From Recognition to Regeneration
Across three countries and four ecosystems, Nayara has become Latin America’s most recognized luxury hotel group. Condé Nast Traveler readers named Nayara Bocas del Toro the #1 Resort in Central America and one of the Top 20 in the world. Travel + Leisure has honored Nayara Tented Camp as Central America's best resort for 5 out of the last 6 years, and now Michelin recognized several Nayara properties with its prestigious keys including Nayara Springs with three keys: the highest distinction possible and only such designation for all of Costa Rica.
The Michelin Keys luxury travel awards represent a fundamental shift in how we evaluate exceptional hospitality, moving beyond surface-level amenities to celebrate what truly creates memorable stays. Unlike traditional luxury metrics, Michelin's five universal criteria focus on a hotel's role as "an open door to the destination," excellence in design that honors local character, consistent service quality, value that reflects meaningful experiences, and most importantly, individuality that embodies authentic personality and connection to place. This approach recognizes that modern travelers — especially those seeking purposeful journeys — value depth of experience over conventional luxury markers.
What sets Michelin Keys apart is their emphasis on how hotels contribute to their neighborhoods and settings, creating genuine connections between guests and destinations rather than isolating them in detached luxury environments. The evaluation process rewards properties that facilitate "remarkable and authentic local experiences," celebrating hotels where architecture, service, and programming reflect the soul of their locations. This philosophy resonates deeply with conscious travelers who seek accommodations that enhance rather than diminish their connection to the places they visit, where staying becomes part of the cultural and environmental story rather than separate from it.
What's Green Globe and S-Certifications
But there’s another kind of recognition that speaks a different language: one measured not by votes or feelings, but by verified action. At Nayara, we believe that luxury and accountability must coexist. Awards that measure impact, not just experience, tell a truer story of hospitality.
“Sustainability” has become one of the most common words in travel. “Regeneration” is becoming another. Both matter — but only when proven. That is why Nayara partners with independent certifications and organizations that verify every claim.
Nayara Gardens, Nayara Springs, Nayara Bocas del Toro, and Nayara Tented Camp are all Green Globe Certified, meeting over forty measurable criteria in areas like waste management, biodiversity protection, and community support. Developed in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It measures these criteria across four key pillars—environmental, social, cultural, and economic. Every Nayara property undergoes annual third-party audits that verify waste reduction, renewable energy sourcing, biodiversity protection, and fair labor practices. Continuous improvement is requ give me a post for Nada telling him to check out our blog link in bioired for renewal, ensuring progress, not just compliance.
In Chile, Nayara Alto Atacama holds the government-backed S-Certification, which audits renewable energy use, water management, and cultural preservation. Created by the Chilean Ministry of Tourism — sets a benchmark for sustainable tourism in South America. It evaluates how hotels use renewable energy, manage water and waste, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen local communities. Nayara Alto Atacama earned its top-tier rating for solar power generation, native landscaping that reduces water use, and partnerships that support Atacameño artisans and guides.
See what they measure:
Auditing Luxury
Guest ratings and editorial rankings capture feeling — wonder, joy, connection. But they can’t quantify impact.
They don’t show the reforestation corridors where sloths and tree frogs return to Costa Rica’s Arenal region. They don’t measure the coral gardens thriving beneath Bocas del Toro’s overwater villas. They don’t capture the solar fields and ancient waterways sustaining Alto Atacama’s desert ecosystem.
The recognitions that matter most are the ones that validate the unseen — ecosystems healed, communities uplifted, cultures protected.
At Nayara, the work that earns these awards is often invisible: compost turned into soil, wastewater reused for irrigation, and education programs run in local schools. These are the quiet victories that define our success.
Awards like Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler tell us how we make people feel. Certifications like Green Globe, S-Certification, and Michelin Keys tell us what we actually do. Together, they complete the picture.
When Nayara earns a certification, it represents hundreds of people across Latin America: gardeners tending native species, chefs sourcing locally, engineers refining water systems, and guides sharing their ecosystems with guests.
Recognition and regeneration are not opposites. They are the two halves of responsible hospitality.
Luxury today is not defined by excess, but by excellence that gives back.
Awards once celebrated perfection. The future celebrates proof.
Nayara’s mission is not to collect trophies but to demonstrate what verified, regenerative travel looks like.
The world’s best resorts are no longer just beautiful — they are accountable.
Impact Dashboard
Environmental Action
-
20,000+ native trees planted across Costa Rica and Panama.
-
Full transition to solar and renewable energy at Nayara Hangaroa and Alto Atacama.
-
Coral restoration and biodiversity monitoring in Bocas del Toro.
-
100% on-site wastewater treatment and reuse across all Nayara properties.
Cultural and Community Partnerships
-
Over 90% of team members are local to their region.
-
Long-term partnerships with schools and conservation groups.
-
Reinvestment in indigenous crafts, cultural programs, and local supply chains.
Verified Recognition
-
Travel + Leisure 2025: Nayara Tented Camp, No. 1 Resort in Central America
-
Condé Nast Traveler 2025: Nayara Bocas del Toro, Top 10 Best Resorts in Central America
-
Michelin Keys 2025: Nayara Springs (3 Keys), Nayara Bocas del Toro (2 Keys), Nayara Alto Atacama (2 Keys)
-
Green Globe Certification: Nayara Gardens, Nayara Springs, Nayara Tented Camp
-
S-Certification: Nayara Hangaroa and Nayara Alto Atacama
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Green Globe Certification?
It’s a globally recognized standard that evaluates hotels on sustainability performance, including energy efficiency, biodiversity, and community impact.
2. What is Chile’s S-Certification?
The S-Certification verifies sustainability through water management, renewable energy, and waste reduction, with annual third-party audits.
3. What are Michelin Keys?
The new Michelin Keys recognize hotels for excellence and authenticity, focusing on design integrity, local engagement, and environmental care.
4. Why is Nayara Springs unique?
It’s the only hotel in Costa Rica awarded three Michelin Keys, setting a national benchmark for sustainable luxury.
5. Why do awards still matter?
Because recognition fuels responsibility. Guest awards inspire us to create joy. Certified awards hold us accountable for our impact. Both are necessary for a regenerative future.
.jpg)
