CST Evaluation For Sustainable Ecotourism (Page 2)

 

Inorganic wastes >>

Final destiny of wastes >>

11. Training

Customers

12. Communication and involvement
13. Room conditioning (management)
14. Management of guest groups
15. Customer feedback measurement

Socio-economic environment

16. Direct economic benefits
17. Indirect economic benefits
18. Contribution to cultural development
19. Contribution the public health
20. Infrastructure and security

 

Inorganic wastes

 

10.7 The hotel has separated containers for classifying different kinds of inorganic solid wastes (glass, paper, plastic, and steel).

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has separate containers for classifying different kinds of inorganic solid waste. Each room and kitchen area has separate containers for paper, plastic and steel and an additional container for paper. These are checked daily and collected to be separated at a designated area where they will later be transported to the town of Siepre for recycling.

 

10.8 The room service employees classify the inorganic solid waste not classified by the
customers.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge adheres to a strict policy of classifying all inorganic solid waste. Waste containers as described above in section 10.7 are collected for final sorting in a designated area of the lodge for final transport to Sierpe's recycling center.

10.9 The hotel has a specific area where the final classification of inorganic solid waste is
performed.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has a specific covered area behind our bodega away from living areas and protected areas to classify all inorganic solid waste.

 

10.10 The hotel participates on a recycling program.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge transports all its recyclable material to the town of Sierpe where there is a recycling program in place that also benefits the local school.

 

Final destiny of wastes

 

10.11 The solid wastes generated are appropriately stored before their final disposal.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has plastic trash cans with lids to properly store all solid material before transport.

10.12 The hotel verifies and guarantees that the final disposal of wastes is efficiently done.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge owners or employee are the only ones allowed to dispose of waste to ensure that it is done correctly. We personally transport all our waste to the recycling center in Sierpe and non recycling material is taken to Palmar Norte for proper disposal.

11. Training

11.1 All the employees are informed and know about the sustainability policies of the hotel.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge's employee understands these principles and actively participates with in them. We have not written up the employee manual yet but this will of course be included in it.

11.2 The hotel maintains a training program for employees according to its responsibilities.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Once our manuals are written up training will take place and review of these policies will be done quarterly.

11.3 The employees actively participate on the design of the environmental activities and policies of the hotel.

Weight: 2 yes no?

We, the owners of Sabalo Lodge, previously from the suburbs of Orange County, California are not ashamed to admit that without the constant input of our general manager Isaac, lifelong resident of Sabalo, we might have been in over our heads. Isaac is our stabilizing force and lets us know what's possible and what's not as well as what are the best practices for Sabalo Lodge. His understanding of the area and our knowledge or growing knowledge of implementing nationally recognized standards of the CST make a perfect compliment for each other. It is the active participation of the whole staff and what they bring in knowledge that makes this eco-dream possible.

 

11.4 The employees periodically participate on meeting that deal with hotel sustainability issues.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Isaac our general manager has lived in Sabalo his whole life. He is 48 years old and strong as an ox. He provided input every step of the way during our reconstruction from building suggestions to sustainable material use and proper disposal. The man is a sustainability guru when it comes to the Osa Peninsula. We look forward to his continued input for sustainability issues for Sabalo Lodge.

11.5 The hotel has a strategy that provides incentives to the employees to suggest improvements to hotel's sustainability program.

Weight: 2 yes no?

We have always strived to create an atmosphere where our general manager, Isaac, feels on equal ground with the owners on the decisions and suggestions for improvements to the lodge's sustainability programs. We value Isaac and pay him well above scale (he's on his own scale, lol) for his knowledge and input. He is also rewarded along the way for extraordinary work where initiative and good ideas are brought to fruition. These will be in the form of items like a new machete with leather sheath, stainless steel pocket knife and special requests like American made sandals. Whatever he needs he usually finds a way to win us over with his talent for these extra incentives that are really more like gifts of appreciation from us.

11.6 The hotel periodically evaluates and controls the results of its employee training program.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Once we have met with CST and gather their input to add to our policies they will be officially written up. Then we can better develop a curriculum that integrates an employee training program with measurable results.

Customers

 

12. Communication and involvement

12.1 Customers are provided with cultural, historic and ecological information about the area
where hotel is located.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge provides information on its website and has a good selection of books in its library for referencing the ecological (environmental) information of the area. Additionally the books provide cultural and historical information about Costa Rica in general. We encourage our guests to visit the local village of Sabalo and take a tour of our General Manager's home next to Sabalo Lodge. This too is referenced on our website. These tours give our guests the best opportunity to be educated on the local culture. Additionally they will meet Isaac's wife and daughter giving them additional opportunities to ask questions they may have.

