L'Acqua Viva Resort & Spa

Overview

Description

Playa Nosara is one of the best kept secrets of Costa Rica. It is a hidden paradise in Guanacaste located 34 miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Nicoya and 165 miles (266 kilometers) west of the capital San José in Guanacaste. You get there via the highway to Samara. Playa Nosara, along with Playa Guiones, Playa Pelada, and Playa Ostional comprise the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge where every year thousands of olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtles come to lay their eggs.

L'Acqua Viva Resort & Spa, idyllically set amidst lush vegetation, bordering the extraordinary Nosara Forest Reserve and Wildlife Refuge, and only a short distance from the spectacular beaches of Guiones, Pelada, Nosara, and Garza, is considered a surfing paradise. The hotel features an authentic architectural style, its exclusive décor is a fusion of many ethnic elements from around the world, creating a perfectly finished and comfortable atmosphere for enjoying the tropics. Many of the hotel's spaces will delight guests with carefully selected pieces of art by renowned artists, which belong to a private collection. The bungalows and buildings give you the impression of floating in the vast surrounding lakes, ponds, and pools.

Rooms

35 units including bungalows and buildings.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 36

Percentage of local employees: 90%

The "Diálogos del Agua" (The Water Dialogues) conference took place at the L'Acqua Viva Hotel in April 2011. Representatives from the Universidad National (UNA), as well as from the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), the Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AYA) spoke with the members of the Asociaciones Administradoras de Sistemas de Agua Potable y Saneamiento ASADAS from the Nosara River's watershed region. Among the main topics analyzed were the possible actions and recommendations aimed at improving the management of the rural aqueducts. In addition, the problem regarding the basin's "conflict areas", which are those areas affected by erosion and deforestation, was also discussed. Based on this study, great concern was raised in regards to supplying and protecting the areas that belong to the watershed since, during the past summer, several communities had to ration their water supply. From this arose an initiative to reforest the watershed and bring together different stakeholders to continue the technical study already being done by the Universidad Nacional. The Nosara community and L'acqua Viva hotel are working together on this reforestation project.

Rates

$150 and up

Rates vary by season:

• The high season for the hotel is from December 1 to April 30.
• The low season for the hotel is from May 1 to November 30.
• The peak seasons for the hotel are from December 20 to January 3 and Easter Week. During these seasons a minimum stay of 3 nights is required.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.lacquaviva.com/en/accommodation/rates.html (available in English).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Liberia (LIR)

Nearest local/national airport: Nosara (NOB)

Travel time to nearest airport: 90 minutes

The largest international airport in the country (SJO) is approximately 5 hours from the hotel.

Additional Information

Awards or Recognitions

Winner of the National Interior Design Award in the Commercial category. Given by Veritas University during the event, “Architecture and Design for Coexistence: Second Meeting of Architecture and Design Schools and Faculties of Central America”, September 2008.

Date This Information Was Provided

November 2011.

Photos courtesy of L\'Acqua Viva Resort & Spa, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.