Hotel Member of Small Distinctive Hotels obtains “4 Leaves” in the Sustainable Tourism Certification

August 26th, 2010

Hotel Casa Turire, one of the most distinguished hotels in the Turrialba region and member of the exclusive hotel group Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica, is celebrating the fruits of its arduous work, in order to become one of the few luxury boutique hotels in the country, which are committed to sustainable tourism.

The general manager, Eduardo Lanaspa and his entire team are extremely satisfied that their work in the development of good environmental and social practices as well as the dissemination of sustainability information within the region and among its guests, has been acknowledged by the sustainability committee of the ICT (Costa Rican Tourism Institute), which has evaluated the hotel for the first time since 2007, when it first obtained 2 leaves.

Sustainability is a philosophy which needs to be worked on each day; new goals need to be set, ranging from community trainings to large investments in the improvement of the infrastructure in order to use electricity and water as efficiently as possible. Nevertheless, Hotel Casa Turire hopes to continue strengthening its efforts and remain an excellent example within the Turrialba region.

In order to obtain the certification one needs to prove a balanced development within the 4 areas of evaluation: the interaction of the hotel with its biological surroundings, the dissemination of information to create awareness among guests, the social-economic development of the community as well as the efficiency of its installations.

Hotel Casa Turire – Turrialba

Casa Turire recalls the gentle charm of a colonial house, located in the middle of a plantation. In the heart of the verdant Turrialba agricultural region, this beautiful estate is surrounded by the La Angostura Lake with the imposing presence of the Turrialba Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop. Guests are drawn into an ambience of ultimate hospitality as they arrive - the relaxed refinement of a Colonial hacienda.

Casa Turire offers 12 rooms and 4 completely remodeled suites which are equipped with Jacuzzi, hydro massage shower and are all very spacious with wooden floors and high ceilings. Moreover each suite has a private balcony with view on the spectacular surroundings. A renowned restaurant offering international food, an outdoor swimming pool with Jacuzzi, a meeting room as well as impressive, vibrant gardens with a view on the Turrialba volcano and Lake Angostura.

Casa Turire moreover has a small spa, and among the numerous activities which can be undertaken at this hotel, some of the highlights are the horseback riding tour, as well as horse drawn carriage tours, trails, bicycles, kayaking and canoeing on the lake.

Some of the good practices developed by Casa Turire include:

• Recycling Program
  
  This is a process of separation of wastes, including organic waste from the hotel and farm are treated to convert into organic compost. Inorganic waste (cardboard, paper, plastics) are separated and donated to the collection center of La Suiza School. The glass is separated and sent to Vidriera Centroamerica (VICESA) for recycling process. The ink cartridges for printers and faxes are collected to KYM for subsequent recharge process. The cooking oil is stored and collected for Energías Biodegradables Company, who transform into biodiesel. All money received by the recycling of glass and the oil is donated to the Pastoral de Enfermos of La Suiza. Residual waters are treated trough grease traps and then through drains, to prevent its disposal in raw to national waters.
• Local and sports sponsorships as well as organizing activities for educational and social boards that give support to the community.
• Casa Turire works with Jenaro Bonilla Aguilar School of Turrialba supporting the Ecological Blue Flag Program, giving talks and training to school staff.
• The hotel belong to the Cámara Nacional de Ecología (CANAECO), promoting and supporting the nature conservation and cultural values of the country.
• Hotel has reforestation area (12 hectares) and trails area.
• Working with suppliers in the area, who are friendly with the nature.
• Hotel has emergency plans, Solid Waste and Occupational Health.
• In our farm we produce a lot of fruits and vegetables that are fertilized using compost that is produced by organic waste to the hotel and farm, besides these products the hotel produces eggs, marmalades, cheese and are used in the kitchen to serve the different dishes that are offered at the restaurant.
• Each department of the hotel has defined its policies and functions to achieve a sustainable more efficient and  Casa Turire has a Savings Plan for Energy and Water.

For more information, please visit the following website:

http://www.hotelcasaturire.com/sostenibilidad-turistica.php  
Here further information on the sustainability activities realized by Hotel Casa Turire is provided.

Contact Information:

Contact of Hotel Casa Turire and sustainability responsible:
Eduardo Lanaspa, General Manager
Tel. (506) 2531-1111 – email. gerencia@hotelcasaturire.com - website: www.hotelcasaturire.com

Contact of Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica:
Hellen Campos, Marketing Manager
Tel: (506) 2258-0150 - email: hcampos@distinctivehotels.com - website:www.distinctivehotels.com