We have also included cultural and historical information about the local village of Sabalo under our eco policies section..

12.2 The hotel has an information program for the guests which provide details of its
sustainability goals as establish by the CST.

Weight: 2 yes no?

We will be having CST come out to do its initial inspection after we permanently relocate to the lodge in November. After the inspection and receiving CST's initial input we will be publishing our sustainability goals on our website.

12.3 The hotel declares under oath that all the information contained on its publicity materials is strictly true.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Dan and Holly Pesta along with our General Manager Isaac Gamboa Chavez declare here in writing that that all the information contained in these materials is strictly true.

12.4 The publicity material of the hotel contains information and promotes the goals of the
CST.

Weight: 1 yes no?

We are posting this write-up on our website to give our guests a clear understanding of the goals of CST.

Additionally after we meet with CST for our initial inspection we will ask for addition relevant information to be provided by CST that we can post to supplement this inforamtion.

12.5 The consumers are informed and encouraged to participate on the different STC programs implemented by the hotel.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo lodge has posted this write up on our website as well as sustainable practices that we encourage guests to participate in when they arrive for their vacation. This is re-emphasized during their orientation upon arrival and additionally added in their guideline books located in their rooms.

We have signs posted throughout the lodge and guest rooms encouraging further participation in these programs. Signs posted include: turning off lights when they leave their rooms, turning off shower water while washing, recycling bins with signs in their rooms and kitchen area. We also encourage them to pick up any trash they may see while hiking and to visit the local community.

Our guests are also encouraged to visit protected areas and National Parks in the area on our website. Guests will also be given a chance to fill out suggestion cards on how we can better improve or add to existing programs throughout their stay.

12.6 The hotel provides the customers with information about the environmental protection
actions developed in the region.

Weight: 2 yes no?

We encourage our guests to include tours to some of the protected areas in our region including Corcovado National Park, Drake Bay and the mangrove preserve. We also have additional information about these areas on our website and in our reference library explaining the reasons why these areas are protected and their importance to the ecosystem.

We are still researching local foundations that we intend to promote to our guests for their participation in the form of donation or membership. One of these will be for the local school in the nearby village of Sabalo.

12.7 Information about the socio-cultural activities developed in the region is provided to the customer by the hotel.

Weight: 2 yes no?

We encourage all our guests to tour the local community of Sabalo. We also make sure to educate our guests about Sabalo. The local school teacher has invited us to bring our guests over to meet the children. She wants to expose the children to different people as they are so isolated here in the village. We have also included iinformation about the community on our website under our eco policies.

 

13. Room conditioning (management).

13.1 The rooms have information and necessary facilities to allow the appropriate separation of solid wastes by the guests.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge provides the guests in each of their rooms with a list of our eco policies as a reminder to encourage their participation. We have separate containers for the different types of solid waste; glass, plastic and steel for one container and another for paper. Non-recyclable materials can be discarded in our recycling area. Organic waste is not allowed in the sleeping areas.

13.2 The rooms have information and necessary facilities to allow water and energy savings by the guests.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge provides the guests with a list of our eco policies in their room to help conserve water and electricity. This is also presented on our website. Low wattage fluorescent light bulbs are in every room. LED light switches next to the entrance allows for the light switch to be easily found in the dark eliminating the need to leave the light on when not in the room. There are no electrical outlets in the rooms so electricity can be better managed. The water system is a gravity fed system allowing for a slower feed of water helping to conserve consumption. Toilets are of a smaller size and have been designed with water conservation in mind.

13.3 The hotel has a program to promote non-daily washing or towels, sheets and others.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has this information posted on its website. It is also presented to the guests during orientation and posted in their room along with our other eco policies. The laundry of towels and sheets is done every third day unless a special request is made for more frequent washing. The guests have laundry lines near their cabins so they can appropriately dry their towels and air out their sheets if they desire.

13.4 Non-smoking areas and rooms are clearly established by the hotel in order to reduce air
contamination.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has non-smoking signs posted throughout the lodge and cabins. Guests are also shown designated smoking areas during orientation. Smoking is not permitted within the rooms as the wood is unfinished inside the sleeping areas and has the potential to absorb smoke. Cabins have porches and are each located in their own private areas where smoking will not affect air quality for the rest of the guests.

