Sustainable luxury tourism: A former timber plantation reclaimed

In Nicaragua, the Poncon family acquired more than 1,600 hectares on the Pacific coast and converted it into a private reserve. Over the years, the entire reserve was replanted with native vegetation, recovering the jungle, attracting local animal species such as howler monkeys, parrots, anteaters, sloths, and spotted deer.

It has an organic vegetable garden, a farm, a shrimp farm, and all the fish served is caught directly from the reserve's bay. You could say that it's a nearly self-sufficient reserve. In addition, every cabin in the hotel has been built with wood brought in from ecologically and responsibly managed timber plantations. All employees have been recruited from local villages to support the local economy and training as part of the project's commitment to ecological and social conservation.

The hotel was built in the jungle and has 18 bungalows scattered among the vegetation. The electricity is generated by solar panels, and the rooms, to avoid the use of air conditioning compressors, have an ingenious and refreshing air re-circulation system with zero emissions and very low energy consumption.

Its beach, more than a kilometer long, is frequently visited by turtles during their nesting season. The eggs are collected and kept in a protected area to keep them away from predators. The smaller turtles are reintroduced into the sea, improving this endangered species' chances of survival and recovery.