Five Resorts That Make Voluntourism Fun

Part of the thrill in taking a vacation is experiencing a community for the first time. But by only ordering food in a restaurant or checking out museums and shopping, you might only be scratching the surface of what makes that community tick.   

What if you could give back to that community – and in a way that’s more meaningful than writing a check? Some resorts enable guests to do more than just sleep, eat, and indulge in spa sessions. They provide opportunities to participate in hands-on philanthropic activities, from cleaning up local beaches to interacting with locals about their lives and dreams. Raise money for these causes and other causes.

According to the International Ecotourism Society , more than 66 percent of American
 travelers believe that hotels have an obligation to protect the environment and support local communities. Here are some terrific examples of hotels putting that mission into action.

The Lodge at Pico Bonito (Honduras)
The Lodge at Pico Bonito is tucked into the country’s largest rainforest and national park, with modern amenities like a restaurant and a pool, and 16 elegant but rustic cabins. Through Adelante Foundation , you can book a day trip from the resort to a rural village where the women are using microfinance loans to start their own businesses and escape poverty. During your visit, you’ll attend an assembly of between 30 and 50 women and provide supportive words of wisdom while listening to their stories. Being invited is like entering their private homes and gaining a glimpse into their dreams.

Lapa Rios Rainforest Ecolodge (Costa Rica)
As a guest at this eco-lodge, surrounded by the 930-acre Lapa Rios Reserve where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific Ocean, you can choose from several ways to practice sustainability with the nearby community. It can be as loose as playing a soccer match with locals on Thursday afternoon or chatting with children at The Carbonera School. Or you can help transplant seedlings into an area of second growth. Owners John and Karen Lewis, originally from Minnesota, created a land trust to protect a tract of Peninsula Osa primary forest, which is partially funded by guests’ payments. At night, relax in your bungalow which has locally made bamboo furniture and a private deck, or dine at the lodge’s on-site restaurant, Brisa Azul—the menu with Tico and Costa Rican influences includes mole, ceviche, baked fish and tres leches cake. There are 16 bungalows on the property.

Loews Coronado Bay Resort (San Diego)
Via a one-night package at this luxe 439-room oceanside resort, you can get your hands dirty and be pampered. In partnership with the California State Parks Foundation , guests participate in a hands-on project (coastal beach clean-up or restoration, depending on the season) just a few steps from the hotel at Silver Strand State Beach. A tour of plants, animals, mudflats, birds and sand dunes is given by a state park environmental educator. Lowes’ culinary staff will even pack lunch boxes for you. Only 10 percent of California’s coastal wetlands remain. Because Loews includes a 1-percent Environmental Fee in guestroom rates, $200,000 has been donated to the foundation already.

Good Hotel (San Francisco)
In the lobby of this eco-friendly hotel constructed from reclaimed and recycled materials in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood is more than a concierge. A “give back” dedicated phone line is hooked up to a volunteer hotline. You simply pick up the phone and sign up for interactive volunteer opportunities at One Brick . Acting as a clearinghouse for volunteer needs, One Brick can hook you up with an organization for a one-time project. Afterward, swing back to the hotel and grab a bite in its pizza parlor, called Good Pizza, where all of the pies use fresh, local ingredients.

AKA Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia)
After you check into this beautifully restored and historic property that dates back to the 17th century, make plans to volunteer with either MANNA , where you’ll assist with cooking or baking meals for those less fortunate; or Project H.O.M.E. , preparing meals for the homeless, tutoring women at a safe-haven shelter, or helping residents with daily living skills. As the hotel is an extended-stay property (guests can book rooms anywhere from one to 30 days), short-term volunteer stints of more than a day or two are entirely possible.

By Kristine Hansen

Photo credit: The Lodge at Pico Bonito