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Top 10 affordable eco-lodges in Costa Rica

Finca Luna Nueva, Costa Rica

Sarah Gilbert

Finca Luna Nueva

At Finca Luna Nueva, guests are encouraged to reconnect with nature by living

the simple life. In 1994, Steven Farrell a self-described health-conscious hippy

opened a small, organic herbal farm near La Fortuna, the gateway toArenal

Volcano national park.Since then, the project has grown into a 207-acre

biodynamic farm and an eco lodge built from fallen trees. On the Sacred Seed

garden tour, guests can smell and taste the results of the biodynamic process and

learn about the healing properties of trees and plants on guided walks in the

neighbouring rainforest. Afterwards, wallow in the ozonated pool or solar-heated

hot tub, or salute the sun from the yoga platform ensconced in jungle greenery,

before some fine organic dining.

Doubles from 57 including breakfast and farm tour, +506 2468

4006,fincalunanuevalodge.com

Rara Avis Rainforest Lodge and Reserve

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It takes effort to reach this legendary lodge, a bumpy, three-hour tractor ride up

a steep, muddy hill from Las Horquetas de Sarapiqu, but its worth it. One of

Costa Ricas first private reserves is home to untamed primary forest and some

of the countrys most beautiful trails. Amos Bien, an authority on sustainable

tourism, set up the pioneering project in 1983 to show that conserving therainforest could be economically viable. His land borders the eastern edge

ofBraulio Carrillo national parkand serves as a wildlife corridor for jaguars,

tapirs and more. Accommodation is rustic and there isnt always electricity but

you can swim at the base of a spectacular waterfall and marvel at the unpolluted

star-studded sky.

Doubles from 100, including meals and two guided tours a day. A two-night

stay is recommended, +506 2764 1111,rara-avis.com

Rancho Margot

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Close to the Cao Negro river andLake Arenal,Rancho Margot is part off-the-

grid eco lodge, part self-sufficient organic farm, part science laboratory. In 2004,

Chilean-born Juan Sostheim bought 400 acres of a former cattle ranch and

began to replenish the decimated land with endemic flora and fauna. Still a work

in progress, they grow their own crops, produce their own electricity, build theirfurniture from reforested trees and make biodiesel using leftover cooking oil.

Accommodation ranges from spacious bungalows to bunkhouses and horse

riding, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, waterfall rappelling and yoga are all

on offer. Afterwards, you can ease your muscles in rock pools before a farm-to-

table feast.

Bunkhouse doubles from 88 a night, including all meals, a two-hour guided

ranch tour and twice-daily yoga classes; two-night minimum stay, +506 8302

7318,ranchomargot.com

Danta Corcovado Lodge

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hotograph: http://www.dantalodge.com

This Costa Rican family-owned lodge is set on the Osa peninsula, one of the

countrys wildest and most isolated areas, close to the boundaries of the wildlife-

richCorcovado national parkand the indigenousGuaympeoples Alto Laguna

reserve. Theres accommodation to suit all budgets from bunkbeds to a mastersuite with an indoor-outdoor bathroom. The buildings were constructed from

reforested wood that the owners father planted and nothing has gone to waste.

Hike the parks trails, kayak through mangroves, explore the forest by night, go

dolphin-spotting inGolfo Dulceor just lounge on a deserted beach. Youll fall

asleep to a tree-frog chorus and wake to the chatter of passing squirrel monkeys.

Doubles from 68 B&B, + 506 2735 1111,dantacorcovado.net

Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge

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Tucked away in a cloud forest clearing in San Gerardo de Dota, this Dutch-

Colombian family-run lodge hasnt sacrificed style for sustainability: mixing

contemporary European design with Latin American folk art. No trees were

chopped down to build the lodge and floor-to-ceiling windows allow the outside

to stream in. The valley is a birders paradise with trails through theSavegreForest reserveand virtually guaranteed sightings of the resplendent quetzal at

the nearbyLos Quetzals national park.You can also climb the second highest

peak in Costa Rica, covered in pramo vegetation with views over the Irazu,

Barva and Poas volcanoes. And on cold nights, there are ethanol-fuelled

fireplaces to sit round.

Doubles from 62 B&B, +506 2740 1067,dantica.com

Hotel Belmar

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On a clear day, you can see over the cloud forest all the way to the Pacific Ocean

from this Swiss-chalet-style hotel. Family run, it opened in 1985 and has been

committed to environmental and social responsibility from the start. Now it has

a dedicated sustainability department to implement its programmes, from

reforestation to a biodigester that cleans waste water, and it does notrecommend four-wheel drive tours. The nearby cattle ranch-turned private

reserve,Curi Cancha,which has fewer visitors than theMonteverde Cloud Forest

biological reserve,is made for walking. Guests can also take the trail behind the

hotel up Cerro Amigos, the highest point of Monteverde, before a dip in the

alfresco hot tub and a dinner of gourmet local produce.

Doubles from 75 B&B, +506 2645 5201,hotelbelmar.net

Posada Rural Cerro Escondido

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Set in over 2,000 acres of forest in the Talamanca Mountains near Limn, Selva

Bananito is flanked by the Bananito river on one side andLa Amistad biosphere

reserveon Costa Ricas east coast on the other. The enthusiastic owner, Jrgen

Stein and his sisters decided to conserve and reforest part of their family farm

and turn it into a biological reserve, and they constructed wooden cabins builtCaribbean-style on stilts using discarded and salvaged wood with no

electricity, only solar power. Try your hand at tree-climbing, waterfall rappelling

and horse-riding. Its location means that you can combine rafting on the

Pacuare river with a visit toTortuguero national parkon the Caribbean coast.

Doubles from 62 B&B, +506 2253 8118,selvabananito.com

La Leona Eco Lodge

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works with a womens groupfrom the village of Ojochal on cultural and social

issues.