Hotel Silencio del Campo

Great property. Cozy bungalows. Private. Small game rooms. Well prepared simple breakfast. Walking distance to favorite restaurant La choza de Laurel. Don't expect a night life at this hotel. Great for couples

“Simplicity at it's best”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

“Hidden Oasis”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

My wife and I stayed at Silencio Del Campo for 2 nights to start our honeymoon in Costa Rica, and we could not have been any happier. We stayed from October 14-16, the traditional rainy season, but the weather did not stop us from exploring and having a wonderful time!

The staff, especially Eliomar, was exceptional. We relied on Eliomar for helping us out with tours, transportation, and he was more than happy to help us out with every question...he really enjoys his job, and it showed! The staff made sure that you were safe, had a wonderful time, and that your needs were all tended to. A+++

The loction of the hotel is very close (5 mins) to town, and also very close to the volcano. You have a gorgeous view of the volcano from the grounds, which are meticulously landscaped. The staff is out there tending to the grounds early every morning and it really stands out.

The rooms are private villas, above average in size. They have a private porch, and were very clean. The inside has 2 large queen beds, a very sizable bathroom area, including shower, toilet, and seperate vanity/mirror area. There was a 27" inch TV in the room, which had about 50 channels. The staff made beautiful designs with the towels each day, recognizing our honeymoon -- one day was a heart shape, the other days was swans!

Towards the back of the complex was a hot spring that was remarkably relaxing. I would estimate the temperature to be in the high 80's within this large naturally heated spring. The waterfall was breathtaking, and felt amazing with the hot water running down your back. The view of the volcano from the hot springs is perfect!

The food was very reasonably priced. For lunch both days, I enjoyed a chicken and rice dish that came with a side of fries for only $6! My wife enjoyed Tilapia for only $7. Breakfast was included in the price of the hotel, and did not have as many choices, but was still tasty. Overall, the food would probably get a 4/5 for taste and a 5/5 for value.

I have no bad words to utter about this hotel, and would recommend it with confidence to anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing place to stay, that has proximity to the volcano and tourist areas.

“Best stay in Costa Rica!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We absolutely loved our stay here! It's not the fanciest place we stayed in Costa Rica but it just has everything you need to make a fantastic stay. Our welcome upon arrival was great - the friendliest staff! We were greeted with a lovely cold cocktail and plenty of info about the area, the hotel and tours. Eliomar spoke brilliant English and was so friendly and helpful.

The hotels thermal spring was lovely and relaxing. The breakfasts were great and the room had everything you needed - including coffee machine.

Enjoy!

“100% satisfied!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

For our Dec 2007 visit, we stayed only one night on our way from Guanacaste to San Jose. This great property sits very close to Arenal Volcano. It was cloudy or rainy for our 24 hour visit, so we were never able to fully appreciate the location.

The front desk was extremely friendly and helpful. They called and booked our canopy tour for the next morning.

The property is large and extends slightly downhill away from the main road. It's very tropical, lush, and green. There are numerous stand-alone units scattered throughout the property.

Our unit (number 4) was very spacious. Two queen beds and spacious bathroom in a generous floor plan. Vaulted ceiling and large windows. There is a large front patio/porch area with a table and chairs.

Breakfast was included.

This is a great home for those touring the Arenal region. It's a short drive to Fortuna for shopping or dining. There are several adventure offerings nearby as well. The lobby area is loaded with brochures and the staff will answer any questions you might have.

“Best hotel in Arenal for a special reason!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

Everything good that has been said about Silencio is true. Great cabins, beautiful landscape, relaxing thermal pool (so good, we never went to the big ones), good, abundant included breakfasts. What sets this place apart, however, is the staff. From the owner, who is there everyday, to the gardeners. They all truly seem to enjoy working there. Very helpful in a non intrusive kind of way. They are there if you want to engage them. Eliomar, at the front desk, is a highly trained travel specialist. A true asset to the hotel. My family and I had a wonderful time there!

“Exactly what we expected--- Great! ”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We had an amazing time at Silencio! It was probably our favorite stay of the entire trip. There were 4 adults in one cabin/bungalow. Although that's a lot of people, there weren't any space issues. The rooms were big, with the high ceilings making it feel even better. And we liked that that counter/sinks were outside of the actual bathroom, making it easier for a group of adults to stay together.

The facilities were beautiful! The gardens were gorgeous, the hot springs were small but relaxing at the end of a long day, and the restaurant was great for breakfast! What really makes this hotel, though, is the staff! Eliomar was so helpful and so willing to talk with us Americans, although I am sure he was quite annoyed after a while! He was so patient and spent time teaching us Spanish, while the men in our group taught him some English slang...

If you want a smaller hotel with lots of character, this is the perfect place for you! We absolutely loved it!

“Hiden Gem with its own, low fuzz hot springs”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

a quick summary of our stay there '

the other reviewers pretty much hit it right in giving it the top position in the Arenal area, here is our summary

Bungalows are nice, spacy. modern and have large bathrooms with new appliances, tiles, etc. rooms are clean and the number of bungalows, currently less than 20, is just perfect to give you a cosy feeling.

front desk run by Celio was pretty personal and very much service oriented. we had good fun. good adivce on springs.

i like to say the Hotels own springs are wonderful, in a blackstone basssin, that gets regularly cleaned. 40 Celesius, perfect.

food in the hotel is acceptable, local fayre but for a night or two its ok.

