Arenas del Mar

Thirty years ago, Arenas del Mar’s location was what locals call tacotal, or scrubland created by subsistence farming. Since acquiring the land, the Arenas del Mar team has worked to restore the rainforest with regenerative landscaping. Today, birdsong echoes and monkeys and sloths thrive, while more than 20 species, including pumas and ocelots, have been recorded in the property’s wildlife corridor link to the national park.

Guests are invited to try a unique experience: an in-depth tour of the inner workings of the hotel, guided by a sustainability manager or naturalist guide. On these insider tours, guests witness the hotel’s adherence to conscientious, low-impact, and regenerative practices. Tours of the kitchens, gardens, storage rooms, and employee areas may include everything from candid conversations to composting lessons.

Through its Secret Life of Wildlife initiative, the hotel uses four cameras to monitor wildlife movement through the corridor to Manual Antonio National Park, addressing biodiversity loss by generating data that confirms habitat connectivity. Guests can participate in guided night walks and share wildlife images in real time via the “Chat with the Guide” activity, which are displayed in the team dining room to foster awareness and connection.

Arenas del Mar’s seafood program supports both ocean health and local communities. The Dock to Dish program connects hotel chefs directly to local fishermen and their daily catch, helping to eliminate overfishing and certain targeted species. Guests of the resort may also sample ethically farmed oysters supplied by a local women-owned cooperative.

All of Arenas del Mar’s staff, from top management down, is hired from within Costa Rica, helping to maintain an authentic sense of place and create memorable guest experiences. Employees are also invited to train and grow into other positions of interest at the hotel. From the front desk to the in-house guides, Costa Rican hospitality is on display at Arenas del Mar, anchoring the resort in the communities and heritage of the region.