perhaps my fairly negative view on customer service in the lac region was because i never visited costa rica before... wow. customer service at el silence was amazing - very helpful yet very laid back - exactly what we were looking for during a relaxing and restful vacation. i was a little skeptical about the eco-concierge before our arrival (perhaps because i didn't really understand the concept) but ronald made our stay extra memorable. it was nice having a friendly face to go to when you had a question or needed assistance. plus, he was an excellent tour guide on our way to sjo!
the hotel and property are gorgeous - in the middle of the mountains. from our balcony the only thing you could see was forest and the only thing you could hear were birds, the river and the hot tub (if we had it warming up). this is definitely a great place to go if you want to disconnect, unwind and de-stress! i'm normally addicted to my iphone so i loved not having internet in the room as temptation. that said, if you do need to use the internet, they have a pretty good connection in the lodge and allow guests to use a computer, should they not have equipment with them. there is also no television, but honestly who needs a tv when you have such a stunning view from bed/the balcony? the rooms are very homey, yet modern and extremely spacious. our room (#1) did not have a fireplace, which was a bit disappointing since that was something we were looking forward to... don't know if that is something new or just our room but the space heater worked well. the bathrooms have a very nice shower, toilet and dual sinks. the bed was one of the most comfortable beds i've ever used. i think i averaged about 11 hours of blissful sleep each night!
we really enjoyed hiking on the property's well-maintained trails. the waterfalls are gorgeous and a nice reward after a good hike. i would suggest you invest in hiking shoes before the trip and break them in - i saw some couples in sneakers and i could not imagine hiking in them, especially during rainy season when things were even more damp and muddy! (also bring enough comfy clothes for lounging around in the room - it gets very cold.)
speaking of which, keep in mind that especially during rainy season, all of your gear will not get fully dried out. there is so much moisture in the air (you are in the cloud forest after all!) that it was nearly impossible for stuff to dry. the hotel offers laundry service for $1 per item or if you are going home after your stay, like we were, just do the laundry right away to avoid mold and mildew. the hotel also offered a complimentary shoe cleaning before departure, which was a really thoughtful touch!
if it was me, i would not recommend driving to the hotel unless you are really familiar with mountain driving. you're on vacation, why stress about hairpin turns that overlook a valley 500+m below? it wasn't that long of a drive from sjo, but on both trips the fog was really bad. only once did we regret not renting a car (to visit the volcanoes; the hotel does not offer a tour to poás and the tour to arenal was prohibitive - next time we'll just stay for a few nights in la fortuna). in general, i found the tours to be quite expensive, but since you are in the middle of nowhere, i guess it is expected.
as most of the other reviewers mentioned, the food at el silencio was very, very good. farm to table dining at its best! the salmon trout (which they farm on property) was out of this world - i'm craving some now! it was nice to be at an all-inclusive property where you could order from a menu. while the food may be all-inclusive, el silencio is about the furthest thing from a stereotypical all-inclusive experience. the hotel had a nice list of drink options, but the wine selection (particularly by the glass) was pretty limited. coffee was of excellent quality. snacks were offered each day (both in the complementary minibar and delivered to the room). it was a very nice touch, especially when raining!
while the hotel is definitely on the expensive side, i would say it is a good value due to the customer service provided, quality of the food and rooms, location and amenities. we found an unbelivable deal on jetsetter.com (flash sale), which made it even better value.
overall, we had an amazing time at el silencio and look forward to returning!