La Botánica

A letter from Sylvia 

Dear future guest,

My passion is crafting unique experiences that make you feel the importance of wellness. In one way or another, I have been preparing for this my entire life. I’ve changed careers and interests a few times. I loved everything from my past, but no one thing would fully satisfy me. I went to art school, later trained and worked as a sommelier, and after some incredible twists and swirls, I made it into the movie industry designing movie sets. This led me to restaurant design, and eventually to my first hotel— The Dreamcatcher. 

Now, after parting ways with The Dreamcatcher and branching out on my own with La Botánica Hotel and Finca Victoria, I see how everything I explored and did in my life was a key element to what I do now. I am finally and completely fulfilled by what I do. I create experiences to remind you and connect you with the inherent joy in everyday living. 

I think we try to find happiness in high-paying jobs, luxurious objects, and complicated vacations. But, the truth is that happiness and joy are easily accessible. You can find them in daily rituals, in being present in your daily life, in places that comfort you, in simple food that nourishes you, and in meaningful relationships.

When I started my journey with Ayurveda, I had no idea what life had in store for me. I just knew that there was more to life than what I found in the productivity grind. As I left that stage of my life in the past, I entered the present. It’s hard to explain. As I deepened into Ayurvedic practices, I had a constant feeling of remembering. The body and soul remembering their natural state— a state of ease and flow.  Through Ayurveda, I discovered that finding joy and harmony in our modern existence is a lot easier than we think. We simply have to go back to basics. Ayurveda and its yoga practices are one with nature, and its natural processes and cycles. Ayurvedic living is simply living in tune with nature. I remembered that we are natural beings meant to coexist with nature.

Once I started to grasp the knowledge of Ayurvedic teachings, all the pieces in my life started to come together beautifully. I kept decorating, building, cooking, and creating experiences. But the way I did this shifted greatly. There was no forcing, no attachment. Everything organically funneled into a wholeness I had yet to experience. My relationships flourished, and the work I did started to change. I no longer needed to change jobs or careers. On the contrary, I wanted to deepen my understanding of the Ayurvedic practice, and share it in the spaces I was creating— through meaningful experiences centered around joy and wellbeing.

To me, La Botánica Hotel and Finca Victoria are so much more than hotels and wellness centers. They are the physical manifestation of a beautiful journey— a journey of remembering, of coming closer to nature, trusting the wisdom it offers, and trusting its beauty and power. This trust, inevitably, inspires us to trust the beauty and power within. 

I wish for my spaces to inspire you to trust your journey. And when you visit us, to let go, and experience nature and Ayurveda’s magic as you walk through our house, taste our food, commune in our garden, and remember. 

Con Amor,

Sylvia