14. Management of guest groups

14.1 The customers are encouraged and oriented to visit protected areas and other natural
attractions.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge offers tours and information on its website of the protected areas and natural attractions in the area such as Corcovado National Park, Drake Bay and the mangrove preserve. We also encourage our guests to tour the local protected areas around our lodge such as the rainforest and mangroves during their orientation.

14.2 The hotel has specialized tourist guides to provide detailed information to the customers about these natural areas.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Our general manager Isaac has lived in Sabalo his whole life. He can go through our bird book and tell you what birds you can find in the area, what location and what time of day you can expect to see them. He is also very good at finding other types of animals too like sloths. This is also true in outlining areas like the mangrove preserve and Violines Island where our cultural organic fruit farm tour is located. Additionally the owners of Sabalo Lodge are well versed about the natural areas around Sabalo. Guests visiting Corcovado National Park or Drake Bay will have at their disposal tour guides well versed on these areas as well.

14.3 The hotel has designed an effective program to encourage the guest to keep clean and
undamaged the natural areas they visit.

Weight: 2 yes no?

During guest orientation they are informed of our solid waste recycling program and are provided with the proper waste containers for separation of waste material. This is also included in the eco policies found in their rooms. Guests are also provided with hiking guidelines to ensure that the areas they visit are not damaged or abused. This consists of but not limited to: not straying from marked trails, limiting the size of groups hiking in one location at a time, not harvesting or disturbing wildlife, no feeding of any wildlife, watching the trail for our smaller friends like leaf cutters, not talking excessively loud or making excessive noise and picking up any trash they may see during their hike. Sabalo has a trench that separates the lodge grounds from the protected primary rainforest adjacent to the property and discourages guests from walking into this area. We have a trail that is clearly marked for entrance into this area.

All day trips outside the lodge utilizes ceramic plates, cups and metal eating utensils, no to-go containers are offered. We also pack any solid waste material back with us to the lodge for proper recycling and disposal.

14.4 The guests are provided with information about proper ways of behavior and their
responsibilities when visiting natural areas.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has basic hiking guidelines we provide the guests to help ensure their safety while hiking as well as to maximize their experience with nature. These guidelines are available on our website as well as listed in our eco polices found in their rooms. They are also part of our orientation to make sure they understand these tips before they set out on any hikes.

14.5 The tours and other related activities sold by the hotel promote a constructive interaction between the guest, the community and nature.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge provides guests with a well rounded offering of tours while promoting constructive interaction between guests, the community and nature. We only accommodate about 12 guests at a time minimizing the impact on the environment while maximizing the guest experience with nature. This also affords us a more intimate setting where guests eat together at every meal. This creates a time for everyone to share their experiences and at times meet with Isaac our General Manager and his wife and daughter. Many questions are usually asked of Isaac and his family to better understand the culture and about his family giving them first hand knowledge of the local culture. Sabalo encourages our guests to visit the local community of Sabalo and offers them guidelines before visiting to help assure a positive interaction with the local people. Our cultural tours are designed to create an intimate non-commercial experience for our guests giving them a true picture of life in the Osa Peninsula. This can be said of most of our nature tours as well. We offer low impact tours like kayaking in the mangroves, miles of trails for all levels of hikers and boat tours with a small engine. This allows for our guests to have a much more constructive interaction with nature by minimizing their impact to the area while increasing their chances of seeing more wildlife. Tours are small groups and they are provided with guidelines as well to benefit their experience.

15. Customer feedback measurement.

15.1 The hotel analyzes the opinions of the guests about the CST on a survey questionnaire
specifically design for this purpose.

Weight: 2 yes no n/a?

When CST makes their initial inspection of Sabalo Lodge will work with them to create a meaningful and comprehensive survey so our guests' opinions can be properly addressed. These surveys will be in each guests' rooms so they can address any opinion as they come up during the length of their stay. We will collect their surveys before they leave for proper analysis.

15.2 The results of this survey are reported at least every 6 months to the Ministry of Tourism
and the CST Commission.

Weight: 1 yes no n/a?

We will provide copies of all surveys collected and submit them every six months for the Ministry of Tourism and the CST Commission.

