El Silencio Lodge & Spa

Costa Rica was doing ecotourism before anyone else was, so it’s no surprise that this most socially-minded of tropical paradises would be among the first to update the industry to fit the very current trend of green-luxury fusion. El Silencio Lodge, deep in the country’s mountainous jungle region, is luxury travel for the “Inconvenient Truth” generation. It’s environmentalism gone high-end, not the other way around. Guests are expected to appreciate the use of natural cleaning products and low-consumption light bulbs along with the high-thread count sheets and the private hot tub. And if simply patronizing such a worthy establishment feels inadequate, the resort also offers the option of offsetting the carbon generated by air travel to Costa Rica, or even a year’s worth of driving, by contributing to the resort’s efforts to preserve the cloud forest. As ecotourism is best experienced outside of one’s hotel room, El Silencio is designed to help visitors explore the tropical forest via foot, horse, river raft, mountain bike or even zip-line. An “eco-concierge” is always on hand to coordinate various jungle expeditions and to make recommendations based on visitors’ personal interests. When it’s time to unwind, the spa offers a range of treatments, from a simple massage to an hour in the mysterious Conical room, which, we are told, channels the healing powers of the lush jungle setting — and there’s a lovely open-air yoga studio available as well. The restaurant serves a variety of Costa Rican-inspired international dishes, and the unifying theme is El Silencio’s favorite concept: “wellness.