Parador Honors Its Own: Employee Achievements Are Recognized At Quarterly Party

With twelve acres, 129 rooms and suites, stringent sustainability practices, 158 employees in seven departments and a constant influx of esteemed guests for whom to care, the Parador family is a busy one indeed. But we still take time out every three months to honor our hard working and loyal staff with a no-holds-barred party! Hosted each quarter by a different department that has free reign to stage the event as it sees fit, the most recent fete was helmed by the Food & Beverage Group. This time they pulled out all the stops to create an afternoon of tongue-in-cheek performance theater and hilarious Chippendales-inspired vid-clips before we all got down to the more serious business of recognizing individual employees for their superlative work and commitment.

Just one element of Parador’s “We Share” employee benefits program (for more information on that check our website www.hotelparador.com), these staff parties provide an opportunity for the Parador team to mingle in a casual non-work environment, while creating a forum in which management can also commemorate its own. Potential honorees are nominated by each department head after which awards – which include pins and/or certificates and monetary gifts – are presented to one winner per month from each department in such categories as “Most Helpful Employee” and “Smile of the Month.” Further, those staffers who have been with Parador for a year or more receive bonuses while those boasting at least ten years of service receive all expense paid vacations for two.

Parador takes great pride in the fact that so many of our employees have long term tenure here. We are delighted to be able to show our appreciation and party with the troops every few months!

Parador Resort & Spa Initiates New “Mysteries Of The Night” Guided Nature Tour

The mysteries of the jungle are unveiled at night and now Parador Resort & Spa invites our guests to experience the wondrous nocturnal world of our resident wildlife in a new 1 ½ to two-hour guided walking tour. Under the aegis of a certified naturalist armed with a telescopic lens and a fistful of knowledge, participants will hike on trails that meander through the resort’s ten acres of lush secondary rainforest inhabited by coatis, sloths, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, numerous species of reptiles and amphibians, and a plethora of curious insects. Particularly striking is the highly photogenic red eyed frog, found only in Costa Rica´s rainforests and living right here on our grounds. If lucky, a caucel or another of the elusive wildcats that lurk in the forest’s deep shadows might also be sighted.
Tours run every night at 6 p.m. and return in plenty of time to have a wonderful meal at one of our fab restaurants. A perfect educational and adventure opportunity for the entire family.

Parador Resort & Spa Supports Teatro Copaza In Quepos: First Cultural Theater For At-Risk Youth In Costa Rica

It’s a well known fact that Parador Resort & Spa is much more than just a world-class resort. Our commitment to the environment and community has earned us a fistful of awards and accolades, including Costa Rica’s highest 5 Leaf Sustainability ranking and, for the third consecutive year, the important Ecological Blue Flag.

Named “Costa Rica’s Leading Resort 2010” by the prestigious World Travel Awards, Parador’s support of numerous community and charitable groups takes equal standing to our dedication to our guests. As such, we have been intimately involved with Copaza, a regional non-profit organization diligently working towards improving the circumstances and opportunities for Costa Rica’s youth.

Of the many projects Copaza has spearheaded since its formation in 2007, the opening last year (2010) of Teatro Copaza here in the small fishing village of Quepos, stands out. As the first such cultural venture in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region, the theater introduces locals -- particularly kids -- to cultural performances from around the world while also serving as a prototype for similar undertakings throughout the country.

In addition to visiting performance troupes from San Jose, the US, Europe and Latin America, the theater offers art, music and dance classes to local children. Many programs are free, and for those that are not Copaza provides scholarships and other financial assistance for families with limited resources. The goal is to get kids off the street, away from drugs, violence and crime and to provide positive options and inspiration for a more fruitful and successful life.