A Luxury Resort with a Mission: The Story of Pacaya Lodge & Spa
One of the 9 casitas at the resort.
The story of Pacaya Lodge & Spa begins with David Allman, a prominent real estate professional from Atlanta, Georgia. Ten years ago, David discovered Opportunity International, a micro-financing NGO that empowers local communities and businesses in over to alleviate poverty and promote long-lasting development. David was excited by Opportunity International’s commitment to sustainable development, and his colleagues encouraged him to explore potential projects in Nicaragua.
David’s exploration led him to found the Nicaraguan Branch of Opportunity International. Unlike Opportunity International’s strict focus on micro-financing, Opportunity International Nicaragua set out with a more experimental goal. Their plan centered around a vertical business model, incorporating local agriculture, a processing plant, and most recently, a technical agricultural and tourism school into the development plan.
The school, Escuela Tecnica Emprendedora, has already begun to play a large role in the community-based development of the Pacaya Lodge & Spa. Escuela Técnica Emprendedora resides in the town of Diriomo. It houses eight classrooms and approximately 240 7th-10th graders.
Local tourism students visiting the lodge
These students receive hands-on experience and workshops, where they learn to cultivate yucca, bananas, pitaya (dragon fruit), tomatoes, and an assortment of herbs. The agricultural program has raised 1,200 chickens and produces roughly 1,200 organic eggs everyday. A major goal of the program is to train students to grow produce without the use of pesticides so that when they graduate they will have the knowledge and tools to work on or develop their own organic farms. The agricultural component of the program is promising for Pacaya Lodge & Spa, which hopes to source its food from the student farm and local organic operations into the future.
In addition to the agricultural program at Escuela Tecnica Emprendedora, the school also runs a tourism program. The Pacaya Lodge & Spa will serve as a lab for tourism students to receive hands-on training in order to prepare them for work in the luxury hotel sector, a rapidly growing market in Nicaragua.
Pacaya Lodge is currently partnered with Oklahoma State University (the #14 ranked hospitality school in the U.S.). The goal of the partnership is to refine the tourism curriculum, teach English, and educate the students on standard operating procedures with the ultimate hope of providing the students with the tools they need to succeed in Nicaragua’s rapidly expanding hotel market. The Lodge expects to hire the students directly from the program to work for them upon completion.
Another promising sign for both Lodge and the future of tourism in Nicaragua is that the Pacaya Lodge revenues are expected to cover up to 40% of the technical school’s expenses upon stabilization. This would help pump funds back into the growth of the tourism industry in Nicaragua.
In order to support these initiatives, the Lodge must be profitable. Extensive market research undertaken by Solimar International has confirmed the need for a quality, dependable, upscale lodging operation in the underserved greater Granada area near Laguna de Apoyo, where Pacaya Lodge & Spa is currently getting underway. The Lodge is especially promising because of its proximity to Laguna de Apoyo, a breathtaking volcanic crater lake with a depth of over 700 feet, a site that draws in out-of-country visitors.
The view overlooking Laguna de Apoyo from the casita suite.
In addition to its close proximity to the volcano, the upscale luxury and comfort provided at Laguna de Apoyo blends effortlessly with the colorful artisanal craftsmanship from the nearby town of Pueblos Blancos. Sandwiched between these two towns, the Pacaya Lodge blends luxury and local craftsmanship to form a truly unique lodge identity.
Pacaya Lodge & Spa is a 26-room luxury resort. The main building houses eight guest rooms, a bar, restaurant, and several conference rooms. The remaining 18 guest rooms are located in nine, two-story casitas. Upon arrival at Pacaya Lodge & Spa, guests will immediately notice the unique architecture, infinity pool, spa facilities, gardens, excellent service, stunning views of Laguna de Apoyo, and colorful artisanal craftsmanship.
Hammocks are just one of the many artisanal products guests will enjoy at the resort.
In terms of craftsmanship, one of the major goals of the Lodge was to source all furniture, fixtures, artwork, and décor from local vendors. The Lodge currently works with a network of 16 local artists to meet these needs and hosts weekly art galleries which feature rotating local artists and their work. Bringing local artists into the Lodge gives the guests and locals the chance to interact directly.
Furthermore, in an effort to promote local craftsmanship, each guest room will have a product catalog containing artisan profiles. This catalog will allow guests to purchase the artisanal products on display in the hotel directly from the artisans. While many upscale resorts in Latin America seek to shield guests from local communities, Pacaya Lodge & Spa is growing from within the community.
Pacaya Lodge believes that this approach makes them more attractive to the modern-day traveler, who is looking for a more authentic experience while traveling. Pacaya Lodge & Spa is much more than a Lodge with an amazing view. Community development and social responsibility are key tenets of the operation. Pacaya Lodge & Spa is committed to sustainable tourism through community development and support for local businesses. Through Pacaya Lodge’s involvement with the technical school, they have developed a distinctive and exciting sustainable tourism experience that they would like to share with you.
