A New Culture of Private Clubs in Costa Rica

Distinguished Clubs has 10 international clubs, and this recent international site visit took the author to the Santa Ana Country Club CR in San Jose, Costa Rica.?

It opened in late 2019 and received the highest member service scores of all Troon Prive private clubs.?

“Santa Ana Country Club is the first city club in 40 years to be built in Costa Rica,” Esteban Oreamuno Beeche , the club’s general manager, says about a new era of private clubs in Costa Rica. ?

“Thanks to the vision and wisdom of the founders/developers, they created a gem in the city. Designed to cater to young and active families looking for a modern place to practice sports and meet other families.”

It is also the only private club to include sustainability criteria in its construction and received the Ecological Blue Flag Program (PBAE). This innovative, non-golf, private country club (athletic club) provides its members with great entertainment and a family-based lifestyle. By catering to a variety of preferences, it creates a diverse and dynamic athletic, social and dining experience.

Facial recognition software allows members to enter the club. Beyond the front gates, members find a massive and beautiful open wall building with multiple spaces to enjoy food, drinks, friends, family, sports, or just the beautiful hillside view.?

The clubhouse has an amazing architecture, with a wave-style roof and many openings to the gardens in perfect symbiotic balance with nature. The construction involved one of the eight hectares of land. The remaining seven hectares are part of a reforestation program, gardens and trails.?

Santa Ana Country Club is a family-oriented community that offers incredible experiences for parents and children. With top-notch child care and a clubhouse for teenagers, parents can rest assured their children are in good hands.?

For those interested in sports, this club offers superb amenities, professional coaches and great programs, especially in tennis. Daniel Lopez, tennis director, teaches the Tennis 101 program as a free introduction to tennis for new members. He takes care of 250 kids, clinics for adults, and special tennis and social events each month.?

The club has nine clay tennis courts (covered with open sides). There is an academy and league team for squash and swimming, too. The semi-Olympic-sized pool has eight lanes, open spaces and beautiful views. The club also offers a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness and wellness facility, recreational pools, basketball, soccer, volleyball, two high-definition golf simulators, a physiotherapy center, a business center, and more.?

With eight food and beverage outlets, Santa Ana Country Club also offers exceptional dining and a variety of events. Staff members received training in exceptional service, and many have honed their skills abroad, bringing a unique international flair to the table. Chef Nicolas Di Paolo has worked in Barcelona with the famous Spanish chef El Buli.

Working with only fresh and sustainable local products, he knows how to transform dinner into a gastronomic experience. In Restaurante Materia, the decoration is modern and elegant, and the food servers know how to make you feel special. ?

On becoming the first Distinguished Club in Costa Rica, Oreamuno Beeche says, “With the challenges the pandemic presented, being awarded by BoardRoom magazine to be part of the Distinguished Club group gives us immense pride and satisfaction.?

“To see SACC next to such historic and emblematic clubs, it gives the whole team a sense of gratitude but mostly a boost of energy and confidence to continue the right path we′ve been trecking the last four years.”

Oreamuno Beeche has this advice for other GMs: “My advice to other club GMs is to empower their whole staff, let them make decisions. Sometimes they will err in the process, but the important lesson is the accountability sense this brings to each individual.”? ? BR