Sustainable Tourism

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Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge is a sustainable lodge because is committed to sustainable tourism in Costa Rica, participating actively in the program of the CST (Certificación para la Sostenibilidad Turística) of the ICT (Costa Rica Tourism Board), and we do our very best to comply all the standards set by the CST. We are a real eco-lodge, in every sense of the word. Not only because of the measures we take protecting the environment, involving the local community and educating our guests, but also because of its location in the midst of the unspoiled forest; surrounded by National Parks and inside a Forest Reserve, and a one hour drive from the nearest village.

Since the existence of the lodge we carried out many actions to protect the environment and participating with the CST program we have amplified them; below are some of them listed to give you more detailed idea of our sustainable practices. Many actions are normally not visible, but nevertheless very important to minimize the impact on this fragile ecosystem:

  • We get our water by gravity, so no energy is wasted for this purpose
  • Our water is heated with solar panels on the roofs, the water is stored in isolated tanks for use
  • Most of the towels and sheets are dried in the open air, with sun and wind.
  • Our septic tanks is kept clean applying bacteria to break down all the organic residues
  • The restaurant and the Bungalows are heated with ethanol chimneys. These chimneys have a 95% efficiency, because the heat comes directly in the room. There is no duct and therefore little heat loss
  • The ethanol for our chimneys is derived from the waste of the sugar cane. This means that the crops are grown for the production of sugar, and the ethanol comes from the rest material making it a very ecological fuel
  • All the shampoos and soaps in your bungalows are biodegradable
  • All the detergents used in our laundry building are biodegradable
  • All the cleaning materials are biodegradable
  • All the dishwasher soaps in our restaurant are biodegradable
  • We produce our own organic fertilizer using worms to make the compost
  • All the additional compost purchased by the lodge is also organic
  • No insecticides and pesticides are used at the lodge
  • Our laundry building has a ´green roof´, allowing endemic ferns, bromeliads and orchids to grow on it
  • We try to buy local ingredients for our restaurant, for example the trout, honey, fruits and vegetables all come from the region
  • We recycle our waste in different categories: glass, paper and carton, plastic bottles, plastic bags, cans, chemical waste (batteries and lamps), organic waste for compost, organic rest waste and general rest waste
  • Natural light is used for illumination of our buildings, saving a lot of electricity
  • All the trails and the main road are cleaned once a month
  • We are reforesting many clearings
  • We plant mainly endemic plants and trees in our gardens and only endemic plants and trees in the forest areas
  • We have our proper organic herb and vegetable garden for most of our herbs used in our restaurant
  • Local employees are involved as much as possible, preferable from San Gerardo de Dota, if not from the Los Santos region where we belong to
  • We work only with our own and local guides
  • We promote donations to the local school and church
  • The lodge provides environmental education and explain our sustainable practices to schools in the region
  • We participate in local and community events
  • We attribute to the maintenance of the public road in San Gerardo de Dota
  • We help the Los Quetzales National Park, among others by offering them our employees for maintenance and cleaning purposes of the park.

Thanks to these actions and continuing to take new measures to improve and expand our eco-friendly policy, we have been awarded with a number of certifications for sustainable tourism in Costa Rica. Click here to see them in detail

“This spot is paradise and was the perfect place to end our honeymoon. We wanted to be immersed in Costa Rican Life. Coming here though, we’ve really been able to relax thanks to the wilderness surrounding us, the friendly people living in San Gerardo De Dota valley and of course the wonderful staff at Dantica. The views from our large windows are amazing. The food at Dantica is very delicious. The art museum and mini library are both excellent touches. Finally, we really enjoyed how eco-friendly this place is.” Glenn and Franklin, Pennsylvania USA. Hotels in Costa Rica – Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge – San Gerardo de Dota – Bird Watching Paradise