Small Distinctive Hotels celebrará el día Internacional del turismo dándole una mano al ambiente y a sus comunidades.

El próximo 27 de septiembre se celebrará el Día Internacional del Turismo;   “para crear  conciencia sobre el papel del turismo en la comunidad internacional y demostrar cómo afecta los valores sociales, culturales, políticos y económicos en todo el mundo” según afirma la Organización Mundial del Turismo.

En los últimos años el desarrollo sostenible ha sido el camino tomado por en la industria del turismo costarricense, tal ha sido su impacto que Costa Rica ha sido nombrado en distintas ocasiones, como uno de los destinos líderes en términos de ecoturismo enfocado en la conservación ambiental, educación  así como el apoyo y desarrollo socioeconómico de las comunidades.

A razón de esta celebración y en apoyo a un desarrollo sostenible, Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica, un selecto grupo de hoteles estilo boutique localizados en las más diversas y hermosas zonas de Costa Rica, celebrarán esta fecha con diversas actividades en sus comunidades, en pro del ambiente como una acción más a toda la labor que se realiza día a día. El objetivo principal de estas actividades es hacer conciencia sobre la importancia de sentar responsabilidades ambientales, sociales y culturales entre los colaboradores, locales y turistas que visitan estas propiedades.

Actividades Programadas:

Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica celebrates World Tourism Day by giving a hand to local communities and the environment

This September 27th World Tourism Day is celebrated across the globe “(…) to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide”, according to the UN World Tourism Organization.

Sustainability is an increasingly important trend within the tourism industry, which Costa Rica has been catering to for many years. Costa Rica has frequently been named one of the world’s leading destinations in terms of ecotourism, focusing on environmental conservation and education as well as the support and empowerment of local communities.

Small Distinctive Hotels is a select group of eight luxurious boutique hotel members located in the most beautiful natural surroundings of Costa Rica. The conservation of these environments and empowerment of local communities therefore forms a substantial part of the philosophy. In this context each hotel plans to organize an event on and around World Tourism Day in order to raise awareness among staff and tourists equally, on the importance of both social and natural environment for truly successful tourism.

Activities planned by each hotel:

Colaboradores del Arenas del Mar Resort organizan la reconstrucción de la casa de dos compañeras después de la tormenta tropical Agatha

El 1 de Junio durante las horas de la noche, la tormenta Agatha golpeo fuertemente con sus vientos la zona de Manuel Antonio y Quepos.

A causa de esta tormenta dos colaboradoras del Hotel Arenas del Mar, sufrieron graves daños en sus casa por la caída de árboles. Las colaboradoras a las cuales les sucedió la desgracia de tener “un árbol literalmente metido dentro de sus casas“ fueron Maritza Reyes, quien trabaja en el área de lavandería y tiene aproximadamente dos años de laborar para el Hotel y vive en Manuel Antonio, los daños a la casa de ella más que todo fue en un cuarto, baño y parte de la cocina,  al darse la caída parcial de un árbol.

Doña Jenny Flores fue la otra persona afectada, quien tiene aproximadamente dos años de laborar para el hotel también, es camarera y vive en el barrio el Cocal, junto con sus tres hijos.

Desafortunadamente otro árbol cayó en medio de su casa destruyendo todo lo que había dentro de la vivienda. La señora es de escasos recursos y por eso su vivienda estaba construida con material de baja calidad así que todo se vino al suelo.

Sus compañeros de trabajo, de todos los departamentos del hotel, tuvieron la iniciativa de ayudar a sus colegas, e iniciaron una colecta de dinero voluntaria en donde participaron todos los colaboradores  del hotel y en conjunto con el  departamento de Recursos Humanos se hizo la organización para recaudar y distribuir el dinero para la compra de materiales.

En el caso de doña Maritza ella solicito que con el dinero el hotel le compra el material, y que ella se hacía cargo de la reconstrucción de su casa.


