The best and most beautiful.
More about us and our Ecolodges
The Green Circle Experience is a concept that was originally born in 2014. Together with five outstanding Ecolodges in Costa Rica, we created a unique journey to help travelers understand the essence of Costa Rica.
Since then, we have been working to improve the sustainability of our offerings. Now, Green Circle travelers explore Costa Rica in personalized electric cars. These cars are part of the first electric car-sharing platform in the country, Green Circle Wheels. Private owners rent out their electric cars to Green Circle travelers.
Additionally, we have been adding various new hotels and lodges to our Green Circle community. Approximately 20 Ecolodges in Costa Rica now offer their excellent services to you as a Green Circle traveler.
Each hotel and lodge has measured its carbon footprint. To us and them, this is only a first step, but an essential one, as it enables us to offset your carbon footprint in Costa Rica.
In the near future, we aim to become carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative. As a matter of fact, because of the way various hotels are set up, you will learn during your visit that they are already carbon-negative, meaning they are absorbing more greenhouse gases than they produce. All Ecolodges in Costa Rica form part of our Green Circle Ecosystem.
Because of all this, we have expanded and strengthened the Green Circle Experience, not only as a travel concept but also as the journey we are making together with our partners—a journey toward sustainability and the preservation of our country’s natural beauty for future generations.
You will notice that each Ecolodge in Costa Rica we work with and that you visit is unique in its way, contributing to our big goal: to be recognized as ‘The most sustainable experience in the greenest country in the world.’”
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Selva Bananito – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Jurgen built Selva Bananito lodge from waste wood contributing to protecting this unknown piece of rainforest on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica near La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. If you are a bird and nature lover, you’ll find yourself in paradise at Selva Bananito Lodge.
Lirio Lodge – Barra de Pacuare
Lirio Lodge, far away from civilization and other tourists. There’s no WiFi or swimming pool, but you will not feel bored at this extraordinary place. We can guarantee you will enjoy a great night’s sleep in the middle of nature. Wake up when the jungle awakens for the best chance to spot animals. Early in the morning, before the heat sets in, most animals are busy scoring their breakfast for the day.
Hacienda la Isla – Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
Jean-Pierre, the owner, is an anthropologist and an expert on Costa Rica’s culture and pre-colonial history. Hacienda la Isla is a stylish, sustainable oasis of calm in a private reserve in Sarapiquí and one of the first Green Circle Hotels.
Costa Rica Tree House Lodge – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Costa Rica Tree House Lodge, a unique destination near the beach where you’ll find six hand-built, sustainable houses that sparkle with creativity. Owner Edsart has a sharp eye for attractive color combinations and is a master in architectural design and repurposing. Don’t be surprised to find an old American school bus in the jungle, now a comfortable family suite.
Hotel Casa Turire – Turrialba
Hotel Casa Turire breathes historical charm and invites guests to enjoy the glamor and elegance of a colonial deco boutique hotel. A spectacular tropical garden surrounds the hotel. Still, on its grounds, you’ll also find a sustainable working farm that provides the ingredients for tasty breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for hotel guests.
Rafiki Safari Lodge – Savegre
Rafiki Safari Lodge was created by bringing luxury safari tents from South Africa, and a unique jungle feeling is guaranteed when you stay in one of them.
Isla Chiquita – Jesusita Island, Gulf of Nicoya
At Hotel Isla Chiquita blend the adventure and eco-friendly appeal of a camping holiday with the comforts and amenities of a traditional hotel. Isla Chiquita elevates the glamping experience with premium tent accommodations featuring plush bedding, organic bath products, and lounging decks with gorgeous ocean or tropical forest views.
Tenorio Lodge – Bijagua
In Bijagua, you will spend the night at Tenorio Lodge in a stylish bungalow. Nearby you’ll find a large jacuzzi with stunning views of the volcano to relax in after your day trip adventures. The owners of the lodge, Frank and Christine, offer great culinary delights to their guests. The lodge’s restaurant is famous for its delicious French fusion cuisine.
