FARM to TABLE to FARM

Hotel Belmar merges sustainability and luxury at their eco-tourism retreat

BY ALEXSIS MILLS

Deep in the lush, clouded forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, my husband, John, and I spent the last days of our honeymoon fully immersed in the most organic, eco-conscious hotel the country has to offer. Hotel Belmar has the highest standards for sustainability and keeps preservation of the environment at the forefront of all operations. The hotel calls this experience “the art of nature,” describing it as “a simple phrase that sums up our commitment to the exquisite and beautiful natural experiences our guests will enjoy during their time spent at Hotel Belmar.”

As you enter the lobby you are surrounded by warm wood floors, earthtoned fabrics, and the scent of tea waiting for you that was grown, dried and brewed on the hotel grounds. The hotel itself is always working toward carbon neutrality, so there are no elevators or central air conditioning. Although, the weather in Monteverde is so perfectly balanced you would never know it’s missing. With solar panels for water heating, biodegradable soaps blended especially for the guests and organic-cotton towels, every single detail in the rooms is thoughtful and intentional, with both the guests and planet earth in mind.

Dipping our toes into the ecoexperience, we started our stay at the hotel with their “garden to glass” experience. Alongside one of the knowledgeable bartenders, we visited the garden on the hotel grounds to learn about how they consciously select their bar supplies. We tried our hand at mixology as the sun transitioned to set in the background over the Colorado Gulf. Stepping outside the front door to the hotel, we entered the carefully curated garden and were immediately surrounded by greenery, buzzing insects and tempting scents.

The garden is made up of a wide variety of organic plants specifically chosen to either serve in the hotel’s restaurant meals or keep harmful pests away. However, there are a few plants that are able to do both, like peppermint. We toured the gardens, clipping herbs that inspired us most along the way and learning the different methods they use to keep the gardens healthy and free of harmful intruders. Large fruit bushes border the garden, protecting the delicate interior plants from airborne illnesses. And insect homes that are inviting to butterflies and other helpful critters are as thoughtfully planted throughout the garden as are the herbs and vegetables.

With our basket full of fresh herbs, we walked back to the hotel bar and started turning our inspiration into a recipe for a cocktail. For the first drink, my husband and I used the same alcohol and mixer, but different herbs to taste how significantly the flavor profile can be altered and what notes you pick up from the drink. With dark Costa Rican rum and club soda that is carbonated in-house, eliminating unnecessary waste, we each added our choice of herbs and infused syrups. I used a lemon-infused syrup, dill, and a dried lemon slice to top it off. My husband chose an orange-infused syrup, with parsley and mint to top the cocktail.

For our final drink, I chose a Costa Ricanwhite-rum-based drink, while John chose bourbon. Our bartender stepped in here to show us a variety of methods used to incorporate different elements of the Hotel Belmar experience. With the combination of eucalyptus-infused syrup, a splash of fresh cream and egg white, my drink markedly resembled the clouds surrounding the Monteverde forest. We topped it off with edible flowers and a fresh eucalyptus sprig. John mixed his bourbon with a berryand rosemary-infused syrup, a splash of Angostura bitters and topped it off with carbonated water and fresh rosemary.

With our drinks in hand, we made our way to the patio to watch the sun set over the hotel’s garden, enjoying every sip that so perfectly captured the experience of being in Costa Rica.

On our second day at Hotel Belmar, we got the full experience of their “farm to table to farm” mission. Locally sourced food is of the utmost importance to Hotel Belmar. And while most would consider anything from the same state to be local, they consider local to mean that they can actually see it growing from their hilltop location’s front door.

A short 20-minute drive from the main grounds lies the hotel’s own carbon-neutral farm, Madre Tierra. Arriving at the farm, you are immediately surrounded by the farm’s welcoming team — a number of sheep, cows and donkeys and two large, gorgeous pigs named Babe and Baby.

We toured the farm, which began with meeting the dairy cows and walking up a hill to La Queseria, a small building where they process fresh milk into cheese for the hotel’s restaurant. They use traditional methods that require less energy and create minimal waste. La Queseria makes a variety of cheeses, but one that really stood out to us was a cheese smoked with the husks of rice, a crop grown and processed to feed the farm animals. We tried an assortment of fresh cheeses, including a creamy burrata that was what dreams are made of.

Along walkways of arabica coffee trees, from which the coffee served in the hotel is grown, we made our way to an outlook that gave an expansive view of the farm and the processing area for sugar cane. Using a traditional pressing machine, we juiced sugar cane to sip on while we learned about the farm's ongoing efforts to maintain carbon neutrality.

Walking down the hillside into the shade, we were welcomed to Casa de las Gallinas, meaning the chicken house. Here we met the friendly free-range hens of the Madre Tierra farm and watched as a farm worker fed them the scraps from breakfast served at the hotel that morning.

Making our way back to the barn, we passed the building that stores the “gold.” In this space, they take the animal waste from horses and other farm animals and the finished product from the hotel’s compost to produce enough natural fertilizer and organic pesticide to support the farm year-round.

With the farm dogs leading the way, we toured the rest of the farm by horseback. We got to take in the full expanse of the farm's crops and made our way to the top of a hill that gave way to a breathtaking view of the Nicoya Peninsula and the luscious farm beaming with life.

With the knowledge of the farm instilled in us, we made our way back to the hotel where the chef prepared a four-course lunch for us, highlighting the unique treasures of the farm.

But before we enjoyed our lunch, we toured the hotel's waste-processing facility, including the compost bins and methods for bringing usable waste back to the farm. They repeat the cycle of “farm to table to farm” because they believe it is just as important to responsibly return waste from meals to the farm as it is to transfer the food from the farm to the plate.

The meal started with a salad made up of greens and herbs grown entirely in the hotel’s garden. The salad was followed by a delicious burrata topped with fresh basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and garden fresh herbs. The main dish was grilled achiote sea bass, pulled from the waters of a fishing village visible from the balcony of the hotel with binoculars, served with grilled baby corn and the most delectable spinach ravioli filled with the farm’s mozzarella cheese.

With dessert, we enjoyed eucalyptus mocktails as we discovered that the centerpiece of the table was our dessert in disguise, a tactic the restaurant loves to use to eliminate waste. The delicious brownie bites were nestled into a bed of cocoa nibs and topped with a stem of mint, made to look like a plant, the perfect culmination of our farm to table to farm experience.

Hotel Belmar leaves no leaf unturned in their efforts toward sustainability, all while maintaining a peaceful, educational and relaxing experience for their guests. While most would hesitate to consider luxury and ecoconsciousness in the same respect, the team at the hotel delivers it without error. We were truly able to embrace the eco-tourism that Costa Rica is known for, and it was a pleasure to spend the last few days of our trip in such a thoughtful and heartfelt space.

Attendees enjoy such attractions as Spirits Row, Savor South Walton Culinary Village, Nosh Pavilions, Tasting Seminars, Craft Beer & Spirits Jam, live entertainment and more than 600 wines poured by knowledgeable wine industry insiders.