Hotel Heliconia

Overview

Description

Hotel Heliconia is located in Monteverde, a privileged location that boasts some of the world's last remaining tracts of cloud forest. The hotel is near two of the most beautiful protected tropical forests in Costa Rica, the well known Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve and the Santa Elena Rain Forest Reserve (at six kilometers). The area provides an ideal habitat for birds such as the resplendent quetzal and bellbird.

Visitors can enjoy this natural paradise in our chalet-style hotel. Built entirely from fine woods, the chalet beautifully complements its mountain surroundings.

Our hotel has 51 rooms, providing the following options:

• 19 standard rooms.
• 10 junior rooms.
• 16 junior suites.
• Two very comfortable baster suites.
• Four family cabins.

We also provide information about local tours, natural gardens, reserves and different activities that you can do.

Rooms

51

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 61

Percentage of local employees: 98%

How each department helps the environment:

• Reception: Collaborates in making the information signs for the rooms and starts by explaining the reason for these information signs to our guests at check-in.
• Maintenance: Builds separate recycling waste containers to be placed in all common areas of the hotel.
• Purchasing: Responsible for purchase orders of biodegradable products.

Changes made in all departments:

• Changes to the water heating equipment and switched from electric to gas stoves in all areas where this was possible.
• Installation of a Durman Esquivel treatment plant to achieve 95% purification of all hotel residual waters, enabling reutilization for cleaning sidewalks and irrigating gardens.
• All laundry products are biodegradable and the use of chemical chlorine has been eliminated.
• All staff have been trained to recycle all waste.
• We purchased a farm purchased to provide support to the Sustainable Development Program and we named it Heliconia Rancho Cabeceras. At this farm we produce dairy products. We have also been able to produce pork and poultry. In addition, we installed an earthworm-readied organic compost system and a biodigestor to produce methane gas to be used as fuel.
• There are containers in all rooms for our guests to help us recycle.
• All regular light bulbs were changed to yellow light bulbs in all garden areas, balconies and corridors to repel insects and to prevent the negative environmental impact caused by regular lighting.
• We try to use a minimum of plastic bags.
• We have a collection center at the hotel, to lend a helping hand to other hotels in the area needing to manage their trash.
• We have implemented a Flora and Fauna Environmental Education Program where we host educational activities for students of our local public schools.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San Jose (SJO)

Nearest local/national airport: Liberia (LIR)

Travel time to nearest airport: 4 hours to either

The road from the Inter-American Highway to Monteverde is gravel and can be rough in spots. 4x4 is highly recommended. Despite the fact that it isn't the most comfortable ride, the scenery and views are spectacular.

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

April 2008.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Heliconia, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.