This is my toppick ofr Arenal.

Thanks

“Perfect Retreat!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

My husband and I stayed here for 4 fabulous nights. The cabins are clean, air-conditioned, water pressure in the shower is fabulous, and the beds are comfy. The cabins are all pretty new, as they've been around for 3 years or so. We had a fantastic view of the volcano. The restaurant serves delicious meals. All of the staff are extremely friendly...say hello to Eliomar, an exceptionally kind and hard-working staff member who allowed me to practice my Spanish conversational skills. Overall, if you visit the Arenal area, you'd be missing out if you did not stay here... just ignore the out of place Vegas style hotel next door.

“Great Place, Great Hospitality”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We just returned from a 3 night stay and absolutely concur with all the wonderful reviews. Our bunglow, 10, was immaculate and we were blessed with a clear view of Arenal one morning, complete with a blow off of steam. It was amazing. Diego, Eric and staff went out of their way to jump start our car and Vanessa and Eliomar at the front desk gave great recommendations and arranged outstanding tours for our family. The hot springs pool was an incredible place to spend a few relaxing hours after touring. Our vacation would not have been as wonderful had our stay not included a visit to the Silencio del Campo....

“Absolutely Wonderful!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We stayed here for four days at the beginning of our honeymoon in Costa Rica. I had contacted them by e-mail prior to our arrival to book our tours, and everything was all set when we got in. While checking in, we were given 2 fruit drinks that tasted great. The girl at the front desk is wonderful and tries to help you with anything you might need. The entire staff was very warm and inviting. One time, we missed breakfast (and the restaurant closes for a couple hours to get ready for lunch) and the staff offered to give us fruit to hold us over. Another time, we were waiting for a tour before breakfast started and one of the waiters came over and offered to cook early for us.

Breakfast is included (menu-style), and the Comida Tipica (beans, rice, eggs and tortillas) is awesome! They will put fruit out on the trees in the morning to get the colorful birds to come out while you are eating. The restaurant on the property is reasonably priced and has good food for other meals of the day. Drinks are also reasonably priced, when we went beer was $2 and mixed drinks were $5 (and are REALLY good!). There's a hot spring on the property next to the bar and it never seemed too crowded. It was a great temperature and very relaxing. There is also a normal pool that always seemed clean and was very inviting on a hot day.

The room itself is a large room with 2 beds, sink, hairdryer, TV, air conditioning, and a separate bathroom with toilet and stand-up shower. It's small, but has a cabin-feel to it. Weird enough, even though there are visible space for insects to get in, we didn't have to deal with many. We did have a lizard on our ceiling one night, which we called our "bug catcher". Every morning our towels were folded into art...hearts, swans, even an elephant! It was a very cute thing to walk into after a long morning hike! One thing to note: THERE IS NOT AN ALARM CLOCK OR PHONE! Luckily, I had an alarm clock on my camera that we could use, but we still tried to find a place out in town to buy one and we failed. So don't forget to bring one! They will send a maid to knock as a wake up call, but they don't get there til later so if you have an early morning trip you might be on your own!

Our whole stay the entire hotel was booked up but it was still very quiet and peaceful. Rooms are spaced far enough apart that we didn't hear anyone else our whole stay. The view of the volcano from our room was wonderful...it was nice to lay down for a nap and be able to fall asleep watching it out the window. Actually, you could see the volcano from pretty much anywhere on the property because of how it is designed.

The ugly hotel next door is annoying, but can pretty easily be ignored unless you are in the pool. We had some girls at the other hotel standing on the balcony and we felt like they were watching us in the pool. It didn't really bother us but it's something to be aware of...if you are in this hotel's pool you are in full view of the other hotel's occupants.

Overall, this was our FAVORITE hotel of our trip, mostly because of how great the staff were! The only things we didn't like was that there wasn't an alarm clock (fixed by bringing your own) and that the restaurant would shut down those 2 or so hours between breakfast and lunch (but a taxi into town is only $4-5 each way).

Oh, and how could I forget Tiki, the resident black chihuahua?! She is absolutely adorable, and pregnant, so there might be more chihuahuas by the time we come back!

“Perfect Oasis!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We traveled to costa Rica on July 22, 2008. Stayed at Silencio del Campo for 4 days. What a great time we had! The staff was extremely helpful and assisted us in making plans for activities like zip lining, river rafting and more. The owner/administrator (Diego zuniga) made us feel like family, as well as Vanessa in reception area. Breakfast was included (a plus!) and was vey delicious. Lunch and dinner had several plates to choose from with reasonable prices, and the service staff including that of the bar; was very helpful and attentive. The rooms were spacious and the bathroom can literally fit a family of six without having to bump into one another. Although we arrived during the rainy season, we had plenty of time to enjoy clear views of the volcano, which spilled ashes on two ocassions. All rooms have a clear an unobstructed view of volcano Arenal. If we had anything to complain about; the beds could use some new mattresses. Overall, the place is great for couples and families. Ask for Leo Rojas if you need transportation<353-8580>his prices were very fair. We will definetely return! Pura Vida!

“Cute Bungalows”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

The Hotel Silencio Del Campo features individual bungalows with porches surrounded by beautiful tropical foliage and an excellent view of the volcano.

