Pura Vida Hotel

Overview

Description

• Poas Volcano - the largest active volcano crater, overlooks the hotel gardens.
• La Paz Waterfall – includes a walk through five waterfalls as well as the largest butterfly garden in the country.
• Irazu Volcano – a spectacular, green, lake-filled main crater and four other craters within walking distance.
• Zoo Ave – a bird and animal rehabilitation facility funded by a beautiful, natural zoo.
• Sarapiquí River – access to the Caribbean via one of the largest rain forests in Costa Rica.

Rooms

6

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 7

Percentage of local employees: 100%

We maintain the standard hotel green practices - recycling bins in every room, re-circulating waste water to the gardens, using farm runoff water in dry season for gardens, re-use of towels/sheets when possible, cold water laundry etc.

We also work with the local primary school to help educate local kids. Their library was built primarily from our guest donations, and we do school visits every week with hotel guests to encourage idea exchange.

We are also working on one of the first public school Web sites: www.escuelatuetalsur.com - a project still in process.

In addition we are working actively to promote rural tourism through the rural tourism association ACTUAR - contact Kyra Cruz at actuar@racsa.co.cr for more information.

Pura Vida Hotel participates in the Pack for a Purpose program, where guests can bring school supplies, medical supplies, and other small items from home to donate to the local community. Guests simply drop off their donation at the hotel's front desk, and Pura Vida will deliver it for them.

Rates

$51 – $75

Rates include breakfast and international airport pickup.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.puravidahotel.com/rooms.html (available in English).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San José (SJO).

Travel time to nearest airport: 10 minute

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 2.5 miles (4 km).

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.keytocostarica.com/green-rating.htm (available in English).

Date This Information Was Provided

September 2009.

Photos courtesy of Pura Vida Hotel, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.