Hotel Las Colinas

Overview

Description

Las Colinas Boutique Hotel is a warm and friendly place managed by the López Fernández family that has offered lodging services to thousands of people from around the world for the last 20 years. The hotel was remodeled in 2008 and today offers much more comfortable rooms, open areas such as the garden terrace, and balconies with beautiful views of Arenal Volcano.

Las Colinas is in the heart of the town of La Fortuna, right in front of the impressive and active Arenal Volcano, which allows guests to travel with ease to all of the tourism areas such as Arenal National Park, the Río Fortuna waterfalls, and the hot springs. You can also go hiking, rafting, on canopy tours, and walking around town to visit shops and restaurants, see the people, and experience everyday life.

Each guest that visits Hotel Las Colinas will have an authentic experience and receive the friendly and personalized service that only our more than 20 years of experience can give you.

Rooms

• 14 standard rooms for individuals and families and/or groups, with capacity for 5 people.
• One honeymoon junior suite with jacuzzi.
• One junior Suite with a balcony view of Arenal Volcano.
• One fully wheelchair accessible room with capacity for 3 people.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 7

Percentage of local employees: 100%

• Las Colinas Boutique Hotel has a solid commitment to the environment and earned four out of five leaves from the Certification for Sustainable Tourism as well as other awards for its corporate social responsibility activities.
• During the remodeling of the hotel, we used a sustainable architectural structure that is notable for its open passageways, beautiful semi-open terrace, balconies, polycarbonate roofing, and subdued paint colors for the walls and furnishings. Solar collectors were also included to heat water for the showers, the restaurant, and the treatment plant.
• The hotel participates in several environmental and social programs. For example, it began coordinating activities for the Ecological Blue Flag program for the community of La Fortuna two years ago; it participates in the Association of Small Tourism Entrepreneurs of La Fortuna, encouraging ongoing training for family enterprises in the area; it provides aid to local organizations such as the Arenal Volcano Foundation and Acopio Z-13; and it also works with programs of the International Pro-Parks Foundation, the Rainforest Alliance, and the Energy Network Foundation BUN-CA.
• Las Colinas has a volunteer project to support the La Guaria school. It coordinates the participation of hotel guests in improving the school, which educates 22 children between 6 and 12 years of age. Participants can help by working or making a direct donation to the school. Learn more on our website.
• The regeneration project for the CTP La Fortuna farm is another initiative that promotes the planting of a native tree to tourists. A visit to this project includes a tour to the deer farm, dairy farm, and pig farm guided by students from the educational center; selecting a tree for reforestation; a hike in the secondary and gallery forest; and finally, the planting of the tree in the area undergoing regeneration.

  At the end, clients enjoy tropical fruits and are given a sticker with our business logo and the CTP La Fortuna regeneration project, which verifies that they supported this program and planted a tree, thereby mitigating their carbon footprint in Costa Rica. Participation in the tour costs $20 per person and includes the tree from a certified forestry source.

Rates

$51 – $75

Rates depending on room type and the number of guests:

• Economic rooms: $45-$79
• Standard: $65-$122
• Junior Suites: $80-$98

The prices include full breakfast and taxes.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.lascolinasarenal.com/content/view/55/43/lang,spanish/ (available in English, Spanish and other languages).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San José (SJO)

Nearest local/national airport: La Fortuna (FON)

Travel time to nearest airport: 3 hours from SJO

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 4 miles (7 km)

Additional Information

Awards or Recognitions

• Ecological Blue Flag award, 5 stars, in the Actions to Confront Climate Change category 2013. We achieved 3 stars in 2009 and 4 stars in 2010.
• 2010 Excellence Certification by Tripadvisor.

Additional Web sites

• www.ecolodgecr.com/index.php?option=com_jomres&task=viewproperty&Itemid=26&property_uid=109 (available in Spanish). General information about Hotel Las Colinas is available on the Eco-Lodge Costa Rica website.
• www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/hoteles/HotDetalle.asp?idHotel=571 (available in English). Website of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.
• www.facebook.com/pages/Hotel-Las-Colinas-Boutique/56162808204 Official Facebook page for Hotel Las Colinas.
• www.rainforest-alliance.org/es/multimedia/la-fortuna (available in English). Slideshow "La Fortuna: A Model of Sustainable Tourism". Las Colinas is mentioned as one of the responsible hotels in the area that is working with the Rainforest Alliace.
• www.revistasumma.com/esquina-verde/12166-hotel-reduce-consumo-de-electricidad-en-un-30-por-uso-de-luz-solar-y-bombillos-ahorradores.html (available in Spanish). Las Colinas is featured in the regional magazine Summa for reducing its energy bills by 30 percent thanks to the use of solar panels and energy-saving light bulbs.

Date This Information Was Provided

November 2013.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Las Colinas, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.