Upon arrival you are greeted with a fruity tropical (non- alcoholic) drink. The hotel staff is very knowledgeable of all the tours, restaurants, and activities you could want. They are happy to book for you as well.

The rooms include air conditioning, private bath, refrigerator, and coffee maker. We had a great time sitting on the porch, playing games and drinking the local beer. We also enjoyed the private natural hot spring adjacent to the hotel bar in the back. Good blended vacation cocktails.

Breakfast is included every day at the restaurant and is delicious. You can choose from several options. They also serve lunch and dinner and have an surprisingly extensive menu. All the food we had was good, and the prices are very reasonable.

The only downside is the recently built monster hotel next door. It has bright lights and a noisy air conditioner that can be annoying if you are sitting on the porch.

I will definitely stay here again.

“Worked very well for our family”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We stayed at Silencio del Campo from 7/24 - 7/27. We needed to reserve 2 cabins because we were a party of 7. I had initially asked that both cabins be next to each other and this was taken care of with no problem.

As many have reported, the staff here is very friendly. Eliomar and Vanessa are very engaging and we enjoyed chatting with them throughout our stay. They remembered our names from the moment that we arrived and they greeted us every morning with a hearty, friendly "hello." We requested extra pillows and extra towels and they were delivered very promptly and with a smile.

The cabins are a good size, the beds and showers are nice and the rooms are kept very clean. The gardeners must be very busy because the flowers and gardens are lush and well maintained.

We had a good deal of rain during our stay and it was so nice to have a covered porch/reading area so that we could still read, or play cards or scrabble while enjoying the outdoors. The hot spring pool at the back of the property was a very welcome treat after a long day of activities. By the end of our visit, we all noticed how smooth our skin was after spending time in the springs

We only ate breakfast here and although the menu is limited (i.e. 5 choices) we thought it was all very good. The fruit was great and we all remarked how delicious the eggs were each morning (actually, they were the best scrambled eggs we had during our entire stay in CR). Service was friendly and breakfast took us from 30-45 mins from start to finish (I read an earlier note that breakfast took a long time - this was not our experience).

SDC was the perfect choice for our family - the price is right, the location is very convenient, the grounds and rooms are kept clean, breakfast is very good, the staff is very friendly and helpful, and the hotel is owned by a Costa Rican family. We'd definitely stay here again.

“Perfect place to stay!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We stayed at Silencio del Campo for our first three nights in Costa Rica. We loved it there! Each room is a private chalet with a patio. Our room was spacious, clean, and beautiful. It had two queen size beds, a small refrigerator, a large shower. We had a perfect view of the volcano from our patio. The room did have a television, although we didn't spend much time watching it. The have a hot spring in the back of the property. It is big, beautiful, and perfect for relaxing after an adventurous day. They also have a pool but we didn't use it. Breakfast is included in the room rate and we loved it. My favorite was the gallo pinto, a traditional Costa Rican meal, that you can get pretty much anywhere. Theirs was my favorite though. They always serve fresh fruit with breakfast, which, we learned, is very common everywhere in Costa Rica. They serve other meals at the restaurant but we only ate breakfast there. The staff is extremely nice and helpful. We didn't book any activities in advance. We basically decided what we wanted to do in the morning and then booked it. We had a little difficulty with language barriers from some of the staff but it was very manageable. The staff at the front desk was always willing to help us with activity planning and when they didn't speak English very well, they would find someone else to help us. We loved it there and would definitely stay there again. We still can't believe how inexpensive it was to stay there, especially since we had such a good time there. It is definitely the best deal we had in Costa Rica.

The only downside is they were building an enormous hotel right next door to Silencio that surely is finished by now. It is just a huge eyesore and looks really out of place for the area. It would definitely not stop us from staying there again. We loved it there way too much.

As far as activities, we went repelling with Desafio tours. It was amazing. I liked it even though I am a total chicken. They have a meal ready for you when you are finished and the food was great. You will be starving after repelling for about 4 hours.

We also went to Tabacon Hot Springs. It is a little expensive but we did have a lot of fun. We went at night from 6pm-9pm. They have reduced prices then and we also paid for the dinner. It was buffet style and everything was delicious.

We didn't do this, but, we met a couple that took an excursion to a reservation called Cano Negro. It was about 2 hours from the Arenal area and they saw lots of wildlife. Their pictures were amazing. We will do that next time

Unfortunately, we didn't get to see much lava. It was very cloudy most of the time we were there. We have tons of volcano pictures but we didn't really get a good look at it at night

We rented a 4x4 jeep and drove ourselves the whole time. It is not that hard at all. All the roads we drove were paved except going to Monteverde and those roads were not a bad as we expected. We were told that during the rainy season some of the roads are impassable so it depends on when you travel.

I know this is long but I want anyone who reads it to enjoy their trip as much as we did. Happy travels!

“Nice Stay”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

What we liked: The staff is helpful, the grounds are well kept and the rooms are clean. The property hot spring is really nice.

What was ok: The monstrosity of a hotel they built on top of Silencio del Campo is out of place. It towers over the pool area. The pool area is basic. It's good to refresh, but not so nice to hang out for extended periods. The food was ok as well. Not bad at all, but not outstanding either.

This hotel is a good base to explore the area, but it's not a place that you want to spend a leisurely day at.

