The Lodge is located at the foot of Cerro Muchilla, or Muchilla Mountain, in the Province of Limon on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica. Cerro Muchilla is part of an eastern outcropping of Costa Rica’s southernmost mountain range, the Cordillera de Talamanca, much of which belongs to the enormous Costa Rican/Panamanian La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. This protected zone consists of a core -La Amistad International Park- and several surrounding wildlife and Indian reserves (which also act as wildlife reserves), adding up to a total of about one million hectares (2.2 million acres) of uninterrupted, protected land. This “green belt”, which spans southern Costa Rica from east to west, remains the least explored territory in the country, its biological wealth scarcely studied.
Selva Bananito Lodge is built on our family farm, of which only one third is actually used for farming. Our father, Rudi Stein, who has farmed in Latin America since the 1950′s, purchased the land for farming and wood exploitation in 1974. In the early years of his land tenure, he obtained a government permit to do selective logging on the forested portions of his land. This permit went mostly unused, and in 1994 our family decided to declare the untouched two thirds of the farm (850 hectares or 2,000 acres) a private, biological reserve and built the lodge as an alternative source of income. This was a moral, not an economic decision, since it is unlikely that the income from the lodge will ever approximate the commercial value of the protected wood.
The cabins stand on a ridge flanked by two streams. On one side of the ridge you will see the Bananito River and its valley, where the farm’s pastures, plantations, and reforested areas are (great birdwatching here!). On the other side your eyes will fall upon the beautiful Cerro Muchilla and the Amistad Biosphere, which our borders touch.
We realize that our very existence in this environment affects it, but we try to minimize our impact in a variety of ways. Rather than building the cabins closer to, or in the forest, we purposefully erected them in an area that had already been altered by human activity. Eighty percent of the hardwood used to build the cabins was obtained from “second class” wood discarded by loggers from trees already cut for other purposes. As much as twenty percent of a tree is classified as “second class” and is normally left to waste. We wish to set an example for how to maximize the use of a tree once it is cut down, because using trees efficiently is one way to reduce deforestation. Each cabin stands on stilts, in traditional Caribbean style. This type of architecture reduces moisture inside the buildings and improves the view and ventilation. Furthermore, far fewer insects and other critters find their way inside. Even so, you may want to inspect your shoes for unwanted guests before putting them on!
Many hotels and lodges in Costa Rica use the charming palm roofing inspired by traditional Indian architecture. The excessive use of suita palm for roofing, however, has contributed to its endangerment. Furthermore, this type of roofing requires regular spraying with pesticides to keep insects out (whether hotel operators admit to it or not). We therefore opted for thick tar paper roofing or synthetic roofing instead. Without the use of electricity we hope to create a quiet and relaxing environment for our guests and ourselves, very much in tune with the surroundings. If you need to recharge any batteries, however, we may be able to arrange it for you through the farm management. The main office is located in the building opposite the entrance to the cabins. Here you may leave valuables for safekeeping.
If you follow the main road downhill, you will find our rancho, which has a dining area, bar, and small library upstairs, and kitchen and personnel facilities downstairs. Meals are served at the rancho. Please advise us of any dietary restrictions as soon as is convenient.
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