TABACÓN GRAND SPA THERMAL RESORT VOTED AMONG TOP CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN RESORTS

La Fortuna/Arenal, COSTA RICA – August 2010 – Readers of Travel + Leisure have voted Costa Rica’s Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort the #8 resort among Central and South America resorts in the magazine’s 15^th ‘World’s Best Awards’ survey. This inclusion marks the first time the Leading Hotels and Leading Spas of the World property has placed on the prestigious annual Travel + Leisure list, considered one of the top honors in the hospitality industry. 

Standing out among hospitality giants and long-established hotel groups, the individually owned Tabacón is a world leader in responsible travel and sustainability efforts, having just achieved the Luxury Eco Certification Standards (LECS) from Sustainable Tourism International (STI) in association with The Leading Hotels of the World.  Declared as a 100% carbon neutral resort by the government of Costa Rica, Tabacón is the second hotel in the world to pass the stringent inspections required for the LECS distinction.  At Tabacón, green living is a way of life and part of the business philosophy.  Both guests and staff are actively involved, contributing to the maintenance of the area’s rainforest and to the educational development of neighboring communities. The Green Brigade, comprised of staff members, ensures that energy and water conservation, recycling, and community service are stringently practiced so that guests will enjoy the area’s benefits in the future as well as in the present.

The complete Travel + Leisure 2010 “World’s Best Awards” results, including the Top 100 Hotels (www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-best-hotels-2010/1), are featured in Travel + Leisure's August issue, also available online at www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest. The ‘World’s Best Awards’ survey reveals readers’ favorite hotels, cities, cruises, spas, golf resorts and more.  Readers rate hotels on five characteristics: rooms/facilities, location, service, restaurants/food, and value.  Hotel categories include inns, resorts, big city hotels and small city hotels. 

About Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort

Certified a 100% carbon neutral resort as of May 2009 and the first hotel in the world to receive the Seven Stars and Stripes’ Green World Award, Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort is at the forefront of Costa Rica’s sustainability efforts.  The resort has a rainforest-set spa and views of the “live” Arenal volcano. Tabacón is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Leading Spas of the World, and Healing Hotels of the World and the recipient of Certification for Sustainable Tourism.  The award-winning Grand Spa has 11 outdoor treatment bungalows, Yoga Studio, a three-unit Temazcal Center and a menu of indigenous treatments.  Surrounded by the energy of the volcano, the resort offers a wellness vacation where guests can consult with nutrition and spa staff to develop a healthy living plan and assist with weight management. The 114-room resort’s cuisine is an unusual blend of Ayurveda, Tandoor, Spa, Mexican and Costa Rican influences. The signature Gala Dinner is served in a private rainforest bungalow with private chef and server. Nearby activities include nature tours, hanging bridges, ziplining, canyoning, and hiking to the volcano.  www.tabacon.com, ++506-2519-1999 or toll free 1-877-277-8291.

About The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.

The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. is the prestigious luxury hospitality organization representing more than 450 of the world’s finest hotels, resorts and spas, and is the operator of www.lhw.com and www.lhwspas.com, the online sources for luxury.  Since 1928, the company’s reputation for excellence has derived from the exacting levels of quality demanded of its members, each of which must pass a rigorous, anonymous inspection covering hundreds of meticulous criteria spanning product to behavioral standards, the most stringent in the industry. For reservations and information, visit www.lhw.com or telephone toll-free 1-800-223-6800. 

About Travel + Leisure

With an eye for the authentic, the innovative, and the irresistible, Travel + Leisure (www.travelandleisure.com) fuses expert reporting on culture, food, style, and design with stunning photography, transporting readers to the places—and the travel experiences—that matter now. T+L, the monthly title from American Express Publishing and the long-standing
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