The World’s FIRST Regenerative Hostel

What exactly is a Regenerative Hostel? If you are like me, you probably have no idea. Well, you are about to find out…. If you google “Regenerative Hostel”, the first search result will be Casa Oro, an amazing hostel in the small fishing town and backpacker mecca of San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. Casa Oro has built up quite the brand over the years as the hub for the tourist and traveller scene since the hostel has 100+ beds spread across 20+ rooms (which include some privates as well as various sizes of dorms) plus an incredible restaurant on site and shuttles to the surrounding beaches. I had the chance to spend lots of quality time with the charismatic owner and visionary Muffadal Saylawala, who has a vision much, much, much bigger than simply owning a profitably hostel…his dream is for Casa Oro to be the most regenerative place on the planet (YES, that is indeed a massive vision). So, in this blog post, that’s the story I want to tell…not simply the story of our stay but the story of Regeneration. It’s not exactly a word we use everyday! So, let me first define it – I think this is the best definition (based on the context of eco-tourism and business): * Regeneration is a term that means different things to different people, ranging from large scale activities that promote economic growth to neighbourhood interventions that improve quality of life.  It’s a fusion model of Regeneration which is built on the 3 foundational principles: 1) EMPATHY (People) – the centre of Casa Oro is the people (which includes the owner, managers, staff, and guests) 2) ECOLOGY (Planet) – the focus on environmental-sustainability is evident right from the moment you step foot through the front door 3) ECONOMY (Profits) – this is profit-driven business or in modern-day terms “a social enterprise” that is focused on making money while doing good and helping others So, how does this look like in practice when it comes to Casa Oro: 1) BUILDING MATERIAL (UPCYCLING) – When you walk through the lobby and through the building you will notice the use of bottles in the walls – it’s quite aesthetically beautiful and eco-friendly 2) RECYCLING – Unlike most of South and Central America, Casa Oro puts a huge focus on recycling everything possible (from plastic, to paper, to bottles, to cans, to more…even wine corks and […]

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