“Great place and excellent service”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I found Silencio Del Campo through Trip Advisor and all the positive reviews definitely held up.

Pros: It's a very unique hotel with excellent service. The host and hostess at the front desk (Eliomar and Vanessa) were extremely friendly and helpful in planning our tours and activities. I felt that management did everything possible to make us feel welcome and to enjoy our stay as much as possible. The rooms were nice and comfortable and I feel we got great value at the low cost. In addition, the hotel has a very comfortable hot spring that is a nice way to finish a full day of adventures. Breakfast was included in the price and was fantastic (a full plate of fresh fruit accompanied by your choice of five different meals).

Con: I'm hesitant in bringing this up because of all the positive aspects of the hotel, but just wanted to be honest in both PROs and CONs: The food at the restaurant, other than breakfast, was not the best. Please keep in mind that during my entire stay in Costa Rica eating at various levels of restaurants, I didn't have a meal in which I would recommend as a stellar meal. I think it's more to do with Costa Rican food as pose to the hotel not delivering. This being said, if it's raining and you want to just stay in and eat something simple, the Typical Costa Rican dish at the hotel restaurant is just fine at a very reasonable price.

“Not for honeymoon”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

These were simple cabin-esque accommodations. Nice enough but for our honeymoon I should have chosen something less basic. Reading the reviews on this site, I somehow thought it was going to be different. It's a simple place and fine enough but I would not recommend it for a honeymoon. Hotel Nayara looked nice and we would probably have enjoyed it more there even though it is more expensive. So, not bad but we could have done better. Arenal is VERY touisty and we preferred other areas more. But, it is worth seeing the volcano for a day or two.

“Great place to stay for the price”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

There is not a lot I can add that has not already been said. We stayed at Siliencio Del Campo for 4 nights and loved every minute of it. The property is beautifully landscaped, and each room is an individual cabin. Compared to another property I had stayed at in Arenal years ago, the cabin itself was very nice, with good bedding, a huge bathroom with hot water and good water pressure, and a porch with a chair and table looking out at the volcano.

The restaurant was good for breakfast, which is included in the room. The staff was nice enough to prepare breakfast in bed for my wife one morning when she was a little too sore and tired to make it out of bed early enough. It was actually the owner's suggestion when he saw me eating alone. We did have lunch at the restaurant a couple times, and it was decent. However, there are several very good restaurants in town that are worth the trip if you have transportation.

The hotel made all of our activity arrangments for us, and it went flawlessly. We did Sky Tram/Sky Trek and Desafio canyoning, both which were wonderful. We also did the Arenal Mundo Aventura canopy tour which was less than wonderful (see my other review).

The best part about the hotel, which many people have already mentioned, was its own private hot springs. Having spent money on Tabacon the previous time we were in Arenal, we decided not to go to one of the other hot springs because we had everything we needed at the hotel (I will say Tabacon is beautiful and worth a trip if you have not been, even though it is pricey). One night my wife and I were the only two people at the hot springs. There is a bar there too, with great service and more reasonable prices.

Last, a word on the new hotel next door. It is finished, so at least there is no more construction. Other than being an eyesore, the only sound coming from the hotel is the large air conditioning unit on top the building. It could be heard until late each night, but shouldn't discourage anyone from staying on the property.

Overall, we would stay at Silencio Del Campo again in a heartbeat!

“Wonderful Paradise”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We just returned from our aniversary trip to Costa Rica, and stayed at Silencio del Campo for five nights. The experience was one of the best we have ever had, and we travel alot! The hotel was located perfectly to take advantage of all of the action-packed activities in the area. Our favorite part of the property was the hot springs which really helped us relax after activiies. There is a bar near the hot springs which serves delicious pina coladas! The property is landscaped with a beautiful garden, pool, springs, and pond, with a beautiful view of the volcano.

The included, hot breakfast was very nice, and we enjoyed dinner there a couple nights as well. The staff was wonderful. I can't say enough good things about this hotel and this area of Costa Rica! The best way to express how much we enjoyed it... we are planning to go back next year!!

“Loved Silencio del Campo”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We spent two nights at Silencio and loved it. We didn't make a reservation but walked up to the front desk, looked at a room and the pools and stayed, having this proeprty already in mind. The property is beautiful (except for that eyesore next door) and we enjoyed the hot springs, almost to ourselves, both evenings. We also ate both dinners there as the restaurant was quiet and we didn't really want to go into La Fortuna. Dinners were good as were the breakfasts. Both Luis and Elio were very helpful. We did enjoy the Eco Glide zip line but decided we preferred the Hanging Bridges as there was more time to enjoy the forest. The clouds were almost covering the volcano in the mornings but rose during the day. We spent our next night at one of the hotels on the NW side of the volcano where we did manage to see the red glow and the top at 2:45 am but we preferred Silencio.

“Amazing value”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I stayed here for two nights with my girlfriend.

The first thing you notice is how beautifully manicured the grounds are. There are a couple ponds with streams flowing throughout the grounds, with turtles and koi. Throw in some beautiful flowers and trees and a nice view of the volcano. Continuing down their property, you come to the pool. Nothing too fancy about it, but well maintained and a nice place to lie in the sun. At the back of the property, you come to a duck pond home to some friendly geese and random other things as well as a small hot springs. When I say small, it's small compared to the other hot springs in the area where you are charged admission. This hot springs is free and only one pool but can still accomodate a fair number of people (20-30). There is a small waterfall and lots of plants and vegetation around it so it really is quite nice (and quiet!). Right next to the hot springs is a small bar area where you can order blended drinks or whatever. The drinks were very good and you can charge drinks to your room so it's convenient, as well.

