The story of the Hotel Cristal Ballena began when my parents, Waldemar and Herta Steiner, first got to know Costa Rica and its warmhearted people on a trip in 1992. Somewhere within every person, there resides a destiny, a dream, an unfulfilled life’s wish, and they were able to make it true. On the Pacific Ocean, near Playa Ballena, Uvita, they discovered this special place as their personal paradise. Situated in a tropical garden, on a hilltop between the Pacific Ocean and rain forest-covered mountains, the unique position allows breathtaking ocean views while a cooling breeze is coming from the mountains. Especially the daily sunsets were unforgettable. How has Costa Rica’s culture and environment influenced your business and personal life? When my parents discovered Costa Rica, I was still working in Austria and observed the project with interest on occasional trips and helped as much as I could at the time. This country with its unbelievably beautiful nature, its people, and its special “Pura Vida” lifestyle, gradually inspired and captivated me. In 2007, my wife Angelika and I decided to spend a whole year in Costa Rica. That year has now turned into almost 20 and we are still enjoying it to this day. How did you end up choosing the South Pacific Coast for your Hotel and Home? Costa Rica has developed incredibly over the last 20 years. However, the town of Uvita and the surrounding area on the South Pacific coast was still a blank spot on the map. There was hardly any electricity, the most beautiful road on the Pacific coast today, Costanera Sur (Ruta 34), was still a gravel road in our area and so there was always plenty of adventure to be had. The region was once barely developed for tourism and was considered an insider tip among tourists. Today, Uvita has developed into a dynamically growing town that still retains its natural charm. Thanks to strict building regulations and environmentally friendly laws, the region is being developed sustainably without excessive tourist overgrowth. What were the biggest challenges you faced in finding adequate land and building a luxury boutique hotel business in Costa Rica? Back then, the property market was nowhere near as competitive as it is today, and the region was correspondingly underdeveloped. Transport posed a major challenge - especially in the rainy season, when the roads were often barely passable. The only fax machine in Uvita was in a small hardware store. Anyone could send messages there, which were then posted on the notice board for all to see. Communication was cumbersome, but it still worked in its own way. It worked somehow “Pura Vida”. There was no talk of the Internet back then - a term that was still completely unknown here. Today, however, we have a high-speed fiber optic internet connection directly to the hotel. The biggest challenge for us, however, was to build and equip the hotel. Nowadays, there are experienced construction companies and qualified craftsmen in Uvita who make such projects much easier. What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs considering a similar venture in Costa Rica? It is important to understand the local culture and familiarize yourself with local customs. Take your time and approach things with ease. Many things work differently here than we are used to in our home countries. This requires a rethink - something that is often easier said than done. Choose your business partners carefully and stay as personally involved in your projects as possible. In my opinion, working with trustworthy people - and finding them - is the key to the success of any business project in this country. How do you see the future of sustainable tourism in Costa Rica and your role within it? Sustainable tourism is becoming increasingly important, as it is the only way to ensure harmonious coexistence with the beauty of nature in the long term. Costa Rica with its small size, equivalent to 0.03% of the land surface of the earth is the refuge of more than 3% percent of the planet’s biodiWhat inspired leaving Austria, your home country, and starting a new life in Costa Rica?
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