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Riverside Lodging & Center Near Monteverde, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica
Relax and renew at this peaceful paradise amidst tropical vegetation & fruit trees near a river right along the main road to Monteverde, easily accesible by car or bus. Guests not only get comfortable lodging in a historic building, but also experience real rural Costa Rica, while supporting and participating in environmental protection, animal welfare, and social & economic justice projects at the Sustainability Demonstration Center. Check out our native tree nursery, farm animals, organic farm and the howler monkeys that live in the trees by this unique Riverside Lodging!
Lodging: This Riverside Lodging is part of the Sustainability Demonstration Center, housed in a historic building with two main floors and a basement. It has all the features of a regular home and much more. Guests are welcome to use all the indoor shared spaces such as the bathrooms, kitchen, events room, lounge areas, and be involved in the care of all our farm animals, tree nursery, and more!
There are clean and comfortable rooms at the Center, accommodating up to groups of 10 people. There are shared bathrooms on each floor and communal lounge spaces. There are three nearby cabins that are also available for guests who are interested in rental homes; please contact us if you are interested. Like this riverside lodging, these cabins also support the initiatives of the Association for Rural Tourism in Costa Rica.
Location: The Riverside Lodging is easily accessible by bus or car, located right along the main paved road (route 606) towards Monteverde, in the quaint town of Guacimal.
Amenities include wireless internet, private parking, family/kid friendly environment, cable TV, hiking trails, river access, communal lounge areas, shared kitchen, tree nursery & garden, farm animals, wildlife rehabilitation, cultural & language classes.
Rates: 1 person ($40/night), 2 people ($70/night), $20 for each additional person after 2 people. Contact us to find out more about large group rates! These rates include the 13% sales tax.
Reviews & More: Check out REVIEWS from visitors and guests about attractions at the Sustainability Demonstration Center! Learn more about what we do at the Center in this VIDEO!
Attractions:
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Options |
Description |
Rates (per person) |
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Guided River Visit |
Bordered by native trees and flowers, this river is a great place for all ages, including families with young kids. See the river and dip your feet in the nearby branch of the Guacimal River! (Around 1 hour) | $6 |
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Guided River Tour |
Bordered by native trees and flowers, this river is a great place for all ages, including families with young kids. Relax, reflect, and renew as you listen to and bathe in the cascading water (weather permitting) and look for birds and monkeys in the tree canopy above. Learn about river conservation efforts by locals. (Around 2 hours) |
$15
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Organic Farm & Medicinal Plants |
Opening the farm as a classroom, lab, and living-learning environment, we provide the tools for people of all ages to understand the environmental, social, and economic relationship between food production and consumption. See our 112-acre organic farm where you can see water buffalo and traditional methods of growing crops and animals (Around 2 hours) |
$15 |
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Animal Sanctuary |
Our sanctuaries are home to rescued animals – and each has a special story. As many of the animals roam freely, be prepared to have a chicken hop next to you and a donkey walk up to say hello! You are welcome to pet the animals and help at feeding time! (Around 30 – 45 min) |
$6 |
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Tour of the Sustainability Demonstration Center |
A guided tour of the Center where you will learn about its history, the role it played in Costa Rica’s trade route over 100 years ago, and the rich history of the district with its hydroelectric plant of 1912 and the gold mines it provided electricity for, find out why the locals say it is haunted and much more. Plus, an overview of the current sustainability, agricultural, community, and environmental projects! (Around 30 – 45 min) |
$6 |
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Zip-lining for Children |
For children ages 3 – 10, with a maximum weight of 60 pounds. | $5 for 6 runs |
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Horseback Riding |
Ride along the river and through the mountains, ending up in the quaint town of Guacimal. |
$40 |
| Birdwatching and Nature Hikes | Keep your eyes open, listen carefully, and be prepared to enjoy captivating colors and melodic songs and sightings of birds, monkeys, and more! 5:30 am to 8:30 am are the ideal bird watching hours. Some birds you may see include the Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), Montezuma oropendula (Psarocolius Montezuma), Rufous-tailed hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl), White collared manakin (Manacus candei), and many more! |
Free on your own…but we have guides available for a fee |
Classes & Talks:
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Options |
Description | Rates (per person) |
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Spanish Classes |
Learn Spanish with a certified Spanish teacher! Maximum group size: 8 people |
$20 per 1 person, $10 per additional person |
| Traditional Costa Rican Cooking Class | Learn to make some traditional Costa Rican food and enjoy some delicious food. |
$20 for 1 person, $5 for each additional person |
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Dance Class |
Learn to dance traditional Costa Rican dances! |
$20 per 1 person, $5 per additional person |
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Art Class |
Includes materials to create your own artwork with a local artist! |
$30 for 1 person, $5 per additional person |
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Educational Talk |
Choose the topic(s) of interest: river protection, history of the region, organic farming, reforestation, and more! |
$100 per group |
Hours of Operation: We have a great deal of flexibility and can accommodate different schedules if we make arrangements ahead of time. We often recommend groups come on Saturdays because we host the community farmer’s market right across the street from the Sustainability Demonstration Center. Stopping by the farmer’s market is a great way to interact with and support the local community. The locals at the farmer’s market can also sell their delicious foods and products to large groups.
Weather: We have marked wet and dry seasons. During the rainy season, June – October, if you want to enjoy river activities, we recommend that you arrive during the morning. Also, bear in mind that though river access may be restricted during rainy season, there is incredibly beautiful lush vegetation and all the wildlife that goes with it.
Persons with disabilities, children, elderly, or special needs: We welcome and encourage the visit of all. The Sustainability Demonstration Center is a peaceful and relaxing place by a river with safe, enclosed grounds. Contact with nature and animals is very beneficial for everyone, but especially for people who have special needs. The relaxed pace of the safe surrounding community is also conducive to healing, relaxation, learning and having care-free fun. It is not easy to maneuver a wheel chair all the way down to the river if you are visiting by yourself, but it is quite doable if you come with some help. We have no wheel-chair accessible rooms at the Center, but one of our nearby cottages is designed with wheel-chair accessibility in mind, including low counters for cooking and a non-skid spacious bathroom.
Foodstuffs and Meals for Vegetarians and Vegans: Though we produce and serve meat when our visitors ask for it, we also make our own organic veggie burgers and other vegetarian and vegan dishes utilizing high-protein farm ingredients such as bread fruit, yucca, peanuts, brown rice, red and black beans, guava seeds, cashew apple, in addition to all the fruit from our own trees (availability varies with season).
For Pricing & Reservations
CONTACT HOTEL
Phone: (506) 8302-2522, (506) 2647-1057
Website: sustainablecostarica.org