Say your vows by a cloud-forest river or waterfall, about 90 minutes from San José, with a spa on site.
The Setting
El Silencio Lodge & Spa is in Bajos del Toro, in the central highlands of Alajuela province, about 65 km from San José's Juan Santamaría airport. It is a Relais & Châteaux lodge with Two MICHELIN Keys, set in cloud forest, with suites and villas that have private heated whirlpools or jet pools and decks looking over the mountains or the river.
The grounds hold three waterfalls and more than 2 km of trails. Las Ventanas restaurant mixes Costa Rican, Peruvian and Mediterranean cooking with produce from the lodge's organic mini-farm, Toro Bohemio Bar mixes the cocktails, and Sophia's serves coffee and pastries. Esencia Spa and the Samana Wellness Center cover massage, yoga and meditation.
The day itself
The lodge lists ceremony settings along the Gorrión River, in the Hummingbird Garden with its topiaries and at La Promesa Waterfall, with flower arches and woven branches to dress the spot. Some couples marry on the zip-line platforms high in the canopy. Indoor options include Las Ventanas, Toro Bohemio Bar and Esencia Spa.
The lodge does just-the-two-of-you ceremonies as well as small weddings with family and friends, and its wedding weekend packages bundle rooms, spa time and activities. Planners handle the florals and a farm-to-table menu built on local produce. The lodge tells us it hosts weddings for 8 to 40 guests. Ask the team about legal ceremonies, dinner set-ups and the music curfew.
Where your guests stay
Rooms are suites and villas, from a deluxe suite up to a three-bedroom villa, plus a two-bedroom riverside villa with two private heated jet pools. The Michelin Guide counts 24 rooms in all, so ask the team how many you can book and where bigger groups stay.
Guests can walk to the waterfalls, ride horses, try archery, rappel, zip-line or mountain bike. Yoga, archery, a farm visit and the Mystic Hike come with the rate. Off site, the lodge runs rafting on the Sarapiquí River and coffee and chocolate plantation tours, and Arenal's hot springs are about two hours away. The lodge says it is about 90 minutes from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO).
Plan the ceremony at La Promesa Waterfall, then book the plantation tour for the day after so guests get a taste of Costa Rican coffee and chocolate before they fly home.
Questions couples ask about El Silencio Lodge & Spa
Where can we say our vows at El Silencio?
The lodge lists the Gorrión River, the Hummingbird Garden, La Promesa Waterfall and the zip-line platforms, plus indoor spaces. Ask the team about your date.
Do they do small weddings and elopements?
Yes, the lodge offers just-the-two-of-you ceremonies as well as small weddings with family and friends.
How do we get to El Silencio Lodge?
Fly into San José (SJO), Costa Rica's main airport. The lodge is about 65 km away and says about 90 minutes by road.
How many guests can we bring?
The lodge tells us it hosts weddings for 8 to 40 guests, and there are 24 rooms on site. Ask the team about room blocks.
Is there a plan if it rains?
Yes. Las Ventanas, Toro Bohemio Bar and Esencia Spa can all host an indoor ceremony.
Facts checked against El Silencio's own website, including its wedding page, the Relais & Châteaux listing, the Michelin Guide and Costa Rica's tourist board. Ceremony details are confirmed by the venue for each wedding.
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Say I do, with a view.
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Every venue in the collection is chosen by our editors for UK couples marrying abroad. We never take commission on your wedding, so our only job is to send you somewhere right for you.
Couple reviews are coming. We only publish reviews from couples who have married here, so this venue shows none yet. How we choose venues
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