15.3 The guests have access to a paper form where they can state their complaints about the CST and the operation of the hotel in general.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Quality control is very important to Sabalo Lodge. We will have a separate form for our guests to make any complaints about our CST standards and the lodge in general. We will allow them to do this anonymously so that they will not hold back on their opinions. It is important to the owners of Sabalo Lodge that they get honest feedback and do not want guests to hold back on information that they feel is important. How else can we improve if we don't get complete information?

15.4 In relation to the CST results and the hotel services, the hotel has design and established some kind of guarantee for the guests. This guarantee is easy to implement or obtain.

Weight: 3 yes no?

We will offer some kind of guarantee to our guests regarding our CST results and the hotel services in general. We are still researching this to find an equitable solution that is fair to everyone.

Socio-economic environment

 

16. Direct economic benefits

16.1 60% of the hotel's employees are people from the local community.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Because Sabalo Lodge is a smaller lodge we limit the number of guests giving them personalized attention as well as minimizing impact on the environment. That said we only have a need for one employee, Isaac our general manager who is from the local village of Sabalo. I guess you can say that 100% of our employees are from the local community ;-)

 

16.2 The hotel provides training to local people so that they can effectively work at the hotel.

Weight: 2 yes no?

The section above 16.1 describes why we only have a need for one employee at this time.

16.3 The administrative employees of the hotel are Costa Ricans.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge is a small family owned business run by Dan and Holly Pesta with the help of our General Manager whose experience is invaluable to the lodge. At such time that the lodge expands we would look at this as an option.

 

16.4 The hotel contributes and supports the training of human resources for complementary
tourism activities.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge does business with many local community members in the buying of its food. We also utilize local taxi and boat taxi services for the transportation of our guests. We have incorporated several cultural tours and work with these community members to educate them on ideas to enhance the experience of our guests. We also utilize local guides and rent horses from the community. All maintenance supplies to the lodge are purchased from the local town of Sierpe and Palmar Norte. We also look for local community members in Sierpe that provide additional tours such as deep sea fishing, Drake Bay and Caños Island excursions.

We will be working with the community to explain our operation as an eco lodge and what we are looking for in the way of ideas for additional tours. We will evaluate all ideas presented and work with the individuals who have good ideas to refine the tours to meet our guests' needs.

16.5 The hotel hires the human resources trained on complementary tourism activities.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge's General Manager Isaac is also one of our main tour operators. Living in the community of Sabalo his whole life makes him an incredible guide for this area of the Osa Peninsula. This guy can find wildlife and birds like no one I've met. He knows animal locations and the best times of the day to find them.

We also have created several community-based tours where local community members have created their own activities unique only to Sabalo Lodge guests making them, in a sense, freelance tour operators for the lodge.

 

16.6 The hotel does not hire anybody illegally. It also does not hire anybody below the minimum conditions (salary, benefits, etc.).

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge adheres strictly to the laws of its hired employee. We pay all appropriate taxes and medical insurance fees. Our caretaker is the best paid employee in all of Sabalo.

16.7 The job opportunities offered by the hotel are not creating undesirable situations on the
local community.

Weight: 2 yes no?

The community of Sabalo is in a remote area with no public electricity or water available. The jobs there are created by the individuals or supplemented by low wage land maintenance for foreign land owners. Isaac our General Manager is the highest paid individual in the whole community for employer/employee type jobs. His opportunity at Sabalo Lodge has helped him enhance his standard of living significantly allowing for him to better provide for his family and their future.

 

17. Indirect economic benefits

17.1 The publicity material of the hotel informs about leisure activities organized by the local
community or local enterprises.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge utilizes its website for all its publicity materials. On our site you will find many tours that are offered in conjunction with both local community members and local enterprises. These include:

Organic Fruit Farm Tour
Boat Tour of the Mangroves
Deep Sea Fishing Tours
Caños Island and Drake Bay Dolphin Tours
A half day horse back ride and visit with a local family
Horseback riding

 

17.2 The hotel’s promotional material informs guests about charitable activities developed for the community.

Weight: 1 yes no?

These programs will be developed after the owners of the lodge relocate permanently to Sabalo Lodge. We will be working with the community, CST and local organizations to research, develop, participate and promote projects to help benefit the community of Sabalo.

17.3 The hotel actively participates supporting the development of cultural, artistic and sport
activities.

Weight: 2 yes no?

The owners of Sabalo Lodge will be looking for the community input on how we can best contribute to the development of cultural, artistic and sports activities one we relocate to the lodge in November.

