is filled with all sorts of brightly colored birds for people to admire.
And it’s not hard to find them, either. In fact, each morning and evening, staff set used fruit rinds from the restaurant in a few different spots to attract and feed the birds. If we didn’t have things to do, I could have just sat out on our patio watching the birds each morning till they had their fill.
Birds aren’t all you can see. During our time, we saw one sloth lounging at the top of one of the trees near the hot spring. I saw another group of people looking up at something in another tree one day, but I didn’t go check out to see what they were looking at. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for any sloths that may be hanging out!
The Restaurant at Hotel El Silencio del Campo
Right off the reception area of Hotel El Silencio del Campo is its small, open-air restaurant. It doesn’t look like much, but you’d be missing out if you didn’t take advantage of this amenity during your stay.
At the very least, you’ll want to have breakfast here since it’s included in your reservation. The menu has several items to choose from, as well as a buffet with fruit, juices and pastries. I tried three different things during our stay: the omelet, juevos rancheros and their typical gallo pinto (traditional rice and beans typically served with fried plantains and eggs). The omelet was just alright, but the other two were really tasty. The gallo pinto was so good Michelle had it twice during our stay.
We ordered lunch from the restaurant from the pool’s handy call button. Michelle had a shrimp quesadilla and I had another traditional Costa Rican staple, pork chifrijo. I snuck a quick bite of her quesadilla while she was playing with Ava and was a bit jealous I didn’t get one. Then, I tried my chifrijo and was no longer jealous. Chifrijo is rice, beans, pico de gallo, avocado and pork. It’s kind of like a Costa Rican stew. It’s a simple food but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.
But let’s not forget about dinner. We had dinner here our first night in Costa Rica. The menu has a variety of Costa Rican foods, pasta and seafood. I had a whole fried red snapper with grilled vegetables from Hotel el Silencio del Campo’s garden. The red snapper was good, but the vegetables were amazing. They were perfectly grilled and seasoned. I could have just had them and been more than satisfied.
Hotel El Silencio del Campo’s Farm
If all that wasn’t enough, Hotel El Silencio del Campo also has a large working farm for visitors to check out. The farm is filled with all sorts of animals one might expect to see in such a setting.
I almost missed out on visiting the farm because I expected it to be kitschy and not worth it. On a whim, I decided to visit on our last morning at Hotel El Silencio del Campo while walking Ava around, and I’m glad I did.
It felt like a working farm, which I was afraid wouldn’t be the case. Besides that, it was filled with various animals, including a huge variety of differently colored fowl, cows, horses, goats, sheep, pigs and ducks. It also has several very pretty peacocks.
When Ava and I visited, we saw them milking some of the cows, shortly followed by watching a calf get milk directly from its mother. You can also watch them collect eggs from all the different hens.
Beyond the farm is a large vegetable garden you can also tour. I only got to see the garden from afar because I was short on time, but it looks impressive based on its size alone.
The Hotel El Silencio del Campo Spa
If you’re looking for some rest and relaxation, Hotel El Silencio del Campo has you covered with its thermal spa.
The spa is tucked in a back corner of the property, far enough away from anything else to give guests the peaceful atmosphere they’re looking for. It has a few different cabanas nestled around lush vegetation. While neither of us used the spa due to our limited time here, it certainly looked relaxing.
They have various offerings depending on what type of spa treatment you’re looking for. You can review their treatments either on-site at the spa or from a pamphlet in your cabana.
Price of Hotel El Silencio del Campo
After all that, you may be thinking to yourself, “That all sounds great, but it sounds expensive, too.” Well, you’d be right. Our 3-night stay at Hotel el Silencio del Campo cost $900.
It’s worth that price, though! You honestly could stay on the hotel’s property your entire time in La Fortuna and be satisfied with your time here. The views, hot spring, restaurant and overall atmosphere of Hotel el Silencio del Campo justify that price.
Also, remember that your breakfast is included in that price. You probably wouldn’t be spending a ton of money on breakfast, but it does help to rationalize the cost a bit.
I wouldn’t hesitate to book Hotel El Silencio del Campo again if I ever found myself in La Fortuna, and you shouldn’t either!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hotel El Silencio del Campo
What is there to do around the hotel?
The La Fortuna area has a ton of things for visitors to do. Three of the more popular attractions are La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano and Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park.
Besides these three things, visitors have access to a wide variety of wildlife and adventure tours to choose from.
When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?
The dry season from December to April is the most popular time to visit Costa Rica. The weather is the most agreeable during this time, but that also means crowds are larger.
We visited in February, right in the thick of the dry season and never had any issues with crowds. If you plan your trip right and do popular activities early in the day, you should be able to avoid the largest crowds.
Can the hotel accommodate children?
Yes. In fact, Hotel El Silencio del Campo is a great place for kids. For infants, like our Ava, you can request a crib for no additional charge. The restaurant also has high seats available.
Toddlers will love the hot spring, pool and farm. We saw one family each day whose young kids seemed to be having a blast. The restaurant has a small koi pond that is sure to delight kids, as well.
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