hotel punta islita insider- sep 2011
DESCRIPTION
Hotel Punta Islita's newsletter, featuring information about the hotel, Costa Rica, vacation tips, and special promotions for honeymoons, family getaways, and group travel.TRANSCRIPT
Like us!
SEP 2011
Fall for Costa Rica!
Coinciding with the Northern hemisphere’s Autumn, Costa Rica’s Green Season is upon us. With it, we celebrate the coming month’s great values for a fun getaway. Accessi-ble, affordable, and laid back, the Green Season displays
nature at its lush peak. Grupo Islita is proud to greet this special time of the year with a refreshed stewardship outlook, special bundled va-cations, and extra values to entice couples, families, and groups of friends.
Like us!
Hotel Punta Islita and El
Silencio Lodge & Spa have
announced the appoint-
ment of Costa Rican hos-
pitality and sustainability
expert, Mr. Gustavo Se-
gura, as Director and CEO.
“I undertake this role with
a hopeful vision, outlining
a clear mandate to align
Grupo Islita’s two proper-
ties in a common path to-
wards excellence, and
sustainability” affirmed
Mr. Segura. “Our hospi-
tality product is superla-
tive and ideal for consci-
entious high-end travelers
who cherish authenticity
and planet-friendly stew-
ardship”.
Mr. Segura’s leadership
integrates Hotel Punta Is-
lita’s secluded coastal
landscapes and El Silencio
Lodge & Spa’s cloud forest
wellness. Vacations fea-
turing both properties,
will grant a streamlined
reservation process, expe-
dite response times, and
efficient logistics at an op-
timal value.
Mr. Gustavo Segura brings
a fourteen-year track rec-
ord in the national and in-
ternational responsible
tourism arena, highlight-
ed by effective and suc-
cessful leadership in both
the private and public
sectors. His expertise has
been sought by the gov-
ernments of Peru, Brazil,
Ecuador, Honduras, and
Argentina’s Tucuman
Province. While at the
helm of two prestigious
hotels in Costa Rica, he
succeeded in attaining the
top-level rating (5 leaves)
as awarded by the Costa
Rican Sustainability Certi-
fication program (CST).
He currently sits on the
board of the Costa Rican
Tourism Institute (ICT).
“I undertake this role with a hopeful vision, outlining a clear
mandate to align Grupo Islita’s two properties in a common
path towards sustainable excellence.”
Mr. Gustavo Segura
Grupo Islita Appoints New Director
Like us!
Quest for Pura Vida, a visual journey
detailing Costa Rica's planet-friendly
mantra just premiered on American
Public Television. Produced and
hosted by award-winning author
Richard Bangs, it features some of
the country's most impressive land-
scapes and vividly captures the con-
tagious optimism of its people. The
preview is simply stunning and we
were thrilled to spot Islita in several
shots. Please enjoy!
http://bit.ly/QuestForPuraVida
Condé Nast Johansens Voting Sweepstakes
Your travel expertise could earn you a luxury
getaway for two! If Hotel Punta Islita's view
left you breathless, if you can still savor one of
our signature ceviches, or if remembering one
of Casa Spa's wellness treatments elicits bliss-
ful relaxation, please take a minute to vote for
us. Best of luck in the drawing!
http://bit.ly/JohansensVote
The Holiday Season is one of the best and most popular times to enjoy Costa Rica’s hos-pitality and eco-adventures. And at Hotel Punta Islita, the traditional New Year’s Car-naval celebration featuring live tropical mu-sic and beachside fireworks is a not-to-be-missed event. We have a few openings in our double occupancy rooms and Private Vil-las and would like to give you first-priority. Plus this year, you can easily combine Hotel Punta Islita with El Silencio Lodge & Spa for a complete (and flexible) Costa Rica vacation. For more information please write to: [email protected]
2011-12 Holiday
Availability!
Like us!
El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Tabacón Resort, and Hotel Punta Islita welcome couples with up-scale comfort, Spa treatments, and Costa Rica’s authentic “Pura Vida” mantra.
For more information please contact: [email protected]
Flanked by two national parks
in Bajos del Toro, El Silencio
Lodge & Spa offers a natural
immersion experience. A se-
rene cloud forest, dotted with
waterfalls to elicit romance.
INCLUDES:
2 nights in a Suite
Three daily a-la-carte meals
Eco-Concierge services
In-Room snacks
Mystic Hiking Adventure
Gazed upon by Arenal Vol-
cano’s temperamental cone,
Tabacón Resort features lava
fireworks, natural Spa ele-
ments, and the infinite flow of
Earth-heated soaking springs.
INCLUDES:
3 nights in Deluxe Premium
Internet access
Tropical welcome beverage
Temazcal Group Session
$150 spa credit per couple
Hot springs unlimited access
At Hotel Punta Islita, life’s best
experiences intensify. Over-
looking a rugged ocean cove in
Guanacaste, it features exciting
eco-adventures and heartfelt
hospitality.
INCLUDES:
3 nights in Deluxe Room
Internet access
Pura Vida welcome cocktail
Daily breakfast
$50 spa credit per couple
One guided Destination Tour
Choice of Eco-Adventure
Like us!
Hotel Punta Islita is offering a spe-cial $75 per day Resort Credit. Val-
id for new reservations for stays between September 15 through December 20th, 2011. Three-night minimum. Applicable to hotel services including food & beverages, tours, spa. For detailed information, please contact: [email protected]
We Vouch for Value!
