Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica has won dual global awards for its sustainable resort model and community programs, setting a new benchmark for regenerative luxury travel.
Peninsula Papagayo, the 1,400-acre private club and resort community in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province, has solidified its place as a model for sustainable luxury. The destination — home to Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Andaz Costa Rica Resort, and Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — was awarded World’s Leading Sustainable Hotel or Resort Development and World’s Leading Sustainable Community Empowerment Programme at the 2025 World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards in Dubai, selected from more than 900 entries worldwide.
The honors recognize the destination’s fusion of high-end travel and environmental stewardship. According to the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, hotels must cut absolute carbon emissions by 66 percent by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050 to align with global climate goals. Peninsula Papagayo is one of the few showing how that mandate can coexist with luxury.
Since its acquisition by Mohari Hospitality and Gencom in 2016, Peninsula Papagayo has pursued a holistic approach that limits development to under 30 percent of its 1,400 acres. That restriction protects Palmares Preserve, a 250-acre remnant of tropical dry forest and its surrounding marine ecosystem. Projects such as Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and the forthcoming Papagayo Park emphasize regenerative design — minimal land disturbance, native landscaping, and efficient resource use.
The destination’s ISO 50001-certified energy management system, 51 percent reduction in golf-course water use, and AI-driven food-waste tracking reflect quantifiable progress toward a data-driven sustainability model. “These awards are a testament to what’s possible when purpose and progress work hand in hand,” Francesca Poddie, Chief Operating Officer of Peninsula Papagayo, said in a statement. “We’re proud to be part of a movement that demonstrates how luxury and sustainability can coexist — not as opposites, but as partners in shaping a better future.”
The resort’s Creciendo Juntos (“Growing Together”) Home Gardens initiative earned its second award for community empowerment. The program has trained 138 families across 13 communities — 55 percent led by women — in sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship. Participants have produced more than 250,000 kilograms of vegetables, cut pesticide use, and improved nutrition while selling produce to Peninsula Papagayo resorts and farmers’ markets.
“I didn’t know what a vegetable garden was at first, but I fell in love with it,” said Marco Peña, a participant in the project. “It’s helped me mentally, financially, and brought my family closer.” The program is a cornerstone of Peninsula Papagayo’s mission to advance shared prosperity and inclusive growth in Guanacaste. “This recognition reinforces our belief that true sustainability is measured by shared prosperity,” said Susana Vicente, Director of Sustainability.
Globally, sustainability has become the new luxury standard. Regenerative resorts from the Maldives to Oman that combine biodiversity restoration with high-design experiences, are on the rise. Analysts estimate the hotel sector accounts for about one percent of global emissions, underscoring the importance of replicable models like Peninsula Papagayo.
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