Sin categorizar,
New York to Nicaragua: The Luxury Escape You Need
Tucked
along
the
country’s
stunning
Emerald
Coast,
Rancho
Santana
offers
a
luxury
retreat
unlike
any
other.
Rancho Santana’s Commitment to Ecotourism and Sustainable Development
As
we
come
upon
our
25th
anniversary,
we
can’t
help
but
reflect
on
how
far
we’ve
come
from
the
days
of
a
single
Clubhouse
at
Playa
Santana
to
the
expansive
resort
and
residential
community
that
is
Rancho
Santana
today.
Although
we’ve
grown
exponentially
here
at
The
Ranch
,
many
things
have
remained
ingrained
in
our
vision
and
way
of
life.
Almost
from
the
moment
our
founders
first
stepped
foot
on
The
Ranch,
they
knew
they
had
stumbled
upon
something
special.
Back
then
this
was
just
a
Ranch,
remote,
with
limited
access
to
utilities
and
daily
necessities.
It
became
clear
that
to
make
our
vision
of
Rancho
Santana
come
to
fruition,
we
would
need
to
find
innovative
solutions.
For
The
Ranch,
self-sufficiency
has
been
of
the
utmost
importance,
as
is
being
able
to
contribute
to
the
growth
and
development
of
local
communities.
We
learned
to
work
with
nature
instead
of
taming
it
out
of
necessity.
Over
time,
this
way
of
developing
has
become
a
part
of
our
company
ethos,
so
much
so
that
twenty-five
years
from
now,
we
hope
you
will
still
see
deer
and
monkeys
on
your
morning
hike
or
bike
ride
.
What is ecotourism?
Ecotourism
is
responsible
travel
to
natural
areas
of
ecological
interest
that
helps
conserve
the
environment,
improves
the
well-being
of
local
people,
and
educates
visitors
about
the
local
culture.
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable
development
is
development
that
meets
the
needs
of
the
present
without
compromising
the
ability
of
future
generations
to
meet
their
own
needs*1.
How are ecotourism and sustainable development connected?
Ecotourism
is
pivotal
in
advancing
sustainable
development,
primarily
by
adhering
to
the
principle
of
nature
conservation.
At
its
core,
the
foremost
principle
of
ecotourism
is
to
“minimize
negative
impacts
on
nature
and
culture
that
could
harm
the
destination.”
This
aligns
seamlessly
with
key
sustainable
development
goals.
Moreover,
ecotourism
strongly
emphasizes
enlightening
travelers
about
the
importance
of
preserving
natural
resources.
Ecotourism at Rancho Santana
Rancho
Santana
integrates
ecotourism
and
conservation
into
its
accommodations,
services,
and
experiences.
Rancho
Santana
was
designed
to
complement
its
local
surroundings
so
guests
can
immerse
themselves
in
the
natural
beauty
of
the
Emerald
Coast
of
Nicaragua.
Other
ecotourism
principles
utilized
by
Rancho
include:
–
Biodiversity
:
The
resort
protects
habitats
and
participates
in
restoration
efforts
to
support
the
region’s
diverse
flora
and
fauna.
–
Community
engagement
:
Rancho
uses
local
workers,
buys
local
works,
and
supports
local
businesses
to
provide
its
luxury
beach
accommodations.
–
Educational
experiences
:
Rancho
Santana
provides
guided
tours
to
provide
information
about
the
local
region
and
its
incredible
culture.
Some
of
these
tours
highlight
the
history
and
resilience
of
the
local
population,
while
others
explore
unique
natural
features,
like
its
volcanoes
and
beaches.
Our sustainability practices support ecotourism
We
found
that
turtles
came
here
regularly
to
lay
eggs
and
developed
a
program
to
help
protect
them
from
poachers
and
predators.
Year-long
sunlight
is
one
of
the
main
features
of
life
in
the
tropics,
one
we
make
the
best
of
by
generating
clean
solar
energy
to
power
The
Inn
and
The
Clubhouse
amenities.
As
our
amenities
have
grown,
so
has
our
community,
which
is
comprised
not
only
of
our
guests
and
residents
but
the
people
that
have
contributed
to
making
The
Ranch
what
it
is
today.
Rancho
Santana
is
the
largest
employer
in
the
city
of
Tola
and
the
second
largest
in
the
department
of
Rivas.
Over
the
years,
we’ve
become
familiar
with
entire
families
who
have
worked
in
some
capacity
at
The
Ranch.Aside
from
employment,
we
provide
resources
and
support
to
nearby
communities
that
are
often
affected
during
the
rainy
season.
Building
homes
and
water
solutions
to
improve
the
living
conditions
of
local
families
so
that
they
can
withstand
heavy
rains
in
the
future.
Services for our ecotourism guests
So
how
do
we
service
2,700
acres
of
property,
17
rooms
and
21
Residences
at
The
Inn,
and
a
growing
community
of
residents
and
guests
daily?
We
lean
on
our
Farm
and
Garden
.
The
Santana
Farms
have
been
an
integral
part
of
our
growth,
supplementing
the
majority
of
the
ingredients
used
in
all
four
of
our
restaurants
and
sold
in
La
Tienda
.
The
farm
and
garden
program
has
allowed
us
to
grow
sustainably
and
responsibly,
and
monitor
the
handling
of
ingredients
before
they
even
get
to
the
plate.
The
benefits
are
twofold:
for
our
guests,
because
they
know
exactly
where
their
food
comes
from,
and
for
the
environment,
because
we
use
small-scale
sustainable
processes.
Currently,
we
grow
herbs,
fruits,
and
vegetables.
We
source
lamb,
pork,
beef,
and
milk
from
our
farm
to
produce
everything
from
various
cheeses
to
yogurt
and
ice
cream
right
on-site.
We
source
locally
with
trusted
co-ops
and
fishermen
for
anything
we
can’t
grow
at
our
Farm
&
Gardens.
Recycling and use of biodegradable materials
With
such
a
vast
property
and
so
many
ventures,
we
consider
the
life
cycle
of
everything
we
use;
promoting
recyclable
and
biodegradable
materials
in
our
restaurants
and
kitchens,
composting
organic
waste
and
using
it
as
fertilizer
for
our
farm
and
garden,
and
going
so
far
as
to
grow
our
own
feed
for
our
farm
animals.
Rancho Santana continues to develop creative ecotourism solutions
As
we
look
to
the
future,
we
are
excited
to
develop
even
more
creative
solutions
that
will
honor
this
community
and
our
natural
environment
and
continue
to
make
a
positive
impact
on
this
earth.
__________________________
*1
https://www.iisd.org/mission-and-goals/sustainable-development