After a little over 3 km passed Salon Delia, you will cross your first creek. Continue. When you reach a "Y" in the road, take the left arm. DO NOT TAKE THE RIGHT ARM. Follow the signs to the lodge, passing a steel bridge and driving up several steep slopes until you see the sign indicating to turn right. Once you get to the gate please open with the following number: (2-11), at the gate you are 4 kilometers away from the lodge, please follow the signs. DO NOT CROSS THE RIVER IF FLOODED. You may encounter one or two wire gates after the main wooden gate. If these wire gates are closed, please close them again after you drive through.

There will be one more river crossing before you reach the lodge. The terrain becomes rather rough right at the end due to the recurrent floods that constantly change the course of the river.

You made it! The directions might sound scary, but getting to us is actually not all that problematic.

Selva Bananito Lodge is built on our family farm, of which only one third is actually used for farming. Our father, Rudi Stein, who has farmed in Latin America since the 1950's, purchased the land for farming and wood exploitation in 1974. In the early years of his land tenure, he obtained a government permit to do selective logging on the forested portions of his land. This permit went mostly unused, and in 1994 our family decided to declare the untouched two thirds of the farm (850 hectares or 2,000 acres) a private, biological reserve and built the lodge as an alternative source of income. This was a moral, not an economic decision, since it is unlikely that the income from the lodge will ever approximate the commercial value of the protected wood.

The cabins stand on a ridge flanked by two streams. On one side of the ridge you will see the Bananito River and its valley, where the farm's pastures, plantations, and reforested areas are (great birdwatching here!). On the other side your eyes will fall upon the beautiful Cerro Muchilla and the Amistad Biosphere, which our borders touch.

We realize that our very existence in this environment affects it, but we try to minimize our impact in a variety of ways. Rather than building the cabins closer to, or in the forest, we purposefully erected them in an area that had already been altered by human activity. Eighty percent of the hardwood used to build the cabins was obtained from "second class" wood discarded by loggers from trees already cut for other purposes. As much as twenty percent of a tree is classified as "second class" and is normally left to waste. We wish to set an example for how to maximize the use of a tree once it is cut down, because using trees efficiently is one way to reduce deforestation. Each cabin stands on stilts, in traditional Caribbean style. This type of architecture reduces moisture inside the buildings and improves the view and ventilation. Furthermore, far fewer insects and other critters find their way inside. Even so, you may want to inspect your shoes for unwanted guests before putting them on!

Many hotels and lodges in Costa Rica use the charming palm roofing inspired by traditional Indian architecture. The excessive use of suita palm for roofing, however, has contributed to its endangerment. Furthermore, this type of roofing requires regular spraying with pesticides to keep insects out (whether hotel operators admit to it or not). We therefore opted for thick tar paper roofing or synthetic roofing instead. Without the use of electricity we hope to create a quiet and relaxing environment for our guests and ourselves, very much in tune with the surroundings. If you need to recharge any batteries, however, we may be able to arrange it for you through the farm management. The main office is located in the building opposite the entrance to the cabins. Here you may leave valuables for safekeeping.

If you follow the main road downhill, you will find our rancho, which has a dining area, bar, and small library upstairs, and kitchen and personnel facilities downstairs. Meals are served at the rancho. Please advise us of any dietary restrictions as soon as is convenient.

If you are thinking of spending your Honeymoon in Costa Rica and you are sensible to environmentally friendly operations which will bring you in close contact with nature and allowing you to have either a relaxed or if you prefer a rather active honeymoon in Costa Rica, we invite you to discover the secrets of our unforgettable "Macua" Honeymoon Packages.