Costa Rican Hotels Selected Among the World’s Best Travel Destinations

Condé Nast Traveler, Andrew Harper and Travel & Leisure, three publications of great renown have included the Costa Rican hotels El Silencio and Arenas del Mar among their places to visit list for 2008. The editors of the magazines explained on their websites that they sent undercover reporters all around the world in order to evaluate service and installation quality, as well as tourist complements such as tours. The reporters were sent to the five continents to seek the best there is. In the case of Condé Nast Traveler, 130 hotels have been chosen annually since 2005. This is the second time that Costa Rican hotels have appeared on their exclusive list. In 2007, Gaia Hotel and Reserve and Xandari were chosen.

Condé justified having chosen El Silencio stating, “In the country that practically invented ecotourism, El Silencio sets a new standard for responsible luxury. The 16 khaki-colored cottages are built of environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo tiles, with lamp bases and towel racks fashioned from logs and twigs. (There are also plans to begin education programs for the community.) The identical one-room cottages—each with a king-size bed, two plush sofas that can double as extra sleeping nooks, and a gas fireplace to cut the morning chill—are plenty roomy, but the biggest draw is beyond the sliding glass doors: As you watch the late-afternoon mist slide over the lushly forested mountains from your cottage's rail-less porch, you'll know why this is called the cloud forest. The largely local staff are ever present and eager to please, whether you're up for a guided walk through the adjacent 500-acre reserve to several waterfalls—some gushers and others trickles—or yoga practice on the open-air platform at the spa. Chef Marco González's Costa Rican–fusion food is among the best in the country, sourced from the resort's own organic garden and nearby purveyors of produce and naturally raised chicken and fish.”

The magazine gushed about Arenas del Mar:
“The idyllic jungle-meets-beach location of this Pacific Coast resort means guests can spot two-foot iguanas, white-faced monkeys, and birds of myriad species without even leaving their poolside loungers; and strong eco credentials should ensure the wildlife sticks around. (Few trees were felled to make way for the property, thousands more have been planted, solar panels heat the water, and electric buggies ferry guests to their rooms.) The upper-level thatched reception, pool, bar, and restaurant area overlooks Playa Espadilla, a wide beach with the occasional sculptural rock, and there's another pool and café serving tasty wraps and salads on Playitas Beach, a sheltered cove that once had a nudist colony. The seven three-story buildings that house the 38 rooms look somewhat out of place amid the leafy environs; their sand-brick-encased windows and concrete staircases could have come from Miami, while marble-and-mosaic-tile bathrooms, heavy curtains, and flat-screen TVs make the rooms feel more city hotel than ecolodge; still, they're spacious and comfortable, and many have spectacular ocean views. El Mirador offers superb modern Costa Rican cuisine with an emphasis on seafood, served by an enthusiastic staff.”