Costa Rica Eco Lodges
As an advocate for eco-tourism, Costa Rica has some of the best eco hotels in the world at the forefront of sustainable lodging.
Costa Rica has long been a world leader in sustainable tourism. The tourism board of Costa Rica has created a thorough program in which its hotels are classified according to their environmental footprint. The following accommodations are considered the most sustainable lodging options in Costa Rica.
Explore Eco Lodges
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Westin Reserva Conchal Golf Resort and Spa All Inclusive
Guanacaste, Tamarindo BeachAll Inclusive, Eco, Resort -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Manuel How is sustainability measured in Costa Rica eco hotels?
Boutique Hotels
The Costa Rica Tourism Board created the Certification of Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) to measure environmental sustainability in the tourism sector. The CST consists of five levels or “leaves” in which participating hotels can score between zero and five leaves. The program has been a fantastic motivating force for businesses to improve their operations in sustainability. Certifications are available for renewal every two years.
The CST evaluates five areas of sustainability:
• Physical-biological environment: the relationship between the hotel and the surrounding environment
• Service plant: internal systems in the company in relation to waste management and water and light saving technologies.
• Service management: how the company designed a tourism product according to market trends and the localities of where the product will be put into operation
• Client: management invites client participation in the hotel’s sustainability programs
• Socioeconomic environment: the interaction between the facility and local community such as employment generation, response to growth or development in the community, and attaining benefits for the community
What are some things Costa Rican eco hotels are doing to be more sustainable?
Some features that will earn a hotel five leaves are solar heating on all houses, residual treatment plants, wood from fallen trees, oil-based natural paint, and roofs made from recycled materials. Many hotels offer tree-planting experiences to guests, have their own gardens, and buy ingredients they don’t have on hand locally. At Lapa Rios Ecolodge, food leftovers go to pigs that live just outside the resort. Biogases from the pigs are then used to operate the staff kitchen.
Leaf Level Compliance
Each leaf level corresponds to a percentage of compliance. To acquire one leaf, compliance must be at 20-39%. For two leaves, compliance must be 40-59%. For three leaves, compliance must be 60-79%. For four leaves, compliance must be 80-94%. And for the highest categorization of five leaves, compliance must be 95% or greater.