We had room #1, and from what I could see, each room is it's own little cabin. Room #1 was set at the very front of the property and had a nice view of the volcano. Most of the grounds has a nice view, actually, although the giant hotel next door cuts off the view from the pool to some extent. There is a small table and a couple chairs in a sheltered area at the front of the cabin. Upon entering, there were two queen beds that were decently comfortable. Each cabin has AC, a safe, and a small refrigerator. The safe took me some time to figure out...for those going to this hotel, there is a red button on the back of the door to reset the code. Just keep looking! There is a 27" TV with 40 or so channels, most in spanish. The bathroom has a shower and toilet. I was a little confused by a sign in the bathroom saying "Put toilet paper only in the garbage can." I'm still confused by that, actually. The room had plenty of space for two. Housekeeping kept things nice and neat. There are shelves and a few hangers for your clothes.

The front desk was very helpful with making reservations and calling taxis. A few staff were not especially fluent in english, but they were all very friendly.

The restaurant was very reasonably priced and had delicious food. Breakfast is included in the room rate, and gives you about 5 things to choose from and of course comes with fruit and juice. There are a few decent restaurants in town, but I would recommend having a few meals at the restaurant.

There is also a little black chihuahua running around (Tiki). Very shy at first, but will come see you at breakfast in search of toast. He is well taken care of, in contrast to some very unfortunate animals in town (worst part of my trip was seeing all the stray or poorly treated dogs running around).

All-in-all, a very positive experience. The room rate was the cheapest we paid in costa rica but we didn't feel we were staying somewhere cheaper. I can comfortably say the TA rating is well-deserved.

“Lovely hotel with super nice staff”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We spent only one night at Silencio, but were very happy with our choice and would gladly have stayed much longer! The grounds are so lovely, with a nice little pool, natural hot spring pool and a fun duck pond. The cabins were very comfortable and the breakfast terrific. The desk clerk was so friendly and helpful. The only downside is the big new hotel next door, which is an ugly contrast, but don't let that stop you. We really had no complaints.

“lovely! ”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We stayed at Silencio for two nights in June and found it to be very nice. The cabin was clean, large and very comfortable with a great view of the volcano. The grounds were nicely landscaped. The pool was nice but the hotspring was amazing, especially at night. The food was good and the hotel staff were nice and helpful. Eliomar was amazingly helpful, especially when our arrival was delayed by two days. The construction of the hotel next door is done so it was not a concern at all, but as others have said, it's definitely an imposing eye sore!

We enjoyed the zip lines at Arenal Mundo Aventura park greatly, as well as the Tabocon Hot Springs. I was a bit worried after reading that Tabacon was too cheesy or not worth the fee, but we loved it at night and the dinner was good too.

“Another Rave Review”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I selected this on the advice of fellow TAs and was so happy I did. We rented 2 "cabins" for 3 nights. We were 3 adults and 2 teens and we found Hotel Silencio del Campo easy to find, amazingly clean, great staff and so reasonably priced (around $110 w breakfast). The location is a 5 minute drive from the main action of La Fortuna and 10 minutes the other way towards the lake and park.

The cabins were really spacious and it was easy to ask for anything you needed like extra towels or directions. I worked with Eliomar before and during my stay. I never saw or met the manager as others have stated, perhaps he was away. The breakfast staff does double duty as houskeeping and I only wish we could see the same standards of care and pride in work that the staff here exhibited.

As others have said, the breakfast was really good. We never felt rushed and they happily accomodated us as we ate in shifts or lingered over coffee. We did not eat any other meals there but they seemed willing to stay open for the small amount of people I saw eating lunch and dinner. The pool was refreshing and clean with ample shaded seating. I did not join my family on their adventure excursions and basically had the whole pool to myself. I did not see any pool towels out but I just asked and they were happily given to me. The on site hot springs was an added bonus and very beautiful. The hot springs bar staff seemed quite new but were willing to accept sign language and even direction from customers. This being off season, there was never anyone there either!

I found this hotel to be peaceful, eco-friendly (you cannot even flush the TP) but when in Rome....we wanted to steal the very efficient AC units which were a welcome relief from the heat and humidity. As I am an early riser, it was nice to have an in- room coffee pot available and I enjoyed sitting on my little front porch reading each morning along with the wildlife.

The hotel does require you to fax or e-mail a passport and copy of your credit card to reserve but we did not pay until we checked out.

I feared the new hotel next door but when I saw it - I said shame on the owners and architects for truly creating the ugliest building I have ever seen. It is an eyesore but can easily be ignored and made me love Hotel Silencio del Campo even more.

“Amazing value”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I stayed here for two nights with my girlfriend.

The front desk was very helpful with making reservations and calling taxis. A few staff were not especially fluent in english, but they were all very friendly.

“Lovely hotel with super nice staff”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

“lovely!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

“Another Rave Review”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

The hotel does require you to fax or e-mail a passport and copy of your credit card to reserve but we did not pay until we checked out.