Current Biology published a
study that gives a scientific seal
of approval to hammock nap-
ping. According to preliminary
research, sleeping while cradled
and swayed by a comfy ham-
mock promotes faster and
deeper ZZZs. More research is
needed to establish the rea-
sons, and we are happy to
oblige! To learn more, visit the
NPR piece here:
http://n.pr/HammockZZZ
Hammock Time...
New Flights: Update Costa Rica is an accessible travel destination, serviced by major air-lines. We gladly share the an-nouncement of upcoming direct flights servicing Liberia Airport in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province. Convenient to Hotel Punta Islita!
November 2011 Air Berlin Düsseldorf Jet Blue New York (JFK)– Liberia (LIR) January 2012 Sun Country Airlines Minnesota (MSP)—Liberia (LIR)
Like us!
Chef Lizzeth adds
tropical spark
to Costa Rica’s fa-
vorite beverage.
Just add 1 whole clove to the coffee grinds and brew normal-ly. Serve with warm milk/milk substitute and add sugar, hon-ey, or your favorite sweetener to taste. Finish with coconut flakes and cinnamon.
Like Hotel Punta Islita Our Facebook MicroSite is Up! Featuring colorful informative tabs and custom menus, it is easier than ever to learn about Hotel Punta Is-lita’s latest offerings, specials, and news. We cordially invite you to view it online at: http://on.fb.me/HPIWelcome
We thank Tablet Hotels for featuring Hotel Punta Islita in a coffee-lover’s blog post detail-ing “Highly Caffeinated Hotels”. We are very excited to have a chance to showcase some of Costa Rica's best, tastiest, and most aromatic java. A cup of coffee while gently swaying in a hammock with the ocean as backdrop is one of life's simplest yet giddiest pleasures. Salud! http://tablettalk.com/2011/08/10/best-hotels-gourmet-coffee/
Coconut Sparkle Coffee Tip
Like us!
Islita Town -- Even
Better, the 2nd Time
Around I first visited Punta
Islita Resort five years ago; I was
deeply impressed by the range of
community projects that the hotel
had helped start in the local com-
munity. In an initiative involving
local residents and several well
known Costa Rican artists, this dis-
advantaged coastal town had been
transformed into what is hailed as
the first open air art museum in the
Americas. Sculptures dotted the
edges of the soccer field and bright
colored murals adorned the primary
school, daycare, community center,
and even the one local store. A
small museum sold crafts made by
local cooperatives. Marta Figueroa,
who showed me around town, was
clearly proud: “This used to be the
ugliest little town on the coast. Now
look how beautiful we are!” The
women jewelry makers excitedly
explained that they had just re-
turned from a trip to Guatemala
(the first time any of them had left
Costa Rica) to meet with craftswom-
en there.
This July I was fortunate to return
for a stay in one of the resort’s glo-
rious villas overlooking the sea. We
learned that this stunning villa be-
longs to one of the generous fami-
lies who have not only purchased
real estate in Costa Rica, but have
developed an ongoing giving pro-
gram to support the Hotel’s com-
munity betterment initiatives. Phi-
lanthropy in virtuous cycles!
We were given a tour of the town’s
Casa Museo and art studios by the
hotel’s general manager Alonso Ber-
mudez – and what a surprise! What
began as rudimentary jewelry and
embroidery had diversified into an
engaging collection. Graceful mo-
biles made from driftwood, shells
and seeds, brightly colored minia-
ture wooden paintings – similar to
the town’s murals, block-print tex-
tile art depicting turtles, macaws,
and other local scenes. Also added
are children’s clothing, cloth bags,
pottery, candles, and, of course,
jewelry.
Alonso suggested visiting the recy-
cling center, started by the hotel
but now servicing the resort as well
as surrounding communities. Even
this efficient and environmentally
sustainable garbage collection cen-
ter is adorned with art! The town
had held a contest and given prizes
to the best sculptures made from
trash. My favorite was a toucan
made from an old tire now hanging
from the tin ceiling of the recycling
center!
I was pleased to find Marta is still
involved in the museum and cham-
pioning its artists. She said she’d left
for a time, but had been drawn back
because “I just love this project.”
As a first-hand, second-look wit-
ness...I couldn’t agree more!
Dr. Martha Honey is the Co-Director of the Center for Responsible Travel, a re-search institution with offices in Wash-ington DC and Stanford University. She
is a leading authority in sustainable tour-ism and traveler’s philanthropy.
http://linkd.in/MarthaHoney
Like us!
El Silencio’s guests will soon be able to explore Bajos del
Toro’s bucolic landscapes on horseback in an fun new ad-
venture designed by our own eco-concierges. A relaxed
pace will let riders fully take in Poas Volcano’s heat-etched
slopes and blue-tinted streams and waterfalls. The trek
will include a visit to Cooper lake, essential to the genera-
tion of clean hydropower. As the trail veers into the heart
of the Juan Castro Blanco National Park, participants will
be shrouded in one of Costa Rica’s most pristine primary
cloud forests for a uniquely soul-soothing immersion expe-
rience. A highlight will be witnessing Rio Segundo, an
abandoned hacienda slowly being reclaimed by nature’s
implacable exuberance. In General Manager Andrey’s own
words: “This will be a must-live adventure”!
Happy Independence Day!
As Costa Rica celebrates its independence day on September 15th, visitors
will be delighted to find colorful festivities including oxcart parades, paper
lanterns, and traditional song & dance. But what will be most joyous will be
an entire nation brightly flashing the broad smiles of a happy, healthy nation.
Oxcart Mural: Islita Community Art Museum
El Silencio Lodge & Spa will soon feature a
new unforgettable eco-adventure!