17.4 The hotel takes advantage and promotes the consumption of inputs produced locally.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge makes every effort to buy what we can locally. All the fruit, fish, chickens, eggs and some vegetables are all purchased locally. During the re-construction of our lodge we hired local carpenters from the town of Siepre. We also bought all our tropical hardwood from the area of Sabalo. All wood purchased was from downed trees in the area and appropriate license fees were paid to the government for the wood that was bought. We also utilize local resources when we can for our tours from horses to visiting families for cultural tours. We continue to seek additional inputs for local consumption.

 

17.5 The hotel's store sales handicrafts and other products from the local region. Local people and businesses produce these products.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge does not have a store. The community of Sablo is very small, maybe 130 people spread out over a large area. We did find one wood carver in town however. We have dedicated a space for Melvin to diplay his carvings. They have been very popular with the guests. Melvin gets all the proceeds from the sales, Sabalo Lodge takes no commission..

 

17.6 Handicrafts and other artistic adornments produced in Cost Rica are used to decorate the rooms and other hotel facilities.

Weight: 3 yes no ?

Sabalo Lodge seeks to keep its living environment simple. We do have water color pictures in every room of the lodge and cabins that were painted by a local artist. We also have some furniture that was made by our General Manger Isaac.

 

17.7 The hotel has specific programs that promote national tourism. It offers reduced rates for Costa Ricans.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo lodge offers a 20% discount to native Costa RIcans during certain months of the year when they book directly with us on-line.

17.8 The hotel supports or has permanent commercial relation with at least one national micro-enterprise.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge supports local micro-enterprises with regular purchases of organic fruit, fish, chickens and eggs. Our Internet system is provided by a Costa Rican Business and our Solar system was purchased and is maintained by a Costa Rican business as well. During our re-construction local vendors where used as well as local workers. Given our remote location and desire to give back to the community we strive to buy as much as we can from local micro-enterprises.

17.9 The technology, materials and equipment used by the hotel are produced locally or have an important national component.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo lodge and its cabins were constructed form tropical hardwoods found within the village of Sabalo. The design of the lodge and cabins conforms with local styles demonstrating a national component.

17.10 The hotel facilitates maritime or terrestrial transport to people from the community on
frequent basis or in emergency cases.

Weight: 1 yes no n/a?

Sabalo Lodge uses its boat for the transportation of villagers in case of an emergency. We also utilize our radio to alert the Red Cross so they are ready to transport any victim upon our arrival.

Last year a child in Sabalo fell from a roof and was unconscious. This was in the evening and our help was sought by the family. Isaac loaded the child into his boat as we radioed the town of Sierpe. Isaac used the owners' 7 LED flashlight as his only light source to navigate the mangrove channels and the Sierpe River at night. The Red Cross was waiting as Isaac arrived in Sierpe with the child and took him to the nearest emergency facilities. The child was treated and later released.

18. Contribution to cultural development

18.1 The promotion of the hotel integrates cultural elements from the local region and
communities.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge promotes on our website the nearby village of Sabalo and encourages guests to visit the area. We also promote taking a tour of our caretaker's home next door to the lodge. Our caretaker has lived in Sabalo his whole life and is an excellent example of indigenous living.

Sabalo Lodge also offers two cultural tours. One tour is of a nearby organic fruit and vegetable farm where we buy a lot of our fruit and some vegetables. We offer another tour by horse to a Tico family that lives in the hills of the nearby village of Miramar. Our guests spend the day with the family to see how they live off the land in a self sufficient manner.

18.2 The hotel has a designated area where local organizations, previously obtaining the hotel authorization, can expose their tourism projects and initiatives.

Weight: 2 yes no?

After we relocate to the lodge we will be distributing an information paper about Sabalo lodge and the opportunities available to the community of Sabalo. We will be soliciting them for ideas on ecological and cultural tours as well as participation in cultural events and products for sale by local artists. The community has an open door policy to present their ideas to our General Manager Isaac who is very active in the community. We will discuss the ideas with Isaac and implement the ones we think would be mutually beneficial for everyone.

18.3 The hotel allows the use of its facilities for important community reunions.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo already has a community center where these events take place. The previous owner of Sabalo Lodge, Nidia, (who grew up there as a child) also advised us against inviting members of the community onto the grounds. It's an unfortunate reality that in the depressed economic environment of Sabalo allowing the villagers onto the grounds only invites the potential for theft. This policy has proven effective as there has never been an incident of theft at Sabalo Lodge.