“Great place”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

Great place to stay. We loved the breakfast ! My husband does think he may have gotten sick from the shrimp when we had lunch at the hotel. Beautiful views of the volcano!

“Love the hot springs!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We stayed at El Silencio for 3 nights at the beginning of our 7 night trip to celebrate our anniversaries. This was our 2nd time to Costa Rica and the 1st for our friends. I am writing this review based on the experience of both couples. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives of this property - the grounds are lovely, the rooms are clean, the staff is friendly and the food is sufficient for a hotel of this size. The best part is the new hot springs at the back of the property - definitely a nice way to end a long day of adventure! We did have a couple of glitches - broken a/c in one of the rooms and a misunderstanding on a tour, but the staff did their best to overcome these and compensate for the problems. The ugly hotel next door appears to be complete and did not provide a distraction, other than in its appearance.

“Another great experience”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

Just got back from our trip to Costa Rica! Silencio del Campo continues to be our favorite place to stay when in La Fortuna. The cabinas are clean, spacious and typical Costa Rica decor. The service is always great. Don Luis (the owner) is very helpful and amable. No worries about the new, huge hotel along the side of Silencio. Yes, it is an eyesore, but Silencio has perserved it's uniqueness.

“Words can't describe how wonderful this place is ....”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

This place is wonderful. My fiance and I stayed at Silencio for 6 nights. The staff, the food and the overall property is the best my fiance and I have ever experienced. The grounds are absolutely beautiful & the hotsprings on the property is a great place to relax after a long day of adventure. Luis Diego, Eliomar, Vanessa, & Jessica really go out of their way to make you feel as if you are the only ones staying on the property and have an amazing time in La Fortuna. If you don't have any tours booked before you get to La Fortuna, don't worry the staff at the desk make it easy to book anything you want to do.

FOOD - Being from New Orleans, food plays a very important part of our life. The food at Silencio del Campo was delicious. The breakfast is included with the room rate and you won't be disappointed. You get a fresh fruit tray, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee & a choice of 5 items on the menu (eggs, typical, omelett, pancakes, etc). The lunch & dinner at the hotel is very good as well with a large selection. We did eat at many restaurants in town which I highly recommend - Don Rufino, Soda La Parada, Choza de Laurel, Las Brasitas & Anchio. The only one I do not recommend is Lava Lounge - great service, great staff, great drinks, not good food.

TOURS - We did the Sky Trek zip line. AMAZING!! You can see the lake & the rainforest as you zip from one platform to the other. The tour guides are great too. My camera also takes videos and one of the guides took a video while he was flying across the zipline. The video is something I will always treasure. We also did the Desafio rafting trip on Rio Balsa. My fiance & I had never rafted, but had a blast. The guides are fun and extremely knowledgeable. We also did the self guided hike down to the Catarata de Fortuna. WOW! It was hard, but definitely worth the hike down the narrow steps. It's a must see. We also went to Eco Termales hot springs. Highly recommended over the larger Tabacon & Baldi since the number of people allowed in is limited to only 100. We ate dinner there as well which was ok & would not recommend the extra expense. Since we had extra time, we went to Aura Spa. If you have extra time on your trip to La Fortuna, I highly recommend Aura Spa. The owner Laura is extremely nice, you get amazing upclose views of the volcano, & the couples massage was the best massage my fiance & I have every received (we have a lot of spa experience)!!

For the price & personal service, you just can't beat this place! My fiance & I have decided that we are definitely going back for part of our honeymoon next year!!

“Loved Hotel Silencio del Campo!!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We recently stayed at Hotel Silencio del Campo for two nights and definiteiy recommend the hotel for anyone looking for a cheaper but still really nice place to stay in La Fortuna.

The grounds of this hotel are beautiful. And the best part -- the hotel has it's own private hot spring pool! This pool is amazing and I think it makes the hotel.

The other main reason I loved this hotel is that everyone at the front desk was absolutely fantastic. Everyone was very pleasant and eager to help us choose anything from activities to restaurants in the area.

There is a reason Hotel Silencio is ranked so high -- even though our travel guide books didn't mention the hotel and we were hesitant to book just based off of tripadvisor, we definitely recommend that move to anyone!

“Silencio was great!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We just spent 3 nights at the Silencio in Arenal and had the best experience! The hotel next door that everyone is talking about was not a problem or a nuisance at all.

Our cabin was very spacious and clean. The housekeepers made cute designs out of towels for us. The shower was large and the beds were somewhat comfortable-probably the worst thing.

HOT SPRINGS-The hot springs out back were great! They were beautifully maintained and the perfect temperature after a long day out doing tours. The landscaping was just stunning-I can't believe how many different flowers and plants we saw.

FOOD-The food at the hotel is not good with teh exception of breakfast. The pancakes and Tico breakfasts, included with your room, were wonderful! Go elsewhere into town for lunch and dinner.

TOURS-We did the Hanging Bridges and Arenal volcano tour from the green brochure at the hotel-can't remember the company name. The were good. We got a lot of indo twice but the tour guides are just trying to keep you informed. We saw monkeys and sloths and lizards and snakes on the tour. We also did the canopy tour with Sky Trek Tours. It was magical!!! I highly reccomend this tour. My husband and I agree that it was the best thing we have done so far,. There is nothing like flying over the huge valleys on a cable-and I am even a little afraid of heights. Amazing!

