Coffee is the workhorse of hospitality—the first thing a guest tastes in the morning and, increasingly, a program operators are being judged on. This National Coffee Day (September 29), one Costa Rican resort is making the case that coffee deserves the same sourcing rigor and storytelling as any wine list or tasting menu.
At the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort in Costa Rica, Head Barista Luis Carlos Herrera has built a coffee program around the country's celebrated "golden bean"—and he's sharing exactly how he brews the perfect cup.
From the Farm to the Cup: Hand-Selecting the "Golden Bean"
Costa Rican coffee is renowned worldwide for its exceptional quality, and Herrera didn't want to source it from a catalog. He traveled to the country's premier coffee-growing regions, immersing himself in the full production process—from planting and harvesting to building direct relationships with the farmers who grow it.
That legwork produced a curated lineup of three coffees that read like a terroir map of Costa Rica:
- Bruna Region: The Alvarado Fonseca Family's honey-processed coffee, with aromatic, sweet notes of caramel and black tea.
- Santa María in the Dota Region: The Marín family's naturally roasted coffee, using a whole bean fermentation process for a brew with sweeter notes and medium acidity.
- División in Pérez Zeledón: Orígenes coffee, a blend of SL28, ET47, Geisha, and San Roque varieties, honey-processed to deliver flavors of dark chocolate, caramel, and plum.
Guests don't just drink the results—they can learn the craft. Herrera leads a Becoming a Barista Class, a lively 90-minute session open to all guests that covers the origins of coffee and the art of preparation, deepening their connection to the beverage and its heritage in Costa Rica.
Luis Herrera's V60 Pour-Over Method, Step by Step
For National Coffee Day, Herrera is sharing his go-to brewing approach: the V60 pour-over. The same instructions appear in every Residential Villa on the property.
- Get the water right. Heat water until almost boiling, then wait at least 45 seconds for it to cool slightly before it touches the grounds.
- Rinse the filter. Place the paper filter into the cone-shaped dropper and rinse it with hot water to remove any paper flavor and scent. Discard that water into the sink.
- Bloom the coffee. Add the coffee—one full heaping teaspoon per cup. Pour slowly, just enough to wet all the grounds. This releases the CO2 the coffee gained during roasting. Wait 20–30 seconds for the water to pass through.
- Don't rush it. Resist the urge to stir to speed things along. As Herrera puts it, quality takes time.
- Serve. When the dripping stops, remove the ceramic cone, pour into a cup, and enjoy.
Why It Matters
For hospitality operators and F&B directors, this is a template worth studying. A resort turning its coffee service into a sourcing story, a differentiated menu, and a paid-experience touchpoint shows how a commodity beverage can become a revenue and reputation driver.
Three practical takeaways for operators and buyers:
- Direct sourcing is a marketing asset. Named farms, regions, and processing methods give servers a story to tell and justify premium pricing—the same playbook that transformed craft beverage programs.
- Coffee is an experience category, not just a pour. Herrera's 90-minute barista class monetizes expertise while building guest loyalty. Hotels, resorts, and even ambitious cafés can replicate the format.
- Technique consistency scales quality. Putting a simple, repeatable brew method in every villa is a lesson in operational standardization—guests get a consistent cup whether staff is in the room or not.
As specialty coffee, single-origin sourcing, and experiential dining continue to shape food and beverage trends, programs like this one signal where guest expectations are heading.
For more on how operators are rethinking beverage programs, read our coverage of the new economics of craft beverage programs and the latest trends in food and beverage.
How is your operation elevating its coffee program this National Coffee Day? Share your approach—and your favorite brew method—in the comments.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
