“I want to keep proving that luxury and sustainability are not only compatible but can elevate each other.”

“Wait, is that a toucan?”

Just before we return home to Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort after a full-day road trip through local villages, one of my eagle-eyed colleagues spots a rare toucan in the trees and several of us scramble out of the van for a closer look. Our driver is used to frequent stops for wildlife sightings at Peninsula Papagayo, which spans 1,400 acres of verdant tropical forest and Costa Rica’s dramatic coastline, and serves as a paragon for sustainable luxury tourism. While it doesn’t skimp on the creature comforts, with infinity pools-outfitted villas, high-end dining, and an 11,000-square foot spa, the Andaz resort is also a responsible, involved steward for the land it calls home.

Hydrogen-powered airport transfers and plentiful water refill stations are table stakes at Andaz. Sustainability is a core value baked into every operational decision, and a multitude of activities for all ages blend education, conservation, and adventure. Guests can spend a day at Palmares Outpost, a 250-acre old-growth tropical dry forest nature preserve, for tree climbing, ziplining, aerial trekking, mountain biking, and bird watching. You can also help save Costa Rica’s coral reefs, which are threatened by pollution, warming ocean waters, and overfishing. We spent a morning learning about corals from friendly naturalist guides and attaching healthy coral fragments to metal frames that were then planted in Bahia Culebra. Certified divers can visit the damaged reef and help with planting, and I hope to have a chance to visit my baby corals in a couple of years to see them thriving.

“Leading the largest coral restoration project in Costa Rica has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career,” says Susana Vicente, head of sustainability and director of ESG at Peninsula Papagayo. To date, staff, guests, and homeowners have planted more than 11,200 coral fragments and installed more than 150 structures. “What was once a struggling ecosystem is now thriving,” she says. “Over 90 fish species call these waters home, compared to fewer than 40 in 2000. This project is about more than just conservation – it’s about reversing damage, restoring balance, and ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty and biodiversity of our ocean. And we’re just getting started.”

Most guests don’t realize how much work goes on behind the scenes, like the work done by non-profit Peninsula Papagayo’s Creciendo Juntos community outreach. Complimentary English classes are offered for employees to bolster language skills necessary for coveted promotions, and Peninsula Papagayo provides social worker support, well-being workshops, and financial education programs for employees. A cohort of local Costa Ricans with disabilities were offered internships and ultimately hired full-time at the Andaz in housekeeping and laundry roles.

“This work may not always be immediately visible to guests, but it transforms lives,” Vicente says. “It’s a testament to the power of opportunity, inclusion, and the commitment to a truly sustainable future.”

One of the most touching programs I learned about was how Creciendo Juntos helped local rural communities during the pandemic by launching a Huertas home garden initiative that trained 53 families in five Guanacaste communities – El Triunfo, Paso Tempisque, Palmira, Comunidad, and Guardia. These families, with the majority led by women, learned how to grow their own vegetables not only for self-consumption, but as a sustainable commercial endeavor with classes in accounting, team work, sustainability, harvesting, irrigation, waste management, and supply chain efficiency.

These huertas sell vegetables back to Peninsula Papagayo for much-needed income. By empowering homemakers, these families now have a dual income. Andaz Costa Rica purchases more than 600 pounds of vegetables weekly from these gardens, including plantain, bell pepper, papaya, chilies, zucchini, radish, limes, and tomatoes.

“The huertas program is a critical part of our commitment to source high quality products locally and have a positive impact on small business and local communities,” says Andaz Peninsula Papagayo general manager Patrick Schori. There’s even a weekly vegetarian and vegan Huertas dinner at Rio Bhongo and guests can book a private chef experience to visit the community of Truinfo and meet with the families who are growing the vegetables we buy.

Schori and Vicente’s passion is palpable and Vicente says she is inspired to “spark a movement” in sustainable travel. “More than anything, I want to keep proving that luxury and sustainability are not only compatible but can elevate each other,” she says. “My hope is that what we’re doing at Peninsula Papagayo inspires others to join us in redefining the future of hospitality.”