Don't STAY at Casa Caletas Hotel, but WHY?

Casa Caletas Hotel on the Nicoya Penisula in Costa Rica- "Obviously YOU don't CARE."
I haven't heard word 'one' from Casa Caletas Hotel. "Bet you thought I forgot about you, didn't you Casa Caletas?"

Why shouldn't you stay at Casa Caletas Hotel? The short answer- the owner doesn't seem to CARE about some LAND that he is ASSOCIATED WITH and is important to the sea turtles. But there's MUCH MORE to the story.

Don't KNOW? You can get up to SPEED:

It started HERE:

* Another Company tells Costa Rica to F-OFF

Then I heard from the folks at Pretoma and wrote the second installment:

* time to SPEAK-UP and do SOMETHING

Then I personally asked Casa Caletas or the owners to respond to a few questions I had:

* Casa Caletas Hotel- tell me it's NOT true

So, it's time to seriously BOYCOTT anything to do with the owner(s) of Casa Caletas and possibly two other hotels, Hotel Fuego del Sol in Playa Hermosa and Lake Coter Eco Lodge in Nuevo Arenal, which may ALL be owned by Sylvester Feichtinger or his company(s). (If they'd answer my emails I would know for SURE), but since they pretty much told Costa Rica to 'fuck off' when ordered to 'cease and desist' stripping the wetlands, I'm fairly certain I'm not HIGH on their 'need to respond to' list.

It would also be COOL if you could email them and ask them 'WHAT'S UP with that?' reservaciones@ticoresorts.com is their email.

'Sea turtle's already have a tough BEGINNING, but at least they have a place to START... don't let it disappear.'
BE the CHANGE YOU want in the WORLD, the sea turtles will thank-you for it.

Casa Caletas Hotel- tell me it's NOT true

Casa Caletas Hotel on the Nicoya Penisula in Costa Rica- "Do you care about the sea turtles... well, do ya?"
Casa Caletas Hotel on the Nicoya Peninsula needs to be held to a little accountability... or NOT, and that's the point of this POST- I think we're entitled to some answers.

Independence Day in La Fortuna is over which means I have written my ONE 'feel-good' post for the month (I do have monthly quotas you know). Now I can get back to what I do best, wading through BULLSHIT.

So, where were we? Oh yeah, the Casa Caletas Hotel down on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Here's a quick summary taken from my last post:

I wrote about Agropecuaria Caletas S.A., the fucks who continue to (ignoring a mandate) obliterate, annihilate, devastate and ‘drain’ the wetlands within the Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge, which was created to protect the olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles that nest there- Oh! and get this, ALL for the sake of planting a cornfield… a fuckin CORNFIELD. How SAD is that? Go to Pretoma's website for the full article.

So, the president of Agropecuaria Caletas S.A. is, Sylvester Feichtinger, who is also the supposed owner of the Casa Caletas Hotel. But,

...let's just say I want to START over and give the benefit of the doubt to Casa Caletas... really you NEVER know.

Here's my OPEN letter to what I'm sure is a FINE establishment:

Dear Hotel Casa Caletas,

Hey CC, how's it going? I think that's enough pleasantries. First, is the owner of Casa Caletas Hotel, Sylvester Feichtinger? If not, is he connected to your hotel in ANYWAY, or any of the following businesses: Tico Resorts which oversees Lake Coter Eco Lodge in Nuevo Arenal, and Fuego del Sol Hotel near Playa Hermosa?

Are you aware of the problems concerning the above article? If so, what are you doing or NOT doing about it?

That's it Casa Caletas... for now.

Respond to, TravelCostaRicaNOW@gmail.com and I will publish your response with NO editing ( I promise) and then we can go from there. I will either issue a BLOG apology, or NOT. Obviously if I don't hear from you, I will proceed tying your hotel into the ABOVE issue.

I await your response.

