Palo Verde Sustainable Hotel – A Model for Responsible Hospitality in El Salvador

From Flow House, we continued to the coastal town of El Zonte, where we discovered Palo Verde Sustainable Hotel—a prime example of high-quality hospitality combined with environmental and social responsibility. Nestled on the black-sand shores of the Pacific Ocean, this hotel has become a symbol of innovation and regenerative tourism.

Kimmy introduced us to the hotel’s manager, Camilo Menéndez, after leading two healing, surfing, and yoga retreats at the hotel, focused on women’s empowerment. The collaboration between Kimmy and Camilo reflects their shared vision of creating transformative experiences that connect nature, healing, and community.

Camilo grew up with deep-rooted values of sustainability and environmental conservation. Along with his family, he brought their vision to life by establishing the hotel over a decade ago—at a time when El Salvador was in turmoil. His sister, a biologist, played a key role in shaping the hotel’s unique sustainable tourism model, which has since become an inspiration locally, nationally, and internationally.

(Noam Bedein)

Sustainable Accommodations with a Purpose

Palo Verde offers a selection of thoughtfully designed accommodations, blending comfort with sustainability. The hotel features Deluxe Ocean-View Rooms, each with private terraces overlooking the Pacific, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings. Garden-View Rooms provide a serene retreat with lush tropical greenery, while Eco-Suites offer spacious, elegantly designed spaces that incorporate local materials and eco-friendly design elements. Every room is equipped with high-quality bedding, solar-powered hot water, and energy-efficient cooling systems to enhance guest comfort while minimizing environmental impact.

(Noam Bedein)

A Culinary Experience Rooted in Heritage

The hotel’s restaurant, Nan Tal, was one of the most remarkable culinary experiences I encountered. Every ingredient is sourced from local markets, resulting in a perfect fusion of traditional Salvadoran cuisine with an international-level modern presentation. Each dish is served with profound respect for the land, indigenous heritage, and community values. The menu honors the Milpa tradition, an ancestral farming system that interweaves corn, beans, and squash, creating a rich and sustainable culinary legacy.

(Noam Bedein)

Community Engagement & Surf Accessibility

Beyond its high-quality hospitality, the hotel offers training programs for local residents, with a strong emphasis on surfing. In a country renowned as a surfing paradise, most lessons are geared toward international visitors and remain financially out of reach for many locals. Palo Verde aims to change this by making surfing more accessible to the local community, fostering a renewed connection between Salvadoran culture and the country’s primary tourism sector. Additionally, the hotel provides job training in hospitality and language skills, empowering local employees to excel in the tourism industry.

(Noam Bedein)

A Vision for the Future – Women’s Healing Retreats

Kimmy’s personal journey and passion for wellness have led her to a new initiative: hosting women’s healing retreats in El Salvador. Over the past few years, she has led transformative retreats for women, providing a safe and supportive space to find peace in nature, practice mindfulness, heal, and connect deeply with local culture.

In collaboration with me, Kimmy envisions expanding this initiative to include Israeli women—especially mothers and daughters—who would benefit from an immersive healing experience based on a trauma-informed model. These retreats will offer life-changing experiences, including mindfulness sessions by the coastline, explorations of natural wonders and history, extraordinary wildlife encounters, and evenings of shared storytelling and connection. The vision is clear: to create a healing space that bridges cultures and fosters resilience on both a personal and collective level.

The combination of sustainability, exceptional accommodations, outstanding cuisine, community engagement, and social responsibility makes Palo Verde a pioneering model that proves how high-quality hospitality can create a positive impact—both for visitors and the local community.

#NatureHealResrots

(Noam Bedein)

(Noam Bedein)

(Noam Bedein)

(Noam Bedein)

(Noam Bedein)

(Noam Bedein)