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In my previous column, I explored the powerful impact the physical environment has on mood, outlook, and attitude. With my recent travel writing excursion still fresh in my mind, I have enjoyed delving into the powerful dynamics of person-environment interaction by comparing and contrasting various hotels and resorts in small towns scattered along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica. . My ongoing travel article, Notes from the Jungle, covered three of my greatest passions in life: travel, creative writing, and psychological exploration. The five-week journey took me across two coasts, through five different towns and eight hotels, each with defining characteristics so unique they might as well have been crossing national borders.

My trip ended in Tamarindo, on the country’s northern Pacific coast, where I spent four nights at Hotel Capitán Suizo, a jungle paradise on the beach, followed by five nights at Los Altos de Eros, a small boutique hotel perched high from the mountains. overlooking the pacific. Los Altos de Eros is ranked the number one small hotel in the world by Trip Advisor. Reflecting on our time there, I can easily understand why. At Los Altos de Eros my attention flowed inward as I embraced the beauty of stillness, silence, and solitude. At the Hotel Capitán Suizo I felt myself expanding outward in harmony with the rhythm of the jungle and the great expanse of sea that surrounded me. I fell asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and marveled at the wild nature of the jungle. I rose early with the sun and mingled with the many creatures that shared my environment.

Hotel Captain Suizo recalled lyrics to Circle of Life and Hakuna Matata, favorite songs from the Broadway hit Lion King. Here I reflected on our fragile and beautiful planet where all living creatures are linked through an intricate exchange of natural resources. Walking into the lobby of Capitán Suizo, I was immediately greeted warmly by Francisco, babies Alice and Sophie in tow. In addition to his many other important duties, one of Francisco’s main duties at the hotel is to feed, care for, and protect the two resident baby monkeys. Sophie rested on top of her head, her tiny human fingers gripping the thick mound of her curly black hair, while Alice, the shyer of the two, slept peacefully in her arms, ensconced comfortably in her bed. a blanket.

Alicia was found without a tail; these are the unfortunate consequences of the premature electrocution of her mother, a very common phenomenon in Tamarindo when howler monkeys climb electrical cables. A tailless baby monkey faces a cruel obstacle, as the tail is an integral instrument used for climbing and movement. The Swiss Captain rescued Alice during her childhood. She practices climbing herself with Sophie, and the two grow stronger and more confident with each passing day. Sophie was found struggling alone in downtown Tamarindo. Thin and malnourished, Sophie provided a good example of the plight of howler monkeys when separated from their group. Sophie and Alice have developed a lasting bond and rely heavily on each other for play and companionship.

Such was my welcome at Capitán Suizo, where raccoons lounge on the lobby sofas, squirrels dine on bananas, and iguanas lounge poolside. The Swiss Captain welcomes all wild creatures, large and small, healthy and sick, into his protective folds. In fact, this was the intention of the Swiss owners, whose vision involved an environmentally friendly beach hotel, where humans and animals can live together in harmony. I have never seen a raccoon sitting on a human’s lap, a monkey with a full-time babysitter, or a cat playing with a raccoon. That is, not until I entered the enchanted world of the Swiss Captain.

The owners of Capitán Suizo live under the following philosophy: “we do not inherit the planet from our parents but we borrow it from our children”. When a tree fell by surprise in front of the hotel in April 2006, the monkeys lost their natural bridge that allowed them to enter the hotel area, forcing them to cross the dangerous road. It took four tries, but the owners eventually managed to build a replacement bridge that the monkeys use today. The first man-made monkey bridge was born. This is the spirit of the Swiss Captain.

There’s always something going on in the open-air lobby of the Swiss Captain. Maybe it’s mealtime for Alice and Sophie, cute raccoons enjoying a late-night snack, or Missy the apricot cat, also known as the ‘queen’, lounging on the reception desk while Sibu, the handsome cat stallion, chases geckos and grasshoppers. . The grounds of Capitán Suizo teem with wildlife and the sounds of the jungle are vibrant and captivating. It’s clear that the owners have carefully chosen his staff to reflect their love of nature; each and every member of the staff has a fondness for animals and a story to tell about the myriad of creatures that have passed through the hotel’s doors. There’s the story of Brocholina, the chef’s tricolor cat affectionately called Garfield because she loves to eat and sleep, and Coco, the beloved raccoon who was friendlier than any cat and mysteriously disappeared one day. Legend has it that Coco was coveted by many due to her sociable nature, for which she was stolen from the hotel grounds.

After my stay at the Hotel Capitán Suizo, I moved to Los Altos de Eros for the final stretch of my trip. The owner of Los Altos de Eros clearly possesses a special kind of talent; the man has created pure magic through a service philosophy that leaves guests wondering if the staff are clairvoyant. At Los Altos de Eros, staff members anticipate and satisfy guests’ needs and desires before guests even realize those needs exist. Perhaps this is because the owner considers and treats his 28 full-time staff like family and the staff, in turn, treats the guests in the same way.

The horseshoe-shaped five-bedroom villa surrounds a gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the Pacific and surrounding jungle, where verdant mountains fade into a smoky sky. There are howler monkeys in the trees, frogs and lizards roaming the grounds, hummingbirds, and clusters of lush tropical flowers. A soothing sense of stillness permeates the facility, relaxing the mind, body, and soul. Imagine a five-room hotel with 28 full-time employees! The staff to guest ratio allows for a highly personalized and attentive service that leaves guests feeling incredibly pampered and satisfied.

There is a stunning open-air yoga studio and a world-class spa. Osa, the resident dog, enjoys barking at the monkeys and accompanying guests on the famous hour-long walking loop around the hotel’s scenic, hilly grounds. It is best to do this hike early in the morning, before the sun gets too strong and Osa retires for his mid-morning nap. During our five-night stay at Los Altos de Eros, we never felt like we were staying in a hotel, but instead on the private estate of a wealthy friend. Meals are shared at a large communal table in the outdoor dining area overlooking the pool, allowing guests to interact and develop lasting bonds.

It’s truly amazing how a travel experience can change so dramatically based on the ambiance of a particular hotel, the personality of staff members and guests, and the pace and pulse of the surrounding town. My experiences in Costa Rica were deeply enriching and soul-strengthening. Like ships passing in the night, I met so many wonderful souls on my journey, people I will always remember but probably never see again.

There was Francisco, the monkey keeper at the Capitán Suizo Hotel, whose smile melted my heart, and Jesse, the waitress at Almonds and Corals Resort with dark, soulful eyes and an appreciation for life’s simpler pleasures. There was José, Rosa Blanca’s driver who talked about family values, and Elizabeth, the diminutive Australian who suffered a hard relationship with her only daughter and traveled the world alone, remembering myself in her precious solitude. Kitty, the alley cat who sat next to me one rainy day in Playa Guiones, offered me company when I finally wrote the first chapter of my first novel. There was Valerie, the New York City dance choreographer searching for answers about life and love, and Chantal, the divorcee from France who taught me that sharing the same language is not a prerequisite for friendship. David was a humble psychologist from London who put others first and himself second, offering compliments and praise while he downplayed his own impressive achievements. These unique and colorful souls formed the tapestry of my journey and my memories of our time together will live forever within my heart.