En el caso de doña Jenny el Hotel Arenas del Mar le donó los materiales y el dinero recaudado fue para pagar un maestro de obras que les ayudo por dos semanas a levantar la casa. En las obras de construcción de la casa de doña Jenny participaron de manera voluntaria personal del hotel ya que el dinero no alcanzaba para poder pagar una cuadrilla de constructores, apesar de que muchos no tenían conocimiento en construcción su motivación surgía de las ganas de ayudar a una compañera y sus hijos.

Durante el tiempo de reconstrucción de la obra, los empleados se  percataron de que Jenny no tenia televisor ni sillones. Pero, el día que le hicieron la entrega de la casa, le dieron la gran sorpresa de encontrar dentro de su casa un juego de sala el cual fue donado por el hotel, y un televisor de 27 pulgadas donado por una colaboradora.

¡Fue un momento muy lindo cuando ella llego a su hogar y vio todo! , comentaron las personas que participaron en la construcción.

Felicitamos al Hotel Arenas del Mar y a todo su personal por colaborar con esta iniciativa haciendo un sueño realidad.

 

Para mas informacion sobre Arenas del Mar Beach and Nature Resort, por favor visite:

Arenas del Mar Resort:

http://www.arenasdelmar.com

Small Distinctive Hotels:

http://distinctivehotels.com/our_hotels_arenas_del_mar.html

Arenas del Mar Resort: Staff organizes construction of colleagues‘ homes after tropical storm

On the night of June 1st this year, the tropical storm Agatha hit Costa Rica and caused a lot of damage in the area of Manuel Antonio. Many local families were affected and lost their homes, among which two employees of the Arenas del Mar Beach and Nature Resort whose houses were hit by a tree.


One of the two particularly unlucky employees, who „literally had a tree landing in the middle of their houses“ is Maritza Rezes, who works in the laundry area at the hotel since two years. The main damage to her house in Manuel Antonio was caused to the bathroom, bedroom as well as the kitchen – the latter only partly, since luckily the tree split in half. The other employee whose house was totally destroyed as a result of the storm is Jenny Flores, who works in the housekeeping department since two years. As a single mother with three little children Jenny’s resources are scarce, so the house was already in bad shape when the tree fell on it, which resulted in its entire destruction.

Colleagues from all departments of the hotel felt motivated to help, which eventually led to a fundraising event organized by the human resources department, in which all employees participated.


Maritza offered to take care of the construction of her new house herself, with the material that the hotel had bought for her. In Jenny’s case the hotel donated the material and the raised money was used to hire a master builder for two weeks to help build the house.

Since the money was not sufficient to hire a troop of construction workers, members of the hotel staff volunteered to participate in the construction work. Even though these volunteers did not have any knowledge regarding construction, their desire to help motivated them as they were instructed by the master builder. The Human Resources department organized the daily logistics of the volunteers.

 Upon constructing the house, the volunteering employees noticed that Jenny had not had chairs or a television in her house. So as a surprise, the hotel donated a game room and a colleague royally gifted a 27-inch television.

“It was the most beautiful moment when she arrived at her new home and saw everything”, an involved member of the hotel staff states.

We congratulate Arenas del Mar and the entire hotel staff on this beautiful initiative showing that dreams can indeed come true! 

For more information about Arenas del Mar Beach and Nature Resort, please visit:

Arenas del Mar Resort:

http://www.arenasdelmar.com

Small Distinctive Hotels:

http://distinctivehotels.com/our_hotels_arenas_del_mar.html

Sustainability Acitivies of Small Distinctive Hotels Members

In addition to a strong commitment to the national certification program, our member hotels engage in a wide range of individual activities aimed at preserving their social and environmental surroundings.

Some of the highlights of the various initiatives undertaken by the eight member hotels are provided below. For further information and a complete overview of each hotel’s sustainability activities, please follow the corresponding link by clicking on the hotel’s name.

Grano de Oro:

• Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children

• Casa Luz provides a safe living environment and education for teen mothers until they can take care of themselves and their children.

