Upon deciding to take off from home for some vacation time, a counterintuitive effect often takes place on vacations which can make the sensory experience overall unsatisfying. Large resorts can prove to be impersonal and overstimulating, while many Airbnbs lack warmth or guidance— generating doubts from the guests on how to settle in before exploring.
The Rainforest Inn provides a more seamless entrance into island life, detailing high-end amenities at no sacrifice of authenticity or connection to the natural world. It’s an experience inviting guests in search of vacationing with intention, containing a likeness to meet their hearts’ existing wishes without so much effort. Even within its’ niche appeals, the uniqueness of this immersion in the rainforest spans far and wide for visitors from all walks of life. Some come in search of a romantic revamp, a peaceful pause from the hum of lawnmowers and LED glows of modern life, or to simply feel gratitude in the embrace of the unique landscape of nature.
The villa hammocks are surrounded by beautiful greenery and high-altitude views.
As global travel habits evolve, more international travelers are seeking localized, meaningful stays over standardized luxury. When accommodations mirror the setup of those in a guest’s home country, even with the intention of comfort this can substantially diminish the value of the distinctly unfamiliar experience and cultural connection that travelers seek abroad. Research indicates an increasing statistical preference for smaller-scale lodging, as there is greater potential to interact with informal cultural guides and personalized hospitality to develop a more cohesive foundation for deeper cultural immersion. According to studies from Felix, Broad, and Griffeths (2013), travelers are finding value in the local insight and personal warmth of staff that bed and breakfasts provide, overall enhancing the sense of global connection through a local lens. For international travelers at the Rainforest inn, the property’s commitment to intertwining visitors of Puerto Rico in the natural landscape sustainably provides a unique opportunity to spark organic cultural exchange within the El Yunque rainforest.
Being an intern myself living on the property, I feel assured that the sense of luxury felt here stretches beyond vacationing in the enclosure of overly curated stillness or modernity; a scene which finds fragility of ruin in physical contact with nature. The effect of staying in the Rainforest Inn will not contribute minimalistic qualities of blank pristine walls and designer beige as means of relaxation. The owners ensure to not mask or contrast from the surroundings of nature, as there is a great regard for harmonizing comfort with ecological authenticity. This form of luxury comes in the form of texture, character, and beauty in the decor and arrangements of the property in a cleanly manner. These comforts can be found in the form of river stone floors that massage your feet in the shower, screen-less windows that welcome the breeze, and handcrafted details that remind you someone poured their care to make this place feel livable and loved.
An image of the hand-built yoga room at the Rainforest inn crafted by the owners and volunteers.
The design, like the experience, is eclectic in the truest sense of the word: inspired from a wide range of sources, yet deeply cohesive. Being here, it’s clear that this destination has fallen into rhythm with the beautiful rainforest it inhabits. Mornings begin with birdsong and the echoes of laughter settling at the table for breakfast. The sunlight filters through the trees into my room differently each day, and friendly (mosquito eating) frogs of the forest serenade after dark. With it’s private yet untouched entrance into the trees, staying here offers the opportunity to live in unison with nature while still setting your own pace- be it drying off after a slippery journey for a dip in the nearby waterfall or upon swiping gently on a hammock beneath the canopy. Wherever they’re coming from and however fast they move, guests at the Rainforest Inn have the chance to deepen states of peace and awaken senses of discovery.
The inn’s lovely breakfast table surrounded by colorful native flowers and plants.
