Less than two years after the opening of The Pad, a boutique hotel and hostel in Silverthorne, its owners have unveiled a second location more than 3,000 miles away. 

Perched atop a verdant mountain rainforest, The Pad at Buen Camino officially opened its doors in Costa Rica this month. Situated 38 miles from the country’s capital of San José, the four-star hotel partnered with the owners of a 128-hectare mountain bike park to provide lodging in a lush tropical rainforest in the country’s central valley. 

“The plan was always to have more Pads and have it diversified in more activities,” said Abbey Arlt, The Pad’s director of marketing. “We thought for our next location it would be really fun to get into the tropics.”

The location features six, two-bedroom casitas and four cabinas equipped with two double beds and a single day bed. Both room types can sleep up to five guests and come with kitchenettes and patio features — all in traditional Tico style. The property also boasts an on-site bar, restaurant and outdoor pool. 

In Silverthorne, The Pad has become a community hub, hosting bingo nights, guest speakers and partnering on events with local nonprofits. In Costa Rica, Arlt said the lodging company will strive to do the same. 

“We will always do what we can to integrate ourselves into the community fabric,” Arlt said. “It’s one of the things that has made our Silverthorne location so special … it creates such a more enriching travel experience.”

Along with plans to host local music and inject authentic cooking into its cuisine, The Pad’s Costa Rica location will continue the business’s commitment to sustainability. 

After securing the final site plan approval in 2018 for its Silverthorne building, The Pad’s developers put forward what was once referred to as “one of the greenest demolitions to hit downtown Silverthorne.” The hotel and hostel was ultimately constructed from 16 prefabricated shipping containers and a conventional metal frame.

Rob Baer, who founded and co-owns The PAD with his wife, Lynne, called Buen Camino ” the perfect partner” for the duo’s expansion. 

“Their commitment to sustainable tourism and preserving the natural beauty of Costa Rica aligns with our values, and we look forward to offering our guests a continued unforgettable experience in this new location,” Baer said in a statement. 

Buen Camino Bike Park founder Rob Dull, in a statement, said the Baer’s “commitment to sustainable travel aligns perfectly with our vision for eco-tourism in Costa Rica, and we’re excited to showcase the beauty of this country to a broader audience.”
More information on The Pad at Buen Camino, including reservations, can be found at thepadlife.com/sanmateo/.