Finca Rosa Blanca: has had a policy since opening in 1985 to leave the smallest possible footprint on the environment and surroundings and is the first certified sustainable hotel in Costa Rica!
At the hotel and organic coffee plantation, operations are run with:
Solar panels for water heating, certified organic coffee where waste from the coffee is used for composting, copper and silver ionization is used to clean the pool. The hotel has eco-toilets, composts, recycles, and sorts waste.
They grow their own organic vegetables for use in the restaurant.
All employees at the hotel are local residents.
They educate and donate to schools and nearby villages.
Nayara Springs: At Nayara, sustainable tourism is a driving force. They believe in building in harmony with nature, leaving space for wildlife and wilderness, while contributing to the growth of the local community. They are proud of their many social and environmental initiatives. They are eco-friendly and socially responsible without compromising on design or culture.
Local Community: They think locally: they want the local community to thrive. The majority of the hotel team comes from the neighboring town of La Fortuna de San Carlos. Nayara provides them with free transportation, training in sustainable tourism, and health services. Some additional local initiatives include free early education for employees’ children, volunteer time and financial support to Hogarcito de Niños, a local orphanage, and support for local artists.
Energy and Water Conservation:
They have built sustainable and renewable buildings. Land topography allows rooms to be cleverly oriented to maximize the effects of sunlight and ventilation, minimizing the need for air conditioning and heating. They use energy-efficient light bulbs and lighting systems, as well as water-saving faucets and towels.
Nayara Springs was awarded the Costa Rican government’s coveted Four Leaves Award for Sustainability for its efforts and for supporting the four principles of sustainability that ensure it remains one of Costa Rica’s premier eco-resorts.
At Pacuare Lodge, they work with sustainable tourism:
• Pacuare Lodge was built with minimal impact on the surrounding forest and river. No trees were cut down to accommodate bungalows and lodges; instead, they are built with timber from a reforestation project run by small farmers. The roofs were made by local Cabécar Indians in their traditional style with palm leaves gathered in our forest reserve.
• Over the years, the lodge has purchased 340 hectares (840 acres) of rainforest along the Pacuare River for conservation and to offset CO2 emissions from lodge vehicles, making our tours carbon neutral. Parts of the forest were in danger of being cleared before being purchased, but are now strictly protected in order to preserve the flora and fauna living there. Since the goal is the preservation of this pristine virgin rainforest, no visitors are allowed into this area.
• The lodge’s bathrooms are equipped with biodegradable soap and shampoo, and shower water is solar heated. Lodge wastewater flows into a unique drainage system to avoid polluting the nearby river.
• Bungalows are illuminated with lanterns and candles, and the small amount of electricity used at the lodge is clean energy generated by a turbine in a nearby stream.
• The lodge uses organic products as much as possible in meals served at the lodge and during rafting trips.
• With the help of its guests, former pastures along the Pacuare River are reforested with native tree species to offset carbon emissions from vehicles and improve the area’s environmental health. As these trees grow, they absorb tons of atmospheric carbon while improving habitat for wildlife.
• They help biologists study jaguars in the forests along the Pacuare River by providing them (the biologists) with food, lodging, and logistical support, as well as purchasing digital cameras that researchers set up on trails to photograph these elusive animals.
• They are reintroducing howler monkeys to the forest reserve; these were eradicated by native hunters many years ago. They rescued the first group of eight monkeys reintroduced from an island in a nearby river where they would have been stranded after a flood.
• The lodge has a rigorous recycling program extending from headquarters to the lodge. At the lodge, they compost organic waste and separate recyclable materials for transport to recycling companies. At lunches served during the Pacuare River tour, they use recyclable plates, cups, and cutlery rather than the disposable plates and cups used by other rafting companies.
• They have installed a biodigester to produce gas from organic waste from the Pacuare Lodge kitchen. Gas produced will be used for cooking and heating water in the bungalows.
• When washing laundry, greywater is saved and only biodegradable detergents are used.
• They are trying to get the Costa Rican government to award the Pacuare River a Blue Flag in recognition of the clean environment, and they are in the process of obtaining CST (Certification for Sustainable Tourism).
Sustainable tourism should improve the lives of local residents, and they have donated to and initiated projects in the communities closest to Pacuare Lodge. Infrastructure in this remote area is poorly maintained, and there are few job opportunities, which is why they are careful to hire local residents. Here is what they have done so far:
• All Pacuare Lodge staff are from nearby communities, and 95% of the lodge’s rafting guides are from Turrialba, the closest town to the lodge.
• They donate school supplies and other materials to three elementary schools in the communities closest to the lodge, and they accept donations from our guests, handing them over to the schools in full (no administrative fees deducted).
• The lodge is helping an isolated Cabécar Indian community near the lodge install a drinking water system.
• The lunch spot for Pacuare River tours is purchased from a Cabécar family.
• They provide environmental education and explain their sustainable practices to locals, staff, and guests.
• They purchase food and other goods from local suppliers and support organic farming.
They run a variety of programs in conservation, local community, tree planting, and cultural programs.
Hotel Aguas Claras: Takes sustainability very seriously and is engaged in:
Nature Conservation: Twice a month, many employees volunteer to clean up and maintain one of the main nature trails in Cahuita National Park. The park protects over 55,000 hectares of marine area that serves as a nesting ground for sea turtles and houses the largest coral reef on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, as well as nearly 3,000 hectares of coastal land.
Beach Cleanup – Once a month, they volunteer with the local community to clean up nearby beaches.
Local Community & Education – At Hotel Aguas Claras, they believe the concept of “local” is the key to sustainable hospitality. That is why they hire locally, buy locally, and invest in their community.
Many schools in this rural area of Costa Rica have limited resources. One of them is the Manzanillo School, which the hotel supports through two projects.
The first works to maintain and improve basic school building infrastructure. The second focuses on educational programs teaching young students about the importance of environmental conservation and inspiring them to protect their surroundings.
Both programs rely on the generosity of guests in making donations, and on employees volunteering their time to support the school.
Living sustainably also means taking care of physical, mental, and social well-being. That is why they ensure healthcare is accessible to their staff. Every employee at Aguas Claras has access to a company doctor in Puerto Viejo. For a nominal fee of just $1.50 USD per month, all medical consultations are free for them and their children.
Hotel Aguas Claras strives to create opportunities for professional growth for its staff. For the hotel, it begins with a sense of job security. 100% Costa Rican staff are employed year-round and are never laid off during low season, as is the case with many resorts. They run cross-training courses and promote internally whenever possible, and many of the employees have been with Aguas Claras for several years.