18.4 The hotel publicizes and promotes cultural activities and expressions.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has several cultural tours posted on its website and encourages our guests to visit the community of Sabalo. Our General Manager Isaac, has also graciously opened his home and property for our guests to visit as well. This gives our guests the best opportunity for an intimate glance at an excellent example of sustainable living within this area.

When the owners of Sabalo Lodge permanently relocate to the lodge in November 2007 we will be taking the time to explore further the cultural activities and expressions that might be available to be incorporated into our guests overall experience. This would include any celebrations, artists in the area that would want to sell their wares at the lodge and ideas from the community about other possible tours.

18.5 The hotel prohibits the use and promotion of sexual commerce activities, prostitution, and drug dealing or other social problems.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge strictly prohibits the use or promotion of sexual commerce activities, prostitution and drug dealing as well as other social problems. We are fortunate to be in a very remote area with a small village nearby where these issues are not a problem.

18.6 The hotel has established practical actions against sexual harassment and promotes equal opportunity for both genders.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge is a small lodge with only one employee so these issues although important are not really a factor at this time. Our caretaker is a real gentleman and understands that this type of behavior is not only immoral but not tolerated. This goes for the owners of the lodge as well.

18.7 The hotel promotional and guiding signs do not interfere with the cultural, social, and
natural environment.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge only has one welcome sign at the entrance of the property within the property itself. Given the remote nature of the lodge it is unnecessary for us to promote the lodge in this way.

 

19. Contribution the public health

19.1 The demand of basic services (water, electricity, roads) is not competing with those of the local communities.

Weight: 2 yes no n/a?

There is no electricity within the village of Sabalo, we are off the electrical grid. Sabalo is totally self sufficient providing all its own electrical needs through the use of solar power. The nearby village has its own water source from the nearby mountains. Sabalo Lodge is at the end of the village with its own separate stream which provides us with our water needs without taking away from anyone else in the area. There is a common road that that is shared by both Sabalo Lodge and the village of Sabalo but entrance through our very own mangrove channel by boat is how our guests arrive at Sabalo Lodge.

19.2 The hotel participates as facilitator of the preventive public health programs.

Weight: 1 yes no?

We plan on participating in educational programs as well as ecology programs with the local school during the off season for tourism. We have already worked with the Minister of Health in Palmar Sur and will look for their guidance for ideas for a curriculum.

19.3 The control of plagues is done with substances and procedures that do not affect customers, employees, local people, wildlife animals and environment.

Weight: 1 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge works very hard to maintain its grounds so that there is no standing water surrounding its 8 open acres. We do not use any pesticides or poisons to rid the area of mosquitoes as the eliminating of standing water has been sufficient. Sabalo Lodge also has an ample population of bats that appear at dusk and do a good job of reducing the mosquito population on a daily basis. The bats in no way interfere with the guests experience and will hardly be noticed by them.

20. Infrastructure and security

20.1 The hotel has contributed with the community to the maintenance or construction of
infrastructure.

Weight: 3 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge has donated money and building material (gravel and sand) to the community to help raise the road that leads to the boat launch area for the community. This road needed to be raised as it becomes flooded during high tide making it difficult for families to gain access to their boats.

The community of Sabalo has never had an adequate drinking water system. This has created health issues for the community as a whole. Dan Pesta with the help of Nidia Gamboa Chavez visited the water municipality in San Isidro to get the appropriate paperwork to petition the government for assistance in this matter. Dan made several copies and delivered the petitions to the community for them to start the procedure.

The municipality has been rebuilding the main road that goes from Sierpe to Drake Bay. There is a stretch of road between Sabalo Lodge and the community of Sabalo that is threatened by water runoff from the hills. Sabalo Lodge purchased six large cement culverts that will be buried under the road to help mitigate the water properly and protect the road.

 

20.2 The hotel uses its influence and knowledge to help solving the infrastructure problems of the local communities.

Weight: 1 yes no?

The Community of Sabalo has an inadequate drinking water system, as described in 20.1 above. The community has rallied together and completed the paperwork they need to take the next step to resolve this issue. Their next step is to have a meeting with the water municipality as a group to deliver the petitions and make a formal request for government assistance. The community has asked for our support by attending the meeting with them. Dan Pesta plans on making the trip with the community to lend our support and to help them get this important issue approved.