Hotel Belmar – Monteverde
The elegant Hotel Belmar. Since the hotel was founded in the 1980s, the family Belmar has been well aware of the environmental impact, and social commitment that running a hotel entails. To balance this, they have always been involved in various projects of ecological conservation and social welfare, which have contributed to the integral development of the local community.
Hotel Grano de Oro – San José
Hotel Grano de Oro, a founding father of the Green Circle, is a sustainable oasis in the hectic city of San Jose. You’ll go back in time when staying in this gorgeous colonial building. The hotel was the family home of one of the most renowned entrepreneurial families in Costa Rica. More than 30 years ago, Eldon and Lori, a Canadian couple, bought the property and turned it into the upscale boutique hotel it is today.
Maquenque Eco Lodge – Boca Tapada
The Artavia family, a close-knit Costa Rican family, and their six children are dedicating their lives to sustainable tourism. The parents used to be Costa Rican cattle farmers convinced by their children to give their land back to nature. They aim to synergize with nature and preserve the area for future generations.
Dantica Lodge – San Gerardo de Dota
At San Gerardo de Dota in the Cerro de la Muerte. This mountain range separates the Caribbean and Pacific Coast. Before reaching the highest point of the road (3300m/11000 feet) descend into a beautiful green valley carved by the river Savegre and enjoy the breathtaking scenery before arriving in the charming, small town of San Gerardo de Dota (2500m).
Finca Mei Tai – Bijagua
Bijagua is a charming small town nestled in a lush volcanic valley. The village is the perfect stop-over to visit the Rio Celeste River and Tenorio National Park. According to a local legend, the Rio Celeste became so blue after God painted the sky blue and washed his brushes in the river.
Congo Bongo Eco Lodge – Manzanillo
Located on the southern Caribbean coast, Manzanillo is a peaceful village at the end of the road and renowned for some of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches in the country. The area is also known for its great cultural diversity of Latinos, Bribri, and Cabecar Indians. The Afro-Caribbean culture came with the Jamaicans in 1872 when the railroad between San José and the port of Limon was built.
Hotel Ave del Paraiso – San José
Ave del Paraiso is also within walking distance of the trendy neighborhood Barrio Escalante, home to many excellent restaurants to enjoy a nice dinner or a coffee. However, if you want to stay closer to home, cross the garden and enjoy a farm-to-table meal in Café Kracovia, managed by the sons of the hotel owners.
Rancho Margot – El Castillo
CNN has elected Juan Sostheim’s Rancho Margot as one of the most sustainable destinations in Costa Rica. Stay in a comfortable room in a lush green garden and relax in the natural pool at Rancho Margot. The ranch is entirely self-sufficient and carbon-negative. And that is a very positive thing!
Valle Escondido – Monteverde
You will stay at the family-run hotel and organic farm, Valle Escondido Nature Reserve. Owner Jonah and his wife Susana are passionate about permaculture and have designed their hotel and farm around the core principles of this philosophy. Jonah hosts elaborate tours on this subject while taking you around the property.
Rafiki Beach Camp – Matapalo
The Rafiki Beach Camp, also managed by the Boshoff family that runs Rafiki Safari Lodge, is a sublime destination in the quiet village of Matapalo on the Pacific coast. Being an off-the-beaten-track location, you will have the beautiful beach almost to yourself here.
Villa San Ignacio – Alajuela
Villa San Ignacio is a charming boutique hotel with spacious rooms, a nice restaurant, a pool, and a beautiful tropical garden. Everything is there to let you relax during your last day in Costa Rica and before stepping on the plane home.
Hotel Guácima Escondida – La Guácima
Dutch owner Bertus has guided tourists in Costa Rica for years before settling down and building the perfect, sustainable getaway in his fantastic backyard. He now runs it with his Costa Rican wife.