Nosara, Costa Rica - In Guanacaste, Costa Rica, a northern Pacific coastal region of Costa Rica characterized by its pristine beaches and tropical dry forests, the Harmony Hotel in Nosara stands out as a thriving example of successful sustainable tourism in action, receiving a five leaf rating from Costa Rica’s prestigious Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST). As the first hotel in the history of the CST to receive the highest rating possible on its first evaluation, the Harmony Hotel truly stands out as a role model for sustainable tourism efforts nationwide.

Costa Rica’s Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) is a complete, and rigorous, certification system endorsed by the Costa Rican government which awards hotels “leaves” on a scale of one to five based on their sustainability achievements (much like the Mobile star rating which evaluates hotel services). The CST bases its judgments on four factors:

Biological-physical: How does a property impact and/or protect its surrounding environment?
Services and Infrastructure: How does the property’s operations (including product use and disposal, water and energy management, etc.) affect the environment?
Social-Economic environment: What impact does the property have on nearby communities to promote/provide education to its staff and community and to work with community service providers.
External client: How does the property promote and teach responsible tourism with guests who visit?

The Harmony Hotel, situated on Giones Beach, Nosara, a 25 room boutique hotel featuring mostly vegetarian restaurant, a raw food juice bar and a wellness-focused spa, caters to upscale surfers, yoga enthusiasts, honeymooners and families with older children looking for an authentic and relaxed experience. Since undergoing a complete change in ownership and management, the Harmony Hotel, has set out to incorporate high levels of environmental stewardship and social responsibility into its operations. Sustainability efforts include the use of solar panels to heat up hot water on property, donations to local community groups and organizations, worm-based composting, onsite organic food production, the use of biodegradable cleaning products and guest amenities, and much more. “This is a huge honor, not only for our staff and for our community, but for the entire region of Guanacaste” states general manager Andrea Miranda. “The region of Guanacaste has recently received a good deal of criticism for permitting overdevelopment and, at times, environmental degradation. We are happy to prove that sustainable tourism is strong in Guanacaste, and a viable alternative to the traditional mass tourism model”.

For more information on the Harmony Hotel’s efforts in sustainable tourism certification, contact Hans Pfister, at hans@cayugaonline.com.