Luxury Travel to The Central Cloud Forests made for you

Nature, wellness and adventure come together at El Silencio, set in a cloud forest reserve just 90 minutes from the airport in San José. Tranquillity reigns in this corner of Costa Rica, flanked by the volcano national parks of Poás and Juan Castro Blanco.

Nestled in the mountains next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, this handsome Austrian chalet-style hotel is a well-established property with a traditional feel. Views here are stunning, and the hotel strongly promotes sustainability and history. The hotel is family run and has been in operation since 1985. Yet recent refurbishments have meant that the accommodation at Belmar has all the modern amenities you would expect from a 21st-century hotel. The rooms are tastefully decorated with hardwood fittings, and have floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies to maximise the magnificent views of the Nicoya Peninsula. The newest suites are located in a separate building 100 metres from the lobby – great for those looking for some extra privacy. Service here is excellent and the restaurant serves a great breakfast buffet and delicious evening meals. Enjoy cocktails and traditional Tico appetisers during the ever-popular Happy Hour. Just south-west of the Arenal Volcano area along the Tilaran mountain range and just under a three hour (145 kilometres) from San Jose lies the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Home to over 100 species of mammals, 120 reptilian and amphibian species, 400 species of bird, and over 420 different types of orchid, this is life at its most concentrated, delicate and prolific. The Monteverde joins onto another cloud forest in the area, named the Santa Elena Reserve. With six ecological zones Monteverde is one of the few remaining habitats that support all six species of the cat family – jaguars, ocelots, pumas, oncillas, margays, and jaguarundis – as well as the endangered three-wattled bellbird and resplendent quetzal. There are over eight miles (13 km) of trails to explore this reserve. The Santa Elena, which is the first community administered reserve in the country, has also been a very supportive habitat to the Spider Monkey which you can spot, plus on a clear day you can see the Arenal Volcano from its observation tower.

Discover Costa Rica’s delicate cloud forest at the rustic Villa Blanca. The 34 cosy traditional casitas arranged over the 75-acre private Los Angeles Biological Sanctuary and Reserve are each wonderfully secluded and command immediate vistas and access to the forest. Typically Costa Rican in style, they are decorated with natural stone, dark woods, bamboo and dotted with native art pieces, corner fireplaces and the odd rocking chair or two. The deluxe casitas are definitely worth paying that little bit extra for and the honeymoon suite has it’s own private Jacuzzi. Owned by an ex-president of Costa Rica, Villa Blanca is also highly renowned for its communal ethos and village-like layout, including its own organic food garden, dairy, and greenhouses; the produce of which is served in the hotel’s restaurant and café. Staff are particularly proud of this and eager to look after guests as well as inform you about the hotel’s conservation projects. Only over an hour’s drive from San Jose airport, Villa Blanca has a peaceful and familial feel. Forest trails start from the hotel’s gardens as well as there being many private expedition programmes to choose from. There is a well-appointed spa where you could treat yourself to a massage or maybe take a yoga class.