It does rain-you are in the rain forest. We found that the rain wasn't so bothersome, though. We went on a tour completly in the rain and it didn't dampen our spirits at all.

This hotel and country are wonderful. THe staff at the hotel are amazing and will do anything for you. You won't regret it is you stay at Silencio!

“loved this place!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

What can I say? Fantastic location, fantastic rooms, fantastic food, fantastic experience. Our cabin was was very spacious, clean, and had a wonderful view of the volcano (when you can actually see it through the cloud cover). Check in went smoothly, and the staff were friendly and accommodating. The food in the small restaurant was very, very good-both for dinner and breakfast the next day. Our second evening here, we went to the hot springs that are on the property next door to this hotel, and I recommend that to everyone! The hotel made our reservations for the hot springs which can include dinner if you like, and the dinner there was awesome as well. The pools at the springs were so inviting, I didn't want to leave. A much smaller, less tourist/more local experience than the giant Tabacon hot springs, since they limit the number of people they let in for the evening. The location is great as it is just a short taxi ride, or drive into the town of La Fortuna where there are loads of places to eat, drink, and find tours. I would return to this hotel in an instant, and plan to do so in the near future.

“Loved Silencio”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

For the area, I don't think there is a better hotel than Silencio. The view of the volcano is amazing. The rooms were very clean. The staff was friendly, helpful, and welcoming. The included breakfast was delicious. The landscaping was flawless and incredible.

The location was perfect, just a few minutes to drive to La Fortuna town. It was also right next to Eco Termales Hot Spring, which I also highly recommend. (This is not the hot spring pool others have referred to in their reviews)

There were a few negative things I want to point out, though they did not take away from my opinions about Silencio. We found a very large spider on the curtain and a big insect of some sort in the bathroom. I despise bugs, but I also think they are inevitable unless you stay at the multi-story hotel next door (which I would not suggest. You will regret it when you see how beautiful Silencio is). Even with the few bugs, the room felt very clean. The second item is that we lost power for 1-2 hrs one night, while someone was in the shower. Luckily, we had a flashlight with us. I don't think this was Silencio's problem but a problem in CR in general because we also lost power during our stay at Nicoya Peninsula. If you can spare the room in your luggage, I'd suggest you bring one just in case.

“Great place and staff”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

We chose this place for 2 nights of our honeymoon. To us, the hotel fit our needs perfectly: nice view, privacy, convenient location, great price.

The cabins were cute and comfortable and all have a view of the volcano. The included breakfast, pool and hot springs were also great.

If you're looking for a quaint place, convenient to the town and all activities (we booked zip trekking and waterfall rapelling directly with the hotel) and with great value, this is the place.

“A solid choice”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

Here's quickly what I loved about the place:

- Cabanas are big and comfy (with everything you want in it)

- Very good value (I paid around 104$ per night)

- You get your own pool AND hot spring! ( I think the hot spring is new from this year)

- I ate the best breakfasts of my entire trip here. (try the "tipico" breakfast).

- Lovely black Chihuahua named Tiki.

I don't know if it's the best place in La Fortuna (service was vey considerate but a tiny bit amateurish)... but you won't go wrong if you stay here. For the price, this is a very solide choice.

Recommended.

“Happily, the Volcano Didn't Kill Us”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

After reading all the reviews here, we decided Hotel Silencio del Campo would be a reasonably safe bet for our first trip to Costa Rica. To book, we sent an email to the hotel to determine availability and then confirm our stay. Email, how quaint!

When we arrived in La Fortuna (a scenic drive from San Jose) we were a bit nervous. This was a fairly undeveloped area (frankly, quite run down and poor), so we just didn't know what to expect. We passed through LaFortuna (has several restaurants and stuff, so no worries there) and took the main road a few miles to Hotel Silencio. I mainly kept an eye open for the big hotel that was being built next door. That was impossible to miss and Hotel Silencio was 10 feet further down the road.

The hotel grounds are very pleasant. Nicely maintained. We checked in (front desk staff speaks much better English than I speak Spanish) and went to our cabin. It was really quite nice. Clearly built not long ago, the cabins are in good shape. The beds were comfortable. TV has several English channels (HBO, Starz) in case you happen to want it. Air conditioner worked very well. Showers were big and water pressure good. Safes and small refrigerator in the room. Large windows on either side of the room open to allow wonderful breezes.

Best of all - the view of the volcano right outside our cabin. BEAUTIFUL!

There is a pool which looked nice, but we never used it. Instead we used the "hot spring" which was basically a nice heated swimming pool with a hot waterfall. Think giant hot tub without jets. But it was very relaxing. A new outdoor bar next to the spring served drinks.

The free breakfast was more than adequate and a great added value. We didn't eat dinner at the restaurant on site (menu didn't really appeal to us and we wanted to venture into town instead anyway). But we did get bottled water and drinks regularly to take out with us on outings or back to our room.

The staff was very helpful, courteous, and willing to offer suggestions and advice for outings. We ended up driving to the hanging bridges, the waterfall (the road is scary rugged if you drive yourself - we had a Yaris and went about 3mph the whole time), and Arenal hiking. All were great.

The construction of the hotel next door really wasn't a big deal when we stayed. Only one morning did we hear power tools and we were basically awake already anyway. If you are hoping to sleep late (later than say 7AM), you may be discouraged.