For a BETTER Costa Rica,

michael alan

Don't worry Casa Caletas, I can wait... for awhile anyway. I'm not really a Tico Time type of guy though... just sayin.
Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

time to SPEAK-UP and do SOMETHING

Hotel Casa Caletas owner is Sylvester Feichtinger, president of Agropecuaria Caletas, this company is draining the wetlands of Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge, and this Leatherback and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles nesting site is at RISK.
In my last post, I wrote about Agropecuaria Caletas S.A., the fucks who continue to (ignoring a mandate) obliterate, annihilate, devastate and ‘drain’ the wetlands within the Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge, which was created to protect the olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles that nest there- Oh! and get this, ALL for the sake of planting a cornfield… a fuckin CORNFIELD. How SAD is that? Go to Pretoma's website for the full article.

But you know what’s VERY interesting?

The president of Agropecuaria Caletas S.A., is Sylvester Feichtinger who also owns a hotel on the Nicoya Peninsula called, Casa Caletas Hotel.

Okay, follow along, this is important:

Taken from the Casa Caletas and Tico Resorts website:

"Built in 1990, The Eco Lodge Hotel was the first lodge built in Latin America using an economic endowment from the World Bank. It was created as a pilot model for Latin America, and its mission was to preserve the environment and develop a true ecotourism program. To do this, among other things, Eco Lodge decided to keep 218 hectares of primary forest as a private reserve, becoming a pioneer in conservation and adventure sports in harmony with the ecosystem.
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Today, Eco Lodge is a well known company that created Tico Resorts in order to manage the Casa Caletas Boutique Hotel, Eco Lodge and Fuego del Sol Hotels."

As of this writing, it’s not totally clear what this guy, Sylvester Feichtinger really owns or doesn’t own. Maybe he owns all 3 hotels as well as their parent company- Tico Resorts, although the irony WOULDN’T and COULDN’T go unnoticed if he was the owner of Eco Lodge, (full name, Lake Coter Eco Lodge), with its mission being, ‘…to preserve the environment and develop a true ecotourism program’. We’ll SEE about that, but he does own Casa Caletas Hotel. And it’s a good as place to START as any.

WE NEED TO APPLY PRESSURE in order for Sylverster Feichtinger or Agropecuaria Caletas, Tico Resorts or whoever, to STOP doing what they’re doing within the Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge- namely draining the WETLANDS for a fuckin cornfield and make whatever it IS they’ve already destroyed in the refuge, RIGHT again.

It’s all about getting the word OUT, and with social networking being what it IS; this is doable, even if you don’t have a ton of time to dedicate to the CAUSE- create a FaceBook, or MySpace page or maybe more importantly, since Tico’s utilize it big time, a hi5 page in both Spanish and English. I know many of you are on TWITTER, re-TWEET the Pretoma article… or mine for that matter- that can definitely get the WORD out in a hurry. Linking to Pretoma is a good bet; not ONLY the problems in Caletas Ario Refuge- Pretoma has TONS of articles and INFO about many of problems concerning the marine life in Costa Rica- which is very educational as well.

Obviously I would ask you NOT to do business with the above hotels, mainly Casa Caletas Hotel. E-mail them and tell them WHY you would NEVER stay there or send them business. Maybe Fuego del Sol Hotel in Playa Hermosa isn't AWARE of the current situation, but contacting them through e-mail or phone just MAY bring it to their ATTENTION. You might mention their could be a perception of GUILT through association... just sayin.

E-mail KIDS, it doesn’t take much time or effort to ‘cut and paste’

…and YOU TRAVEL AGENTS on TWITTER, I KNOW you have some CLOUT with your thousands of FOLLOWERS.

To CONTACT Casa Caletas Hotel, Fuego del Sol Hotel, or Lake Coter Eco Lodge by internet you basically have to use the same email address: reservaciones@ticoresorts.com

Casa Caletas Hotel-TOLL FREE (USA & CANADA) 1- 800- 850 4592
Phone in Costa Rica: (506) 289-6060 Fax: (506) 288-0123

Hotel Fuego del Sol- TOLL FREE (USA & CANADA) 1-800-850-4532
Phones in Costa Rica : (506) 2289-6060 / Fax : (506) 2288-0123 / Hotel : 2643-7171

The LINK to Lake Coter Eco Lodge isn't working for me, sorry.

Okay, this is just an OVERVIEW, there will be MUCH more INFO, suggestions etc, in the upcoming weeks. This is just a START.

