“Our ambition is to grow and nurture a life-enriching community.” –Ian Silverberg

Costa Dorada is located within the small coastal town of Marbella (“Beautiful Sea”) on the Nicoya Peninsula in the province of Guanacasta. Marbella is home to four unique and pristine beaches, ideal for surfing, snorkeling, swimming and fishing. Access to this paradise on the Pacific Ocean is delightfully convenient via a scenic 60-mile drive from Liberia International Airport (LIR), which offers non-stop service to many major hubs.

It is no accident that Costa Dorada is located in Marbella.  The convenient access without the crowds, traffic, overdevelopment, and other legacy issues that other towns face; abundance of water (Costa Dorada has secured excusive water rights, unshared by other developments or towns);  safe and friendly residents; miles of pristine and private feeling beaches; and the ability to plan and create, from the ground up, a world class community that’s in the path or progress, are just a few of the reasons Marbella was the obvious choice for the home of Costa Dorada.

The community of Costa Dorada is in its first stages of development. At 325 acres in size, it is a substantial undertaking with planning that began more than a decade ago.

Costa Dorado is an eco-resort development that embodies a philosophy of respect, preservation and support of the native culture, arts and way of life.  Its building and construction practices are strictly measured to be protective of the surrounding lush valleys, creeks, and unspoiled beaches.

It has been thoughtfully planned and designed to sustain all the aspects of a fulfilling life… from social and cultural events, to entertainment and education,  Costa Dorada is integrally and wonderfully linked to the land and its people.

Jeff Allen left California in search of a tropical paradise that he could one day call home. After traveling up and down the coast of Central America, his search led him to the beautiful, forward thinking and politically stable country of Costa Rica.

Exploring the Pacific shoreline, he landed ultimately in the inviting coastal town of Marbella. Lured by the land’s unspoiled beauty and the warm, embracing spirit of its people, he knew immediately that Marbella was where he would settle down. Within a few short years, Jeff had become an integral member of the Marbella community, providing thoughtful and supportive leadership.

The opening of the Liberia International Airport 90 minutes away, coupled with the escalating real estate boom, caused development demand that threatened the beauty and charm of the Guanacaste Coast. Jeff became a leading force in protecting the authenticity and integrity of Marbella in this new environment.

Ian Silverberg left California in search of a tropical paradise where he and his family could vacation while diversifying their investments. This search brought him to Marbella where he developed a close personal and business relationship with Jeff. Sharing the same development philosophy and passion for sustaining the Marbella community, they have together acquired more than 1,000 acres of pristine coastal property.

Together, Jeff and Ian formed the Marbella Group to plan, prepare, and embark on developing a visionary eco-resort community named Costa Dorada. The property encompasses approximately 265 acres of land featuring beautiful ocean and valley vistas, meandering creeks, tropical forests, and an abundance of wildlife characteristic of Costa Rica.

Today the Marbella Group is composed of an exceptional team with collective experience in the fields of sustainable building, hospitality, ecotourism, alternative energy, wellness and health, and environmental education. These talents are guiding the formal planning process and development of the Project. The Marbella Group is building on the creative and forward-thinking applications of award-winning projects in Central and North America that employ the use of sustainable practices.

The Marbella Group’s philosophy extends beyond strict green building practices and also considers the economic, cultural and environmental sustainability needs of Costa Dorada, the town of Marbella, and all of Costa Rica.

The Costa Dorada concept is simple…to create a thoughtfully designed and sustainable community that is integrally linked to the land and its people. Costa Dorada intends to positively enhance the lifestyle of its visitors and residents by uniquely blending social, environmental, and financial opportunities.

The Marbella Group has assembled an exceptional team whose collective experience in the fields of planning, sustainable building, hospitality, ecotourism, alternative energy, wellness and health, and environmental education will guide the formal planning process and development of the Project.

Costa Dorada will be carefully built-out over many years and should be viewed as a “community of communities”, an overall Costa Dorada master plan featuring smaller, bou- tique developments within the Project that will be introduced thoughtfully and somewhat organically over time.

The Project is being planned using a “best practices” approach that will engage leading practitioners and consultants in all the key development fields. It will build upon the creative and forward thinking applications from award winning projects in Central and North America that employ the use of sustainable practices.

Equally important to the quality of the built environment will be the economic and social considerations for the town of Marbella and the Guanacaste region. Local employment opportunities created by Costa Dorada will have a profound impact on the economic well-being of the townspeople and the region by providing job training and financial support for local entrepreneurs, as well as support for indigenous cultural activities including music, dance and art. Additionally, international property buyers often settle in smaller towns and villages such as Marbella and contribute heavily in terms of financing and personal involvement with the needs of the community.

The commercial component of Costa Dorada will be a public walking village. In summary, by employing a holistic approach to its design and development, Costa Dorada has the potential to become an iconic Project, recognized for its sustainable and financial success.