All in all, I can't imagine being disappointed with this hotel. It was very laid back and casual and we immediately felt welcome.

“Very basic, but charming!”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

This was our first stop in Costa Rica. We arrived mid-afternoon and found it really charming, with very simple cabins clustered together. The grounds were well kept with beautiful landscaping and each cabin has it's own little outdoor dining area. The staff was very nice and helpful and the manager of the resort had a sweet tiny little black dog that greeted us upon our arrival.

The cabins didn't have phones, but they did have a TV. Shower was huge, but we noticed that the hot water ran out VERY quickly.

They also served a great complimentary breakfast each morning in the dining area.

The one negative thing is the MAJOR resort being built next door (and when I say next door, I mean literally a stone's throw away). It's massive, and construction started VERY early in the morning.

By far, the BEST thing we did in La Fortuna, was visit the Ecotermales hot springs at night (one of the hotel staff convinced us it would be better than Tabacon and it was!). It was AMAZING! Very romantic, we had the entire place to ourselves and it's just a short 3 minute drive from the hotel.

“This place is fantastic”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I booked ths hotel because of the reviews from TripAdvisor and I was not disappointed! I went on a week getaway with my girlfriends and we stayed at Campo one night and it was fantastic. The staff (especially Lauren) was so helpful and friendly - they catered to our every need. The cabinas were clean and cute and we practically had the pool and hot springs to ourselves. The grounds are just so gorgeous - it makes you want to stay there forever! Breakfast was included with our stay and it was delicious. Banana pancakes = Yum. I honestly have nothing negative to say about this place. It was beautiful and if I am ever in La Fortuna again, I will definitely stay there!

“Not a bad place to stay”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

This is a nice little hotel, that's worth the low price. The cabanas are private and spacious. I could have used more private bathroom sink area. As this one opens right into the living quarters. So, ladies, no private grooming! ;)

The property is clean with lots of greenery and flowers and a good view of the volcano. They have their own little hot spring in the back which is a lovely place to relax after a day of sight seeing. However, we chose to go to Baldi across the road for a full blown experience (recommend!). Couldn't find Eco Thermales, though we looked for it over and over!

The breakfast included in the stay price is okay. The typico choice is the way to go, though, as other stuff is nothing to write home about.

The staff is helpful but only minimally. It' s actually rather annoying how they try to push specific local businesses on you. We'd ask them to make an appt at a spa we found and they'd say "yes, good, but we prefer ... (insert a diff spa name)". We'd ask to make a reservation with a Zip Line company we settled on, and they would say "yes, good, but we prefer ..." You get the picture!

Things to do:

1) Eco Glide - zip line. Enjoyed tremendously. Felt safe the entire time. Tarzan swing is a huge adrenaline rush! Highly recommend this company

2) Hanging Bridges - self-guided tour over the jungle. Very cool with gorgeous views. (but make sure that you're not afraid of heights)

3) Arenal Volcano Park - worth a visit

4) Catarata La Fortuna (waterfall). A great little escape. The views are breathtaking and you can swim near the waterfall. However, you HAVE TO be in good physical shape as the climb down to the waterfall is very steep, mostly narrow and made out of rocks.

Restaurants:

All about the same. Sometimes, it felt like the only thing that was done well was the typico plate. Which was fine with us as we like to sample local cuisine.

The only restaurant that stood out was the Vienna cafe. The cafe Vienna is an amazing cup of coffee and pastries are delicious, fresh and very European. Highly recommend!

Overall, the location of the hotel is good and the price is good. Having a full breakfast in the morning was also of big value (even if the only decent thing was th typico).

So, not a bad place to stay, but nothing spectacular. But whatever hotel you choose, DO go to the Arenal area. It's a great place to visit!

“Merely okay”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

My wife and I decided to stay at Hotel Silencio Del Campo based on the reviews we read on this site. We stayed there for two nights this past April and came away wondering how this place got its #1 ranking. Don't get me wrong. The place is nice and we would consider staying here again, but feel it is overrated.

What we did like:

- hot springs at the back of the property

- open space and layout of the cabinas

- views of Arenal volcano

- the food, while not great, was good

What we didn't like:

- artificial feel of the landscaping

- the new hotel going up next door

- the proximity to the main road/traffic/noise

“Average Hotel”

Hotel Silencio del Campo

I read all the wonderful reviews on this property and was convinced this would be a great place for my husband and I to stay (stayed in mid April 2008). The hotel was very, very average. Yes, the views of the volcano are nice, but you can get that at many other establishments in the area. It was really like being at camp. The cabinas, while 'clean' as mentioned in most posts, were just that and nothing more. Just clean and average. if you are expecting comfort or a little luxury this is not the place for you (there's nothing wrong with that..i'm just giving an honest description). The bathroom was really dorm like/camp like..which was the worst part.

As far as the 'concierges', they were minimally helpful. Thank god we already had our plans in order, otherwise we would never had been given enough info on what to do.

All in all, it wasn't a BAD experience. It was just average. For the price it was okay. I just think the previous descriptions of this place make it out to be more than it is. If I were to visit Arenal again, I would likely choose another hotel-not because Silencio is terrible, but because any other place could do just as well.

As a previous poster stated..Eco Termales was GREAT. The food was excellent. i would highly recommend it.