I wrote last time about things that inspire me, a great book, movie or artistic performance, but it is not often that one gets inspired by a hotel. Well that happened to me this weekend as I had the privilege to stay in one of the four hotels in Costa Rica that have earned the highest ranking in the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism program. The name of the hotel is Villa Blanca. It is located in the cloud forest of Los Angeles near San Ramon in the province of Alajuela. The hotel was built in the early 90’s by former Costa Rican president Rodrigo Carazo. However, in 2004 it was purchased and remodeled by Jim Damalas, who is a pioneer in sustainable tourism in Costa Rica. Damalas also owns the hotel Si Como No in Manuel Antonio, which happens to be on of the other hotels that have the highest sustainability rating. He is also founder of the Green Hotels Group, a group of hotels dedicated to sustainable practices that includes the two aforementioned as well as the Aguila de Osa Inn in Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. At Villa Blanca, the hotel staff is 95% “Ramonese,” or comprised of locals from the region where the hotel is located. Recycling is a major means of sustainability for the hotel, which recycles its own hotel waste, produces its own compost, uses only organic pesticides, cultivates native plants used in landscaping, and operates its own organic greenhouse that supplies many of the delicious veggies one can sample in its restaurant. Speaking of recycling, I was surprised to learn that the terracotta style roofing of the 34 “casitas” are actually made from recycled banana waste. The hotel receives water from wells fed by natural springs tested regularly for purity. The hotel uses only biodegradable cleaning products. While it is difficult to generate electric power from the sun in a “cloud forest” the hotel uses propane water heaters rather than electric and low wattage fluorescent lighting is used throughout the hotel. The hotel encourages its guests to get involved with sustainability and offers nightly movies on conservation topics and also offers programs in which guests (kids and adults) can learn first-hand about how conservation of natural resources and biodiversity benefits us all. The hotel also hosts a biodiversity research center operated by InBio, the only such center of its kind in Costa Rica that operates in conjunction with a hotel. One feature of the hotel that is really cool is the Mariana Chapel, which was built in 1997 to commemorate the 50th wedding anniversary of President Rodrigo Carazo and First Lady Estrella Carazo. The ceiling of the chapel (or Capilla) is comprised of hand painted ceramic tiles that represent the story of the Virgin Mary as depicted by local cultures. On the hotel grounds, which cover 30 hectares (or 75 acres), there are numerous hiking trails through the dense primary cloud forest. The hotel also offers a canopy tour and horseback guided tours around the nearby Finca La Julieta, a dairy farm operated by the Carazo family. From the high-points of the hotel grounds you can get a nice view of the Arenal Volcano on a clear day. The rooms and amenities of the hotel are 100% tico-style and what I would call “rustic elegance.” The food in the restaurant is excellent. The hotel is on the main route to La Fortuna, or the Arenal Volcano, so it is a great stop on the way there. It is also less than an hour from the international airport in Alajuela. If you want to get away from it all, be pampered and at the same time know that the dollars you are spending are helping conserve the incredible nature and biodiversity that surrounds you, then Villa Blanca is a great choice. We are currently featuring it on our Sustainability Package. As for me, I can’t wait to go back.

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