Els Depypere and Antonio Pilurzu met while visiting Sardinia in the late 1970s. Els encouraged her sister, Griet, to join them in Sardinia despite having no job or prospects on the Mediterranean island. Out of desperation for work and with no business training or background, they opened a gelateria – because why not?
Driven by a desire to experiment and play with flavor, the trio made ice cream by hand, with local ingredients and an adventurous, constantly evolving menu. Within a few years, the gelateria grew into an expansive 1,200-seat cultural hub that hosted film nights and musicians from around the world. More nightclub than ice cream parlor, they opened at 6 pm, closed at 3 am and served 3,000 people nightly.
For 15 years, the business thrived. The seasonal nature of their gelateria – open five months out of the year – afforded a lifestyle of exploration and global travel.
The three friends began dreaming about hospitality and service on a more intimate level – specifically, a small boutique hotel in a lush corner of the world. Griet traversed Asia while Els and Antonio visited Costa Rica on a tip from a fellow entrepreneur Antonio met in Hawaii. Griet soon followed and was promptly captivated by the allure of the Pacific, the tropical splendor and the quiet town of Tamarindo. “Why not?” they asked each other, already knowing the answer.
Fast forward two years. The trio was settled in Costa Rica, with a thoughtfully designed and solidly built hotel thanks to Antonio’s family ties in construction.
Cala Luna became an extension of a lifestyle – deeply integrated with nature and committed to mindful, meaningful enjoyment of each passing day. Today, Cala Luna exists as a tangible expression of sustainable living paired with elegant luxury. Mother Earth is a core value of our hotel, influencing everything we do from farm-to-table organic dining to eco-friendly building materials, solar energy and water recycling. And our value of personalized service means treating you with the utmost care, attention and respect. We live to serve and delight, one guest at a time.
We welcome all travelers into the lap of paradise and serve the whole person. We exist to offer awakening in paradise – from a gorgeous night’s sleep to a deep awakening of your true self.
Today, our adventure continues under the leadership of Antonio’s son, Federico. Through his guidance and creativity, Cala Luna has become the envy of boutique hotels around the world.
True to form, Griet and her partner now pursue another adventure at La Senda, where they oversee our organic farm, wellness center and world-renowned labyrinth.
If you’re reading these words, chances are you’re looking for a Pura Vida getaway, and Cala Luna is rising to the top of your list.
Why not?
La Senda is the source of our organic ingredients, where seasonal produce and botanicals travel a short distance from near-black volcanic soil to your plate at Cala Luna Origen.
Far more than a farm, La Senda is a world-renowned wellness center and home to the world’s largest meditation labyrinth, a sacred gateway for personal discovery and contemplation. Most of our 74 acres are untamed; we only cultivate enough of the acreage to grow the crops we need.
Located 15 miles from Tamarindo Beach and Cala Luna, La Senda is a sister project unlike any plot of land on Earth.
Visit La Senda’s website to learn more.
This is paradise untamed – as it should be. And these gorgeous sights, sounds and smells don’t come together by accident. They take patient care and cultivation. They take love. And at Cala Luna, that means love for our tropical home, the habitats of Costa Rica, our one and only Mother Earth.
We believe luxury should never be wasteful. That’s why we designed our buildings to balance comfort and restraint. Instead of one massive building that displaces acres of flora and fauna, our rooms and villas are scattered throughout the forest and connected by winding paths. We built our hotel to coexist with the jungle and terrain on the tip of Tamarindo Bay. Never to harm it.
Without this passion for harmonizing with nature and protecting its wild beauty? Well, we’d be just another hotel and you wouldn’t still be reading.
*Jungleful isn’t a word you’ll find in any dictionary. Yet.
What we’re doing today:
Soon: Every drop of water that runs through our hotel will go right back into the land, keeping it lush and healthy for generations to come.
Read more about our full commitment to conservation and sustainable practices here.
A home built on a vortex of energy,
a tangle of jungle with space to heal,
a labyrinth long enough to lose and find yourself,
total wellness through all six senses.
A five-star organic experience,
set on the tip of a moon-shaped bay.
A five-star organic experience,
set on the tip of a moon-shaped bay.
