The history of Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge starts with its name. The founders and owners of Dantica ecolodge are a Colombian – Dutch couple, Maria Luisa Castro Fernández who is a textile designer, and Joost Wilms who is a tropical ecologist. When Joost was finishing his studies in 1992 he had to do fieldwork in Costa Rica and resulted to study reforestation with frugivorous birds in the Cloud Forest of San Gerardo de Dota. He fell in love with the place, not knowing he would be coming back 10 years later to built an ecolodge with his new love, Maria Luisa.
It was for them a perfect match, combining biology, indigenous art and design to create a little paradise high up in the cool mountains. They started constructing in 2003, beginning with their house, where they opened the Dantica gallery in the living room, and two Bungalows for rent. During the following 14 years, they expanded it into an ecolodge with 12 Bungalows, a large gallery with restaurant, an employee house, a playground and a laundry house.
The constructions were made according to the respect for the environment because sustainability is very important for this cloud forest lodge. The clearings in the forest and along the road already existed and where used for blackberry cultivation.