• Proparques protects and educates about Costa Rican national parks

Capitán Suizo:

• Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children

• Proparques

• Regular traditional activities for guests such as folkloric dance, music or local handcraft

Villa Caletas

• Electrical savings – by means of technology and staff education

• Use of compostable and reusable products, recycling and reforestation

• Helping local communities, training programs

Florblanca Resort

• Recycling and Waste Management

• Resource Conservation

• Interaction with the community

Casa Turire

• Fundraising for- and funding of social or educational support of local communities

• Member of Canaeco, the national chamber of ecotourism

• Proparques, Casa Luz and Piensa en Arte

Peace Lodge

The hotel is located in the midst of a lush rainforest and combined with its sanctuary for seized animals, it poses an excellent scenario for educational encounters with nature and wildlife.

Arenas del Mar

• Onsite features (e.g. energy reduction, recycling, electric cars)

• Support of local communities through gift shop and spa

• Plant-a-Tree program

Cuna del Angel

• Environmental education in schools

• Beach cleaning campaigns with Terra Nostra

• Initiation of Blue Flag program

We hope that you will not only be motivated to comply with the guidelines provided on our website and by the hotels, but will also be inspired to implement them back home. We and our member hotels also highly appreciate any feedback regarding ideas on how to increase our level of sustainability.

Wishing you sustainable travels for your next holidays and through life!

Casa Turire obtains 4 "leaves" in the sustainable tourism certification

Hotel Casa Turire, one of the most distinguished hotels in the Turrialba region and member of the exclusive hotel group Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica, is celebrating the fruits of its arduous work, in order to become one of the few luxury boutique hotels in the country, which are committed to sustainable tourism.



Sustainability is a philosophy which needs to be worked on each day; new goals need to be set, ranging from community trainings to large investments in the improvement of the infrastructure in order to use electricity and water as efficiently as possible. Nevertheless, Hotel Casa Turire hopes to continue strengthening its efforts and remain an excellent example within the Turrialba region.

In order to obtain the certification one needs to prove a balanced development within the 4 areas of evaluation: the interaction of the hotel with its biological surroundings, the dissemination of information to create awareness among guests, the social-economic development of the community as well as the efficiency of its installations.

Some examples of the good practices developed by Casa Turire:

* Recycling Program - This is a process of separation of wastes, including organic waste from the hotel and farm are treated to convert into organic compost.

* Local and sports sponsorships as well as organizing activities for educational and social boards that give support to the community.

* The hotel belong to the Cámara Nacional de Ecología (CANAECO), promoting and supporting the nature conservation and cultural values of the country.

* Hotel has reforestation area (12 hectares) and trails area.

* In our farm we produce a lot of fruits and vegetables that are fertilized using compost that is produced by organic waste to the hotel and farm, besides these products the hotel produces eggs, marmalades, cheese and are used in the kitchen to serve the different dishes that are offered at the restaurant.

* Casa Turire works with Jenaro Bonilla Aguilar School of Turrialba supporting the Ecological Blue Flag Program, giving talks and training to school staff.

For further information, please visit the following websites:

Hotel Casa Turire

or

Small Distinctive Hotels - Casa Turire

Sustainable Tourism at Small Distinctive Hotels

Sustainability is defined by the Costa Rican National Board for Tourism (ICT) as a “balanced interaction between the use of our natural and cultural resources, the improvement of the quality of life among local communities,

and the economic success of the industry, which also contributes to national development (…)”

At Small Distinctive Hotels we are aware of the fact that we depend on our social and natural environment as much as it depends on us. This awareness is reflected not only in the sustainability projects supported by Small Distinctive Hotels, but also in the numerous sustainability activities undertaken by our members.

Projects supported by the Small Distinctive Hotels Group  
· Casa Luz
· Proparques
· Piensa en Arte 

Moreover, all of our hotels are either in the process of being certified by the renowned national Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) or have already been awarded the CST certification. In fact, Arenas del Mar is one of the rare hotels in Costa Rica which have been awarded the highest possible certification level, which consists of five “leaves”.

