Arenas del Mar Beach and Nature Resort

Learing to dance Salsa and Merengue

2010-04-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday night, guests at Arenas Del Mar have the chance to learn how to dance Salsa and Merengue. One ofour waiters at the hotel, Davy and his wife, act as dance teachers and encourage guests to experience moving their bodies to Latin rhythms. By the way...there is a song that was composed just for Arenas Del Mar on the Movimientos Ecosalsa Album.

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Arenas Del Mar Team is Ready for the Lapathon!

2010-04-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

On April 15th, the staff at Arenas Del Mar held its qualification race to determine the 5 runners that would represent the hotel at the Lapathon Race in Lapa Rios, Osa Peninsula on May 1st. The track was two rounds along the beach between Espadilla Norte Beach to the entrance of the National Park and back. The winner was Bryan who works at the Reception. For more information on the race in Lapa Rios that collects funds for a good cause, see www.laparios.com/lapathon.

History, customs and culture...

2010-04-13T14:26:00.001-07:00

On April 11th, we had the local dance Group Saragundi from Quepos perform at the restaurant of Arenas Del Mar. Their dance performance was an interpretation of the history of Quepos. These kind of activities are important for the hotel as it supports local talent and allows guests to learn more about the history, customs and culture.

Our New Cameras!

2010-04-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last week, we started to place cameras with motion sensors in the rainforest surrounding Arenas Del Mar in Manuel Antonio. Many animals can be seen during the day on the hotel grounds, but some of the nocturnal species are often hard to see. The picture above shows a raccoon. They are most active at night and feed on crabs, lizards, seeds and fruits. A few of our guards have seen an Ocelot (small wild cat) on the property at night and we hope to get a picture of him or her soon. Stay tuned…

Win a complementary 3 night stay at Arenas Del Mar!

2010-04-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

We offer a complimentary three night stay at Arenas Del Mar for the winner of our photo and essay contest. Submit a minimum one page essay backed up by a photo or short video on your stay at Arenas Del Mar or any other Cayuga managed hotel. We will post your submission on our webpage and select the winner. Deadline is May 15th. For questions, please contact us at info@cayugaonline.com.

Planting Trees in Manuel Antonio

2010-04-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

The other day, we took another group of guests staying at Arenas Del Mar to take part in our plant a tree program and as you can see in the pictures, it was a great success for everybody involved. Guests make a donation of $15 for each planted tree and that Money is used by Arenas Del Mar to support a social or educational project in the Manuel Antonio or Quepos community. For more Information on the program or to set this up for your next stay, contact Silvia, our Sustainability Coordinator, at sostenibilidad@arenasdelmar.com.

2010-04-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

We have started the wildlife presentations in our lobby at Arenas Del Mar conducted by Ersel, our on-site nature guide. During these presentations, Ersel gives a more in depth explanation of the flora and fauna that can be found on and around the hotel’s premises and in Manuel Antonio National Park. He answers questions about raccoons, monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs, iguanas and more. This presentation is especially interesting for families and children.

Thirsty Monkey!

2010-03-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

We see monkeys all the time here in Manuel Antonio. What we don’t see is that the monkeys drink water from hotel pools. Arenas Del Mar is probably an exception. First, we are located in the middle of the rainforest with views of the National Park and we treat our pools without harmful chemicals. Our ionization system kills bacteria, but does not kill animals or the skin of our guests. If you don’t believe us, just ask this little white face monkey taking a sip from our pool…

Espadilla and Playitas Beaches in Manuel Antonio received Blue Flag Award

2010-03-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the hard work of the garden staff of Arenas Del Mar Beach & Nature Resort, we were awarded the Blue Flag Award with three stars by the Costa Rica Tourism Ministry this month. It shows the hotel’s dedication to take care of the hotel’s beaches and to make sure many more generations can enjoy Costa Rica’s beautiful coastline and the flora and fauna around it.

A helping hand…

2010-03-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

On March 18th, some of the Arenas Del Mar staff members went to the “Republica de Corea School” in Quepos, near Manuel Antonio to donate school uniforms and supplies to five children in need of this support. The funds for this program are generated by guest donations as well as a voluntary “plant a tree” tour where guests are invited to plant a tree and voluntarily donate $15 for social causes or environmental protection activities.

Beach Cleanup at Playa Espadilla

2010-03-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

On March 5th, five staff members of Arenas Del Mar spent aa morning cleaning up the beach between Arenas Del Mar and the Manuel Antonio National Park. At least once a month, a team of volunteers from Arenas Del Mar heads out to the beach to collect all kind of trash that will later be separated into recyclables and nor recyclables at the hotel. These kind of activities are usually coordinated by Silvia, the sustainability coordinator of the hotel.

Green Iguana Project

2010-03-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, officials from the Costa Rican Environment Ministry visited us to ask for help with a Green Iguana Project. They had found 400 eggs in danger of not hatching properly and brought them to Arenas Del Mar to bury them in the sand. About 30 have hatched already. The first few weeks, they are held in a small protected area to make sure they are not eaten by other animals on the property. By the way, the first week of their lives, they eat "big iguana poop" and so one of our gardener had to collect iguana poop in different locations here in Manuel Antonio...fun stuff. We will keep you posted on progress and within the next months, you should be seeing many Green Iguanas all over Arenas Del Mar.

