COSTA RICA
The Jewel Of Central America
For my first travel experience to Central America, I was fortunate to find myself in the verdant beauty of Costa Rica. With its solid cultural and artistic history and recent leadership role in sustainability, Costa Rica stands upon the pinnacle of desired tourist hotspots. Understandably, Costa Rica appears in many of the trending locations for travel in 2025.
If Central America were to be imagined as a family, Costa Rica would undoubtedly be the most reasonable and trusted child. Its strength and the strength of its people might have been carried down from its tumultuous history. Conquered by Columbus, it remained a colony of Spain for the next three hundred years, where it remained underdeveloped and impoverished. Following the Mexican War of Independence, Costa Rica finally became its own nation in 1828.
After a failed takeover by American settlers in 1856, Costa Rica established a democratic government thirteen years later. After its civil war in 1948, Costa Rica ensured voting rights and dismantled its military.
After a failed takeover by American settlers in 1856, Costa Rica established a democratic government thirteen years later. After its civil war in 1948, Costa Rica ensured voting rights and dismantled its military.
A convenient distance from the Juan Santamaria International Airport are “sister” hotels: The Courtyard San Jose Airport Alajuela and the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Alajuela. Though separated by only a stroll from the lobby to the lobby, the hotels have distinct vibes. The Courtyard mirrors a more tropical atmosphere while the Fairfield echoes the rustic styles of its pioneer, J. Willard Marriott. However, both are genuinely dedicated to sustainable practices within and without the hotel community.
Once the guest enters the front entrance of either hotel, it becomes evident that customer service and sustainability await. At The Courtyard, the items for sale at the gift shop and market, just opposite the concierge desk, range from t-shirts that display graphics of the most common and commercially popular Costa Rican wildlife: the Morpheus butterfly, the three-toed sloth, the macaw, the tree frog, and the great quetzal. The market also offers packages of Britt Coffee, one of the highest quality and popular brands, in several varieties. Costa Rican chocolate tempts guests with its pure sweetness, and it is the motto of Costa Rica-Pura Vida, which translates to The Good Life, but is used in many different contexts.
Walk straight ahead, and the guest is welcomed into Centro, The Courtyard’s main restaurant, which offers the highest quality and taste of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Likewise, The Fairfield provides the same excellent international cuisine. Both emphasize superb customer service, which is why the wait staff was a significant factor in the total enjoyment of my journey. The mixed quesadilla, guacamole, and spicy margarita stood out from an already delectable menu. I was also encouraged to include rice and beans with every meal.
Rooms at both hotels are included in the sustainable campaign. The hotels achieve comfort without the glitz and subtly demonstrate ecological responsibility. The faucets have water-conserving filters, but the guest would always feel safe because part expressing the need for sustainability is striking a balance.
For all its impressive details, the most meaningful contribution to Costa Rica Marriott’s sustainable portfolio came on the last morning of my visit. I joined a large group of hotel workers with rubber gloves and trash bags to clean the grounds of a local sports complex. The camaraderie of the group made the task enjoyable and swift. After the work, we all sat under a canopy of trees and enjoyed boxed lunches and anecdotes in Spanish. I quickly understood that sustainability is not just a word to decorate marketing copy but a dedication and a responsibility that can be performed individually or as a group, proving the somewhat overused term that it does indeed “take a village.”
HISTORIC SITES & A VOLCANO
Speaking of “village,” the historic sites within San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, paint the pure canvas of this proud country. Among the places not to be missed is The Teatro Nacional, whose ornate construction from 1891 is considered the finest historical building in San Jose. The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is underneath the Plaza de la Cultura. The museum boasts a rich, cultural collection of artisan pieces, from gold figurines to stone carvings to detailed dioramas of the Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica.
The peak of my journey occurred at the beginning—a hiking tour to view the Paos Volcano, more familiarly termed The Great Crater. About an hour from San Jose, this active volcano is the second-largest crater in the world, measuring more than a mile across and nine hundred feet deep. It last erupted in 2017, leaving sizeable scars on the surrounding cement paths and stairways. The sulfur smell emanating from the crater and the impacted ash surrounding the area speaks to the immense power of nature.
However, within this smoldering and even threatening destroyer lies the key to economic and natural sustainability. Volcanic soil is ideal for growing coffee plants. Costa Rica has seven active volcanoes and two hundred volcanic formations dating back as far as sixty-five million years.
MOTHER NATURE UPCLOSE
So, as I was focused on sustainable practices at the hospitality level (still essential), I was immersed in a country where the very survival of its culture, people, and economy relies on naturally occurring sustainability. The many species of birds I “collected” on my nature walks near the hotel spoke of the ecological diversity, an allusion to the power of community. The locally sourced fruits and vegetables that populated my plates showed me what is possible with healthy soil. The smiles on the Marriott staff as they cleaned up their community reminded me why I am a travel writer. The family metaphor is ever-present.
Costa Rica, more than its Central American siblings, is a world leader in sustainability, and I do my part by contributing my journalistic work to the world.\For more information on Costa Rica, visit costarica.com; for Mariott Hotels, visit marriott.com