'Sea turtle's already have a tough BEGINNING, but at least they have a place to START... don't let it disappear.'
BE the CHANGE YOU want in the WORLD, the sea turtles will thank-you for it.
Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

Another Company tells Costa Rica to F-Off

"HEY! Costa Rica, quit showing off and BITE'em already."
Costa Rica doesn't have an appearance problem, as a matter of fact, to the outside world they're June and Ward Cleaver, but they do have a BACKBONE problem. Read that as, they don't have ONE. But like I alluded to, you wouldn't necessarily know that unless you lived here.The story below is the reason I am often skeptical about the application, implementation and enforcement of ANY laws on the books in Costa Rica (the new driving laws INCLUDED).

This is the SHIT that pisses me off, did you read about this?

Agropecuaria Caletas S.A., has continued the destruction of wetlands within the Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge, created in 2006 to protect the olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles that nest there, in disregard of the mandates of the Environmental Tribune of the Ministry of Environment.

Last April, responding to a lawsuit filed by Pretoma against Agropecuaria Caletas S.A. for draining the wetlands of the Caletas Ario Wildlife Refuge, the Environmental Tribune ordered the farming company to halt all of its activities in and around this sensitive wetland. Last June, the Environmental Tribune ordered the company to pay $21,200 for damages caused therein (Resolución N° 390-09-TAA). The resolution came after officials observed how the company is, by design, draining, burning and thereby sucking the biological diversity out of a 150 hectare wetland that boarders Playa Caletas on the southern Nicoya Peninsula.

Video taken by Pretoma this past weekend shows how the court order and subsequent fines have done nothing to stop the company’s relentless efforts to drain and till under the wetland. “As a Costa Rican, it is quite upsetting to see Agropecuaria Caletas S.A.’s total disrespect of our Courts”, said Randall Arauz, President of Pretoma. “The foreign owner of Agropecuaria Caletas S.A. has not only ignored the fine, but he is openly challenging the Environmental Tribune’s authority, by continuing the destruction of the wetland without any apparent fear of legal reprisals”. (rest of the story HERE on Pretoma’s website).

If you ask me, it takes BALLS to basically tell the courts to “FUCK-off”, and the only reason I can think for doing so is because Agropecuaria Caletas doesn't believe there will be any REAL repercussions for their egregious acts.
So there it is, this FUCK ALL company, Agropecuaria Caletas, has said, “FUCK YOU!”

Now what?

Maybe a couple million in FINES, maybe they should be made to re-plant to the areas original landscape. How about the Costa Rican COURTS make an EXAMPLE of these fucks?

The ball is IN the Ministry of Environment’s COURT, and obviously Agropecuaria Caletas doesn’t believe they’ll hit it back. "Hey Ministry, how about an overhead SMASH?"

"Can you go for the JUGULAR in tennis?"

Costa Rica's laws need to develop some teeth, because I want to see some 'Agropecuaria Caletas' BLOOD. (no dogs were hurt by uploading this picture).
Please Costa Rica court system; prove me wrong when I say your BARK is often worse than your bite. Hell, the president of Agropecuaria Caletas is a foreigner, who better to make an example of….hehe.

We'll see what happens, or DOESN'T, soon enough.

As usual, it’s the folks at Pretoma doing all the grunt WORK in order to protect the sea-turtles and sharks. They’ve been at this stuff for quite awhile now and if it wasn’t for them… well, I’d hate to see Costa Rica without them. They do GREAT work and if you’re financially able, they’re a great organization to donate too. Check out the above Pretoma link and see for yourself all the GOOD work they do.

A few other articles about Costa Rica Perception and the TRUTH:

Costa Rica- it's just SAD- WASTE WATER and where it goes.
Costa Rica to Sea Turtles, "PISS OFF!"- De-certification of Costa Rica as a turtle friendly country.
Costa Rica- SLOW DOWN Overbuilding in Costa Rica.

It frustrates me this video doesn’t have more HITS, as it’s VERY educational concerning the plight of the sharks and sea turtles off the coast(s) of Costa Rica. It’s my interview with Pretoma’s president, Randall Arauz. And yeah, I’ve posted it numerous times, but in my mind, that could mean the DIFFERENCE. Please embed this VIDEO where appropriate to HELP get the word OUT. thanx.



