Arenas Del Mar Achieves Highest Certification for Sustainable Tourism

Arenas Del Mar Beach & Nature Resort has reached its dream of achieving the highest rating for sustainable tourism within two years of operation, and was awarded five “leaves” last week by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the first resort to achieve this distinction so soon after opening.

Managed by Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, Arenas Del Mar joins its portfolio now of four properties which have all received five leaves, including Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn, Lapa Rios Ecolodge and Harmony Hotel.

In addition, Arenas Del Mar, which opened in 2008, was awarded three stars (highest ranking) under the "Bandera Azul Ecológica" (Ecological Blue Flag) program.

Arenas Del Mar was created with sustainability in mind beginning with the planning and construction phase. The total construction of the hotel covers less than 25% of the property itself; the rest has become a private nature reserve that acts as an ecological corridor to expand the area surrounding Manuel Antonio National Park. Since the hotel’s opening, the resort has been participating in an extensive reforestation program, planting over 7000 native species of trees on the property. Another goal was to have Arenas Del Mar “blend into” the natural rainforest environment.

ICT Inspectors were impressed that Arenas Del Mar actively engaged its guests in learning about sustainability and the resort. Arenas Del Mar’s sustainability tour allows guests to get behind the scenes to find out how the resort has incorporated elements of environmental stewardship and social responsibility into its day-to-day operations. High marks were also given for the staff’s commitment of managing the sustainable operations of the resort while balancing the need to keep the property in a pristine condition that defines an eco-luxury property.