Not your typical roadsign…

2010-03-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

When arriving at Arenas Del Mar in Manuel Antonio, all cars are left at the entrance of the property and we take you with electric carts through the rainforest to the lobby and then to your room. So there is no traffic and noise and the only thing to worry about on the roads is the occasional monkey or iguana crossing.

2010-03-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

The first EcoSalsa CD called Movimientos was recenly launched to the market. The CD is a musical tribute to ecotourism, Costa Rica’s National Parks, latin rhythms and the most distinguished sustainable hotels and resorts in Costa Rica. The funds raised from this CD will help in supporting the Cayuga sponsored Equilibrium Foundation. Arenas Del Mar has a song and a special video was made for the song. Check it out!

2010-03-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Curious to learn about how a resort can combine top-notch service with the highest levels of sustainability? Go behind the scenes to find out how Arenas Del Mar has incorporated elements of environmental stewardship and social responsibility into its day-to-day operations, allowing guests who stay with us to truly leave a positive impact in Manuel Antonio. From biodegradable cleaning products to earthworm powered composting, this tour is truly fascinating and inspiring for all guests interested in conservation, sustainable development, ecotourism and green living.

Arenas Del Mar Achieves Highest Certification for Sustainable Tourism

2010-03-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Getting your hands dirty….

2010-03-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

… is part of the commitment to recycling, and this February, the restaurant staff at Arenas Del Mar in Manuel Antonio took part in the process of revision, sorting and weighing the materials for recycling. The hotel has separate waste dispensers in all departments and buildings for both staff and guests. Waste reduction and recycling are top priorities in our recycling program. All hotel employees will be part of this process in order to raise staff awareness and realize the importance of separating waste properly in each of the areas of the hotel where we work and to take this habit home and share with the family, neighbors and friends.

2010-02-20T11:55:00.000-08:00


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This month, our nature guide Ersel has taken his first group of guests on the sustainability tour. The tour takes the guests of Arenas Del Mar Beach & Nature Resort in Manuel Antonio through the back of the house and gives them an insight into the practices of sustainability at the hotel. We look at solar panels, the treatment plant and irrigation system, recycling and composting, tree nursery and much more. More details on the sustainability program are available here.

A similar tour is available at all of the Cayuga managed properties in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Find out the location of the hotels here.

2010-02-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

The staff living area at Arenas Del Mar called “Petatillo” hosted the second edition of our ping pong tournament. It was a tough competition, due to the heat in the rainforest and a field of strong contenders. The final was disputed between Erick, who had won the last edition of the tournament and Jairo, our Guest Services Manager, who competed for the first time. Over 20 fans, most of them supporting the reigning champion enjoyed a tough 5 set game that was finally won by Jairo. Few times, Manuel Antonio has seen such a high level of ping pong and the third edition of the tournament is already in the planning!

Great Inspiration

2010-02-14T09:55:00.000-08:00


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This weekend, our staff at Arenas Del Mar had the chance to interact with 31 year old Lawrence Molina, who was a participant in the Sidney Paralympics. Lawrence was born without legs but has become a high level athlete and is currently training to participate in the London Paralympics. Our staff was highly impressed with his life story and determination to overcome his physical limitations. A great example for all of us and it makes us think again next time we complain about how hard life is for us…

Sharing the Knowledge!

2010-02-10T11:20:00.000-08:00


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On February 1st, one of our staff members (Jose Palomo) did a training on the Certificate of Sustainable Tourism to the rest of his team.

The Certificate for Sustainable Tourism is a program that seeks to categorize and certify each tourism company according to the degree to which its operations comply to a model of sustainability.

We at Arenas Del Mar feel very happy when one of our team members takes the initiative to share their knowledge with colleagues or people in the community. Great job Jose!

Do you remember?

2010-02-06T19:02:00.000-08:00


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Do you remember the two eggs found during one of the Nature Hikes at Arenas Del Mar Beach near Manuel Antonio National Park? After 40 days of incubation, we now have two little T urkey Vulture Chicks.

The two adults feed the chicks by regurgitating food for them, and care for them for 10 to 11 weeks. The young start to fledge at about nine to ten weeks. Family groups remain together until fall.

Help us to give them a name…!

Turkey Vulture Eggs!

2010-01-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

During one of our hikes in the rainforest surrounding Arenas Del Mar in Manuel Antonio, we found some Turkey Vulture eggs on the ground. Our Naturalist Guide, Ersel, explains that the Turkey Vulture is a bird that eats dead animals and has a better smell sense than another species of vultures. They have a very strong digestive system that allows them to eat dead animals with bacteria of anthrax and cholera without any problem.

Beware of Monkeys!

2010-01-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

All transportation within the Arenas Del Mar Nature Reserve (11 acres in total) is either by walking or golf carts. But our cart drivers need to be extremely careful and make sure there are no accidents with iguanas or monkeys crossing the road. So far all went well. No other luxury hotel in Manuel Antonio combines the rainforest location with direct access to two beaches and spectacular views of the National Park.

Green Short Nose Vine Snake in the Reserve!

2010-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00


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This week, our Naturalist Guide at the hotel, Ersel, found a green short nose vine snake in the Arenas del Mar reserve. This is not a snake that attacks humans, but is beautiful to watch as it gracefully goes up and down the trees. Its preferred prey are lizards and frogs and it is quite active even during the day as it is very well camouflaged with its green color. There is an onsite guide available at Arenas Del Mar to explore the nearby Flora and Fauna or to take a private tour to the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of Costa Rica’s most famous national parks.