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

Playa Samara on the Nicoya Peninsula

Playa Samara on the Nicoya Peninsula has some amazing sunsets.
Hey Everyone! We've always been partial to destinations on the Nicoya Peninsula like Malpais/Santa Teresa, Montezuma and of course Samara which is pretty much at the northern part of Nicoya. We spent a few days down there and made this little video to share our views on Playa Samara and it's next door neighbor, Playa Carrillo.

Samara is one BIG BEACH and definitely the VERY definition of a beach town. Taking in the sun and water adventures during the day and partying at night. Great restaurants, intimate little bars on the beach where you can share a cocktail and the sunset with that special someone, but also club-like party bars to drink and party until the wee-hours.

Me, just checkin OUT Playa Samara... and liking what I see.
Playa Samara is a long-wide beach on a curved horseshoe-shape bay. Unlike many other beaches along the Pacific coast, the water is calm and great for swimming and other water adventures like snorkeling and fishing and it's even a great place to 'beginner surf'. Playa Samara is popular with the Ticos and can often get quite lively on the weekends and special holidays, but since the beach is so BIG, it all seems to work. The calm waters and steep cliffs on the far side of the bay make this a very seductive spot, and don't forget Playa Carrillo, 5 kms away, also a great little beach. Here's our REVIEW of Playa Samara. ENjOy!



Hey Everyone, we got TONS of Costa Rica Travel Information in our Travel Guide at Travel Costa Rica NOW and don't FORGET all our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos, completely ORGANIZED so you can EASILY find what you're LOOKING for. ENjOY!

BLUE ZONE Bandwagon

Have you heard about these so-called, ‘Blue Zones?’ The story has been making the rounds on Oprah, Anderson Cooper, The Today Show etc. but just in case you haven’t, a brief definition from the WIKI people:

Blue Zones is a project that studies the regions of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100 years. Scientists and demographers have classified these longevity hot-spots by their inhabitant’s uncanny ability to live longer, on average, than anyone else in the world.

The hub-bub here, is that the Nicoya Peninsula has been added to this very exclusive, albeit short list of Blue Zone locations; joining the likes of Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda California and a few others.
The old people, sorry, the centenarians inhabiting Blue Zones share common lifestyle characteristics that contribute to their longevity.

Let’s see what the researchers say:

• Family comes FIRST
• Centenarians don’t typically smoke.
• Plant-Based Diet, in other words, fruits and veggies, not so much meat.
• Constant Moderate Physical Activity – Moderate physical activity is an inseparable part of life.
• Social Engagement – People of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities.
• Legumes, such as peas, beans, lentils, lupins, and peanuts are routinely consumed.
• Having a ‘purpose’ in life, but also a good attitude about aging.
• And of course 2 glasses of red wine……seriously.

I swear I’m not a party-pooper. And as far as Costa Rica goes, I consider the entire country a Blue Zone, hell, their 'over-all' way of living is one of the reasons I live here- Pura Vida is for REAL and I feel privileged to be a part of it. That said….
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….. are you fuckin kidding me? Did we not know this? Are you telling me we need ‘research’ to explain that a positive outlook, sense of purpose, healthy diet and exercise, social interaction and two glasses of red wine may increase our odds of living longer. *I’ve done a little of my own research, you may substitute Cacique for the 2 glasses of red wine.

Sorry, but I’m taking this a bit further.

I’d be willing to bet that the centenarians who live in these Blue Zones haven’t strayed more than 200 miles from home their entire life. The simple life is a WAY of life, but if you ask me, it’s still ‘extreme’ in its own way. Their life is simple and their thoughts are simple. And although we can learn something, and should, I KNOW they haven’t had half the life experiences I have. They’re content in their tiny ‘Blue Zone’ world and there’s nothing wrong with that; if it gets them to 100+, then GREAT. BUT, I’ll take 80 any day of the week for MY life. I prefer my ‘simple’ with a dose of ‘complexity’. I need to travel, contemplate new business ventures, party my ass off, experience things outside the box, keep an eye on the political system, change my mind often- and every other thing I can’t think of right now.

Simple IS, as simple DOES, and for my tastes- a little to ‘confining.’

Screw 100.

Go ahead; pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Pass the peas.

As always, view hundreds of video about Costa Rica Travel Channel and for all your Costa Rica Information- Travel Costa Rica Now