Tourism provides a unique opportunity not only for relaxation or adventure, but also for growth. Learning about responsible travel can open one's eyes and make us more aware of the deeper levels of nature, and incorporate these new behaviors upon returning home. We actively encourage this learning process by providing information on
resonsible traveling on our website, as well as how to apply this newly learned information back home. For more information about sustainable tourism at Small Distinctive Hotels, please visit the sustainable tourism section on our website.

Please stay tuned for part two of this sustainable tourism series, where we will be introducing the specific activities undertaken by each of SDH’s member hotels.

Honeymoon Video

Most of you have probably already heard of Costa Rica as an ideal country for adventurers, nature lovers, families, etc... We would now like to introduce to you another motive to put on the long list of reasons to visit this amazing place: Spending a honeymoon in paradise!

Your Honeymoon with Small Distinctive Hotels

Costa Rica combines the ingredients most couples look for on their vacation: beautiful nature, tropical beaches, abundant wildlife as well as enough variety of activities to suit everyone’s taste. With options ranging from zip line tours over the jungle canopies, swimming with dolphins and whales, hiking in lush rain and cloud forests, white water rafting, horseback riding on beaches or in the mountains, surfing, golfing and of course simply lying on a tropical beach...

Small Distinctive Hotels offers the best to couples looking for both romance and adventure and every couple should be able to find an activity that is just perfect for them.

Our eight luxurious boutique hotels offer comfort, high quality of service, and very personalized service. When choosing Small Distinctive Hotels, you are guaranteed a one of a kind experience in Costa Rica’s most impressive sceneries. In addition, you are supporting hotels that engage in sustainable practices and understand the importance of preserving Costa Rica’s special mix of natural ingredients.

The eight hotels are scattered among some of Costa Rica's most special locations:

Grano de Oro is located on a quiet street in the centre of San José forming a quiet oasis in the heart of the city. The award-winning restaurant is one of the best of San José.

Hotel Capitan Suizo lies on the popular beach of Tamarindo, providing the high standard of service and quality the Swiss are famous for.

Villa Caletas thrones on top of a hill, stunning its visitors with exquisite views to be especially enjoyed from its Greek style amphitheatre which is also an excellent location to watch amazing sunsets. The quiet beach and elegant decoration complete the experience.

Florblanca Resort sits right on the beach of Santa Teresa which is increasingly popular for its surf. High standard yoga classes are offered daily at Florblanca, and with its Bambu Spa and highly appraised Nectar restaurant, Florblanca offers relaxation for all senses.

Casa Turire, embraced by the tranquil Angostura Lake and with the impressive Turrialba mountains in the background, this colonial style hotel makes a countryside dream come true.

The Peace Lodge provides a unique and close encounter with nature. Situated in a rainforest, with astonishing waterfalls and a sanctuary of seized Costa Rican animals, guests receive a true taste of Costa Rican nature.

Arenas del Mar is situated in the national Park of Manuel Antonio providing a uniquely luxurious combination of beach, flora and fauna.

Hotel Cuna del Angel translated as = cradle of the angel, for a honeymoon in the angelic realm with its unique ambiance and friendly service. Cuna del Angel is located on the South Pacific

Each Small Distinctive Hotel member has its own unique advantages while they are simultaneously united by their excellence in terms of luxurious comfort, quality, and service combined with strong sustainability efforts.

Honeymooners can rest assured that they make the right choice when opting for one of Small Distinctive Hotels.

Costa Rica as a Honeymoon Destination

The honeymoon is a special, romantic and passionate once-in-a-lifetime-experience and therefore deserves to be beautiful, memorable and simply perfect. Costa Rica with its lush nature, abundant wildlife, tropical dream beaches and friendly inhabitants, offers the ideal setting for such a trip. Whatever preference couples have, the choices are endless:
 

The adventurous can take zip line tours offering spectacular views over the lush canopies, set out for a white water rafting trip or try surfing on one of the many suitable beaches.  Nature lovers will find a paradise in this country which hosts 4% of the world's biodiversity and offers countless presents to the eye such as exotic birds, brightly colored frogs, sloths and depending on the season, whales and dolphins. The flora is just as impressive with tropical rain and cloud forests and endless exciting possibilities for hikes. 

