Responsible Tourism

The Celeste Mountain Lodge is proud to adhere to a philosophy of sustainable tourism, with low environment impact and eco-friendly practices, innovating some new ones, as well as a commitment for the development of the local community:

We believe in the "3 R" rule: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

• Use of some recycled, re-used or salvaged materials (such as recycled plastic boards etc.)
• Use of eco-friendly building materials
• Wood only from plantation (teak) or salvaged
• One building only, set on posts for minimum land moving and occupation
• Hot water provided by solar panels
• Bio-depurator for residual waters and sewers
• Contention wall made of recycled truck tires, giving these many years of additional life
• Residual water drainages made of cut parts of over 2000 recycled truck tires
• Production of own bio-gas
• Use of pluvial water
• Savings in energy and water (smart lighting management, training with staff, suggestive approach with clients)
• Lighting alternative energy sources (solar, recycled oil torches)
• Unique bio-climatic cloth dryer
• Economical showers
• Tropical Hot Baths warmed by a furnace burning rejects from a local sawmill
• Use of non-contaminating soaps and detergents
• Use of alternatives to plastic garbage bags (priority)or use of recycled plastic bags
• Use of wooden plates in the restaurant, covered by banana leafs, avoiding washing of plates with soap and reducing water use
• Internal recycling and refuse elimination program
• Purchasing in “bulk” for less packaging or reuse of packaging
• Reforestation: trees of native species, some endangered
• “Quiet Neighbor attitude” towards the environment: no unnecessary noise, music, engines, lighting etc.
• Public presentations to the local community on sustainable tourism development
• Voluntary consulting to the Development Association of the town and the Municipality for tourism and community projects
• Counseling to private locals for the establishment of small tourism-related businesses
• Language courses and professional training sessions in the village
• Hiring as much as possible in the town (construction and steady staff)
• Contracting of local women for handicrafts and decoration items for the Lodge
• Contracting of a regional school for handicrafts, woodworking and plant nursing
• Purchase of fresh food supplies from local farmers, favoring those who produce organically