20.3 The hotel is involved in associations or committees that work to improve the condition of the local community.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge staff along with encouraging our guests helps to keep the general area clean of litter and trash. We also do this at Playa Blanco anytime we visit the area during a guided tour.

Isaac our general manager is an active member of the community committee. He keeps us informed of any concerns or needs that the community is addressing or working on. This is how we got involved with the repairing of the road and the work to improve the community's drinking water system. We continue to stay informed through Isaac and offer our advice or assistance whenever we can.

20.4 The hotel support of the tourist security programs being developed.

Weight: 2 yes no?

Sabalo Lodge by its very design makes for a secure environment for our guests. The best and easiest way into the lodge is by boat eliminating easy access to undesirable individuals. We can also hear any boat coming into the area (there is only one mangrove channel allowing access) well before it arrives. The same goes for any vehicles that may utilize the road. We can hear them well before they arrive. Vehicles on the road are also infrequent because there is a $40.00 one way fee to get across the Siepre River by ferry to access the road. There is another entry point to the road but it is very remote and hardly ever used.

Sabalo Lodge has 8 open acres of lawn and trees with all guest cabins and the lodge at the furthest point back from the main road or mangrove channel. There is no chance of anyone wandering onto the property to get to the guest areas without anyone seeing them first. The property is also surrounded by fences and gates. The fences have brush growing through them as well for additional protection.

We also have Lassie and Daisy. Lassie is a German Shepard that grew up in Sabalo and knows the lodge intimately. She is one of the smartest and best guard dogs you will ever meet. Daisy is a hound dog and can sound an alarm with her howl that rivals the best electronic security alarms. Both dogs are well trained for their job so as to not scare off wildlife or become an annoyance to our guests. They are paid very well with good food and a lot of love. The dogs will also gladly accompany any of our guests on walks and act as a great deterrent against other dogs our guests may encounter (both dogs are female and know how to charm or chase away any dog posing a threat).

Given that we are a smaller lodge we do not have a problem with employee theft. Isaac's family are the only people who enter the grounds. In the 10 years that Sabalo Lodge was in business and since we have owned it there has been nothing stolen from guests or the lodge itself. Even during our construction. This is accredited to having Isaac as our general manager. He is highly respected in the community and thus the community respects the privacy of Sabalo Lodge.

20.5 The hotel has and enforces an ethical code that benefits morality and security.

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These policies are being put together and we will be looking for input from CST when they make their initial inspection before being published.

20.6 The hotel implements practical actions to guarantee the security of its customers and employees.

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The design and layout of Sabalo Lodge as stated in 20.4 above makes for a secure environment for the safety of our guests and employee. We also have a radio to contact the town of Sierpe if the need ever arises for additional police assistance. We also monitor the amount of alcohol consumed by guests ensuring no excessive drinking, eliminating issues that can occur with public drunkenness. Sabalo is also patrolled 24 hours a day by our two guard dogs making it impossible for anyone to trespass on the property. Isaac our General Manager is well respected in the community and the community knows not to wander onto the property. In the 13 years that Sabalo has been in business there has never been a theft. That is a claim not many other lodges have been able to make.

Additional security is provided to our guests in the form of education during their orientation and in their eco polices manual in their room. Practical guidelines are laid out to help them understand the potential dangers of vacationing in the rainforest of Costa Rica. The 8 open acres of well trimmed grass surrounding the lodge gives our guests plenty of room to wander around without the concern of unwanted encounters from some of these potential dangers while still being able to observe wildlife in its native state such as monkeys and scarlet macaws.

Dan Pesta is an Eagle Scout and well trained in first aid. We also have well stocked first aid supplies to handle most immediate needs.

20.7 The hotel has a contingency plan to deal with natural disasters or emergencies.

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Sabalo Lodge has a radio to contact the local town of Sierpe in case of an emergency. The Red Cross is notified and has a vehicle waiting upon our arrival into town by boat. Costa Rica's newest full service hospital is almost complete in the nearby town of Cortez about 30 minutes from Sierpe. The town of Sierpe also has a medical clinic for lesser emergencies.

Sabalo Lodge also has satellite internet where it can stay well informed about any extreme weather conditions coming into the area. We have two boats, one 4WD six passenger vehicle, one dirt bike and two quad bikes giving us adequate transportation out of the area in case evacuation is necessary. In the event evacuation in not possible Sabalo Lodge is completely self sufficient and can provide for its guests until evacuation is possible.

 

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