LOOP designs 2 of 4 Leading Hotels in Costa Rica
Two of Four: There are only four Leading Hotels of the World in Costa Rica. LOOP Design Studio designed two of them.
Sendero Hotel & Villas in Nosara and Fermata Hotel in Santa Teresa are now members of one of the world's most prestigious and selective luxury hospitality organizations. This recognition represents more than an achievement—it's validation of a design philosophy that has guided LOOP from its inception: that luxury hospitality can be thoughtful, sustainable, and rooted in place.
We're sharing what this milestone means for us, for the future of luxury architecture in Costa Rica, and for anyone building hotels with purpose.
What is Leading Hotels of the World?
The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) is a collective of the world's finest independent luxury properties. Founded in 1928 with just 38 hotels across Europe and Egypt, LHW has grown into a global network of over 430 properties across more than 80 countries. Yet despite this scale, LHW remains fundamentally committed to its founding principle: that independent luxury hotels preserve something that chains cannot—a sense of place, cultural authenticity, and human-centered hospitality.
LHW's mission is to empower independent luxury hotels to remain independent—to stay true to their vision while gaining access to global distribution, marketing support, quality assurance, and a network of peers who share the same commitment to excellence.
For a property to achieve LHW membership, it must meet:
rigorous standards across architecture, design, service quality,
sustainability practices
cultural integration with its locale
It's not a membership you buy. It's one you earn
Why Sendero and Fermata belong in this collection
Sendero Hotel & Villas, nestled in Nosara's rainforest, embodies the principle of listening to place. Rather than imposing architecture onto the landscape, Our design for Sendero emerges from the land itself. The hotel preserves existing trees, follows natural contours, and uses materials that echo the surrounding environment. Pathways wind like forest trails. Rooms frame the jungle rather than just occupying space within it. The experience feels less like entering a hotel and more like entering a deeper part of the forest—one designed for human presence, comfort, and discovery.
The design extends to systems invisible to guests but fundamental to sustainability. Sendero operates on 60% solar power, captures and filters rainwater, treats wastewater on-site, and sits on six hectares managed for ecological restoration. These aren't afterthoughts. They're integrated into how the building breathes, drains, and energizes itself.
Sendero Hotel – Nosara
Fermata Hotel, perched on Costa Rica's Pacific coast in Santa Teresa, takes a different approach to the same philosophy: ocean-centricity. Here, the design organizes around the water. Arrivals frame the water. Circulation paths guide guests toward ocean views and the rhythm of the shore. The building works with the coastal climate—natural cross-ventilation reduces air conditioning reliance, locally sourced and reclaimed materials ground the aesthetic in the region, and the design philosophy honors the surfers and communities that have made Santa Teresa home for decades.
Fermata proves that sustainability and luxury aren't in conflict. They're complementary.
Natural ventilation creates comfort.
Local materials create authenticity.
Thoughtful design creates meaning.
Hotel Fermata – Santa Teresa
Both properties share a third principle that defines LHW membership: they make their location better. They don't extract from Costa Rica. They contribute to it—through employment, through environmental stewardship, through design that elevates rather than diminishes the place itself.
This is why they belong in The Leading Hotels of the World collection. And this is exactly what the LHW evaluators recognized.
What this recognition means for LOOP
For us, LOOP Design Studio, LHW membership serves as external validation of an internal compass. The studio was founded on the belief that boutique hospitality design—architecture that's sustainable, place-based, and human-centered—could achieve global recognition. Sendero and Fermata prove it.
But this milestone also signals something larger: that luxury hospitality is shifting. Travelers increasingly seek authenticity over homogeneity. Developers increasingly recognize that a property's relationship to its location determines its long-term value. Investors increasingly understand that sustainability isn't a cost—it's a value driver.
LOOP's LHW membership positions us at the center of this shift. For future clients—whether hotel developers, resort operators, or luxury property owners—working with LOOP means accessing architects who have demonstrated mastery of the highest international standards while maintaining commitment to local context and environmental responsibility.
It also reinforces our approach to architecture as a practice rooted in purpose. The studio is dedicated to designing hospitality projects that benefit people, communities, and ecosystems.
Thank you
This achievement belongs to our team. Every member of LOOP has contributed to a vision of hospitality architecture rooted in purpose.
It also belongs to our clients and collaborators at Sendero and Fermata, who trusted us to design differently, to challenge conventions, and to prove that luxury and sustainability belong together.
And it belongs to Costa Rica itself. A place that continues to inspire us to design with intention, to respect the land and the people, and to believe that architecture can serve both people and planet.
Thank you for following this journey.
About LOOP Design Studio: We specialize in delivering innovative, sustainable design solutions across sectors, with a focus on enhancing the human experience through thoughtful, responsible design. Our approach integrates creative design with environmental stewardship to create spaces that are both visually captivating and sustainable.
