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.
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Grano de Oro sets an example in sustainable water, waste, and energy management. They are also actively involved in the local community as founders of “Casa Luz,” a social project supporting single mothers to become more independent. Casa Luz’s support for the young women they work with continues as the women enter adulthood so they can each build a better future.
Explore the area
The city center is the historical and cultural heart of Costa Rica. Discover historic buildings such as the Teatro Nacional (1928) and the National Post Office (1917).
A visit to the colorful ‘Mercado Central’ with its vegetables, tropical fruits, and coffee is a must-see if you want to experience the Tico culture.
Soak up the local charm at the organic ‘Feria Verde’ on a Saturday morning. Nearby, San Jose’s Barrio Escalante, which has developed into a vibrant restaurant area during the past few years, is perfect for a night out.
Explore the city center on your own or take a free city tour departing daily from the Teatro Nacional at 10 am.
Good to know
The airport transfer is included in your stay. Tipping is not customary.
Upon arrival, you can withdraw money (Colones and USD are accepted everywhere in Costa Rica) at the ATM in the baggage reclaim area.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
© Green Circle Experience2024