Relaxation is written in capital letters in Costa Rica and couples will find that this is lived here. The national slogan "pura vida" reflects the worry-free lifestyle of taking things slow and easy. Apart from enjoying the beautiful beaches from a comfortable beach chair, yoga classes are frequently offered and each Small Distinctive Hotel has a spa for ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation.  In the end there is nothing to think about, except perhaps what to have for the next delicious dinner... 

Romantic moments are easy to create among peaceful settings of exotic nature, spectacular sunsets, beautiful beaches and warm weather. Couples choosing Costa Rica as a destination for their honeymoon choose to have an unforgettable experience that they will remember long after their tan has gone... with a big smile!

Small Distinctive Hotels - Video

Immerse yourself in the world of these eight special hotels in Costa Rica...

Small Distinctive Hotels unites Costa Rica's most luxurious boutique hotels, which are located throughout the most beautiful, diverse, and exciting regions of the country.

All Small Distinctive Hotels members provide first class service, peaceful, romantic and private ambiances as well as environmentally conscious operations. Small Distinctive Hotels provides ideal options for both honeymooners and families.

Small Distinctive Hotels presents the truly best Costa Rica has to offer.

Florblanca’s restaurant Nectar featured in the Beverly Hills Lifestyle Magazine

Florblanca Resort was featured with its open air beach restaurant “Nectar” in the summer issue of the Beverly Hills Lifestyle Magazine.

The magazine starts off with naming Florblanca Resort as one of the Country’s finest hotels and as “home to a hidden treasure” when referring to its restaurant Nectar. It goes on to describe the experience of enjoying the creative, culinary and above all tasteful expressions of the Costa Rican lifestyle made by Nectar`s young and talented chef Spencer Graves. The New American cuisine with Latin and Asian influences consists mainly of fresh seafood and locally grown organic produce and is presented as artistically as it tastes.

An emphasis is put additionally on the peaceful setting, the restaurant being embraced by green surroundings and located in close proximity to the beach, providing the ultimate views and background sounds for a relaxed meal or drink. The atmosphere and decoration of the restaurant are furthermore described as “laid back, yet refined” and matching the “chic design and style of the hotel” with details such as chairs made of sea grass and candle lit tables.

All in all the conclusion is that the Nectar Restaurant of the Florblanca Resort is the ultimate place to go for an “unforgettable tropical dining experience” and a “true taste of Costa Rica”!

To read the entire article, visit:

http://www.pagegangster.com/p/RT5Sp/116

For more information about the Florblanca Resort, visit:

http://distinctivehotels.com/our_hotels_florblanca.html

Grano de Oro chosen 2nd best restaurant for business in San José center by Costa Rican managers!

The Costa Rican magazine Eka states how experimenting with restaurants might be fun at times, however there are occasions at which it is important to know what to expect in terms of taste and service. Since lunches and dinners are frequently-used occasions for business purposes, the importance of a certain standard becomes ever more crucial For this reason Eka, the magazine for managers and entrepreneurs, has started a survey among its readers in order to find Costa Rica`s best restaurants. A total of 173 readers have responded.

The result being very positive for Hotel Grano de Oro`s public restaurant. In the category of best business restaurant in the center of San Josè, this location is the 2^nd favorite of Eka readers consisting mainly of top level executives.

 

So the next time you find yourself in San José center for business purposes you know the place to go… enjoy your meal!

The complete article can be found at:

EKA La Reviste Empresaria.

Ekaonlinea.com

No. 360 / Julio 2010-07-12

Especial de Restaurantes, Pagina 21.

For more information about Grano de Oro, visit:

http://distinctivehotels.com/our_hotels_grano_de_oro.html