The Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Arenal, Costa Rica, has achieved the Luxury Eco Certification Standard (LECS), becoming the first hotel in the country and the second in the world to pass all the requirements required for certification to be awarded.

At the forefront of Costa Rica's sustainability efforts, the property was certified as a 100 per cent carbon neutral resort in May 2009.

The resort has also introduced Tabacón Green, a programme intended to further environmental awareness and allow each guest to contribute in a meaningful, memorable way. So far, more than 3,000 trees have been planted, to help minimise the carbon footprint of arrivals by car or bus. More than 50 per cent of the 872 acres of land owned by Tabacón is under protection as primary or secondary rainforest.

Guests and employees are encouraged to recycle paper, plastic, aluminium and glass while Tabacon's two underground reservoirs provide the entirety of the resort's water and are naturally heated by the nearby active Arenal Volcano, thereby eliminating the need for external energy sources. The hotel and spa also reduce water consumption with low-flow showers and installed automatic closings of sanitary services.

The property also has its own wastewater treatment plant, and can then supply organic waste to local farmers for use with livestock. Eco-friendly light technologies extend to the mindful use of electricity with fluorescent lighting, photo voltaic cells in gardens and paths and lighting timers.

LECS was created in a partnership between Sustainable Travel International, a global non-profit travel solutions provider and Leading Quality Assurance (LQA). The LQA is a joint venture with The Leading Hotels of the World company, established to provide quality assurance, benchmarking and training in the luxury sector of the hospitality industry.

Costa Rica in continuing in its efforts to become the world's first carbon-neutral country by 2021. Details: www.tabacon.com